Effects of the deep ocean circulation on the reservoir characteristics of the ocean

To examine the effects of the deep ocean circulation on the characteristics of the ocean as a reservoir, age distributions of the material whose source and sink are at the ocean surface are calculated using an idealized vertical two-dimensional model of the ocean. The results show that the large-scale vertical circulation of the deep water accelerates the renewal of deep water and reduces the average age of the material. It is also shown that the multi-layered structures of the deep circulation are more realistic than the one-layered structure and promote the renewal of the deep water.