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Asymmetric Cloud‐Shortwave Radiation‐Sea Surface Temperature Feedback of Ningaloo Niño/Niña
Author(s) -
Tozuka Tomoki,
Oettli Pascal
Publication year - 2018
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 - 10.1029/2018gl079869
Subject(s) - shortwave radiation , shortwave , sea surface temperature , convection , environmental science , climatology , atmospheric sciences , subtropics , cloud cover , subtropical ridge , asymmetry , geology , radiation , cloud computing , physics , meteorology , precipitation , radiative transfer , quantum mechanics , fishery , computer science , biology , operating system
Abstract Using observational and reanalysis data, the cloud‐shortwave radiation‐sea surface temperature (SST) feedback in the Ningaloo Niño/Niña region off the west coast of Australia is examined. It is found that this feedback operates as a negative feedback for positive SST anomalies and as a positive feedback for negative SST anomalies. This asymmetry is due to variation in the dominant cloud amount with SST. For positive SST anomalies, a decrease in the shortwave radiation resulting from an increase in high cloud amount associated with deep convection prevails, because SSTs in this region are relatively high compared to other eastern boundary regions and close to the convective threshold. Conversely, the region is under the influence of the subtropical high, and a decrease in the surface shortwave radiation associated with an increase in low cloud amount is dominant for negative SST anomalies.