El Nino, La Nina, and the Southern Oscillation (eBook)

Front Cover 1
El Niño, La Niña, and the Southern Oscillation 6
Copyright Page 7
Contents 8
Preface 10
Introduction 14
Chapter 1. The Southern Oscillation: Variability of the Tropical Atmosphere 22
1.1 Introduction 22
1.2 The Seasonal Cycle 26
1.3 Interannual Variability 36
1.4 A “Composite” El Niño 48
1.5 El Niño of 1982–1983 51
1.6 Interannual Variability in the Atlantic Sector 55
1.7 Teleconnections 61
1.8 Intraseasonal Fluctuations 64
Notes 69
Chapter 2. Oceanic Variability in the Tropics 71
2.1 Introduction 71
2.2 Mean Conditions 74
2.3 The Seasonal Cycle 87
2.4 Interannual Variability 91
2.5 The Atlantic Ocean 99
2.6 The Indian Ocean 106
2.7 Instabilities 108
2.8 Mixing Processes 112
Notes 114
Chapter 3. Oceanic Adjustment: I 116
3.1 Introduction 116
3.2 The Shallow-Water Model 119
3.3 The Equatorial Jet 121
3.4 Waves 124
3.5 Generation of Sverdrup Flow 145
3.6 Equatorial Adjustment 149
3.7 Response to Remote Forcing 154
3.8 The Effects of Dissipation 159
3.9 The Effects of Mean Currents 161
3.10 Instabilities 165
3.11 Discussion 167
Notes 169
Chapter 4. Oceanic Adjustment: II 171
4.1 Introduction 171
4.2 A Continuously Stratified Model 173
4.3 Vertically Standing Modes 175
4.4 Vertically Propagating Waves 180
4.5 Equatorial Surface Jets 186
4.6 The Equatorial Undercurrent 190
4.7 Response to Time-Dependent Forcing 196
4.8 The Response to Cross-Equatorial Winds 201
4.9 General Circulation Models of the Ocean 216
Notes 219
Chapter 5. Models of the Tropical Atmosphere 223
5.1 Introduction 223
5.2 Waves 225
5.3 The Response to Steady Heating 227
5.4 Convection in the Tropics 230
5.5 The Atmospheric Response to Sea Surface Temperature Variations 233
5.6 General Circulation Models of the Atmosphere 237
Notes 242
Chapter 6. Interactions between the Ocean and Atmosphere 243
6.1 Introduction 243
6.2 Unstable Interactions 248
6.3 The Irregularity of the Southern Oscillation 259
6.4 Statistical Predictions 263
6.5 Dynamical Predictions 265
Notes 267
Bibliography 270
Index 298
International Geophysics Series 304