Daily atmospheric variability in the South American monsoon system

The space–time structure of the daily atmospheric variability in the South American monsoon system has been studied using multichannel singular spectrum analysis of daily outgoing longwave radiation. The three leading eigenmodes are found to have low-frequency variability while four other modes form higher frequency oscillations. The first mode has the same time variability as that of El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and exhibits strong correlation with the Pacific sea surface temperature (SST). The second mode varies on a decadal time scale with significant correlation with the Atlantic SST suggesting an association with the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO). The third mode also has decadal variability but shows an association with the SST of the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO). The fourth and fifth modes describe an oscillation that has a period of about 165 days and is associated with the North Atlantic oscillation (NAO). The sixth and seventh modes describe an intraseasonal oscillation with a period of 52 days which shows strong relation with the Madden-Julian oscillation. There exists an important difference in the variability of convection between Amazon River Basin (ARB) and central-east South America (CESA). Both regions have similar variations due to ENSO though with higher magnitude in ARB. The AMO-related mode has almost identical variations in the two regions, whereas the PDO-related mode has opposite variations. The interseasonal NAO-related mode also has variations of opposite sign with comparable magnitudes in the two regions. The intraseasonal variability over the CESA is robust while it is very weak over the ARB region. The relative contributions from the low-frequency modes mainly determine the interannual variability of the seasonal mean monsoon although the interseasonal oscillation may contribute in a subtle way during certain years. The intraseasonal variability does not seem to influence the interannual variability in either region.     

Impact of stratospheric variability on tropospheric climate change

An improved stratospheric representation has been included in simulations with the Hadley Centre HadGEM1 coupled ocean atmosphere model with natural and anthropogenic forcings for the period 1979–2003. An improved stratospheric ozone dataset is employed that includes natural variations in ozone as well as the usual anthropogenic trends. In addition, in a second set of simulations the quasi biennial oscillation (QBO) of stratospheric equatorial zonal wind is also imposed using a relaxation towards ERA-40 zonal wind values. The resulting impact on tropospheric variability and trends is described. We show that the modelled cooling rate at the tropopause is enhanced by the improved ozone dataset and this improvement is even more marked when the QBO is also included. The same applies to warming trends in the upper tropical troposphere which are slightly reduced. Our stratospheric improvements produce a significant increase of internal variability but no change in the positive trend of annual mean global mean near-surface temperature. Warming rates are increased significantly over a large portion of the Arctic Ocean. The improved stratospheric representation, especially the QBO relaxation, causes a substantial reduction in near-surface temperature and precipitation response to the El Chichón eruption, especially in the tropical region. The winter increase in the phase of the northern annular mode observed in the aftermath of the two major recent volcanic eruptions is partly captured, especially after the El Chichón eruption. The positive trend in the southern annular mode (SAM) is increased and becomes statistically significant which demonstrates that the observed increase in the SAM is largely subject to internal variability in the stratosphere. The possible inclusion in simulations for future assessments of full ozone chemistry and a gravity wave scheme to internally generate a QBO is discussed.     

Decadal and centennial variability of the southern semiannual oscillation simulated in the GFDL coupled GCM

 We investigate the behavior of the semiannual oscillation (SAO) in surface pressure and 500 hPa baroclinicity at high southern latitudes in a 1000-year GFDL coupled ocean-atmosphere GCM run. The model represents this feature but is shown to underestimate its amplitude and percentage of variance explained in the midlatitudes. South of 60 °S the simulation of the pressure oscillation, although somewhat too weak, is considerably better. Our analysis reveals significant interannual, decadal and centennial variability in the modeled SAO. While there is only a short historical record of observational data in the middle and high southern latitudes, existing studies suggest that the strength of the SAO does show significant variability on at least the first two of these time scales. Strong relationships between the semiannual cycles of surface pressure and baroclinicity are apparent in the model output, reinforcing the findings in earlier studies that the differing annual march of temperature between the midlatitudes and the Antarctic coast leads to a semiannual component in the baroclinicity and thence the surface pressure. We draw attention to extended periods when the model SAO is weak and strong, and have investigated the nature of the circulation during each period. The GFDL model results suggest that a significant proportion of the SAO variation was associated more with variations in the strength of the winter pressure maximum rather than the springtime minimum. The extent to which this and other aspects of the modeled longterm variability are related to actual atmospheric structure must await the availability of longer data records. Received: 11 November 1996 / Accepted: 28 July 1997     

