Atlantic multidecadal oceanic variability and its influence on the atmosphere in a climate model

The mechanisms controlling the decadal to multidecadal variability of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC) and its influence on the atmosphere are investigated using a control simulation with the IPSL-CM4 climate model. The multidecadal fluctuations of the MOC are mostly driven by deep convection in the subpolar gyre, which occurs south of Iceland in the model. The latter is primarily influenced by the anomalous advection of salinity due to changes in the East Atlantic Pattern (EAP), which is the second mode of atmospheric variability in the North Atlantic region. The North Atlantic Oscillation is the dominant mode, but it plays a secondary role in the MOC fluctuations. During summer, the MOC variability is shown to have a significant impact on the atmosphere in the North Atlantic–European sector. The MOC influence is due to an interhemispheric sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly with opposite signs in the two hemispheres but largest amplitude in the northern one. The SST pattern driven by the MOC mostly resembles the model Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and bears some similarity with the observed one. It is shown that the AMO reflects both the MOC influence and the local atmospheric forcing. Hence, the MOC influence on climate is best detected using lagged relations between climatic fields. The atmospheric response resembles the EAP, in a phase that might induce a weak positive feedback on the MOC.     

Atmospheric response to the North Atlantic Ocean variability on seasonal to decadal time scales

The NCEP twentieth century reanalyis and a 500-year control simulation with the IPSL-CM5 climate model are used to assess the influence of ocean-atmosphere coupling in the North Atlantic region at seasonal to decadal time scales. At the seasonal scale, the air-sea interaction patterns are similar in the model and observations. In both, a statistically significant summer sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly with a horseshoe shape leads an atmospheric signal that resembles the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) during the winter. The air-sea interactions in the model thus seem realistic, although the amplitude of the atmospheric signal is half that observed, and it is detected throughout the cold season, while it is significant only in late fall and early winter in the observations. In both model and observations, the North Atlantic horseshoe SST anomaly pattern is in part generated by the spring and summer internal atmospheric variability. In the model, the influence of the ocean dynamics can be assessed and is found to contribute to the SST anomaly, in particular at the decadal scale. Indeed, the North Atlantic SST anomalies that follow an intensification of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) by about 9 years, or an intensification of a clockwise intergyre gyre in the Atlantic Ocean by 6 years, resemble the horseshoe pattern, and are also similar to the model Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO). As the AMOC is shown to have a significant impact on the winter NAO, most strongly when it leads by 9 years, the decadal interactions in the model are consistent with the seasonal analysis. In the observations, there is also a strong correlation between the AMO and the SST horseshoe pattern that influences the NAO. The analogy with the coupled model suggests that the natural variability of the AMOC and the gyre circulation might influence the climate of the North Atlantic region at the decadal scale.     

冬季北太平洋风暴轴的年代际变化特征及其可能影响机制

利用1958-2002年的ERA-40再分析资料,用谐波变换和EOF方法分析了冬季北太平洋风暴轴在年代际时间尺度上的变化特征,并通过回归分析的方法初步探讨了风暴轴年代际变化的可能影响机制.结果表明,在年代际时间尺度上,北太平洋风暴轴有两种主要模态,第1模态是风暴轴在其气候平均位置增强或减弱的主体一致变化型,其年代际变化受到上游涡旋强迫的影响,北大西洋强(弱)的涡旋活动,使得冬季北太平洋西风急流减弱(增强)、变宽(窄)、北抬(南压),同期北太平洋风暴轴活动偏强(弱),黑潮延续体区海表温度有偏暖(冷)的响应;第2模态是风暴轴中东部在气候平均位置南北两侧振荡的经向异常型,与太平洋年代际振荡(PDO)循环的暖(冷)位相相联系,下垫面海温非绝热加热的作用,激发加强(减弱)大气中类太平洋/北美遥相关型(PNA)的响应,引起大气斜压性异常偏南(北),使得风暴轴整体南压(北抬),且中东部向东南(北)方向移动.因此,冬季北太平洋风暴轴的年代际变化不仅是局地波-流相互作用的结果,还应考虑上游涡旋活动和海温热力强迫的作用.     

