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Tropical ocean-atmosphere interaction, the Pacific cold tongue, and the El Nino-Southern Oscillation

Journal Article · · Science
 [1]
  1. Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI (United States)

The tropical Pacific basin allows strong feedbacks among the trade winds, equatorial zonal sea surface temperature contrast, and upper ocean heat content. Coupled atmosphere-ocean dynamics produce both the strong Pacific cold tongue climate state and the El Nino-Southern Oscillation phenomenon. A simple paradigm of the tropical climate system is presented, capturing the basic physics of these two important aspects of the tropic Pacific and basic features of the climate states of the Atlantic and Indian ocean basins. 21 refs., 3 figs.

OSTI ID:
430390
Journal Information:
Science, Journal Name: Science Journal Issue: 5284 Vol. 274; ISSN SCIEAS; ISSN 0036-8075
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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