平流层爆发性增温及其影响研究进展

平流层爆发性增温(stratospheric sudden warming,SSW)是冬季平流层大气环流结构的一种突变现象,在短时间内平流层中高纬度的温度、风和极涡都会发生剧烈变化。因此,SSW也就成为平流层大气环流及其变化研究的重要方面之一。在强SSW期间,高纬地区温度急剧升高,西风被东风取代,极涡几乎全部崩溃。SSW极大地影响着北半球对流层大气,甚至整个中高层大气,包括对平流层乃至中层大气微量气体分布的重要影响。随着临近空间飞行平台的研究应用,以及由此而提出的临近空间环境条件的保障问题,作为临近空间重要组成部分的平流层环流变化将更加引起人们的关注。本文就SSW的特征、发生机制、对上下层相互作用的重要影响,以及SSW与准两年振荡、ENSO等的密切关系和SSW的数值模拟等方面的研究工作,进行了回顾和总结。     

一个改进的混合型海气耦合模式：ENSO模拟

通过在中国科学院大气物理研究所热带太平洋环流模式与一个统计大气模式所建立的混合型海气耦合模式中引入次表层上卷海温非局地参数化方案, 对比分析了次表层上卷海温对耦合模式模拟结果的影响, 表明在引入次表层上卷海温非局地参数化方案前耦合模式模拟的SSTA最大变率中心位于日界线附近赤道南北狭窄范围内, 而在赤道东太平洋及南美沿岸一带变率过低, 周期呈准2年振荡。改进后, 耦合模式模拟结果的分布不论在东西方向亦或南北方向与观测更为相近, 振荡周期为4年左右, 而且还能模拟出观测中ENSO振荡的季节依赖性特征。进一步分析改进的耦合模式中海气耦合特征, 表明 “延迟振子” 理论、 “西太平洋振子” 理论、 “充电-放电振子” 理论及 “平流-反射” 理论所揭示的一些规律在该模式中都能被不同程度地描述出来, 这说明在实际的ENSO循环过程中, 可能有多种机制在同时起作用。     

Recent variations in 700 hPa geopotential heights in summer over Europe and the Middle East,and their influence on other Meteorological factors

Summary Recent variations in atmospheric circulation in the eastern Mediterranean are analyzed and discussed. Interdecadal differences in mean monthly 700 hPa geopotential heights for June, July, and August in the period 1951–1980 show a trend of decreasing pressure of the subtropical high pressure belt over the Sahara Desert. The decrease is observed in the magnitude of the high pressure, in its areal extent, and in its northward position. Broader variations in other meteorological variables, such as rainfall regimes, temperature fields, wind variability, and evapotranspiration rates, are discussed in relation to variations in pressure fields and in indices of circulation such as the North Atlantic Oscillation. The trend from the 1950s through the 1970s was towards more temperate summer climate in the region.With 5 Figures     

北半球冬半年平流层大气低频振荡特征的研究

利用NCEP/NCAR(1970～1999年)位势高度场和风场再分析资料,通过小波分析的方法,研究并揭示了北半球冬半年平流层大气低频振荡的周期,然后通过滤波等方法,揭示了冬半年平流层大气低频振荡的空间结构、传播规律、地域分布特征及北半球低频遥相关的一些分布特征,并且与对流层大气低频振荡作比较.作者对北半球平流层大气低频振荡进行的系统分析研究结果表明:在北半球冬半年平流层,大气低频振荡十分显著,其振荡周期以60天最为显著,在垂直方向上表现出正压结构特征,在水平方向上表现为一致西传,并且以北极涛动(the arctic oscillation)占据主导地位.北半球冬半年平流层大气低频振荡主要活动区域为北极地区,并且在45°N附近还存在3个活动中心,即欧亚大陆、北太平洋和北大西洋中心.     

Propagation of coastal‐trapped waves under an ice cover in Hudson Bay*

Abstract

Three arrays of current‐meter moorings were deployed under landfast sea ice in southeast Hudson Bay for eight weeks in spring 1986. Spectral analysis shows low‐frequency signals with periods of 3 to 11 days. These signals are interpreted as being due to coastal‐trapped waves propagating cyclonically in Hudson Bay; their theoretical dispersion relations and corresponding modal structures are presented for winter stratification and are compared with observations. At a period of 3 days both the modified external Kelvin wave and higher mode continental shelf waves may be important in describing the observed low‐frequency variability, whereas at a period of 10 days the Kelvin wave appears to be the dominant mode. The generation mechanisms for these coastal trapped waves are also investigated. Two sources have been studied: the longshore atmospheric pressure gradient and the average atmospheric pressure over the ice cover in Hudson Bay. Coherence and phase analyses performed with time series of longshore current and atmospheric forcing data reveal that both the average atmospheric pressure and the longshore atmospheric pressure gradient are important in explaining the observed low‐frequency variability, without indicating which one is the most important.     

