Underestimated responses of Walker circulation to ENSO-related SST anomaly in atmospheric and coupled models
Abstract The Pacific Walker circulation (WC) is a major component of the global climate system. It connects the Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) variability to the climate variabilities from the other ocean basins to the mid- and high latitudes. Previous studies indicated that the ENSO-related...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Geoscience Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40562-021-00186-8 |
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| author | Xin-Yue Wang Jiang Zhu Chueh-Hsin Chang Nathaniel C. Johnson Hailong Liu Yadi Li Chentao Song Meijiao Xin Yi Zhou Xichen Li |
| author_facet | Xin-Yue Wang Jiang Zhu Chueh-Hsin Chang Nathaniel C. Johnson Hailong Liu Yadi Li Chentao Song Meijiao Xin Yi Zhou Xichen Li |
| author_sort | Xin-Yue Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The Pacific Walker circulation (WC) is a major component of the global climate system. It connects the Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) variability to the climate variabilities from the other ocean basins to the mid- and high latitudes. Previous studies indicated that the ENSO-related atmospheric feedback, in particular, the surface wind response is largely underestimated in AMIP and CMIP models. In this study, we further investigate the responses in the WC stream function and the sea level pressure (SLP) to the ENSO-related SST variability by comparing the responses in 45 AMIP and 63 CMIP models and six reanalysis datasets. We reveal a diversity in the performances of simulated SLP and WC between different models. While the SLP responses to the El Niño-related SST variability are well simulated in most of the atmospheric and coupled models, the WC stream function responses are largely underestimated in most of these models. The WC responses in the AMIP5/6 models capture ~ 75% of those in the reanalysis, whereas the CMIP5/6 models capture ~ 58% of the responses. Further analysis indicates that these underestimated circulation responses could be partially attributed to the biases in the precipitation scheme in both the atmospheric and coupled models, as well as the biases in the simulated ENSO-related SST patterns in the coupled models. One should pay special attention to these biases when studying the WC or the tropical atmosphere–ocean interactions using numerical models. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T07:03:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a6ba2fb71edc4253ab9d0ccf0dc8c9e9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2196-4092 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T07:03:03Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geoscience Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-a6ba2fb71edc4253ab9d0ccf0dc8c9e92022-12-21T19:49:09ZengSpringerOpenGeoscience Letters2196-40922021-04-018111310.1186/s40562-021-00186-8Underestimated responses of Walker circulation to ENSO-related SST anomaly in atmospheric and coupled modelsXin-Yue Wang0Jiang Zhu1Chueh-Hsin Chang2Nathaniel C. Johnson3Hailong Liu4Yadi Li5Chentao Song6Meijiao Xin7Yi Zhou8Xichen Li9Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesCenter for Climate Change Prediction Research, Ewha Womans UniversityAtmospheric Oceanic Sciences Program, Princeton UniversityInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesAbstract The Pacific Walker circulation (WC) is a major component of the global climate system. It connects the Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) variability to the climate variabilities from the other ocean basins to the mid- and high latitudes. Previous studies indicated that the ENSO-related atmospheric feedback, in particular, the surface wind response is largely underestimated in AMIP and CMIP models. In this study, we further investigate the responses in the WC stream function and the sea level pressure (SLP) to the ENSO-related SST variability by comparing the responses in 45 AMIP and 63 CMIP models and six reanalysis datasets. We reveal a diversity in the performances of simulated SLP and WC between different models. While the SLP responses to the El Niño-related SST variability are well simulated in most of the atmospheric and coupled models, the WC stream function responses are largely underestimated in most of these models. The WC responses in the AMIP5/6 models capture ~ 75% of those in the reanalysis, whereas the CMIP5/6 models capture ~ 58% of the responses. Further analysis indicates that these underestimated circulation responses could be partially attributed to the biases in the precipitation scheme in both the atmospheric and coupled models, as well as the biases in the simulated ENSO-related SST patterns in the coupled models. One should pay special attention to these biases when studying the WC or the tropical atmosphere–ocean interactions using numerical models.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40562-021-00186-8Pacific Walker circulationENSOAMIP5/6 and CMIP5/6 modelsAtmosphere–ocean interactionModel bias |
| spellingShingle | Xin-Yue Wang Jiang Zhu Chueh-Hsin Chang Nathaniel C. Johnson Hailong Liu Yadi Li Chentao Song Meijiao Xin Yi Zhou Xichen Li Underestimated responses of Walker circulation to ENSO-related SST anomaly in atmospheric and coupled models Geoscience Letters Pacific Walker circulation ENSO AMIP5/6 and CMIP5/6 models Atmosphere–ocean interaction Model bias |
| title | Underestimated responses of Walker circulation to ENSO-related SST anomaly in atmospheric and coupled models |
| title_full | Underestimated responses of Walker circulation to ENSO-related SST anomaly in atmospheric and coupled models |
| title_fullStr | Underestimated responses of Walker circulation to ENSO-related SST anomaly in atmospheric and coupled models |
| title_full_unstemmed | Underestimated responses of Walker circulation to ENSO-related SST anomaly in atmospheric and coupled models |
| title_short | Underestimated responses of Walker circulation to ENSO-related SST anomaly in atmospheric and coupled models |
| title_sort | underestimated responses of walker circulation to enso related sst anomaly in atmospheric and coupled models |
| topic | Pacific Walker circulation ENSO AMIP5/6 and CMIP5/6 models Atmosphere–ocean interaction Model bias |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40562-021-00186-8 |
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