Identification

Title

Response of global SSTs and ENSO to the Atlantic and Pacific Meridional Overturning Circulations

Abstract

Consequences from a slowdown or collapse of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) could include modulations to El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and development of the Pacific meridional overturning circulation (PMOC). Despite potential ramifications to the global climate, our understanding of the influence of various AMOC and PMOC states on ENSO and global sea surface temperatures (SSTs) remains limited. Five multicentennial, fully coupled model simulations created with the Community Earth System Model were used to explore the influence of AMOC and PMOC on global SSTs and ENSO. We found that the amplitude of annual cycle SSTs across the tropical Pacific decreases and ENSO amplitude increases as a result of an AMOC shutdown, irrespective of PMOC development. However, active deep overturning circulations in both the Atlantic and Pacific basins reduce ENSO amplitude and variance of monthly SSTs globally. The underlying physical reasons for changes to global SSTs and ENSO are also discussed, with the atmospheric and oceanic mechanisms that drive changes to ENSO amplitude differing based on PMOC state. These results suggest that if climate simulations projecting AMOC weakening are realized, compounding climate impacts could occur given the far-reaching ENSO teleconnections to extreme weather and climate events. More broadly, these results provide us with insight into past geologic era climate states, when PMOC was active.

Resource type

document

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

http://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d7vd734q

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

geoscientificInformation

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Text

originating controlled vocabulary

title

Resource Type

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

East bounding longitude

North bounding latitude

South bounding latitude

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

End position

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2022-01-01T00:00:00Z

Frequency of update

Quality and validity

Lineage

Conformity

Data format

name of format

version of format

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

Limitations on public access

None

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact