GOALS模式对热带太平洋ENSO年际变化特征的模拟评估

文中重点分析了中国科学院大气物理研究所LASG最新发展的全球大气环流谱模式(R42L9)与一全球海洋环流模式(T63L30)耦合形成的全球海洋-大气-陆面气候系统模式(GOALS/LASG)新版本已积分30 a的模拟结果,通过与多种观测资料的对比分析,讨论了赤道太平洋海表温度(SST)的年际变化及其纬向传播、赤道东太平洋SST异常与其他洋面SST变化之间的遥相关关系、赤道太平洋浅表层海温的年际变化特征等研究内容.结果表明,COALS模式模拟出了赤道太平洋SST异常出现不规则的年际变化特点;赤道东太平洋SST异常的向西传播过程;赤道太平洋混合层海温变化由西向东、由深层向浅层的传播过程;同时也模拟出了赤道东太平洋SST变化与赤道西太平洋以及与西南太平洋海温之间的反相关关系,与南印度洋和副热带大西洋SST之间的正遥相关关系等实际观测现象.但COALS模式也存在明显的不足,如对赤道东、中太平洋SST异常的年际变化幅度明显偏小,没能模拟出赤道东太平洋的SST变化比赤道中太平洋强的特点;赤道太平洋SST从东向西的传播速度明显比实际观测慢得多,但混合层海温极值变化由西向东的传播速度明显比实际情况快得多;没能模拟出赤道东太平洋SST变化同西北太平洋SST的负相关和北印度洋海温变化的正相关现象,因此也影响了对南亚、东南亚降水年际变化的模拟能力.     

一个海洋-大气-动态植被耦合模式评估——海洋环流模拟

利用中国科学院大气物理研究所（IAP）大气科学与地球流体力学数值模拟国家重点实验室(LASG)的全球耦合模式(GOALS〖CD*2〗AVIM),进行了100年积分。利用后40年的结果对模式耦合植被动态过程（AVIM）前后输出的海洋物理场对比分析。结果表明：耦合AVIM后的模式可以合理地模拟全球海洋温盐环流的气候态、季节变化,可以改进模式的模拟效果,在一定程度上克服了耦合AVIM前模式的缺点,使模拟结果更接近实测。由于植被〖CD*2〗大气的双向作用,在季节变化的模拟中,9月的改进效果大于3月的,北半球大于南半球;对于年平均气候态,耦合AVIM后的模式结果在热带海区海表面温度（SST）的模拟效果得到了明显改善,尤其是赤道太平洋海区的海温偏低现象得到了改善;在年际变化的模拟中,改善了耦合AVIM前模式模拟的年际变化分布,加大了赤道太平洋的标准差的模拟,使得耦合AVIM后模拟的年际变化大于耦合前;增强了耦合模式对赤道太平洋ENSO的模拟能力,较耦合AVIM前的模式模拟出了更多的ENSO基本特征,也改善了耦合AVIM前ENSO变化周期偏弱、偏短的现象;同样改善了对气候系统中存在的相互作用的模拟,对于热带印度洋SST变化与赤道太平洋SST的相互关联的模拟中,更加真实地模拟出了气候系统中存在的相互关联关系,体现出了AVIM动态植被过程对气候耦合模式的改善。     

海气耦合气候模式对大气中水汽输送、辐散辐合与海气间水通量交换的模拟

基于ECMWF再分析结果对LASG第三代全球海洋-大气-陆地耦合系统模式(GOALS)的两个版本和第四代耦合气候模式初始版(FGCM-0)所模拟的大气水汽输送与辐散辐合特征、海气间水通量交换,进行了评估分析.结果表明:(1)对垂直积分的水汽通量场的流函数及其对应的无辐散水汽通量矢量的模拟,三个耦合模式都能够较为合理地再现副热带大洋的涡旋结构、中纬度西风带的东向水汽输送、赤道东风带的西向水汽输送和东亚夏季风水汽输送等行星尺度特征及其季节变化,只是GOALS的涡旋位置、FGCM-0的涡旋中心强度,较之实际略有偏差.(2)反映在垂直积分的水汽通量场的势函数和对应的无旋水汽矢量上,对南北半球副热带大洋水汽辐散区、热带辐合带(ITCZ)、东亚夏季风区强烈的水汽辐合特征等的模拟,FGCM-0的结果相对合理.GOALS的热带辐合中心过于集中在印度尼西亚群岛附近,东亚夏季风水汽辐合中心偏南.(3)关于海气水通量交换,FGCM-0较为理想地再现了副热带的净蒸发、ITCZ和中高纬度的净降水特征以及夏季ITCZ的季节性北移,但对南太平洋辐合带(SPCZ)、副热带南大西洋的净蒸发特点,以及阿拉伯海和盂加拉湾季节变化的差异,模拟结果不理想.FGCM-0在模拟SPCZ上的偏差,是由海气耦合过程造成的.GOALS未能合理再现ITCZ和SPCZ降水大于蒸发的特点,其净降水集中在西太平洋暖池区;但对副热带南大西洋、北印度洋水通量季节变化的模拟相对合理.     

混合海气耦合模式中与ENSO相关的大气年际变化性

利用混合海气耦合模式45年模拟积分的结果,对模式大气的年际变化性进行了分析。结果表明,在这样的海气耦合系统中,大气分量表现出显著的年际变化,冬、夏季异常环流型的分布与观测资料的分析结果基本相符。因此,该模式不仅能较好地再现热带太平洋的ENSO变化性,而且能较好地再现ENSO引起的全球大气环流的年际变化性。     

印度洋海气相互作用对热带夏季大气环流气候态的影响

利用分辨率较高的SINTEX-F(Scale INTeraction EXperiment-FRCGC) 海气耦合模式, 进行多组长时间积分模拟和理想试验, 分析研究热带印度洋海气耦合对夏季大气环流气候态的影响。主要结果有: (1) 热带印度洋海气相互作用使热带东印度洋产生明显的东风变化, 使热带中西太平洋赤道北部产生气旋性切变变化。 (2) 印度洋海气相互作用对大气环流气候态的影响绝大部分由于大气对海气相互作用的响应存在年际变化正负距平不对称性造成, 这种年际变化不对称性包括正偶极子与负偶极子的不对称、 海盆宽度正异常与海盆宽度负异常的不对称。 (3) 年际和季节内两种时间尺度海气相互作用对印度洋关键区大气环流平均态都有影响, 约各占60%、 40%; 季节内尺度海气相互作用对太平洋近赤道区大气环流平均态有重要影响; 年际尺度海气相互作用对太平洋赤道外地区大气环流平均态有重要影响。热带印度洋年际尺度、 季节内尺度海气相互作用对大气环流气候态的影响, 都存在年际变化以及年际变化正负距平不对称性。这两种尺度海气相互作用主要通过年际变化正负距平不对称性而对大气环流平均态产生影响。     

FGOALS模式4个版本太平洋年代际气候变率模拟的比较

本文选用中国科学院大气物理研究所大气科学和地球流体力学数值模拟国家重点实验室(LASG/IAP)发展的全球海洋—大气—陆面气候系统模式(FGOALS)的4个版本g2.0、s2.0、g1.1和g1,利用模式的长时间积分结果,结合观测、再分析资料比较、评估模式对太平洋年代际变率的模拟能力,并通过对海气相互作用及其海洋动力过程分析,探讨了模式中太平洋年代际振荡形成机制.研究发现,FGOALS 模式g2.0和s2.0版本对太平洋年代际振荡(PDO/IPO)的模拟能力优于 g1.1和g1.模式中太平洋年代际变率的正反馈过程与Bjerknes(1969)提出的海气相互作用正反馈机制有关,其负反馈则主要与海洋内部动力过程有关.太平洋异常经向热量输送将热带与中纬度海洋联系在一起,可以抑制正反馈作用,但无法使得年代际振荡变化位相发生反转;FGOALS模式中,热带海表温度(SST)暖距平信号通过大气桥影响热带外大气环流,在海气作用下,热带与热带外海洋次表层分别以Kelvin 波和Rossby 波的形式传播,使得冷暖位相反转,4个版本均能再现这种负反馈机制.但不同版本Rossby波所处的纬度不同,太平洋SST异常年代际变化信号最明显的范围越宽,则由此激发的Rossby 波便更为偏北,纬度越高Rossby 波西传的时间也越长,PDO/IPO的周期与其SST异常的经向尺度密切相关.     

全球海气耦合模式系统(NIM/COAMS)Ⅱ.年际变化的模拟

利用文献[1]建立的全球海气耦合模式系统（NIM／COAMS），对模式的年际变化模拟能力进行了检验。50a积分显示，模式模拟出了大气和海洋界面的主要年际变率，能真实地模拟热带太平洋ENSO循环的主要特征，较好地再现了ENSO循环的过程，循环周期在3—5a之间，与实际观测值一致，同时模式也较好地反映了大气和海洋的耦合特征，对年际变化有较强的模拟能力，这与FRAC耦合方案设计有关，该方法能避免气候场的牵制作用，增强模式对年际变化的模拟能力。     

IAP/LASG海洋环流模式对风应力的响应

为了检验第三代IAP/LASG全球海洋环流模式在模拟20世纪80年代热带太平洋年际变化方面特别是ElNino和LaNina事件的能力,作者使用了三种风应力资料强迫该模式.然后,将模拟的海温同NCEP海洋同化资料相比较.分析表明,在赤道附近,模式对风应力的响应在SST分布、温跃层的描绘以及突出E1Nino和LaNina事件方面同NCEP海洋同化资料有许多共同点.然而,在描绘l0°N以北和l0°S以南的SST异常以及描写季节循环方面,响应是不够精确的.另外,模拟的温度异常滞后于NCEP海洋同化数据两个月左右.     

赤道印度洋-太平洋地区海气系统的齿轮式耦合和ENSO事件 II.数值模拟

首先应用IAP/LASG GOALS气候模式的多年积分的结果，对赤道中西太平洋和印度洋 的SST和纬向风场进行分析，发现在模式中也同样存在与观测资料分析结果相似的“印太齿 轮式耦合”。基于此，设计了赤道太平洋和印度洋海域纬向风应力异常的4组敏感性试验， 去研究太平洋和印度洋海气相互作用的联系。结果表明，在太平洋或印度洋上的大气异常 信号通过印-太齿轮组合（GIP）作为桥梁（atmospheric bridge），影响到另一地的海气 相互作用，从而将太平洋上的ENSO类年际变率信号与印度洋环流和亚洲季风纬向分量的变 化联系起来。     

一个基于“部分通量订正”的热带太平洋和全球大气耦合模式及它的性能检验

基于“部分通量订正”同步耦合方案，将中国科学院大气物理研究所发展的九层大气环流格点模式与十四层热带太平洋环流模式耦合并成功积分40年。结果表明，模式没有明显的“气候漂移”现象，同时模式能模拟出与未耦合的海气模式接近的气候平均态及其季节变化，及与观测接近的年际气候变率。这种年际变率在热带太平洋地区表现为类似于ENSO事件的时空分布特征。     

北半球海冰强迫作用下大气可预报性研究

使用LASG/IAP GOALS耦合模式中的全球大气环流模式分量AGCMR15L9的计算结果，在其他外强迫维持气候值不变的情况下，用方差分析的方法，以外部方差与总方差之比R_e作为衡量标准，考察该模式关于海冰的季节和跨季节潜在可预报性的大小。结果发现，从总体上看，北半球海冰变化所造成的潜在可预报性较小，只有在大气低层的一些气候要素，如温度、湿度的结果中，才存在R_e＞0.5的现象。潜在可预报性结果的局地特征比较明显，高值往往发生在海冰年际变率大的区域里。与中低纬海温在中高纬地区的影响相比，不排除海冰的作用更大的可能性。另外，如果分区域看，北半球某些区域的海冰，在若干挑选出的其区域海冰面积发生大异常年份中的潜在可预报性可能会比不做挑选的总体结果要大。这说明北半球某些区域海冰在面积发生较大异常的时候，可能对同期或（及）后期环流有着比较重要的影响。     

