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Simulated interannual to decadal variability in the tropical and sub‐tropical North Atlantic
Author(s) -
Delworth Thomas L.,
Mehta Vikram M.
Publication year - 1998
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 - 10.1029/98gl02188
Subject(s) - climatology , advection , subtropics , sea surface temperature , tropical atlantic , atmosphere (unit) , environmental science , geology , atmospheric sciences , common spatial pattern , meteorology , geography , statistics , physics , mathematics , fishery , biology , thermodynamics
The dominant pattern of tropical and subtropical North Atlantic sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies simulated in the GFDL coupled ocean‐atmosphere model is identified and compared to observations. The spatial pattern and temporal variability of that pattern resemble observational results. On interannual time scales it is shown that anomalous surface heat fluxes, consistent with variations in the intensity of the subtropical high pressure system in the atmosphere and the associated Northeasterly Trade winds, appear to be the most important process for generating this SST pattern. This relationship is also true on decadal time scales, although the relative role of oceanic heat advection is somewhat larger than on the interannual time scales.