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Shortwave radiation–SST relationship over the mid-latitude North Pacific during boreal summer in climate models

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Abstract

Over the mid-latitude North Pacific, there is a close relationship between interannual variations of the sea surface temperature (SST) and surface shortwave radiation during boreal summer. The present study evaluates this relationship in coupled model simulations, forced model simulations, and retrospective forecasts. It is found that the simulation of this relationship in climate models is closely related to the model biases in the meridional gradients of mean SST and surface shortwave radiation. A southward shift in the region of large mean meridional gradients leads to a similar southward shift in the region of large correlation between the SST and shortwave radiation variations. The relationship is enhanced (weakened) when the mean meridional gradients are stronger (weaker) compared to observations. The shortwave radiation–SST correlation is weak in individual forced simulations because of the interference of internally generated shortwave radiation variations. The shortwave radiation–SST correlation increases significantly in the ensemble mean due to reduction of internally generated variability. The long-lead Climate Forecast System (CFS) forecasts have a better simulation of the shortwave radiation–SST correlation compared to the short-lead forecasts. Estimation based on the CFS ensemble forecasts indicates that the high-frequency atmospheric variations contribute importantly to the SST variability over the mid-latitude North Pacific during boreal summer.

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Acknowledgments

The authors appreciate comments of Julia Manganello and three anonymous reviewers. This research was supported by grants from the NSF (ATM-0830068), NOAA (NA09OAR4310058 and NA09OAR4310186), and NASA (NNX09AN50G).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Ocean–Land–Atmosphere Studies, Institute of Global Environment and Society, 4041 Powder Mill Road, Suite 302, Calverton, MD, 20705, USA

    Renguang Wu & James L. Kinter III

  2. Department of Atmospheric, Ocean and Earth Sciences, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA

    James L. Kinter III

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  1. Renguang Wu
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  2. James L. Kinter III
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Correspondence to Renguang Wu.

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Wu, R., Kinter, J.L. Shortwave radiation–SST relationship over the mid-latitude North Pacific during boreal summer in climate models. Clim Dyn 36, 2251–2264 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-010-0775-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-010-0775-5

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