Bjerknes’ hypothesis on the coldness during AD 1790–1820 revisited

The aim of this paper is to re-examine and quantify a hypothesis first put forward by J. Bjerknes concerning the anomalous coldness during the AD 1790–1820 period in western Europe. Central to Bjerknes’ hypothesis is an anomalous interaction between ocean and atmosphere studied here using an ocean-atmosphere coupled climate model of intermediate complexity. A reconstruction of the sea-level pressure pattern over the North Atlantic sector averaged over the period 1790–1820 is assimilated in this model, using a recently developed technique which has not been applied to paleoclimatic modelling before. This technique ensures that averaged over the simulation the reconstructed pattern is retrieved whilst leaving atmospheric and climatic variability to develop freely. In accordance with Bjerknes’ hypothesis, the model results show anomalous southward advection of polar waters into the northeastern North Atlantic in the winter season, lowering the sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) there with 0.3–1.0°C. This SST anomaly is persistent into the summer season. A decrease in western European winter surface air temperatures is found which can be related almost completely to advection of cold polar air. The decrease in summer surface air temperatures is related to a combination of low SSTs and anomalous atmospheric circulation. The modelled winter and summer temperatures in Europe compare favourably with reconstructed temperatures. Enhanced baroclinicity at the Atlantic seaboard and over Baffin Island is observed along with more variability in the position of the North Atlantic storm tracks. The zone of peak winter storm frequency is drawn to the European mid-latitudes. In the original article (Climate Dynamics (2005) 24: 355-371; ) figures 4, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 13 were unfortunately incorrect. The correct version is shown here.     

北大西洋海表面温度锋与大西洋风暴路径及大气大尺度异常的关系研究

运用NCEP、Had ISST再分析资料,北大西洋涛动(NAO)月指数序列,探讨了海表面温度(SST)锋的时空变化特征,揭示了北大西洋SST锋的主要气候变率及其与北大西洋风暴轴和大气大尺度环流异常的关系。研究表明,剔除季节循环后的SST锋显示其最主要变率为锋区的向南/北摆动,其对应的风暴轴发生相应的西南/东北移动,并同时在北大西洋上空对应一个跨海盆的位势高度负/正异常。这种环流异常可引起高纬度海平面气压(SLP)的反气旋/气旋式环流,这有利于增强海表面风对大洋副极地环流的负/正涡度异常输入,进一步减弱/加强了高纬度上层冷水向SST锋区的输送。北大西洋SST锋的另一主要模态为锋区在南北方向的分支和合并。当SST锋异常在40°N~45°N以单支形式加强时,对流层位势高度场和SLP南北梯度增大,对应NAO正位相,此时风暴轴也为单支型;同时SLP异常场促使冰岛附近具有气旋式风应力异常,亚速尔地区具有反气旋式风应力异常,导致副极地环流和副热带环流均加强,增加高纬度冷水和低纬度暖水在锋区的输入,从而进一步增强40°N~45°N附近的SST锋区。当SST锋异常在40°N~45°N纬带南北发生分支时,风暴轴也同时出现北强南弱的南北分支,此时对应了负位相NAO,来自北南的冷暖水输送减弱,SST锋也发生减弱分支。此外,位于大洋内区的SST锋东端也存在一个偶极子型的模态,尽管其解释方差相对较小,但仍与偏东北的NAO型具有显著相关。谱分析表明,北大西洋SST锋与风暴轴具有1~3年和年代际共振,与中高纬大尺度环流也存在周期1~3年的共变信号,其中准一年共变信号体现了SST锋和NAO之间的对应关系。进一步诊断分析表明,SST锋上空的近表层大气斜压性和经向温度梯度随着SST锋的增强而增强,经向热通量的向北输送导致涡动有效位能的增加;海洋的非绝热加热产生更强的垂直热量通量,这有利于涡动有效位能释放成为涡动动能,从而表现为该区域的风暴轴加强,并进一步影响风暴轴中的天气尺度扰动与下游大尺度环流异常的相互作用过程。     

North Atlantic climate responses to perturbations in Antarctic Intermediate Water

Recent observations suggest Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) properties are changing. The impact of such variations is explored using idealised perturbation experiments with a coupled climate model, HadCM3. AAIW properties are altered between 10 and 20°S in the South Atlantic, maintaining constant potential density. The perturbed AAIW remains subsurface in the South Atlantic, but as it moves northwards, it surfaces and interacts with the atmosphere leading to density anomalies due to heat exchanges. For a cooler, fresher AAIW, there is a significant decrease in the mean North Atlantic sea surface temperature (SST), of up to 1°C, during years 51?C100. In the North Atlantic Current region there are persistent cold anomalies from 2,000?m depth to the surface, and in the overlying atmosphere. Atmospheric surface pressure increases over the mid-latitude Atlantic, and precipitation decreases over northwest Africa and southwest Europe. Surface heat flux anomalies show that these impacts are caused by changes in the ocean rather than atmospheric forcing. The SST response is associated with significant changes in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC). After 50?years there is a decrease in the MOC that persists for the remainder of the simulation, resulting from changes in the column-averaged density difference between 30°S and 60°N. Rather than showing a linear response, a warmer, saltier AAIW also leads to a decreased MOC strength for years 51?C100 and resulting cooling in the North Atlantic. The non-linearity can be attributed to opposing density responses as the perturbed water masses interact with the atmosphere.     