气候系统模式FGOALS模拟的南亚夏季风：偏差和原因分析

本文通过与观测和再分析资料的对比,评估了LASG/IAP发展的气候系统模式FGOALS的两个版本FGOALS-g2和FGOALS-s2对南亚夏季风的气候态和年际变率的模拟能力,并使用水汽收支方程诊断,研究了造成降水模拟偏差的原因。结果表明,两个模式夏季气候态降水均在陆地季风槽内偏少,印度半岛附近海域偏多,在降水年循环中表现为夏季北侧辐合带北推范围不足。FGOALS-g2中赤道印度洋"东西型"海温偏差导致模拟的东赤道印度洋海上辐合带偏弱,而FGOALS-s2中印度洋"南北型"海温偏差导致模拟的海上辐合带偏向西南。水汽收支分析表明,两个模式中气候态夏季风降水的模拟偏差主要来自于整层积分的水汽通量,尤其是垂直动力平流项的模拟偏差。一方面,夏季阿拉伯海和孟加拉湾的海温偏冷而赤道西印度洋海温偏暖,造成向印度半岛的水汽输送偏少;另一方面,对流层温度偏冷,冷中心位于印度半岛北部对流层上层,同时季风槽内总云量偏少,云长波辐射效应偏弱,对流层经向温度梯度偏弱以及大气湿静力稳定度偏强引起的下沉异常造成陆地季风槽内降水偏少。在年际变率上,观测中南亚夏季风环流和降水指数与Ni?o3.4指数存在负相关关系,但FGOALS两个版本模式均存在较大偏差。两个模式中与ENSO暖事件相关的沃克环流异常下沉支和对应的负降水异常西移至赤道以南的热带中西印度洋,沿赤道非对称的加热异常令两个模式中越赤道环流季风增强,导致印度半岛南部产生正降水异常。ENSO相关的沃克环流异常下沉支及其对应的负降水异常偏西与两个模式对热带南印度洋气候态降水的模拟偏差有关。研究结果表明,若要提高FGOALS两个版本模式对南亚夏季风气候态模拟技巧,需减小耦合模式对印度洋海温、对流层温度及云的模拟偏差;若要提高南亚夏季风和ENSO相关性模拟技巧需要提高模式对热带印度洋气候态降水以及与ENSO相关的环流异常的模拟能力。     

Intraseasonal SST-precipitation relationship and its spatial variability over the tropical summer monsoon region

The SST-precipitation relationship in the intraseasonal variability (ISV) over the Asian monsoon region is examined using recent high quality satellite data and simulations from a state of the art coupled model, the climate forecast system version 2 (CFSv2). CFSv2 demonstrates high skill in reproducing the spatial distribution of the observed climatological mean summer monsoon precipitation along with its interannual variability, a task which has been a conundrum for many recent climate coupled models. The model also exhibits reasonable skill in simulating coherent northward propagating monsoon intraseasonal anomalies including SST and precipitation, which are generally consistent with observed ISV characteristics. Results from the observations and the model establish the existence of spatial variability in the atmospheric convective response to SST anomalies, over the Asian monsoon domain on intraseasonal timescales. The response is fast over the Arabian Sea, where precipitation lags SST by ~5 days; whereas it is slow over the Bay of Bengal and South China Sea, with a lag of ~12 days. The intraseasonal SST anomalies result in a similar atmospheric response across the basins, which consists of a destabilization of the bottom of the atmospheric column, as observed from the equivalent potential temperature anomalies near the surface. However, the presence of a relatively strong surface convergence over the Arabian Sea, due to the presence of a strong zonal gradient in SST, which accelerates the upward motion of the moist air, results in a relatively faster response in terms of the local precipitation anomalies over the Arabian Sea than over the Bay of Bengal and South China Sea. With respect to the observations, the ocean–atmosphere coupling is well simulated in the model, though with an overestimation of the intraseasonal SST anomalies, leading to an exaggerated SST-precipitation relationship. A detailed examination points to a systematic bias in the thickness of the mixed layer of the ocean model, which needs to be rectified. A too shallow (deep) mixed layer enhances (suppress) the amplitude of the intraseasonal SST anomalies, thereby amplifying (lessening) the ISV and the active-break phases of the monsoon in the model.     

Limitations of time-slice experiments for predicting regional climate change over South Asia

