El Nino-southern oscillation simulated in an MRI atmosphere-ocean coupled general circulation model

Journal Article · Sun Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1992 · Journal of Climate; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(1992)005<1202:ENOSIA>2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:6666979

Nagai, T; Tokioka, T; Endoh, M; Kitamura, Y ^[1]

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1. Meteorological Research Institute, Tsukuba (Japan)

A coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model (GCM) was time integrated for 30 years to study interannual variability in the tropics. The atmospheric component is a global GCM with 5 levels in the vertical and 4[degrees]latitude X 5[degrees] longitude grids in the horizontal including standard physical processes (e.g., interactive clouds). The oceanic component is a GCM for the Pacific with 19 levels in the vertical and 1[degrees]x 2.5[degrees] grids in the horizontal including seasonal varying solar radiation as forcing. The model succeeded in reproducing interannual variations that resemble the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) with realistic seasonal variations in the atmospheric and oceanic fields. The model ENSO cycle has a time scale of approximately 5 years and the model El Nino (warm) events are locked roughly in phase to the seasonal cycle. The cold events, however, are less evident in comparison with the El Nino events. The time scale of the model ENSO cycle is determined by propagation time of signals from the central-eastern Pacific to the western Pacific and back to the eastern Pacific. Seasonal timing is also important in the ENSO time scale: wind anomalies in the central-eastern Pacific occur in summer and the atmosphere ocean coupling in the western Pacific operates efficiently in the first half of the year.

• OSTI ID: 6666979
• Journal Information: Journal of Climate; (United States), Vol. 5:11; ISSN 0894-8755
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
ANNUAL VARIATIONS
OCEANIC CIRCULATION
SOUTHERN OSCILLATION
GENERAL CIRCULATION MODELS
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
CLOUDS
COUPLING
EQUATOR
GLOBAL ASPECTS
SEAS
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SOLAR RADIATION
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
TROPICAL REGIONS
VARIATIONS
WIND
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
RADIATIONS
STELLAR RADIATION
SURFACE WATERS
540110*