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Walker circulation response to extratropical radiative forcing.
Sarah M Kang1, Shang-Ping Xie2, Yechul Shin3
1School of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, South Korea. skang@unist.ac.kr.
Science Advances
|November 21, 2020
Summary
Global climate teleconnections are complex. This study reveals how extratropical cooling impacts the Walker circulation, influencing tropical weather patterns, especially when ocean circulation adjusts.
Area of Science:
- Climate Science
- Atmospheric Dynamics
- Oceanography
Background:
- Walker circulation variability significantly impacts global climate, extending to high latitudes.
- The teleconnection from high latitudes to the Walker circulation remains incompletely understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the dynamical pathways of the high latitude-to-Walker circulation teleconnection.
- To investigate the role of ocean circulation adjustments in this teleconnection.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a hierarchy of climate model simulations.
- Compared fully coupled simulations with those lacking ocean circulation adjustments.
Main Results:
- Extratropical radiative cooling strengthens the Walker circulation when ocean circulation adjusts, linked to eastern equatorial Pacific cooling.
- Without ocean circulation adjustments, the Walker circulation response depends on the hemisphere of forcing, influenced by the intertropical convergence zone and cloud effects.
Conclusions:
- Ocean circulation plays a critical role in mediating the Walker circulation's response to extratropical forcing.
- Extratropical energy biases can substantially alter tropical climate patterns.
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