Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

North Atlantic Oscillation Response to Anomalous Indian Ocean SST in a Coupled GCM

Jürgen Bader Institute of Geophysics and Meteorology, University of Cologne, Cologne, and Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg, Germany

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and
Mojib Latif Leibniz-Institute for Marine Sciences, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany

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Print Publication:
15 Dec 2005
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI3577.1
Page(s):
5382–5389
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Abstract

The dominant pattern of atmospheric variability in the North Atlantic sector is the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Since the 1970s the NAO has been well characterized by a trend toward its positive phase. Recent atmospheric general circulation model studies have linked this trend to a progressive warming of the Indian Ocean. Unfortunately, a clear mechanism responsible for the change of the NAO could not be given. This study provides further details of the NAO response to Indian Ocean sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies. This is done by conducting experiments with a coupled ocean–atmosphere general circulation model (OAGCM). The authors develop a hypothesis of how the Indian Ocean impacts the NAO.

Corresponding author address: Jürgen Bader, Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Bundesstraße 53, 20146 Hamburg, Germany. Email: bader@dkrz.de

Abstract

The dominant pattern of atmospheric variability in the North Atlantic sector is the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Since the 1970s the NAO has been well characterized by a trend toward its positive phase. Recent atmospheric general circulation model studies have linked this trend to a progressive warming of the Indian Ocean. Unfortunately, a clear mechanism responsible for the change of the NAO could not be given. This study provides further details of the NAO response to Indian Ocean sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies. This is done by conducting experiments with a coupled ocean–atmosphere general circulation model (OAGCM). The authors develop a hypothesis of how the Indian Ocean impacts the NAO.

Corresponding author address: Jürgen Bader, Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Bundesstraße 53, 20146 Hamburg, Germany. Email: bader@dkrz.de

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