赤道西太平洋-印度洋海温异常对亚洲夏季风的影响

本文采用了p-σ五层原始方程模式模拟并研究了赤道西太平洋-印度洋海温距平场对亚洲夏季风的影响,计算了四种不同的海温距平试验方案。试验结果表明赤道西太平洋海温正距平使对流层下层的印度低压明显加强,副高北挺,季风槽加深,同时加强了对流层上层的反气旋环流。赤道西印度洋暖海温的模拟结果与赤道西太平洋暖海温对上述系统的影响相反,而赤道西印度洋冷海温对季风环流的影响与赤道西太平洋暧海温的影响一致。试验进一步表明赤道西太平洋-印度洋海温距平的纬向梯度方向对亚洲夏季风的影响是主要的,这一结论与实际观测结果一致。本文进一步讨论了赤道海温距平对越赤道气流、印度洋赤道东-西纬向环流和非绝热加热场的影响,结果都表明赤道西太平洋海温正距平和赤道西印度洋海温负距平的模拟特征与反El Nino年亚洲夏季环流特征类似,而赤道西印度洋海员正距平的模拟特征与El Nino年亚洲夏季坏流特征类似。     

亚澳季风异常与ENSO准四年变化的联系分析

分析了赤道地区纬向风的年际变化特征，以及亚澳季风与ENSO在各个位相的联系。结果表明：赤道纬向风变化与中东太平洋海温变化在准四年周期上是强烈耦合的；在El Eino期间东亚冬季风弱，夏季风强，而南亚夏季风弱，反之，在La Nina期间东亚冬季风强，夏季风弱，而南亚夏季风强；东亚地区的异常北风有利于西太平洋西风异常爆发，使得东太平洋海温升高，但只有随后在中东太平洋出现持续性西风异常，El Nino才能发展，其中来自太平洋中部的异常北风（并不是来自东亚大陆地区）和南太平洋中部的异常南风的辐合对中东太平洋出现持续性西风异常起重要的作用，尤其是澳大利亚东北部的季风异常的影响更为显。     

FORMATION MECHANISM AND PROPAGATION CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EQUATORIAL THERMALLY-FORCED SHORT-TERM CLIMATIC OSCILLATION DURING THE NORTHERN SUMMER

In this study, in order to investigate the global climatic oscillations forced by sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies over equatorial central-eastern Pacific, two numerical schemes with different SST distri-butions (normal and anomalous cases) are tested by using a nine-layer global spectral model. Experiment results show that (i) in northern summer, a wave train that is similar to the teleconnection pattern suggested by Nitta (1987) and Huang (1987) in the Northern Hemisphere and another one in the Southern Hemisphere are reproduced; (ii) simulated results suggest that the response of atmosphere in middle-high latitudes of both hemispheres to an anomalous heating source is more sensitive in tropical western Pacific than in equatorial central-eastern Pacific; and (iii) in northern summer, the formation of low-frequency oscillations on monthly (seasonal) time scale results from energy dispersion as well as interactions between eddies and zonal flow; and between eddies.     

冬夏东亚季风环流对太平洋热状况的响应

冬夏隔季韵律关系一直是我国长期天气预报和短期气候预测的一个重要依据,然而迄今为止对它们之间的物理过程及成因机理并不十分清楚。利用NCEP/NCAR全球2.5°×2.5°网格月平均再分析资料,研究1951~2000年冬夏东亚季风环流异常变化与太平洋海面温度(SST)的关系及对关键海温区响应机理。研究指出:冬夏东亚季风环流隔季韵律关系及其年际变化与赤道东太平洋海面温度异常(SSTA)变化密切相关,冬季赤道东太平洋出现La Ni~na(El Ni~no)型的SST分布,有利冬、夏东亚季风环流加强(减弱),其影响过程通过赤道Walker环流强(弱)以及东亚地区Hadley环流强(弱)过程完成。冬季赤道东太平洋海温变化是冬、夏东亚环流季节以及年际变化的一个重要外强迫因子。     

Impact of Indian monsoon on the coupled atmosphere/ocean system in the tropical pacific