Stratospheric temperature trends: impact of ozone variability and the QBO

In most climate simulations used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2007 fourth assessment report, stratospheric processes are only poorly represented. For example, climatological or simple specifications of time-varying ozone concentrations are imposed and the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) of equatorial stratospheric zonal wind is absent. Here we investigate the impact of an improved stratospheric representation using two sets of perturbed simulations with the Hadley Centre coupled ocean atmosphere model HadGEM1 with natural and anthropogenic forcings for the 1979–2003 period. In the first set of simulations, the usual zonal mean ozone climatology with superimposed trends is replaced with a time series of observed zonal mean ozone distributions that includes interannual variability associated with the solar cycle, QBO and volcanic eruptions. In addition to this, the second set of perturbed simulations includes a scheme in which the stratospheric zonal wind in the tropics is relaxed to appropriate zonal mean values obtained from the ERA-40 re-analysis, thus forcing a QBO. Both of these changes are applied strictly to the stratosphere only. The improved ozone field results in an improved simulation of the stepwise temperature transitions observed in the lower stratosphere in the aftermath of the two major recent volcanic eruptions. The contribution of the solar cycle signal in the ozone field to this improved representation of the stepwise cooling is discussed. The improved ozone field and also the QBO result in an improved simulation of observed trends, both globally and at tropical latitudes. The Eulerian upwelling in the lower stratosphere in the equatorial region is enhanced by the improved ozone field and is affected by the QBO relaxation, yet neither induces a significant change in the upwelling trend.     

ENSO循环的数值模拟(Ⅱ)──变化性及时间尺度选择机制

利用热带太平洋海气耦合异常模式的３０ａ模拟结果，对模式ＥＮＳＯ的变化性及多重时间尺度过程进行了细致分析，建立了一ＥＮＳＯ循环多重时间尺度过程相互作用的非线性相似（Ａｎａｌｏｇ）模型，并提出了ＥＮＳＯ循环主周期形成的一种可能机制。指出：和观测事实类似，模式ＥＮＳＯ过程确实涉及到三种时间尺度，即３—４ａ主周期振荡（ＬＦ）、准两年振荡（ＱＢ）和年循环（ＡＣ）；其中，ＱＢ过程是线性海气耦合系统的本征模态，年循环（ＡＣ）对其形成没有本质的影响；３—４ａ主周期振荡（ＬＦ）是一非线性系统的自激振荡现象，其形成是线性系统的本征模即ＱＢ过程通过非线性机制尤其是通过大气辐合反馈加热的“单向性”过程在ＱＢ的暖态产生的减频增幅所致；平均年循环（ＡＣ）虽然不能对ＥＮＳＯ循环形成有本质影响，但它可明显影响ＥＮＳＯ循环的具体振幅和位相，使得ＥＮＳＯ循环具有明显的不规则性并对季节循环具有明显的“锁相”特征；ＥＮＳＯ变化性确是ＬＦ、ＱＢ以及ＡＣ多重时间尺度相互作用形成的。本文提出的ＥＮＳＯ循环时间尺度选择机制不仅解释了主周期振荡的形成过程，而且也较好地解释了ＥＮＳＯ变化的谱，因此，这一机制更接近于观测事实。     