Bjerknes’ hypothesis on the coldness during AD 1790–1820 revisited

The aim of this paper is to re-examine and quantify a hypothesis first put forward by J. Bjerknes concerning the anomalous coldness during the AD 1790–1820 period in western Europe. Central to Bjerknes hypothesis is an anomalous interaction between ocean and atmosphere studied here using an ocean-atmosphere coupled climate model of intermediate complexity. A reconstruction of the sea-level pressure pattern over the North Atlantic sector averaged over the period 1790–1820 is assimilated in this model, using a recently developed technique which has not been applied to paleoclimatic modelling before. This technique ensures that averaged over the simulation the reconstructed pattern is retrieved whilst leaving atmospheric and climatic variability to develop freely. In accordance with Bjerknes hypothesis, the model results show anomalous southward advection of polar waters into the northeastern North Atlantic in the winter season, lowering the sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) there with 0.3–1.0°C. This SST anomaly is persistent into the summer season. A decrease in western European winter surface air temperatures is found which can be related almost completely to advection of cold polar air. The decrease in summer surface air temperatures is related to a combination of low SSTs and anomalous atmospheric circulation. The modelled winter and summer temperatures in Europe compare favourably with reconstructed temperatures. Enhanced baroclinicity at the Atlantic seaboard and over Baffin Island is observed along with more variability in the position of the North Atlantic storm tracks. The zone of peak winter storm frequency is drawn to the European mid-latitudes.     

The impact of resolution on the adjustment and decadal variability of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation in a coupled climate model

Variations in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) exert an important influence on climate, particularly on decadal time scales. Simulation of the MOC in coupled climate models is compromised, to a degree that is unknown, by their lack of fidelity in resolving some of the key processes involved. There is an overarching need to increase the resolution and fidelity of climate models, but also to assess how increases in resolution influence the simulation of key phenomena such as the MOC. In this study we investigate the impact of significantly increasing the (ocean and atmosphere) resolution of a coupled climate model on the simulation of MOC variability by comparing high and low resolution versions of the same model. In both versions, decadal variability of the MOC is closely linked to density anomalies that propagate from the Labrador Sea southward along the deep western boundary. We demonstrate that the MOC adjustment proceeds more rapidly in the higher resolution model due the increased speed of western boundary waves. However, the response of the Atlantic sea surface temperatures to MOC variations is relatively robust—in pattern if not in magnitude—across the two resolutions. The MOC also excites a coupled ocean-atmosphere response in the tropical Atlantic in both model versions. In the higher resolution model, but not the lower resolution model, there is evidence of a significant response in the extratropical atmosphere over the North Atlantic 6?years after a maximum in the MOC. In both models there is evidence of a weak negative feedback on deep density anomalies in the Labrador Sea, and hence on the MOC (with a time scale of approximately ten years). Our results highlight the need for further work to understand the decadal variability of the MOC and its simulation in climate models.     

1990年代末东亚北部地区夏季水汽输送年代际变化特征及其影响机制

利用1983～2011年降水量、环流和海温的再分析资料,探讨了东亚北部地区夏季水汽输送的年代际变化特征,并分析了前冬北大西洋海温对东亚北部地区夏季水汽输送与大气环流的可能影响。研究结果表明,20世纪90年代末期东亚北部地区夏季整层水汽与降水年代际的变化特征相一致,整层水汽通量的年代际变化主要是由于纬向水汽输送异常作用的结果。东亚北部地区（35°～55°N,90°～145°E）西边界的水汽输送通量由多变少,东边界的水汽输送通量由少变多特征则直接导致了该地区降水由偏多转为偏少的年代际变化。就外强迫海温角度来说,前冬北大西洋海温跟东亚北部地区夏季500 hPa高度场、850 hPa风场和850 hPa比湿均显著相关。同时,在20世纪90年代中后期前冬北大西洋海温也表现出由偏低向偏高转变的年代际变化特征,且由于海温自身的记忆性前冬的海温异常一直延续到夏季。并在夏季激发出横跨北大西洋和欧亚大陆中高纬度地区的大西洋-欧亚（AEA）遥相关结构,并进一步影响东亚北部地区夏季水汽输送。     