Summary This study addresses the relationship between the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) and the coupled atmosphere/ocean system in the tropical Pacific on the interannual time scales. High positive correlations are found between ISM rainfall and both mixed layer sea water temperature (SWT) and sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies of the tropical western Pacific in the following winter. Negative correlations between ISM rainfall and SST in the central/eastern Pacific also appear to be most significant in the following winter. These parameters are correlated with each other mainly on a biennial time scale. Lag-correlations between the zonal wind and SST along the the equatorial Pacific show that the westerly (easterly) surface wind stress anomalies over the central/western Pacific are greatly responsible for the formation of negative (positive) SST/SWT anomalies in the western Pacific and positive (negative) SST/SWT anomalies in the central/eastern Pacific. Furthermore, it is evidenced that these lagcorrelations are physically based on the anomalies in the large-scale convection over the Asian monsoon region and the associated east-west circulation over the tropical Pacific, which first appear during the Indian summer monsoon season and evolve during the following autumn and winter. These results strongly suggest that the Asian summer monsoon may have an active, rather than a passive, role on the interannual variability, including the ENSO events, of the coupled atmosphere/ocean system over the tropical Pacific.With 9 Figures     

Teleconnected influence of North Atlantic sea surface temperature on the El Ni?o onset

Influence of North Atlantic sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies on tropical Pacific SST anomalies is examined. Both summer and winter North Atlantic SST anomalies are negatively related to central-eastern tropical Pacific SST anomalies in the subsequent months varying from 5 to 13?months. In particular, when the North Atlantic is colder than normal in the summer, an El Ni?o event is likely to be initiated in the subsequent spring in the tropical Pacific. Associated with summer cold North Atlantic SST anomalies is an anomalous cyclonic circulation at low-level over the North Atlantic from subsequent October to April. Corresponded to this local response, an SST-induced heating over the North Atlantic produces a teleconnected pattern, similar to the East Atlantic/West Russia teleconnection. The pattern features two anticyclonic circulations near England and Lake Baikal, and two cyclonic circulations over the North Atlantic and near the Caspian Sea. The anticyclonic circulation near Lake Baikal enhances the continent northerlies, and strengthens the East-Asian winter monsoon. These are also associated with an off-equatorial cyclonic circulation in the western Pacific during the subsequent winter and spring, which produces equatorial westerly wind anomalies in the western Pacific. The equatorial westerly wind anomalies in the winter and spring can help initiate a Pacific El Ni?o event following a cold North Atlantic in the summer.     

年代际气候预测系统IAP DecPreS的海洋同化试验在西北太平洋的海温偏差及其对亚洲夏季风的影响

本文分析了中国科学院大气物理研究所年代际气候预测系统IAP DecPreS的海洋同化试验（简称EnOI-IAU试验）在西北太平洋地区的海表面温度（SST）年循环的模拟技巧,并通过对比IAP DecPreS系统自由耦合历史气候模拟试验结果,在包含海气耦合过程的框架下讨论了耦合模式中西北太平洋夏季SST模拟差异,及其对亚洲季风区夏季季风降水模拟的影响。结果表明,EnOI-IAU试验较好地模拟出了西北太平洋各个季节的SST空间分布,并显著减小了原存在于历史气候模拟试验中持续全年的SST冷偏差。混合层热收支诊断分析表明,包含同化过程在内的海洋过程的模拟差异对西北太平洋海温的模拟提升有重要贡献。夏季,EnOI-IAU试验模拟的印度季风伴随的低层西风较观测偏东、偏强,且高估了赤道西太平洋区域的降水量值、低估了印度洋区域的降水量值。水汽收支分析显示,气旋式环流异常造成的水汽辐合异常是造成亚洲季风区降水模拟差异的主要原因。研究表明,较之历史模拟试验,EnOI-IAU试验中夏季西北太平洋地区SST增暖造成局地对流增强,进而使得局地产生异常上升运动,水汽辐合增强,造成西北太平洋地区降水模拟偏多,激发出低层西风异常及赤道外气旋式环流异常。该低层西风异常导致了北印度洋地区低层辐散异常,减小了原存在于历史试验中印度洋地区的正降水偏差。西北太平洋气旋式环流异常一方面增强了印度夏季风伴随的低层西风,使得更多的水汽从阿拉伯海输送到西太平洋暖池区域,增强了该区域的降水量;另一方面,该气旋式环流异常减小了历史模拟试验中中国南部区域偏强的低层风速,进而提升了模式对东亚低层西南风的模拟能力。     

