Hu S. N., Fedorov A. V., Lengaigne Matthieu, Guilyardi E. (2014). The impact of westerly wind bursts on the diversity and predictability of El Nino events : an ocean energetics perspective. Geophysical Research Letters, 41 (13), p. 4654-4663. ISSN 0094-8276.
Titre du document
The impact of westerly wind bursts on the diversity and predictability of El Nino events : an ocean energetics perspective
Hu S. N., Fedorov A. V., Lengaigne Matthieu, Guilyardi E.
Source
Geophysical Research Letters, 2014,
41 (13), p. 4654-4663 ISSN 0094-8276
In this study, we apply ocean energetics as a diagnostic tool to investigate the impact of westerly wind bursts (WWBs) on the evolution, diversity, and predictability of El Nino events. Following Fedorov et al. (2014), we add an observed WWB to simulations within a comprehensive coupled model and explore changes in the available potential energy (APE) of the tropical Pacific basin. We find that WWB impacts strongly depend on the ocean initial state and can range from a Central Pacific (CP) to Eastern Pacific (EP) warming, which is closely reflected by the ocean energetics. Consequently, the APE can be used to quantify the diversity of El Nino events within this continuum-higher negative APE values typically correspond to EP events, lower values to CP events. We also find that a superimposed WWB enhances El Nino predictability even before the spring predictability barrier, if one uses the APE as a predictor.
Plan de classement
Sciences fondamentales / Techniques d'analyse et de recherche [020]
;
Limnologie physique / Océanographie physique [032]