Simulated decadal oscillations of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation in a cold climate state

The significance of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) for regional and hemispheric climate change requires a complete understanding using fully coupled climate models. Here we present a persistent, decadal oscillation in a coupled atmosphere–ocean general circulation model. While the present study is limited by the lack of comparisons with paleo-proxy records, the purpose is to reveal a new theoretically interesting solution found in the fully-coupled climate model. The model exhibits two multi-century-long stable states with one dominated by decadal MOC oscillations. The oscillations involve an interaction between anomalous advective transport of salt and surface density in the North Atlantic subpolar gyre. Their time scale is fundamentally determined by the advection. In addition, there is a link between the MOC oscillations and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)-like sea level pressure anomalies. The analysis suggests an interaction between the NAO and an anomalous subpolar gyre circulation in which sea ice near and south of the Labrador Sea plays an important role in generating a large local thermal anomaly and a meridional temperature gradient. The latter induces a positive feedback via synoptic eddy activity in the atmosphere. In addition, the oscillation only appears when the Nordic Sea is completely covered by sea ice in winter, and deep convection is active only near the Irminger Sea. Such conditions are provided by a substantially colder North Atlantic climate than today.     

Coupled atmosphere–ocean data assimilation experiments with a low-order climate model

A simple idealized atmosphere–ocean climate model and an ensemble Kalman filter are used to explore different coupled ensemble data assimilation strategies. The model is a low-dimensional analogue of the North Atlantic climate system, involving interactions between large-scale atmospheric circulation and ocean states driven by the variability of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC). Initialization of the MOC is assessed in a range of experiments, from the simplest configuration consisting of forcing the ocean with a known atmosphere to performing fully coupled ensemble data assimilation. “Daily” assimilation (that is, at the temporal frequency of the atmospheric observations) is contrasted with less frequent assimilation of time-averaged observations. Performance is also evaluated under scenarios in which ocean observations are limited to the upper ocean or are non-existent. Results show that forcing the idealized ocean model with atmospheric analyses is inefficient at recovering the slowly evolving MOC. On the other hand, daily assimilation rapidly leads to accurate MOC analyses, provided a comprehensive set of oceanic observations is available for assimilation. In the absence of sufficient observations in the ocean, the assimilation of time-averaged atmospheric observations proves to be more effective for MOC initialization, including the case where only atmospheric observations are available.     

Response of Northern Hemisphere storm tracks to Indian-western Pacific Ocean warming in atmospheric general circulation models

With 40 years integration output of two atmospheric general circulation models (GAMIL/IAP and HadAM3/UKMO) forced with identical prescribed seasonally-varying sea surface temperature, this study examines the effect of the observed Indian-western Pacific Ocean (IWP) warming on the Northern Hemisphere storm tracks. Both models indicate that the observed IWP warming tends to cause both the North Pacific storm track (NPST) and the North Atlantic storm track (NAST) to move northward. Such a consistent effect on the two storm tracks is closely associated with the changes in the low-level atmospheric baroclinicity, high-level jet stream and upper-level geopotential height. The IWP warming can excite a wavelike circum-global teleconnection in the geopotential height that gives rise to an anticyclonic anomaly over the midlatitude North Pacific and a positive-phase NAO anomaly over the North Atlantic. These geopotential height anomalies tend to enhance upper-level zonal westerly winds north of the climatological jet axes and increase low-level baroclinicity and eddy growth rates, thus favoring transient eddy more active north of the climatological storm track axes, responsible for the northward shift of the both storm tracks. The IWP warming-induced northward shift of the NAST is quite similar to the observed, suggesting that the IWP warming can be one of the key factors to cause decadal northward shift of the NAST since the 1980s. However, the IWP warming-induced northward shift of the NPST is completely opposite to the observed, implying that the observed southward shift of the NPST since the 1980s would be primarily attributed to other reasons, although the IWP warming can have a cancelling effect against those reasons.     

利用大气环流模式模拟北大西洋海温异常强迫响应

北大西洋地区的海温异常能够在多大程度上对大气产生影响，一直是一个有争议的问题。作者利用伴随北大西洋涛动出现的海温异常对大气环流模式CAM2.0.1进行强迫，考察了模式在冬季（12月、1月和2月）对三核型海温异常的响应。通过与欧洲中期天气预报中心提供的再分析资料的对比，发现该模式可以通过海温强迫在一定程度上再现具有北大西洋涛动特征的温度场和环流场。在北大西洋及其沿岸地区，模式模拟出了三核型的准正压响应，与经典的北大西洋涛动型大气异常是一致的。模式结果与北大西洋地区大气内部主导模态的差别主要体现在两个方面:一是异常中心位置多偏向于大洋上空，在陆地上的异常响应强度很弱；二是高纬地区对海温异常的响应不显著，没有强迫出与实际的大气模态相对应的异常中心，表明该地区海洋的反馈作用较弱。     

Pacific interdecadal variability driven by tropical–extratropical interactions

Interactions between the tropical and subtropical northern Pacific at decadal time scales are examined using uncoupled oceanic and atmospheric simulations. An atmospheric model is forced with observed Pacific sea surface temperatures (SST) decadal anomalies, computed as the difference between the 2000–2009 and the 1990–1999 period. The resulting pattern has negative SST anomalies at the equator, with a global pattern reminiscent of the Pacific decadal oscillation. The tropical SST anomalies are responsible for driving a weakening of the Hadley cell and atmospheric meridional heat transport. The atmosphere is then shown to produce a significant response in the subtropics, with wind-stress-curl anomalies having the opposite sign from the climatological mean, consistent with a weakening of the oceanic subtropical gyre (STG). A global ocean model is then forced with the decadal anomalies from the atmospheric model. In the North Pacific, the shallow subtropical cell (STC) spins down and the meridional heat transport is reduced, resulting in positive tropical SST anomalies. The final tropical response is reached after the first 10 years of the experiment, consistent with the Rossby-wave adjustment time for both the STG and the STC. The STC provides the connection between subtropical wind stress anomalies and tropical SSTs. In fact, targeted simulations show the importance of off-equatorial wind stress anomalies in driving the oceanic response, whereas anomalous tropical winds have no role in the SST signal reversal. We further explore the connection between STG, STC and tropical SST with the help of an idealized model. We argue that, in our models, tropical SST decadal variability stems from the forcing of the Pacific subtropical gyre through the atmospheric response to ENSO. The resulting Ekman pumping anomaly alters the STC and oceanic heat transport, providing a negative feedback on the SST. We thus suggest that extratropical atmospheric responses to tropical forcing have feedbacks onto the ocean dynamics that lead to a time-delayed response of the tropical oceans, giving rise to a possible mechanism for multidecadal ocean-atmosphere coupled variability.     

Impact of initialization procedures on the predictive skill of a coupled ocean–atmosphere model

The sensitivity of the predictive skill of a decadal climate prediction system is investigated with respect to details of the initialization procedure. For this purpose, the coupled ocean–atmosphere UCLA/MITgcm climate model is initialized using the following three different initialization approaches: full state initialization (FSI), anomaly initialization (AI) and FSI employing heat flux and freshwater flux corrections (FC). The ocean initial conditions are provided by the German contribution to Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean state estimate (GECCO project), from which ensembles of decadal hindcasts are initialized every 5 years from 1961 to 2001. The predictive skill for sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface height (SSH) and the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) is assessed against the GECCO synthesis. In regions with a deep mixed layer the predictive skill for SST anomalies remains significant for up to a decade in the FC experiment. By contrast, FSI shows less persistent skill in the North Atlantic and AI does not show high skill in the extratropical Southern Hemisphere, but appears to be more skillful in the tropics. In the extratropics, the improved skill is related to the ability of the FC initialization method to better represent the mixed layer depth, and the highest skill occurs during wintertime. The correlation skill for the spatially averaged North Atlantic SSH hindcasts remains significant up to a decade only for FC. The North Atlantic MOC initialized hindcasts show high correlation values in the first pentad while correlation remains significant in the following pentad too for FSI and FC. Overall, for the current setup, the FC approach appears to lead to the best results, followed by the FSI and AI procedures.     

北大西洋年际变率的海气耦合模式模拟II：热带太平洋强迫

利用一个全球海气耦合模式(BCM),结合观测资料,讨论了热带太平洋强迫对北大西洋年际气候变率的影响。研究表明,BCM能够相对合理地模拟赤道太平洋的年际变率模态及相应的海温距平型和大气遥相关型,尽管其准3年的振荡周期过于规则。来自数值模式和观测上的证据都表明,北大西洋冬季海温的主导性变率模态,即自北而南出现的“- -”的海温距平型,受到来自热带太平洋强迫的显著影响,其正位相与赤道中东太平洋冷事件相对应。换言之,赤道太平洋暖事件的发生,在太平洋-北美沿岸激发出PNA遥相关型,进而通过在北大西洋产生类似NAO负位相的气压距平型,削弱本来与NAO正位相直接联系的三核型海温距平。北大西洋三核型海温距平对热带太平洋强迫的响应,要滞后2—3个月的时间。     

An intimate coupling of ocean–atmospheric interaction over the extratropical North Atlantic and Pacific

The inter-basin teleconnection between the North Atlantic and the North Pacific ocean–atmosphere interaction is studied using a coupled ocean–atmosphere general circulation model. In the model, an idealized oceanic temperature anomaly is initiated over the Kuroshio and the Gulf Stream extension region to track the coupled evolution of ocean and atmosphere interaction, respectively. The experiments explicitly demonstrate that both the North Pacific and the North Atlantic ocean–atmosphere interactions are intimately coupled through an inter-basin atmospheric teleconnection. This fast inter-basin communication can transmit oceanic variability between the North Atlantic and the North Pacific through local ocean-to-atmosphere feedbacks. The leading mode of the extratropical atmospheric internal variability plays a dominant role in shaping the hemispheric-scale response forced by oceanic variability over the North Atlantic and Pacific. Modeling results also suggest that a century (two centuries) long observations are necessary for the detection of Pacific response to Atlantic forcings (Atlantic response to Pacific forcing).     

Changes of Air–sea Coupling in the North Atlantic over the 20th Century

Changes of air–sea coupling in the North Atlantic Ocean over the 20 th century are investigated using reanalysis data,climate model simulations, and observational data. It is found that the ocean-to-atmosphere feedback over the North Atlantic is significantly intensified in the second half of the 20 th century. This coupled feedback is characterized by the association between the summer North Atlantic Horseshoe(NAH) SST anomalies and the following winter North Atlantic Oscillation(NAO). The intensification is likely associated with the enhancement of the North Atlantic storm tracks as well as the NAH SST anomalies. Our study also reveals that most IPCC AR4 climate models fail to capture the observed NAO/NAH coupled feedback.     

太平洋年代际振荡对冬季北半球两大洋风暴轴协同变化的可能影响

利用NCEP/NCAR提供的再分析资料和NOAA提供的海温资料分析太平洋年代际振荡(Pacific Decadal Oscillation,PDO)不同位相的年代际背景下北半球海气耦合关系的异常与风暴轴协同变化的联系,主要结果如下:1)冬季太平洋年代际振荡与北半球两大洋风暴轴协同变化之间存在显著的相关关系,当PDO暖位相时,对应两大洋风暴轴南北位置反向的异常变化,其中北太平洋风暴轴偏南且中东部减弱,北大西洋风暴轴偏北且中东部增强,PDO冷位相时相反。2)PDO为暖位相时,对应El Niňo型海温异常,北大西洋海温呈三极型,平均槽脊加强,经向环流增强,极涡收缩,北太平洋风暴轴南压,大西洋风暴轴则北抬,此时欧亚大陆北部和北美大陆大部分地区温度异常升高,亚洲南部、非洲北部及巴伦支海以北的高纬温度异常降低,北美西南部和格陵兰岛附近温度也为异常降低,PDO冷位相时相反。     

North Atlantic decadal regimes in a coupled GCM simulation

 The non-stationarity of the North Atlantic atmosphere-ocean coupling is investigated utilizing a long time integration of a coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model (GCM) and a consistent atmospheric experiment forced by the climatological sea surface temperature (SST) of the coupled GCM. The temporal behavior of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is non-stationary with two different decadal regimes being identified: (a) phases with enhanced (active) low-frequency variability of the NAO index are characterized by regional modes with a baroclinic Pacific-North America (PNA) and a dominant barotropic North Atlantic pattern; (b) in phases with reduced (passive) low-frequency variability a global mode connects tropics and midlatitudes. The characteristic space scales are similar in the coupled and the consistent atmospheric experiment; the time scales of the atmospheric eigenmodes are modified by ocean dynamics. In the active (passive) phase the corresponding atmospheric mode is reinforced by the North Atlantic (tropical Pacific) SST. Received: 15 September 2000 / Accepted: 30 March 2001