An analysis on the physical process of the influence of AO on ENSO

The influence of the spring AO on ENSO has been demonstrated in several recent studies. This analysis further explores the physical process of the influence of AO on ENSO using the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data over the period 1958–2010. We focus on the formation of the westerly wind burst in the tropical western Pacific, and examine the evolution and formation of the atmospheric circulation, atmospheric heating, and SST anomalies in association with the spring AO variability. The spring AO variability is found to be independent from the East Asian winter monsoon activity. The spring AO associated circulation anomalies are supported by the interaction between synoptic-scale eddies and the mean-flow and its associated vorticity transportation. Surface wind changes may affect surface heat fluxes and the oceanic heat transport, resulting in the SST change. The AO associated warming in the equatorial SSTs results primarily from the ocean heat transport in the face of net surface heat flux damping. The tropical SST warming is accompanied by anomalous atmospheric heating in the subtropical north and south Pacific, which sustains the anomalous westerly wind in the equatorial western Pacific through a Gill-like atmospheric response from spring to summer. The anomalous westerly excites an eastward propagating and downwelling equatorial Kelvin wave, leading to SST warming in the tropical central-eastern Pacific in summer-fall. The tropical SST, atmospheric heating, and atmospheric circulation anomalies sustain and develop through the Bjerknes feedback mechanism, which eventually result in an El Niño-like warming in the tropical eastern Pacific in winter.     

Mechanism on how the spring Arctic sea ice impacts the East Asian summer monsoon

Observational analysis and purposely designed coupled atmosphere–ocean (AOGCM) and atmosphere-only (AGCM) model simulations are used together to investigate a new mechanism describing how spring Arctic sea ice impacts the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM). Consistent with previous studies, analysis of observational data from 1979 to 2009 show that spring Arctic sea ice is significantly linked to the EASM on inter-annual timescales. Results of a multivariate Empirical Orthogonal Function analysis reveal that sea surface temperature (SST) changes in the North Pacific play a mediating role for the inter-seasonal connection between spring Arctic sea ice and the EASM. Large-scale atmospheric circulation and precipitation changes are consistent with the SST changes. The mechanism found in the observational data is confirmed by the numerical experiments and can be described as follows: spring Arctic sea ice anomalies cause atmospheric circulation anomalies, which, in turn, cause SST anomalies in the North Pacific. The SST anomalies can persist into summer and then impact the summer monsoon circulation and precipitation over East Asia. The mediating role of SST changes is highlighted by the result that only the AOGCM, but not the AGCM, reproduces the observed sea ice-EASM linkage.     

青藏高原夏季热力状态和南半球大气环流的可能联系

本文通过对观测和再分析数据采用最大协方差分析以及回归、合成等分析方法,研究了青藏高原夏季地表气温与南半球大气环流之间的遥相关关系。结果表明,前期(4月)南半球极地—中高纬度大气环流呈现负位势高度异常、较低纬度印度洋—西太平洋区域呈现正位势高度异常时,高原中部和东部大部分区域夏季出现暖异常。在上述遥相关中,印度洋—西太平洋海温异常可能起到了重要的中间桥梁作用。在高原夏季温度偏高的年份,前期跨赤道的印度洋—西太平洋海温也持续偏暖,带来的海陆热力对比减小、经向跨赤道气流减弱有利于削弱夏季的季风环流,使得高原夏季降水偏少,有利于形成高原夏季的暖异常。在这一高原气温—南半球大气环流的遥相关关系中,4月南半球的大气位势高度场异常和与印度洋—西太平洋海温异常相关的异常高度场分布也十分相似。这一前期的跨赤道区域海温异常与南半球中高纬度位势高度场异常的因果关系仍有待进一步揭示。     

东亚夏季风强弱年大气环流和热源异常对比分析

根据黄刚等定义的东亚夏季风指数, 对强、弱东亚夏季风年大气环流、大气热源和外强迫源SST的差异进行分析, 结果表明:强 (弱) 东亚夏季风年前期冬季到夏季, 太平洋SSTA为La Ni?a (El Ni?o) 型分布, 西太平洋暖池SST暖 (冷), 使得暖池附近对流活动较强 (较弱)。与此同时, 南亚大陆从印度半岛、青藏高原南部、中南半岛至华南大气异常加热 (变冷), 并且海陆热力对比加强 (减弱), 有利于出现强 (弱) 的东亚夏季风。此外, 由于暖池附近对流活动强 (弱), 该地区上升气流较强 (弱), Walker环流增强 (减弱), 当强 (弱) 的东亚夏季风向北推进时, 副热带西风急流北撤位置偏北 (南), 副热带高压位置也偏北 (南), 7月至8月华北 (江淮流域) 位于副热带西风急流南侧, 降水偏多, 江淮流域 (华北) 降水偏少。并给出与东亚夏季风年际变异有关的大气环流和SST异常的物理图像。     

Boreal summer continental monsoon rainfall and hydroclimate anomalies associated with the Asian-Pacific Oscillation

With the twentieth century analysis data (1901–2002) for atmospheric circulation, precipitation, Palmer drought severity index, and sea surface temperature (SST), we show that the Asian-Pacific Oscillation (APO) during boreal summer is a major mode of the earth climate variation linking to global atmospheric circulation and hydroclimate anomalies, especially the Northern Hemisphere (NH) summer land monsoon. Associated with a positive APO phase are the warm troposphere over the Eurasian land and the relatively cool troposphere over the North Pacific, the North Atlantic, and the Indian Ocean. Such an amplified land–ocean thermal contrast between the Eurasian land and its adjacent oceans signifies a stronger than normal NH summer monsoon, with the strengthened southerly or southwesterly monsoon prevailing over tropical Africa, South Asia, and East Asia. A positive APO implies an enhanced summer monsoon rainfall over all major NH land monsoon regions: West Africa, South Asia, East Asia, and Mexico. Thus, APO is a sensible measure of the NH land monsoon rainfall intensity. Meanwhile, reduced precipitation appears over the arid and semiarid regions of northern Africa, the Middle East, and West Asia, manifesting the monsoon-desert coupling. On the other hand, surrounded by the cool troposphere over the North Pacific and North Atlantic, the extratropical North America has weakened low-level continental low and upper-level ridge, hence a deficient summer rainfall. Corresponding to a high APO index, the African and South Asian monsoon regions are wet and cool, the East Asian monsoon region is wet and hot, and the extratropical North America is dry and hot. Wet and dry climates correspond to wet and dry soil conditions, respectively. The APO is also associated with significant variations of SST in the entire Pacific and the extratropical North Atlantic during boreal summer, which resembles the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation in SST. Of note is that the Pacific SST anomalies are not present throughout the year, rather, mainly occur in late spring, peak at late summer, and are nearly absent during boreal winter. The season-dependent APO–SST relationship and the origin of the APO remain elusive.     

Comparative tests and analyses on monsoon and regional precipitation

Summary Due to the strong variation of the Asian monsoon, many countries in Asia often suffer from serious natural disasters. Droughts and floods appear in East China frequently related to the large anomalies of the two branches of East Asian monsoon. Based on rainfall data recorded by 336 Chinese stations in the 1980s, two distinctly opposite rainfall types over East China in summer (JJA) are discovered. Correspondly, 850 hPa anomalous wind fields in the Eastern Hemisphere are also possessed by two types of converse patterns in spring (MAM) and summer (JJA). The onset time and intensity of the Somali jet and the two branches of Southeast and Indian monsoon are quite different. Furthermore, in the 500 hPa geopotential height anomaly fields in spring and summer, the variations of the previous general atmospheric circulation (in spring) are closely correlated to the two kinds of conversely distributed rainfall in summer. These two types of rainfall are also related to two types of conversely distributed sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) in the equatorial Pacific and Indian Oceans. To investigate model capabilities refelecting the above observed features, eight numerical experiments are carried out using the IAP 2-L AGCM, with observed monthly mean global SSTs as external forcing and observed atmospheric data on February 15 as initial conditions. The simulated distributions of rainfall anomalies over East China in summer are in good accordance with observations. With conversely distributed SSTAs in the equatorial Pacific, the simulated 850 hPa anomalous wind fields and the 500 hPa geopotential height anomalies are also conversely distributed, and are closely related to the two types of simulated rainfall anomalies over East China. The cross equatorial wind varies in strength, space and time. The simulated distributions of anomalous 500 hPa geopotential height in spring and the anomalous wind at 850 hPa in spring and summer are quite similar to observations.With 10 Figures     

印度洋冬季风异常海气环流耦合模态分析

本文对印度洋冬季风异常海气环流耦合主要模态做了分析和讨论,得到以下结果:第一模态海面和低空大气环流的异常主要发生在东印度洋海域上空,而上层大洋环流的异常则主要反映了印度洋冬季风环流的异常,并主要体现在西向赤道暖流和东向赤道逆流上。第二模态的大气环流相应异常主要发生在孟加拉湾、阿拉伯海和赤道印度洋上空,而上层大洋环流异常除与第一模态类似外,还包括索马里暖流的明显异常。第一、二模态分别是印度洋冬季风的偏东、偏西模态,也是其主、次模态;均有约4年的年际变化,还分别有约18、22年的年代际变化;该主、次模态分别在1976年及1976、1986年有突变发生;这样印度洋冬季风有约4年的年际变化,并在1976年出现明显突变。该主、次模态的年代际变化周期也是冬季北太平洋海气联合复EOF分解第二、第一模态的年代际变化周期,这反映两大洋之间有密切联系,这是因冬季蒙古西伯利亚高压是南亚、东亚冬季风的共同源头,对两大洋的大气环流异常都有明显影响。南亚冬季风偏强时印度洋的Hadley环流和赤道辐合带上的对流均偏强,反之亦然;且该冬季风的主、次模态都如此;这也反映了南亚冬季风大气环流异常与冬季热带大气环流异常之间的耦合关系。当该主、次模态发生正、负异常变化时,近表层热带印度洋海温异常分别呈现横贯大洋的南北向跷跷板变化以及大洋东、西向的跷跷板变化;但前者是主要的。印度洋冬季风对印度洋偶极子起着抑制作用,这是该偶极子在冬季最弱的原因。在热带印度洋,大气低空垂直运动下沉、上升区域都分别大致位于该大洋近表层的下沉、上升运动区域之上,这构成了海气相互作用的负反馈机制,并有助于南亚冬季风、Hadley环流、赤道辐合带以及印度洋中冬季风环流的维持和稳定。     

东亚季风指数及其与大尺度热力环流年际变化关系

将东西向海平面气压差与低纬度高、低层纬向风切变相结合 ,定义了东亚季风指数 ,该季风指数较好地反映了东亚冬、夏季风变化。其中 ,夏季风指数年际异常对西太平洋副热带高压南北位置变化和长江中下游旱涝具有较强的反映能力。分析表明 :东亚夏季风年际变化与印度洋 -西太平洋上空反 Walker环流及夏季越赤道南北半球间的季风环流呈显著正相关关系。在强、弱异常东亚夏季风年份 ,异常的 Walker环流在西太平洋上的辐合 (辐散 )中心在垂直方向不重合 ,高层 ( 2 0 0 h Pa)速度势与东亚夏季风显著相关区域位于西北太平洋上 ,该异常环流的高层的辐合 (辐散 )通过改变低层空气质量而影响夏季 50 0 h Pa西北太平洋副热带高压。采用 SVD分析进一步发现 :与海温耦合的异常 Walker环流在西太平洋上空的上升支表现出南北半球关于赤道非对称结构 ,亚澳季风区受该异常 Walker环流控制。因而 ,东亚季风与热带海气相互作用可直接通过这种纬向非对称的 Walker环流发生联系。     

Recent advances in studies of the interaction between the East Asian winter and summer monsoons and ENSO cycle

Recent advances in studies on the interaction between the East Asian monsoon and the ENSO cycle are reviewed in this paper. Through the recent studies, not only have the responding features and processes of the East Asian winter and summer monsoon circulation anomalies and summer rainfall anomalies in East Asia to the ENSO cycle during its different stages been understood further, but also have the thermal and dynamic effects of the tropical western Pacific on the ENSO cycle been deeply analyzed from the observational facts and dynamic theories. The results of observational and theoretical studies showed that the dynamical effect of the atmospheric circulation and zonal wind anomalies in the lower troposphere over the tropical western Pacific on the ENSO cycle may be through the excitation of the equatorial oceanic Kelvin wave and Rossby waves in the equatorial Pacific. These studies demonstrated further that the ENSO cycle originates from the tropical western Pacific. Moreover, these recent studies also showed that the atmospheric circulation and zonal wind anomalies over the tropical western Pacific not only result from the air-sea interaction over the tropical western Pacific, but are also greatly influenced by the East Asian winter and summer monsoons. Additionally, the scientific problems in the interaction between the Asian monsoon and the ENSO cycle which should be studied further in the near future are also pointed out in this paper.     

ENSO 循环各阶段东亚夏季风特征的诊断研究

利用NCEP／NCAR再分析资料和NCAR海温资料及中国测站地温资料，对ENSO循环不同阶段东亚夏季风强弱变化进行了分析．并从此期间的海陆热力差异和季风低压变化来探讨海温异常对东亚夏季风的影响，结果表明：东亚夏季风指数有明显的年际变化和年代际变化，且与赤道东太平洋SST有较好的负相关关系，其中又以与三个月前的海温变化关系最好．在Ninol 2区为冷、暖水之后的三个月中，冷水期对应的东亚夏季风指数大于暖水期对应的东亚夏季风指数，东亚夏季风比暖水期强。赤道东太平洋SST变化期间亚洲大陆的地面温度和地面气压也有明显变化，这是引起ENSO不同阶段东亚夏季风变化的主要原因。     

The CLIVAR C20C project: which components of the Asian–Australian monsoon circulation variations are forced and reproducible?

