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Meridional flow variability over the Nordic Seas in the Arctic oscillation framework
Author(s) -
Skeie Paul
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2000gl011529
Subject(s) - empirical orthogonal functions , climatology , zonal and meridional , arctic , arctic oscillation , oscillation (cell signaling) , atmospheric circulation , geology , north atlantic oscillation , siberian high , sea surface temperature , flow (mathematics) , oceanography , geography , northern hemisphere , physics , archaeology , biology , genetics , mechanics , east asia , china
An anomalous recurring atmospheric circulation pattern of high relevance for the climate of the Nordic Seas and Siberia is identified. It is found as the second Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) of monthly winter sea level pressure (SLP) anomalies poleward of 30°N where the leading EOF is the Arctic Oscillation (AO). The most prominent centre of action of the circulation pattern is located over the Barents Region. This “Barents Oscillation” (BO) is shown to have a high temporal correlation with the sensible heat loss of the Nordic Seas (r=0.76). The BO also correlates to Eurasian surface air temperature (SAT) anomalies with r=0.72 after the AO related SAT variations are removed by means of a linear regression. Two sets of SLP composites are constructed where one is based on low and high Nordic Seas heat loss months and the other is based on warm and cold Eurasian months. Patterns reminiscent of the BO emerge in the two composites when AO related variability is removed.