Abstract
The connection between the meridional structure of tropical sea surface temperature (SST) and the Hadley circulation (HC) under the effect of ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) from 1950 to 1977 is studied. We decompose the HC and zonal mean SST into equatorially symmetric (HES for HC, SES for SST) and asymmetric variations (HEA for HC, SEA for SST) to discuss the modulation of their connection by ENSO. During El Niño events from 1950 to 1977, the HC is less sensitive to the different SST meridional structures and expressed by response ratio. The ratio in La Niña and neutral events is around 4, which is equivalent to the result in the climatology. The reason for the decreased ratio during El Niño events is explored. The interdecadal variation in the linkage between the HC and tropical SST is due to a clear interdecadal shift in the impacts of ENSO on the tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) SST. For the period 1950–1977, when El Niño events occur, larger SST warming amplitude is observed over the northern TIO (0°–15°N, 50°–100°E). However, the southern TIO (15°S–0°, 50°–100°E) shows greater warming amplitude during 1980–2016. The anomalous SST variation over the TIO linked to El Niño events alters the meridional SST distribution, inducing anomalies in the meridional circulation. These results can help us understand the interdecadal modulation by ENSO on the relationship between tropical SST and HC.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Change history
03 November 2022
A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-022-06522-8
References
Annamalai H, Xie SP, McCreary JP, Murtugudde R (2005) Impact of Indian Ocean sea surface temperature on developing El Niño. J Clim 18:302–319
Bordoni S, Schneider T (2010) Regime Transitions of Steady and Time-Dependent Hadley Circulations: Comparison of Axisymmetric and Eddy-Permitting Simulations. J Atmos Sci 67:1643–1654. https://doi.org/10.1175/2009JAS3294.1
Chakravorty S, Chowdary JS, Gnanaseelan C (2012) Spring asymmetric mode in the tropical Indian Ocean: Role of El Niño and IOD. Clim Dyn 40:1467–1481. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-012-1340-1
Chen S, Wei K, Chen W, Song L (2014) Regional changes in the annual mean Hadley circulation in recent decades. J Geophys Res Atmos 119:7815–7832. https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JD021540
Chen SF, Yu B, Chen W (2014) An analysis on the physical process of the influence of AO on ENSO. Clim Dyn 42:973–989. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-012-1654-z
Chen L, Li T, Yu YQ (2015) Causes of Strengthening and Weakening of ENSO Amplitude under Global Warming in Four CMIP5 Models. J Clim 28:3250–3274. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-14-00439.1
Chen L, Li T, Behera SK, Doi T (2016) Distinctive precursory air–sea signals between regular and super El Niños. Adv Atmos Sci 33(8):996–1004. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-016-5250-8
Chen M, Li T, Shen X et al (2016) Relative roles of dynamic and thermodynamic processes in causing evolution asymmetry between El Niño and La Niña. J Clim 29:2201–2220. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0547.1
Chen L, Li T, Yu YQ, Behera SK (2017) A possible explanation for the divergent projection of ENSO amplitude change under global warming. Clim Dyn 49:3799–3811. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-017-3544-x
Chen L, Wang L, Li T, Liu J (2019) Drivers of reduced ENSO variability in mid-Holocene in a coupled model. Clim Dyn 52:5999–6014. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-018-4496-5
Chen Z, Du Y, Wen Z et al (2019) Evolution of South Tropical Indian Ocean Warming and the Climatic Impacts Following Strong El Niño Events. J Clim 32(21):7329–7347. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-18-0704.1
Chen L, Sun DZ, Wang L et al (2019) A Further Study on the Simulation of Cloud-Radiative Feedbacks in the ENSO Cycle in the Tropical Pacific with a Focus on the Asymmetry. Asia-Pacific J Atmos Sci 55:303–316. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13143-018-0064-5
Chen SF, Wu RG, Chen W et al (2020) Influence of winter Arctic sea ice concentration change on the El Niño–Southern Oscillation in the following winter. Clim Dyn 54:741–757. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-019-05027-1
Cheng JB, Hu SJ, Gao CB et al (2020) On the discrepancies in the changes in the annual mean Hadley circulation among different regions and between CMIP5 models and reanalyses. Theor Appl Climatol 141:1475–1491. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-020-03292-3
Chiang JCH, Friedman AR (2012) Extratropical Cooling, Interhemispheric Thermal Gradients, and Tropical Climate Change. Annu Rev Earth Pl Sc 40:383–412. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-042711-105545