A multi-model set of atmospheric simulations forced by historical sea surface temperature (SST) or SSTs plus Greenhouse gases and aerosol forcing agents for the period of 1950–1999 is studied to identify and understand which components of the Asian–Australian monsoon (A–AM) variability are forced and reproducible. The analysis focuses on the summertime monsoon circulations, comparing model results against the observations. The priority of different components of the A–AM circulations in terms of reproducibility is evaluated. Among the subsystems of the wide A–AM, the South Asian monsoon and the Australian monsoon circulations are better reproduced than the others, indicating they are forced and well modeled. The primary driving mechanism comes from the tropical Pacific. The western North Pacific monsoon circulation is also forced and well modeled except with a slightly lower reproducibility due to its delayed response to the eastern tropical Pacific forcing. The simultaneous driving comes from the western Pacific surrounding the maritime continent region. The Indian monsoon circulation has a moderate reproducibility, partly due to its weakened connection to June–July–August SSTs in the equatorial eastern Pacific in recent decades. Among the A–AM subsystems, the East Asian summer monsoon has the lowest reproducibility and is poorly modeled. This is mainly due to the failure of specifying historical SST in capturing the zonal land-sea thermal contrast change across the East Asia. The prescribed tropical Indian Ocean SST changes partly reproduce the meridional wind change over East Asia in several models. For all the A–AM subsystem circulation indices, generally the MME is always the best except for the Indian monsoon and East Asian monsoon circulation indices.     

Contrasting Impacts of South and North Tropical Indian Ocean Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies on East Asian Summer Climate

Using observational data and model simulations,the author find that the North Indian Ocean(NIO)sea surface temperature(SST)anomalies can trigger an eastward atmospheric Kelvin wave propagating into the equatorial western Pacific,inducing an anomalous anticyclone over the subtropical Northwest Pacific(NWP)and resulting in prominent summer climate anomalies in the East Asia-Northwest Pacific(EANWP)region.However,the response of tropospheric temperatures and atmospheric Kelvin waves to the South Indian Ocean(SIO)SST anomalies is weak;as a result,the impact of the SIO SST anomalies on the EANWP summer climate is weak.The contrasting impacts of NIO and SIO SST anomalies on the EANWP summer climate is possibly due to the different mean state of SSTs in the two regions.In summer,the climatological SSTs in the NIO are higher than in the SIO,leading to a stronger response of atmospheric convection to the NIO SST anomalies than to the SIO SST anomalies.Thus,compared with the SIO SST anomalies,the NIO SST anomalies can lead to stronger tropospheric air temperature anomalies and atmospheric Kelvin waves to affect the EANWP summer climate.     

Roles of Indian and Pacific Ocean air–sea coupling in tropical atmospheric variability

Sea surface temperature (SST) variations include negative feedbacks from the atmosphere, whereas SST anomalies are specified in stand-alone atmospheric general circulation simulations. Is the SST forced response the same as the coupled response? In this study, the importance of air–sea coupling in the Indian and Pacific Oceans for tropical atmospheric variability is investigated through numerical experiments with a coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model. The local and remote impacts of the Indian and Pacific Ocean coupling are obtained by comparing a coupled simulation with an experiment in which the SST forcing from the coupled simulation is specified in either the Indian or the Pacific Ocean. It is found that the Indian Ocean coupling is critical for atmospheric variability over the Pacific Ocean. Without the Indian Ocean coupling, the rainfall and SST variations are completely different throughout most of the Pacific Ocean basin. Without the Pacific Ocean coupling, part of the rainfall and SST variations in the Indian Ocean are reproduced in the forced run. In regions of large mean rainfall where the atmospheric negative feedback is strong, such as the North Indian Ocean and the western North Pacific in boreal summer, the atmospheric variability is significantly enhanced when air–sea coupling is replaced by specified SST forcing. This enhancement is due to the lack of the negative feedback in the forced SST simulation. In these regions, erroneous atmospheric anomalies could be induced by specified SST anomalies derived from the coupled model. The ENSO variability is reduced by about 20% when the Indian Ocean air–sea coupling is replaced by specified SST forcing. This change is attributed to the interfering roles of the Indian Ocean SST and Indian monsoon in western and central equatorial Pacific surface wind variations.