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Low-frequency modulation of the Atlantic warm pool by the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation

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Abstract

This paper investigates the low-frequency modulation of the Atlantic warm pool (AWP) by the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO). Consistent with previous study, it shows that the time series of AWP area varies in phase with the AMO on multidecadal timescales. However, the variability of AWP area is out of phase with the AMO: A small (large) variance of AWP area is associated with the AMO warm (cold) phase. In addition, the modulation of AWP area variability by the AMO has a large seasonality, with a small (large) modulation in summer (fall). The modulation of the annual AWP area variability is primarily determined by the low frequency changes in the Pacific ENSO and the local heat flux feedback, and countered by the low frequency changes in the North Atlantic Oscillation and the ocean mixed layer depth. The local heat flux feedback and mixed layer depth change also play important roles in the AMO-modulated seasonality of the AWP area variability.

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Acknowledgments

This work is supported by the National Creative Research Group Project (NSFC40921004), Scholarship Award for Excellent Doctoral Student granted by Ministry of Education and China National Natural Science Foundation Distinguished Young Investigator Project (40788002).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physical Oceanography Laboratory, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China

    Liping Zhang & Lixin Wu

  2. NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, 4301 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL, 33149, USA

    Chunzai Wang

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  1. Liping Zhang
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  2. Chunzai Wang
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  3. Lixin Wu
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Correspondence to Lixin Wu.

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Zhang, L., Wang, C. & Wu, L. Low-frequency modulation of the Atlantic warm pool by the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation. Clim Dyn 39, 1661–1671 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-011-1257-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-011-1257-0

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