Low-frequency climate variability in the Atlantic basin during the 20th century

Articles:

Title:: Low-frequency climate variability in the Atlantic basin during the 20th century
Author(s):: Tourre, Yves Marcel
Paz, Shlomit
Kushnir, Yochanan
White, Warren B.
Date:: 2010
Type:: Articles
Department:: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
Volume:: 11
Permanent URL:: http://hdl.handle.net/10022/AC:P:15030
Book/Journal Title:: Atmospheric Science Letters
Abstract:: From joint sea surface temperature/sea level pressure (SST/SLP) EOF analyses, lowfrequency variability modes are compared. The multi-decadal oscillation (MDO) changed phases twice during the 20th century, with its north Atlantic SST patterns resembling the Atlantic multi-decadal oscillation (AMO). The quasi-decadal oscillation (QDO) SST patterns displayed a double tripole configuration over the entire Atlantic basin, leading to tropical inter-hemispheric out-of-phase relationship. From the mid-1960s onward, while ST anomalies were negative to the north (negative phases of MDO/AMO), the Sahelian drought persisted with a weaker hurricane power dissipation index (PDI). During that period, the QDO modulated the intensity of the Sahelian drought.
Subject(s):: Physical oceanography
DOI:: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/asl.265