Olivier Arzel Home Page

Research interests:

My research deals with various aspects of climate dynamics, investigating the role of the ocean in Earth's climate on time scales of years to millennia. More specifically, I am investigating the physical processes (forcing and feedback) affecting the stability and the decadal-to-millennial scale variability of the ocean circulation using a hierarchy of numerical ocean climate models (from box to global). My work is in particular relevant to:

• The stability of the present-day and glacial climates

• The Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation

• The abrupt millennial-scale climate shifts of the last glacial period
  (see movie of Dansgaard-Oeschger type oscillations under steady external forcing and posters here and here)

Publications:

• Arzel, O. and M. H. England (2012): Wind-stress feedback amplification of abrupt millennial-scale climate changes, Climate Dynamics, published online, doi 10.1007/s00382-012-1288-1, abstract pdf
  
  
• Arzel, O., M. H. England, A. Colin de Verdière and T. Huck (2011): Abrupt millennial variability and interdecadal-interstadial oscillations in a global coupled model: sensitivity to the background climate state, Climate Dynamics, published online, doi 10.1007/s00382-011-1117-y, abstract pdf
  
  
• Arzel, O., M. H. England and O. Saenko (2011): The impact of wind-stress feedback on the stability of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, Journal of Climate, 24, 1965-1984, abstract pdf
  
  
• Arzel, O., A. Colin de Verdière and M. H. England (2010): The role of oceanic heat transport and wind-stress forcing in abrupt millennial-scale climate transitions, Journal of Climate, 23, 2233-2256, abstract pdf
  
  
• Goosse, H., O. Arzel., C. M. Bitz, A. de Montety, M. Vancoppenolle (2009): Increased variability of the Arctic summer ice extent in a warmer climate, Geophysical Research Letters, 36, doi:10.1029/2009GL040546, abstract pdf
  
  
• Arzel, O., M. H. England and W. P. Sijp (2008): Reduced stability of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation due to wind-stress feedback during glacial times, Journal of Climate, 21, 6260-6282, abstract pdf
  
  
• Arzel, O. T. Fichefet, H. Goosse and J-L. Dufresne (2008): Causes and impacts of changes in the Arctic freshwater budget during the 20^th and 21^st centuries in an AOGCM, Climate Dynamics, 30, 37-58, abstract pdf
  
  
• Arzel, O., A. Colin de Verdière and T. Huck (2007): On the origin of interdecadal oscillations in a coupled ocean-atmosphere model, Tellus A, 59, 367-383, abstract pdf
  
  
• H. Goosse, O. Arzel, J. Luterbacher, M. E. Mann, H. Renssen, N. Riedwyl, A. Timmermann, E. Xoplaki, and H. Wanner (2006): The origin of the European "Medieval Warm Period", Climate of the Past, 2, 99-113, abstract pdf
  
  
• Arzel O., T. Huck and A. Colin de Verdière (2006): The different nature of the interdecadal variability of the thermohaline circulation under mixed and flux boundary conditions, Journal of Physical Oceanography, 36, 1703-1718, abstract pdf
  
  
• Arzel, O., T. Fichefet and H. Goosse (2006): Sea ice evolution over the 20^th and 21^st centuries as simulated by current AOGCMs, Ocean Modelling, 12, 401-415, abstract pdf
  
  
• Arzel, O. and T. Huck (2003) Decadal oscillations in a simplified coupled model due to unstable interactions between zonal winds and ocean gyres, Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans, 37, 245-270, abstract pdf

PhD Thesis:

• Arzel, O. (2004) Mécanismes de variabilité climatique interdécennale dans des modèles idealisés, Thèse de doctorat de l'Université de Bretagne Occidentale, 214 pages, pdf

Other Publications:

• Arzel, O. and A. Colin de Verdière (2012): Instabilités de la circulation thermohaline Atlantique: implications pour les changements climatiques rapides de la dernière période glaciaire. COURANTS numéro 2, pdf
  
  
• Fichefet, T., O., Arzel and H. Goosse (2008): On the ability of current atmosphere-ocean general circulation models to predict the evolution of sea ice, Climate and Cryosphere Newsletter, Ice and Climate, Global Prediction of the Cryosphere, 10, 5-6, pdf
  
  
• Dufresne, J-L., D. Salas y Mélia, S. Denvil, S. Tyteca, O. Arzel, S. Bony, P. Braconnot, P. Brockmann, P. Cadule, A. Caubel, F. Chauvin, M. Déqué, H. Douville, L. Fairhead, T. Fichefet, M.-A. Foujols, P. Friedlingstein, J.-Y. Grandpeix, J.-F. Guérémy, F. Hourdin, A. Idelkadi, G.Krinner, C. Lévy, G. Madec, P. Marquet, O. Marti, L. Musat, S. Planton, J.-F. Royer, D. Swingedouw, A. Voldoire (2007): Simulation du climat récent et futur par les modèles du CNRM et de l'IPSL, La météorologie, 55, 45-59, pdf
  
  
• Salas y Mélia D., Genthon C., avec la contribution de Arzel O., Cassou C., V. Guemas, G. Krinner, M. Minveille et D. Swingedouw (2007) Chapitre 6 du Livre blanc ESCRIME, Études des simulations climatiques réaliséees par l'IPSL et Météo France, pdf
  
  
• Salas y Mélia D., C. Genthon, O. Arzel, C. Cassou, V. Guemas, G. Krinner, M. Minveille et D. Swingedouw (2007) Régions polaires, cryosphère et circulation thermohaline. La météorologie, 56, 33-39, pdf