Compo GP, Whitaker JS, Sardeshmukh PD et al (2011) The Twentieth Century Reanalysis Project. Q J Roy Meteor Soc 137:1–28. https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.776
D’Agostino R, Lionello P, Adam O, Schneider T (2017) Factors controlling Hadley circulation changes from the Last Glacial Maximum to the end of the 21st century. Geophys Res Lett 44:8585–8591. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL074533
Davis NA, Davis SM (2018) Reconciling Hadley Cell Expansion Trend Estimates in Reanalyses. Geophys Res Lett 45:11439–11446. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL079593
Deser C, Alexander MA, Xie SP, Phillips AS (2010) Sea surface temperature variability: Patterns and mechanisms. Annu Rev Mar Sci 2:115–143. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-marine-120408-151453
Diaz HF, Bradley RS (2004) The Hadley circulation: present, past, and future. Springer, Berlin
Ding Q, Steig E, Battisti D et al (2011) Winter warming in West Antarctica caused by central tropical Pacific warming. Nat Geosci 4:398–403. https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1129
Ding RQ, Li JP (2012) Influences of ENSO Teleconnection on the Persistence of Sea Surface Temperature in the Tropical Indian Ocean. J Clim 25:8177–8195. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00739.1
Du Y, Xie SP (2008) Role of atmospheric adjustments in the tropical Indian Ocean warming during the 20th century in climate models. Geophys Res Lett 35:8. https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL033631
Fang SW, Yu JY (2020) Contrasting transition complexity between El Niño and La Niña: Observations and CMIP5/6 models. Geophys Res Lett 47. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL088926
Feng J, Li JP (2011) Influence of El Niño Modoki on Spring Rainfall over South China. J Geophys Res 116:D13102. doi:https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JD015160
Feng J, Li JP (2013) Contrasting impacts of two types of ENSO on the boreal spring Hadley circulation. J Clim 26:4773–4789. doi:https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-12-00298.1
Feng J, Li JP, Jin FF, Liu ZY, Xing N, Guo YP (2016) Contrasting Responses of the Hadley Circulation to Equatorially Asymmetric and Symmetric Meridional Sea Surface Temperature Structures. J Clim 29:8949–8963. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-16-0171.1
Feng J, Li JP, Jin FF, Zhao S, Xie F (2017) The responses of the Hadley circulation to different meridional SST structures in the seasonal cycle. J Geophys Res Atmos 122:7785–7799. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JD026953
Feng J, Li JP, Jin FF, Zhao S, Zhu JL (2018) Relationship between the Hadley Circulation and Different Tropical Meridional SST Structures during Boreal Summer. J Clim 31:6575–6590. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-18-0095.1
Feng J, Li JP, Jin FF, Zheng F (2018) A Comparison of the Response of the Hadley Circulation to Different Tropical SST Meridional Structures During the Equinox Seasons. J Geophys Res-Atmos 123:2591–2604. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JD028219
Feng J, Li JP, Jin FF, Liu ZY, Zhao S (2019) Effect of El Niño on the response ratio of Hadley circulation to different SST meridional structures. Clim Dyn 53:3877–3891. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-019-04756-7
Gedalof Z, Smith DJ (2001) Interdecadal climate variability and regime-scale shifts in Pacific North America. Geophys Res Lett 28:1515–1518. https://doi.org/10.1029/2000GL011779
Guo YP, Li JP, Feng J, Xie F et al (2016) The multidecadal variability of the asymmetric mode of the boreal autumn Hadley circulation and its link to the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. J Clim 29:5625–5641. doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0025.1
Guo YP, Tan ZM (2018) On the sensitivity of the relationship between Hadley circulation asymmetry and ENSO in CMIP5 models. Geophys Res Lett 45:9253–9259. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL079515
Hu ZZ, Huang B, Tseng YH et al (2017) Does vertical temperature gradient of the atmosphere matter for ENSO. development? Clim Dyn 48(5–6):1413–1429. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-016-3149-9
Hu SJ, Chou JF, Cheng JB (2018) Three-pattern decomposition of global atmospheric circulation: part I—decomposition model and theorems. Clim Dyn 50:2355–2368. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-015-2818-4
Hu H, Wu Q, Wu Z (2018) Influences of two types of El Niño event on the Northwest Pacific and tropical Indian Ocean SST anomalies. J Ocean Limnol 36:33–47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-018-6296-5
Huang R, Chen S, Chen W et al (2018) Interannual variability of regional Hadley circulation intensity over western Pacific during boreal winter and its climatic impact over Asia-Australia region. J Geophys Res-Atmos 123:344–366. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JD027919
Huang R, Chen S, Chen W et al (2019) Recent Strengthening of the Regional Hadley Circulation over the Western Pacific during Boreal Spring. Adv Atmos Sci 36:1251–1264. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-019-9004-2
Huang R, Chen S, Chen W et al (2021) Northern poleward edge of regional Hadley cell over western Pacific during boreal winter: year-to-year variability, influence factors and associated winter climate anomalies. Clim Dyn 56:3643–3664. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-021-05660-9
Karori MA, Li JP, Jin FF (2013) The asymmetric influence of the two types of El Niño and La Niña on summer rainfall over southeast China. J Clim 26:4567–4582. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-12-00324.1
Levine XJ, Schneider T (2011) Response of the Hadley Circulation to Climate Change in an Aquaplanet GCM Coupled to a Simple Representation of Ocean Heat Transport. J Atmos Sci 68(4):769–783. https://doi.org/10.1175/2010JAS3553.1
Levine XJ, Schneider T (2015) Baroclinic Eddies and the Extent of the Hadley Circulation: An Idealized GCM Study. J Atmos Sci 72:2744–2761. https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-14-0152.1
Li JP, Zheng F, Sun C et al (2019) Pathways of Influence of the Northern Hemisphere Mid-high Latitudes on East Asian Climate: A Review. Adv Atmos Sci 36:902–921. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-019-8236-5
Liu F, Zhang W, Jin F, Hu S (2021) Decadal Modulation of the ENSO–Indian Ocean Basin Warming Relationship during the Decaying Summer by the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation. J Clim 34(7):2685–2699. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-20-0457.1
Lu J, Chen G, Frierson DMW (2008) Response of the Zonal Mean Atmospheric Circulation to El Niño versus Global Warming. J Clim 21(22):5835–5851. https://doi.org/10.1175/2008JCLI2200.1
Ma J, Li JP (2008) The principal modes of variability of the boreal winter Hadley cell. Geophys Res Lett 35:L01808. https://doi.org/10.1029/2007GL031883
McPhaden MJ, Zhang D (2002) Slowdown of the meridional overturning circulation in the upper Pacific Ocean. Nature 415(6872):603–608. https://doi.org/10.1038/415603a
Numaguti A (1994) Dynamics and energy balance of the Hadley circulation and the tropical precipitaton zones, part II: sensitivity to meridional SST distribution. J Atmos Sci 52(8):1128–1141. https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0469(1995)052%3c1128:DAEBOT%3e2.0.CO;2
Poli P, Hersbach H, Dee DP et al (2016) ERA-20 C: An Atmospheric Reanalysis of the Twentieth Century. J Clim 29:4083–4097. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0556.1
Quan XW, Diaz HF, Hoerling MP (2004) Change in the tropical Hadley cell since 1950. Adv Glob Change Res 21:85–120. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-2944-8_4
Rayner NA, Parker DE, Horton EB, Folland CK, Alexander LV, Rowell DP, Kent EC, Kaplan A (2003) Global analyses of sea surface temperature, sea ice, and night marine air temperature since the late nineteenth century. J Geophys Res Atm 108(D14):4407. https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JD002670
Ren HL, Jin FF (2011) Niño indices for two types of ENSO. Geophys Res Lett 38. https://doi.org/10.1029/2010GL046031
Ren HL, Zheng F, Luo JJ et al (2020) A Review of Research on Tropical Air-Sea Interaction, ENSO Dynamics, and ENSO Prediction in China. J Meteorol Res 34:43–62. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13351-020-9155-1
Rollings M, Merlis TM (2021) The Observed Relationship between Pacific SST Variability and Hadley Cell Extent Trends in Reanalyses. J Clim 34(7):2511–2527. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-20-0410.1
Roxy M, Ritika K, Terray P et al (2015) Drying of Indian subcontinent by rapid Indian Ocean warming and a weakening land-sea thermal gradient. Nat Commun 6:7423. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms8423
Singh MS, Kuang Z, Tian Y (2017) Eddy Influences on the Strength of the Hadley Circulation: Dynamic and Thermodynamic Perspectives. J Atmos Sci 74(2):467–486. https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-16-0238.1
Small RJ, deSzoeke SP, Xie SP et al (2008) Air-sea interaction over the ocean fronts and eddies. Dyn Atmos Oceans 45:274–319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dynatmoce.2008.01.001
Smith TM, Reynolds RW, Peterson TC, Lawrimore J (2008) Improvements to NOAA’s historical merged land-ocean surface temperature analysis (1880–2006). J Clim 21:2283–2296. https://doi.org/10.1175/2007JCLI2100.1
Stachnik JP, Schumacher C (2011) A comparison of the Hadley circulation in modern reanalyses. J Geophys Res Atmos 116:D22102. https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JD016677
Sun Y, Li LZX, Ramstein G et al (2019) Regional meridional cells governing the interannual variability of the Hadley circulation in boreal winter. Clim Dyn 52:831–853. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-018-4263-7
Sun C, Liu YS, Xue JQ et al (2021) The importance of inter-basin atmospheric teleconnection in the SST footprint of Atlantic multidecadal oscillation over western Pacific. Clim Dyn 57:239–252. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-021-05705-z
Tandon NF, Gerber EP, Sobel AH, Polvani LM (2013) Understanding Hadley Cell Expansion versus Contraction: Insights from Simplified Models and Implications for Recent Observations. J Clim 26(12):4304–4321. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-12-00598.1
Terray P, Dominiak S (2005) Indian Ocean sea surface temperature and El Niño-Southern Oscillation: A new perspective. J Clim 18:1351–1368. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI3338.1
Trenberth KE, Stepaniak DP (2003) Seamless poleward atmospheric energy transports and implications for the Hadley circulation. J Clim 16:3706–3722. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI3338.1
Walker CC, Schneider T (2005) Response of idealized Hadley circulations to seasonally varying heating. Geophys Res Lett 32:L06813. https://doi.org/10.1029/2004GL022304
Wang YQ, Feng J, Li JP et al (2020) Variability of boreal spring Hadley circulation over the Asian monsoon domain and its relationship with tropical SST. Clim Dyn 54:1655–1669. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-019-05079-3
Wang XY, Zhu J, Chang CH et al (2021) Underestimated responses of Walker circulation to ENSO-related SST anomaly in atmospheric and coupled models. Geosci Lett 8:17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40562-021-00186-8
Wieners CE, Dijkstra HA, de Ruijter WPM (2017) The Influence of the Indian Ocean on ENSO Stability and Flavor. J Clim 30(7):2601–2620. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-16-0516.1
Wu X, Li G, Jiang W et al (2021) Asymmetric Relationship between ENSO and the Tropical Indian Ocean Summer SST Anomalies. J Clim 34(14):5955–5969. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-20-0546.1
Xiao D, Li JP (2007) Spatial and temporal characteristics of the decadal abrupt changes of global atmosphere-ocean system in the 1970s. J Geophys Res Atmos 112. https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JD008956
Xie SP, Hu K, Hafner J et al (2009) Indian Ocean Capacitor Effect on Indo-Western Pacific Climate during the Summer following El Niño. J Clim 22:730–747. https://doi.org/10.1175/2008JCLI2544.1
Xie SP, Du Y, Huang G et al (2010) Decadal Shift in El Niño Influences on Indo–Western Pacific and East Asian Climate in the 1970s. J Clim 23(12):3352–3368. https://doi.org/10.1175/2010JCLI3429.1
Ying J, Huang P, Lian T, Chen D (2019) Intermodel Uncertainty in the Change of ENSO’s Amplitude under Global Warming: Role of the Response of Atmospheric Circulation to SST Anomalies. J Clim 32(2):369–383. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-18-0456.1
Zhang WJ, Li JP, Jin FF (2009) Spatial and temporal features of ENSO meridional scales. Geophys Res Lett 36:L15605. https://doi.org/10.1029/2009GL038672
Zhang RH, Yu Y, Song Z et al (2020) A review of progress in coupled ocean-atmosphere model developments for ENSO studies in China. J Ocean Limnol 38:930–961. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-020-0157-8
Zheng YQ, Chen SF, Chen W et al (2021) Diverse influences of spring ArcticOscillation on the following winter El Niño–Southern Oscillation in CMIP5 models. Clim Dyn 56:275–297. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-020-05483-0
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41975079, 41790474) and “the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities”. The HadISST dataset was obtained from the UK Met Office Hadley Centre and is available online at http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadisst/data/download.html. The NCEP1, NCEP-20 C and ERSST reanalyses were obtained from NOAA and are available at http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/data/gridded/. The ERA-20 C reanalysis is available online at http://apps.ecmwf.int/datasets/.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yu, M., Feng, J., Li, J. et al. Interdecadal shift of the El Niño’s modulation on the connection between the Hadley circulation and tropical SST. Clim Dyn 60, 2167–2181 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-022-06407-w
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-022-06407-w