Background

What has happened so far?


Reports and proceedings from the 2003 International CLIVAR/OOPC/IAI Workshop on the South Atlantic Climate Observing System (SACOS) and the 2004 CLIVAR workshop on Atlantic Climate Predictability pointed out the need for measurements of the MOC and meridional heat flux in the South Atlantic. In 2007 formal recognition of the importance of the study of the MOC was codified by the designation of improving our understanding of the MOC as one of the key near-term priorities of the U.S. Interagency Ocean Research Priorities Plan (ORPP). The U.S. CLIVAR organization formed the Atlantic MOC implementation panel in response to the ORPP, and they released a strategy document calling for a MOC and meridional heat transport (MHT) monitoring array across the South Atlantic. Several international SAMOC workshops have been held to date, bringing together the international scientific community to share results on the MOC in the South Atlantic and to design an integrated observational system. Participants at the workshops have come from Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Russia, South Africa, Uruguay, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Scientists working on SAMOC have also participated in international workshops and conferences presenting results on studies of the MOC in the South Atlantic, including the joint US-AMOC/UK-RAPID meetings, Ocean Sciences meetings, and more.


SAMOC V Workshop Participants


The SAMOC workshops: