Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Seasonal variations of the links between the interannual variability of South America and the South Pacific

  • Published:
Climate Dynamics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present study focuses on the leading interannual mode of continental-scale atmospheric variability over South America, which is characterized by an equivalent barotropic vortex (referred to as VOSA in the text) centered over the eastern subtropical coast of the continent. The principal aim is to determine whether and in what season VOSA is the downstream extension of the leading Pacific South American mode (PSA1). Another objective is to examine the extent to which VOSA and PSA1 are forced by El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The research is based on examination of reanalysis data and output of experiments with an atmospheric general circulation model. The emphasis is on the southern spring, summer and fall seasons, during which VOSA modulates the interannual precipitation variability over the continent. A similar relationship is not found during the southern winter. It is found that VOSA is an integral part of PSA1 during spring and fall. In these seasons, PSA1/VOSA is originated primarily by large-scale atmospheric internal variability with the forcing by ENSO accounting for 14 and 8% of the total variance, respectively. During the southern summer season, when ENSO peaks, PSA1 is not a dominant mode of atmospheric variability, and VOSA primarily results from continental-scale internal variability.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aceituno P (1988) On the functioning of the Southern Oscillation in the South American sector. Part I Surface Clim Mon Wea Rev 116:505–524

    Google Scholar 

  • Andreoli RV, Kayano MT (2005) ENSO-related rainfall anomalies in South America and associated circulation features during warm and cold Pacific decadal oscillation regimes. Int J Climatol 25:2017–2030. doi:10.1002/joc.1222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barreiro M, Tippmann A (2008) Atlantic modulation of El Niño influence on summertime rainfall over southeastern South America. Geophys Res Lett 35:L16704. doi:10.1029/2008GL035019

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barreiro M (2009) Influence of ENSO and the south Atlantic ocean on climate predictability over Southeastern South America. Clim Dyn 35:1493–1508. doi:10.1007/s00382-009-0666-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bracco A, Kucharski F, Kallummal R, Molteni F (2004) Internal variability, external forcing and climate trends in multi-decadal AGCM ensembles. Clim Dyn 23:659–678

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cai W, Watterson IG (2002) Modes of interannual variability of the Southern Hemisphere circulation simulated by the CSIRO climate model. J Clim 15:1159–1174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carril AF, Navarra A (2001) The interannual leading modes of the extratropical variability in the Southern Hemisphere simulated by the ECHAM-4 atmospheric model. Clim Dyn 18:1–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cazes-Boezio G, Robertson AW, Mechoso CR (2003) Seasonal Dependence of ENSO teleconnections over South America and relationships with precipitation over Uruguay. J Clim 16:1159–1176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diaz A, Aceituno P (2003) Atmospheric circulation anomalies during episodes of enhanced and reduced convective cloudiness over Uruguay. J Clim 16:3171–3185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garreaud RD, Battisti DS (1999) Interannual (ENSO) and interdecadal (ENSO-like) variability in the Southern Hemisphere tropospheric circulation. J Clim 12:2113–2123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghil M, Mo K (1991) Intraseasonal oscillations in the global atmosphere. Part II Southern Hemisphere. J Atmos Sci 48:780–790

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grimm AM, Ferraz SET, Gomes J (1998) Precipitation anomalies in Southern Brazil associated with El Niõ and La Niã events. J Clim 11:2863–2880

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grimm AM, Barros VR, Doyle ME (2000) Climate variability in Southern South America associated with El Niõ and La Niã events. J Clim 13:35–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grimm AM (2003) The El Niõ impact on the summer monsoon in Brazil) regional processes versus remote influences. J Clim 16:263–280

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grimm AM, Pal JS, Giorgi F (2007) Connection between spring conditions and peak summer monsoon rainfall in South America role of soil moisture, surface temperature, and topography in Eastern Brazil. J Clim 20:5929–5945

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herceg Bulic I, Brankovic C (2007) ENSO forcing of the Northern Hemisphere climate in a large ensemble of model simulations based on a very long SST record. Clim Dyn 28:231–254

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kalnay E, Kanamitsu M, Kistler R, Collins W, Deaven D, Gandin L, Iredell M, Saha S, White G, Woollen J, Zhu Y, Leetmaa A, Reynolds R, Chelliah M, Ebisuzaki W, Higgins W, Janowiak J, Mo KC, Ropelewski C, Wang J, Jenne R, Joseph D (1996) The NCEP/NCAR 40-year reanalysis project. Bull Amer Meteor Soc 77:437–470

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karoly DJ (1989) Southern Hemisphere circulation features associated with El Niõ-Southern Oscillation events. J Clim 2:1239–1252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kidson JW (1988) Interannual variations in the Southern Hemisphere circulation. J Clim 1:1177–1198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kidson JW (1999) Principal Modes of Southern Hemisphere low-frequency variability obtained from NCEP-NCAR reanalyses. J Clim 12:2808–2830

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kiladis GN, Mo KC (1998) Interannual and intraseasonal variability in the Southern Hemisphere. In: Karoly DJ, Vincent D (eds) The meteorology of the Southern Hemisphere. American Meteorological Society, Boston, pp 307–336

    Google Scholar 

  • Kucharski F, Molteni F, Bracco A (2006) Decadal interactions between the Western Tropical Pacific and the North Atlantic Oscillation. Clim Dyn 26:79–91. doi:10.1007/s00382-005-0085-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kucharski F, Molteni F, Yoo JH (2006) SST forcing of decadal Indian monsoon rainfall variability. Geophys Res Lett 33:L03709. doi:10.10029/2005GL025371

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kucharski F, Bracco A, Yoo JH, Tompkins AM, Feudale L, Ruti P, Dell’Aquila A (2009) A Gill-Matsun-type mechanism explains the tropical Atlantic influence on African and Indian monsoon rainfall. Quart J R Met Soc 135:569–579. doi:10.1002/qj.406

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kucharski F, Bracco A, Barimalala R, Yoo JH (2010) Contribution of the east-wets thermal heating contrast to the South Asian Monsoon and consequences for its variability. Clim Dyn. doi:10.1007/s00382-010-0858-3

  • Lau KM, Sheu PJ, Kang IS (1994) Multiscale low-frequency circulation modes in the global atmosphere. J Atmos Sci 51:1169–1193

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mo KC, Ghil M (1987) Statistics and dynamics of persistent anomalies. J Atmos Sci 44:877–902

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mo KC, Higgins RW (1998) The Pacific-South American modes and tropical convection during the Southern Hemisphere winter. Mon Wea Rev 126:1581–1596

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mo KC (2000) Relationships between low-frequency variability in the Southern Hemisphere and Sea surface temperature anomalies. J Clim 13:3599–3610

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mo KC, Paegle JN (2001) The Pacific-South American modes and their downstream effects. Int J Climatol 21:1211–1229

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Molteni F (2003) Atmospheric simulations using a GCM with simplified physical parametrizations. (I) Model climatology and variability in multi-decadal experiments. Clim Dyn 20:175–191

    Google Scholar 

  • Montecinos A, Diaz A, Aceituno P (2002) Seasonal diagnostic and predictability of rainfall in subtropical South America based on tropical pacific SST. J Clim 13:746–758

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pisciottano GJ, Diaz AF, Cazes-Boezio G, Mechoso CR (1994) El Niõ-Southern Oscillation impact on rainfall in Uruguay. J Clim 7:1286–1302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rao VB, Hada K (1990) Characteristics of rainfall over Brazil: annual variations and connections with the Southern Oscillation. Theor Appl Climatol 42:81–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmusson EM, Mo K (1993) Linkages between 200-mb tropical and extratropical circulation anomalies during the 1986–1989 ENSO cycle. J Clim 6:595–616

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robertson AW, Mechoso CR (2000) Interannual and interdecadal variability of the South Atlantic convergence zone. Mon Wea Rev 128:2947–2957

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robertson AW, Mechoso CR (2003) Circulation regimes and low-frequency oscillations in the South Pacific sector. Mon Wea Rev 131:1566–1576

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silvestri GE (2004) El Niõ signal variability in the precipitation over southeastern South America during austral summer. Geophys Res Lett 31:L18206. doi:10.1029/2004GL020590

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith TM, Reynolds RW (2004) Improved extended reconstruction of SST (1854–1997). J Clim 17:2466–2477

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Straus DM, Shukla J (2000) Distinguishing between the SST-forced variability and internal variability in mid latitudes. Analysis of observations and GCm simulations. Q J R Meteorol Soci 126:2323–2350

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yadav RK, Yoo JH, Kucharski F, Abid MA (2010) Why is ENSO influencing Northwest India winter precipitation in recent decades? J Clim 23:1979–1993

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zamboni L, Mechoso CR, Kucharski F (2010) Relationships between upper-level circulation over South America and rainfall over Southeastern South America. A physical base for seasonal predictions. J Clim 23(12):3300–3315

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou J, Lau KM (2001) Principal modes of interannual and decadal variability of summer rainfall over South America. Int J Climatol 21:1623–1644

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by NOAA under grant NA05OAR4310009 and by the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mathematics and Computer Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S.Cass Ave TCS Bldg #240, Argonne, IL, 60439, USA

    Laura Zamboni

  2. Earth System Physics Section, Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Strada Costiera 11, 34014, Trieste, Italy

    Laura Zamboni & Fred Kucharski

  3. Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Laura Zamboni & C. Roberto Mechoso

Authors
  1. Laura Zamboni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Fred Kucharski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. C. Roberto Mechoso
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Laura Zamboni.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zamboni, L., Kucharski, F. & Mechoso, C.R. Seasonal variations of the links between the interannual variability of South America and the South Pacific. Clim Dyn 38, 2115–2129 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-011-1116-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-011-1116-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation