[SLS] Huaiyu Wei (UCLA)

“Full-depth Reconstruction of Long-Term Meridional Overturning Circulation Variability from Satellite-Measurable Quantities via Machine Learning”

The meridional overturning circulation (MOC) is a key ocean circulation system that moves heat, carbon, and other important tracers throughout the globe. Changes in the MOC, especially over decades or longer, greatly influence global climate. It is important to track these changes to better understand climate variability, but direct MOC measurements are logistically challenging and resource-intensive. A possible solution is using satellite data, like sea surface height, to monitor the MOC remotely. Previous research has managed to track monthly-to-yearly changes of MOC using this indirect method, but it remains unclear if this can be done over multi-year or multi-decadal periods. In this study, we demonstrate the capability of neural networks to achieve long-term MOC monitoring from quantities that satellites can measure, using simulations of hundreds to thousands of years of climate evolution as a test bed. Our approach also performs well near the equator, where traditional methods often fail. We additionally applied a neural network interpretation technique, which reveals that its prediction of the MOC primarily utilizes local and non-local information about east-to-west pressure changes, consistent with physical expectations. Our results thus provide a pathway toward accurate monitoring of the MOC using satellite data over climate-relevant timescales.

Sack Lunch Seminar Series —
Informal seminar series within PAOC (Program in Atmospheres, Oceans, and Climate) that focuses on more specialized topics than the PAOC Colloquium. The presentations are either given by an invited speaker or by a member of PAOC and can focus on new research or discussion of a paper of particular interest.

Contact: sacklunch-committee@mit.edu