Km. Lau et Ch. Sui, MECHANISMS OF SHORT-TERM SEA-SURFACE TEMPERATURE REGULATION - OBSERVATIONS DURING TOGA COARE, Journal of climate, 10(3), 1997, pp. 465-472
Analyses of ocean-atmosphere data from Tropical Oceans Global Atmosphe
re Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Response Experiment indicate that short-te
rm (weekly to monthly) fluctuations of SST in the western Pacific warm
pool are closely linked to the alternation of wet and dry spells driv
en by the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO). The dry phase is characteri
zed by increased convection over the Indian Ocean, a prolonged period
of atmospheric subsidence, and surface easterlies over the western Pac
ific warm pool. During this phase, increased surface shortwave radiati
on and reduced evaporation contribute about equally to the warming of
the warm pool. Pronounced diurnal Variations in SST observed during th
e dry phase may be instrumental in leading to the prolonged warming. T
he dry phase is followed by the wet phase, in which the SST warming tr
end is arrested and a cooling trend initiated by a reduction in surfac
e shortwave radiation accompanying the buildup of organized convection
. Subsequently, the continued cooling of the upper ocean is accelerate
d by increased westerly surface wind leading to enhanced surface evapo
ration and increased entrainment of cold water from below the thermocl
ine. At this stage, the increased surface shortwave radiation due to t
he diminished cloud cover from reduced convection opposes the cooling
by evaporation. The cooling trend is reversed as soon as the westerly
phase terminates and the dry phase is reinitiated by the establishment
of new organized convection over the Indian Ocean. The authors' resul
ts suggest that short-term SST variability in the western Pacific warm
pool is closely linked to surface fluxes, which are strongly modulate
d by atmospheric low-frequency variability associated with the MIG. Th
e implications of the present results on the dynamics of the MJO and t
he possible role of coupled SST in influencing the MJO variability are
also discussed.