OCEAN CIRCULATION AND OCEAN-ATMOSPHERE EXCHANGES

The oceans have a major influence on climate through the ocean-atmosphere exchange processes. However, limits to our present understanding of some of these processes is an important factor in our inability to model climate change precisely. Present knowledge of ocean structure and circulation is reviewed, with a particular emphasis on the Southern Hemisphere oceans, and the major ocean-atmosphere exchanges are examined. The influence of interhemispheric asymmetries in global warming scenarios is discussed. An improved understanding of the oceans and therefore better climate models will result from planned international ocean research experiments in the 1990s.