Open AccessSpace observations of ocean surface winds aid monitoring of Northeast Pacific climate shifts
Author(s) -
Otterman J.,
Starr D.,
Atlas R.,
Ardizzone J.,
Terry J.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1029/98eo00420
Subject(s) - environmental science , climatology , sea surface temperature , special sensor microwave/imager , climate change , pacific ocean , climatic variability , oceanography , microwave , geology , physics , quantum mechanics , brightness temperature
Wind data from special sensor microwave imager (SSM/I) measurements indicate that winter climatic conditions along coastal areas of the northeast Pacific Ocean show pronounced interannual, month‐to‐month, and site‐to‐site variability. Site‐specific characterization is therefore needed to better understand conditions for different subregions. Analysis of surface winds and the relationship between wind direction and temperature anomalies is one option for achieving such characterization. Monitoring climatic conditions of these coastal areas is of special interest, since the northeast Pacific region undergoes periodic climatic shifts from cold‐and‐wet to warmand‐dry conditions and back again, and a shift to a cold‐and‐wet phase appears imminent. The study was motivated by Ingraham et al. [1998]. This earlier study is useful for detecting change. However, as a one‐parameter characterization, such change detection cannot adequately describe multisite climatic conditions for which separate and distinct information is required.