Midlatitude ocean–atmosphere interaction in an idealized coupled model

Interannual-to-interdecadal ocean-atmosphere interaction in midlatitudes is studied using an idealized coupled model consisting of eddy resolving two-layer quasi-geostrophic oceanic and atmospheric components with a simple diagnostic oceanic mixed layer. The model solutions exhibit structure and variability that resemble qualitatively some aspects of the observed climate variability over the North Atlantic. The atmospheric climatology is characterized by a zonally modulated jet. The single-basin ocean climatology consists of a midlatitude double jet that represents the Gulf Stream and Labrador currents, which are parts of the subtropical and subpolar gyres, respectively. The leading mode of the atmospheric low-frequency variability consists predominantly of meridional displacements of the zonal jet, with a local maximum over the ocean. The first basin-scale mode of sea-surface temperature has a red power spectrum, is largely of one polarity and bears qualitative similarities with the observed interdecadal mode identified by Kushnir. A warm sea-surface temperature anomaly is accompanied by anomalously low atmospheric pressure, an intensified model Gulf Stream and a weakened Labrador current. This mode is found not to be affected significantly by oceanic coupling. In the western part of the basin, this sea-surface temperature pattern is shown to be forced by the slowest components of the surface-wind anomaly through a delayed modulation of the baroclinic time-dependent boundary currents which advect mean SST, with synchronous variations in the two oceanic jets. The response in the east is found to be dominated by local atmospheric forcing. Basin-scale intrinsic oceanic variability consists of a damped oceanic oscillatory mode in the baroclinic flow field that is excited by the atmospheric noise. Its period is around 5.5 years, but it has a negligible influence on the evolution of sea-surface temperature. Important for this mode's excitation is the meridional position of the atmospheric center of action relative to the ocean gyres.     

A new atmospheric proxy for sea level variability in the southeastern North Sea: observations and future ensemble projections

Atmosphere–ocean interactions are known to dominate seasonal to decadal sea level variability in the southeastern North Sea. In this study an atmospheric proxy for the observed sea level variability in the German Bight is introduced. Monthly mean sea level (MSL) time series from 13 tide gauges located in the German Bight and one virtual station record are evaluated in comparison to sea level pressure fields over the North Atlantic and Europe. A quasi-linear relationship between MSL in the German Bight and sea level pressure over Scandinavia and the Iberian Peninsula is found. This relationship is used (1) to evaluate the atmospheric contribution to MSL variability in hindcast experiments over the period from 1871–2008 with data from the twentieth century reanalysis v2 (20CRv2), (2) to isolate the high frequency meteorological variability of MSL from longer-term changes, (3) to derive ensemble projections of the atmospheric contribution to MSL until 2100 with eight different coupled global atmosphere–ocean models (AOGCM’s) under the A1B emission scenario and (4) two additional projections for one AOGCM (ECHAM5/MPI-OM) under the B1 and A2 emission scenarios. The hindcast produces a reasonable good reconstruction explaining approximately 80 % of the observed MSL variability over the period from 1871 to 2008. Observational features such as the divergent seasonal trend development in the second half of the twentieth century, i.e. larger trends from January to March compared to the rest of the year, and regional variations along the German North Sea coastline in trends and variability are well described. For the period from 1961 to 1990 the Kolmogorov-Smirnow test is used to evaluate the ability of the eight AOGCMs to reproduce the observed statistical properties of MSL variations. All models are able to reproduce the statistical distribution of atmospheric MSL. For the target year 2100 the models point to a slight increase in the atmospheric component of MSL with generally larger changes during winter months (October–March). Largest MSL changes in the order of ~5–6 cm are found for the high emission scenario A2, whereas the moderate B1 and intermediate A1B scenarios lead to moderate changes in the order of ~3 cm. All models point to an increasing atmospheric contribution to MSL in the German Bight, but the uncertainties are considerable, i.e. model and scenario uncertainties are in the same order of magnitude.     

A highly nonlinear coupled mode of decadal variability in a mid-latitude ocean–atmosphere model

This study examines mid-latitude climate variability in a model that couples turbulent oceanic and atmospheric flows through an active oceanic mixed layer. Intrinsic ocean dynamics of the inertial recirculation regions combines with nonlinear atmospheric sensitivity to sea-surface temperature (SST) anomalies to play a dominant role in the variability of the coupled system.Intrinsic low-frequency variability arises in the model atmosphere; when run in a stand-alone mode, it is characterized by irregular transitions between preferred high-latitude and less frequent low-latitude zonal-flow states. When the atmosphere is coupled to the ocean, the low-latitude state occurrences exhibit a statistically significant signal in a broad 5–15-year band. A similar signal is found in the time series of the model ocean's energy in this coupled simulation. Accompanying uncoupled ocean-only and atmosphere-only integrations are characterized by a decrease in the decadal-band variability, relative to the coupled integration; their spectra are indistinguishable from a red spectrum.The time scale of the coupled interdecadal oscillation is set by the nonlinear adjustment of the ocean's inertial recirculations to the high-latitude and low-latitude atmospheric forcing regimes. This adjustment involves, in turn, SST changes resulting in long-term ocean–atmosphere heat-flux anomalies that induce the atmospheric regime transitions.     

