An enhanced influence of sea surface temperature in the tropical northern Atlantic on the following winter ENSO since the early 1980s

Previous studies have revealed a connection between springtime sea surface temperature （SST） in the tropical northern Atlantic （TNA） and the succeeding wintertime El Nino-Southern Oscillation （ENSO）. The present analysis demonstrates that the linkage between springtime TNA SST and the following ENSO experiences an obvious interdecadal change around the early 1980s, with the connection being weak before but significant after. After the early 1980s, springtime positive TNA SST anomalies induce an anomalous cyclone over the northeastern subtropical Pacific and an anomalous Walker circulation with a descending branch over the tropical central-eastern Pacific. This leads to anomalous cold SST in the northeastern Pacific and an anomalous anticyclone over the western-central tropical Pacific, with anomalous easterlies to the equatorward side. As such, springtime TNA SST anomalies are followed by wintertime ENSO after the early 1980s. In contrast, before the early 1980s, anomalous cold SST in the northeastern Pacific and related anomalous easterlies over the western-central tropical Pacific are weak, corresponding to springtime positive TNA SST anomalies and resulting in a weak linkage between springtimeTNA SST and the succeeding wintertime ENSO. Further investigation implies that the change in the TNA SST-ENSO relationship is probably due to a change in springtime mean precipitation over the tropical Atlantic and South America.

已有研究指出春季热带北大西洋海温对随后冬季ENSO事件的发生存在显著的影响。该研究发现它们的联系在20世纪80年代初以后显著增强。20世纪80年代初以后,春季热带北大西洋海温为正异常时,副热带东北太平洋存在显著的异常气旋环流,同时异常沃克环流在热带中东太平洋引起显著的异常下沉运动。异常气旋环流西侧的东北风异常增强气候态的风速,导致负海温异常。负海温异常通过Gill型大气响应使得热带西北太平洋产生异常的反气旋环流。同时,热带中东太平洋的沃克环流异常下沉运动也对热带西北太平洋异常反气旋环流的形成起到一定作用。热带西北太平洋反气旋环流南侧的东风异常通过海洋动力过程对随后冬季ENSO产生影响。因此,春季热带北大西洋海温对冬季ENSO存在显著的影响。然而,20世纪80年代以前,春季热带北大西洋海温相关的热带东北太平洋异常气旋环流和热带地区的异常沃克环流不显著,从而不能在热带西北太平洋产生异常反气旋。所以,20世纪80年代以前,春季热带北大西洋海温对冬季ENSO的影响不显著。进一步的分析指出,春季热带北大西洋海温对ENSO影响的年代际变化可能与热带北大西洋降水气候态的年代际变化有关。