While time-slice simulations with atmospheric general circulation models (GCMs) have been used for many years to regionalize climate projections and/or assess their uncertainties, there is still no consensus about the method used to prescribe sea surface temperature (SST) in such experiments. In the present study, the response of the Indian summer monsoon to increasing amounts of greenhouse gases and sulfate aerosols is compared between a reference climate scenario and three sets of time-slice experiments, consisting of parallel integrations for present-day and future climates. Different monthly mean SST boundary conditions have been tested in the present-day integrations: raw climatological SST derived from the reference scenario, observed climatological SST, and observed SST with interannual variability. For future climate, the SST forcing has been obtained by superimposing climatological monthly mean SST anomalies derived from the reference scenario onto the present-day SST boundary conditions. None of these sets of time-slice experiments is able to capture accurately the response of the Indian summer monsoon simulated in the transient scenario. This finding suggests that the ocean–atmosphere coupling is a fundamental feature of the climate system. Neglecting the SST feedback and variability at the intraseasonal to interannual time scales has a significant impact on the projected monsoon response to global warming. Adding interannual variability in the prescribed SST boundary conditions does not mitigate the problem, but can on the contrary reinforce the discrepancies between the forced and coupled experiments. The monsoon response is also shown to depend on the simulated control climate, and can therefore be sensitive to the use of observed rather than model-derived SSTs to drive the present-day atmospheric simulation, as well as to any approximation in the prescribed radiative forcing. While such results do not challenge the use of time-slice experiments for assessing uncertainties and understanding mechanisms in transient scenarios, they emphasize the need for high-resolution coupled atmosphere-ocean GCMs for dynamical downscaling, or at least for high-resolution atmospheric GCMs coupled with a slab or a regional ocean model.     

Links between tropical SST anomalies and precursory signalsassociated with the interannual variability of Asian summer monsoon

Summary ?The interannual variability of broad-scale Asian summer monsoon was studied using a general circulation model (GCM) and NCEP (National Center for Environmental Prediction) data set during 1979–95. In the GCM experiment, the main emphasis was given to isolate the individual role of surface boundary conditions on the existence of winter-spring time circulation anomalies associated with the interannual variability of Asian summer monsoon. In order to understand the role of sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) alone on the existence of precursory signals, we have conducted 17 years numerical integration with a GCM forced with the real-time monthly averaged SSTs of 1979 to 1995. In this experiment, among the many surface boundary conditions only SSTs are varying interannually. The composite circulation anomalies simulated by the GCM have good resemblance with the NCEP circulation anomalies over subtropical Asia. This suggests that the root cause of the existence of winter-spring time circulation anomalies associated with the interannual variability of Asian summer monsoon is the interannual variability of SST. Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOFs) of 200-mb winds and OLR were constructed to study the dynamic coupling between SST anomalies and winter-spring time circulation anomalies. It is found that the convective heating anomalies associated with SST anomalies and stationary eddies undergo systematic and coherent interannual variations prior to summer season. We have identified Matsuno-Gill type mode in the velocity potential and stream function fields. This suggests the existence of dynamic links between the SST anomalies and the precursory signals of Asian summer monsoon. Received June 9, 1999/Revised April 7, 2000     

Warm and cold events in the southeast Atlantic/southwest Indian Ocean region and potential impacts on circulation and rainfall over southern Africa

Summary An important pattern of interannual variability in the southern African region is one where sea surface temperature (SST) in neighbouring waters, particularly in the Agulhas Current, its retroflection region and outflow across the southern midlatitudes of the Indian Ocean, is anomalously warm or cool. Evidence exists of significant rainfall anomalies over large parts of southern Africa during these warm or cool SST events. Here, a general circulation model is used to study the response of the atmosphere in the region to an idealised representation of these SST anomalies. The induced atmospheric circulation and precipitation anomalies over the adjacent southern African landmass on intraseasonal through to interannual time scales are investigated.A nonlinear response to the SST anomalies is found in that the changes to the model atmosphere when warm SST forcing is used are not the reverse (in either pattern or magnitude) to that when cold SST forcing is imposed. For the warm SST anomaly, it is found that the atmospheric response is favourable for enhancement of the original SST anomaly on scales up to, and including, annual. However, as the scale becomes interannual (i.e., 15–21 months after imposition of the anomaly), the model response suggests that damping of the original SST anomaly becomes likely. However, no such coherent timescale dependent response is found when the cold SST anomaly is impose. It is suggested that the relationship of the SST anomaly to the background seasonal climatology may help explain this fundamental difference in the response.Examination of the circulation and rainfall patterns under warm SST forcing indicates that there are significant anomalies over large parts of southern Africa on all scales from intraseasonal through to interannual. On the south coast, rainfall anomalies result from enhanced evaporation of moisture off the SST anomaly. Over the interior, changer in the convergence of moist air streams together with suggestions of a shift in the Walker circulations between southern Africa and the bordering tropical South Atlantic and Indian Oceans appear to be associated with the rainfall anomalies. Similar mechanisms of rainfall perturbation are found when the cold SST anomaly is imposed; however, there is a significant response only on intra-annual to interannual scales. In all cases, the magnitude of the rainfall anomalies accumulated over a 90 day season were of the order of 90–180 mm, and therefore represent a significant fraction of the annual total of many areas. These model results re-inforce previous observational work suggesting that SST anomalies south of Africa, particularly in the retroflection region of the Agulhas Current, are linked with significant rainfall anomalies over the adjacent subcontinent.With 12 Figures     

热带印度洋春季海表温度异常与南海夏季风强度变化的关系

利用50年的Reynolds月平均海表温度资料和NCEP/NCAR全球大气再分析资料,分析了热带印度洋春季海温异常对南海夏季风强度变化的影响。结果表明:1)热带印度洋春季海表温度距平(SSTA)的模态主要是全区一致型(USBM)和热带南印度洋偶极型(SIODM),USBM模态既有年际时间尺度的变化特征,又有年际以上时间尺度的变化特征,既包含有对冬季ENSO信号响应的变化特征,又有独立于ENSO的变化特征;SIODM模态主要表现为独立于ENSO的年际时间尺度变化。2)USBM模态与南海夏季风强度变化呈显著负相关关系,且二者都是对冬季ENSO信号的响应,USBM模态的年际变化不能独立于ENSO信号影响南海夏季风的强度变化。3)经(1~8年)带通滤波及去除ENSO信号的热带印度洋春季SSTA的SIODM型分布是影响南海夏季风强度变化的主要模态,表现为热带东南印度洋为负(正)、其他海区为正(负)时,南海夏季风强度增强(减弱),大气环流对热带东南印度洋SSTA热力作用的响应是造成这一关系的直接原因,SIODM型的SSTA分布与南海夏季风年际异常关系在热带印度洋长期变化趋势的暖位相期显著,在长期变化趋势的冷位相期不显著。     

CoPIVEP: a theory-based analysis of coupled processes and interannual variability in the Equatorial Pacific in four coupled GCMs

 The interannual variability over the tropical Pacific and a possible link with the mean state or the seasonal cycle is examined in four coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation models (GCM). Each model is composed of a high-resolution ocean GCM of either the tropical Pacific or near-global oceans coupled to a moderate-resolution atmospheric GCM, without using flux correction. The oceanic subsurface is considered to describe the mean state or the seasonal cycle through the analytical formulations of some potential coupled processes. These coupled processes characterise the zonal gradient of sea surface temperature (hereafter SST), the oceanic vertical gradient of temperature and the equatorial upwelling. The simulated SST patterns of the mean state and the interannual signals are generally too narrow. The grid of the oceanic model could control the structure of the SST interannual signals while the behaviour of the atmospheric model could be important in the link between the oceanic surface and the subsurface. The first SST EOFs are different between the coupled models, however, the second SST EOFs are quite similar and could correspond to the return to the normal state while that of the observations (COADS) could favour the initial anomaly. All the models seem to simulate a similar equatorial wave-like dynamics to return to the normal state. The more the basic state is unstable from the coupled processes point of view, the more the interannual signal are high. It seems that the basic state could control the intensity of the interannual variability. Two models, which have a significant seasonal variation of the interannual variance, also have a significant seasonal variation of the instability with a few months lag. The potential seasonal phase locking of the interannual fluctuations need to be examined in more models to confirm its existence in current tropical GCMs. Received: 30 July 1999 / Accepted: 25 April 2000     

On the interannual variability of surface salinity in the Atlantic

The mechanisms controlling the interannual variability of sea surface salinity (SSS) in the Atlantic are investigated using a simulation with the ECHAM4/OPA8 coupled model and, for comparison, the NCEP reanalysis and an observed SSS climatology. Anomalous Ekman advection is found to be as important as the freshwater flux in generating SSS anomalies, in contrast to sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies which are primarily caused by surface heat flux fluctuations. Since the surface heat flux feedback does not damp the SSS anomalies but generally damps existing SST anomalies, SSS anomalies have a larger characteristic time scale. As a result, they are more influenced by the mean currents and the geostrophic variability, which dominate the SSS changes at low frequency over much of the basin. The link between SSS anomalies and the dominant patterns of atmospheric variability in the North Atlantic sector is also discussed. It is shown that the North Atlantic Oscillation generates SSS anomalies much more by Ekman advection than by freshwater exchanges. At least in the coupled model, there is little one-to-one correspondence between the main atmospheric and SSS anomaly patterns, unlike what is found for SST anomalies.