太平洋年代际振荡研究进展(英)

近10年来,太平洋年代际振荡(PDO)因其对全球气候系统的深远影响而得到广泛的研究。PDO指的足在太平洋的气候变率中具有类似ENSO空间结构但周期为10-30年的一种振荡,当北太平洋中部海面温度异常增暖(冷却)时,热带太平洋中部和东部以及北美沿岸常同时伴随有同等幅度的异常冷却(增暖)。总体而言,有两类观点分别认为PDO起源于确定的海气耦合过程或起源于大气的随机强迫。确定性起源论强调,一个海气耦合系统内部的物理过程可以提供一个正反馈机制以增强一初始扰动,及一个负反馈机制以促使振荡位相发生逆转;海洋环流的动力演变过程决定了振荡的时间尺度。随机性起源论则强调,因为大气活动没有一个特定的时间尺度,其时间尺度谱实际上对应于白噪音谱,所以大气对海洋的强迫是随机的;而海洋常在低频谱段有最大的响应振幅,其对应的周期约为十几年或几十年。作者试图系统性地理解PDO在观测、理论和数值方面的研究现状,从而为当前研究提供一个有用的背景性参考。     

Interdecadal variability of the East Asian summer monsoon in an AGCM

It is well known that significant interdecadal variation of the East Asian summer monsoon （EASM） occurred around the end of the 1970s. Whether these variations can be attributed to the evolution of global sea surface temperature （SST） and sea ice concentration distribution is investigated with an atmospheric general circulation model （AGCM）. The model is forced with observed monthly global SST and sea ice evolution through 1958-1999. A total of four integrations starting from different initial conditions are carried out. It is found that only one of these reproduces the observed interdecadal changes of the EASM after the 1970s, including weakened low-level meridional wind, decreased surface air temperature and increased sea level pressure in central China, as well as the southwestward shift of the western Pacific subtropical high ridge and the strengthened 200-hPa westerlies. This discrepancy among these simulated results suggests that the interdecadal variation of the EASM cannot be accounted for by historical global SST and sea ice evolution. Thus, the possibility that the interdecadal timescale change of monsoon is a natural variability of the coupled climate system evolution cannot be excluded.     

On decadal-scale ocean-atmosphere interactions in the extended ECHAM1/LSG climate simulation

 The last 810 years of a control integration with the ECHAM1/LSG coupled model are used to clarify the nature of the ocean-atmosphere interactions at low frequencies in the North Atlantic and the North Pacific. To a first approximation, the atmosphere acts as a white noise forcing and the ocean responds as a passive integrator. The sea surface temperature (SST) variability primarily results from short time scale fluctuations in surface heat exchanges and Ekman currents, and the former also damp the SST anomalies after they are generated. The thermocline variability is primarily driven by Ekman pumping. Because the heat, momentum, and vorticity fluxes at the sea surface are correlated in space and time, the SST variability is directly linked to that in the ocean interior. The SST is also modulated by the wind-driven geostrophic fluctuations, resulting in persistent correlation with the thermocline changes and a slight low-frequency redness of the SST spectra. The main dynamics are similar in the two oceans, although in the North Pacific the SST variability is more strongly influenced by advection changes and the oceanic time scales are larger. A maximum covariance analysis based on singular value decomposition in lead and lag conditions indicates that some of the main modes of atmospheric variability in the two oceans are sustained by a very weak positive feedback between the atmosphere, SST, and the strength of the subtropical and subpolar gyres. In addition, in the North Atlantic the main surface pressure mode has a small quasi-oscillatory component at 6-year period, and advective resonance occurs for SST around 10-year period, both periods being also singled out by multichannel singular spectrum analysis. The ocean-atmosphere coupling is however much too weak to redden the tropospheric spectra or create anything more than tiny spectral peaks, so that the atmospheric and oceanic variability is dominated in both ocean sectors by the one-way interactions. Received: 2 April 1999 / Accepted: 14 October 1999     

Interdecadal Variability of the East Asian Winter Monsoon and Its Possible Links to Global Climate Change

This paper presents a concise summary of the studies on interdecadal variability of the East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM) from three main perspectives. (1) The EAWM has been significantly affected by global climate change. Winter temperature in China has experienced three stages of variations from the beginning of the 1950s: a cold period (from the beginning of the 1950s to the early or mid 1980s), a warm period (from the early or mid 1980s to the early 2000s), and a hiatus period in recent 10 years (starting from 1998). The strength of the EAWM has also varied in three stages: a stronger winter monsoon period (1950 to 1986/87), a weaker period (1986/87 to 2004/05), and a strengthening period (from 2005). (2) Corresponding to the interdecadal variations of the EAWM, the East Asian atmospheric circulation, winter temperature of China, and the occurrence of cold waves over China have all exhibited coherent interdecadal variability. The upper-level zonal circulation was stronger, the mid-tropospheric trough over East Asia was deeper with stronger downdrafts behind the trough, and the Siberian high was stronger during the cold period than during the warm period. (3) The interdecadal variations of the EAWM seem closely related to major modes of variability in the atmospheric circulation and the Pacific sea surface temperature. When the Northern Hemisphere annular mode/Arctic Oscillation and the Pacific decadal oscillation were in negative (positive) phase, the EAWM was stronger (weaker), leading to colder (warmer) temperatures in China. In addition, the negative (positive) phase of the Atlantic multi decadal oscillation coincided with relatively cold (warm) temperatures and stronger (weaker) EAWMs. It is thus inferred that the interdecadal variations in the ocean may be one of the most important natural factors influencing long-term variability in the EAWM, although global warming may have also played a significant role in weakening the EAWM.     

东亚和西北太平洋地区气候的准10年尺度振荡及其可能机制

本文基于对气候、大气环流和海表水温的资料分析以及简单的理想化海气耦合模式的分析,研究了东亚和西北太平洋地区气候的准１０年振荡及其可能机制。研究表明,东亚和西北太平洋地区的气候（降水和地面气温等）和大气环流（环流指数和副高活动等）的演变都有明显的准１０年振荡;同赤道太平洋ＳＳＴＡ主要为ＥＮＳＯ循环不同,西北太平洋ＳＳＴＡ主要表现为准１０年尺度的振荡,且同气候和大气环流的准１０年变化密切相关;中纬度海－气相互作用可产生一种甚低频耦合波（１０年左右周期）,它可能是海气系统准１０年振荡的重要机制之一     

Unstable interannual oscillation modes in a linearized coupled ocean-atmosphere model and their associations with ENSO

Summary By using a coupled ocean-atmosphere model with an oceanic surface boundary layer, including linear atmospheric and oceanic dynamics and linearized SST prognostic equation with respect to spatially varying climatological background states, we have investigated the eigenvalue problem of the linearized coupled system in the tropical Pacific, including the characteristic periods, horizontal structures, temporal-spatial evolution and instability of the unstable interannual oscillation characteristic modes and their associations with ENSO. The main results show that the quasi-biennial (QB) oscillation was found to act as the most unstable mode in the tropical Pacific coupled air-sea system. Only the most unstable QB mode displays the ENSO-like structure and temporalspatial evolution, and its existence seems likely to have no essential dependence on the climatological annual cycle (AC). Unfortunately, from the linearized coupled system we have not derived a most unstable mode relevant to the observed principle mode with the preferred 3–4 year lower-frequency (LF) oscillation period in the real world ENSO variability. Therefore, we infer that the LF mode would likely result from certain nonlinear interaction, in which the QB mode that acts as the shortest ENSO cycle could be fundamentally important. Also, we believe that the results in present work could be helpful to fully understand the multiple time scales and the associated mechanism responsible for the real world ENSO variability.With 7 Figures     

Analysis of Decadal Climate Variability in the Tropical Pacific by Coupled GCM

This study presents the spatial and temporal structures of the decadal variability of the Pacific from an extended control run of a coupled global climate model (GCM).The GCM used was version-g2.0 of the Flexible Global Ocean Atmosphere Land System (FGOALS-g2.0) developed at LASG/IAP.The GCM FGOALS-g2.0 re-produces similar spatial-temporal structures of sea surface temperature (SST) as observed in the Pacific decadal os-cillation (PDO) with a significant period of approximately 14 years.Correspondingly,the PDO signals were closely related to the decadal change both in the upper-ocean temperature anomalies and in the atmospheric circulation.The present results suggest that warm SST anomalies along the equator relax the trade winds,causing the SSTs to warm even more in the eastern equatorial Pacific,which is a positive feedback.Meanwhile,warm SST anomalies along the equator force characteristic off-equa-torial wind stress curl anomalies,inducing much more poleward transport of heat,which is a negative feedback.The upper-ocean meridional heat transport,which is asso-ciated with the PDO phase transition,links the equatorial to the off-equatorial Pacific Ocean,acting as a major mechanism responsible for the tropical Pacific decadal variations.Therefore,the positive and negative feedbacks working together eventually result in the decadal oscilla-tion in the Pacific.