C. Jones et al., THE INFLUENCE OF THE MADDEN-JULIAN OSCILLATION ON OCEAN SURFACE HEAT FLUXES AND SEA-SURFACE TEMPERATURE, Journal of climate, 11(5), 1998, pp. 1057-1072
The Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) involves pronounced variations in
convection and large-scale circulation throughout the tropical troposp
here. In addition, the MJO is also related to dynamic and thermodynami
c variability near the surface and the upper ocean. This study uses ob
servational data to characterize the changes in surface heat fluxes an
d sea surface temperature (SST) during the life cycle of the MJO. Vari
ations in convective activity are described with outgoing longwave rad
iation (OLR) during the period January 1985 through September 1994. In
ternational Satellite Cloud Climatology Project data (January 1985-Apr
il 1991) and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts surfac
e analyses (January 1985-December 1994) are used to derive surface flu
xes of net shortwave radiation (SW), latent heat (E), their difference
(Q = SW - E), and SST. The spatial patterns of OLR, SW, E, Q, and SST
anomalies reveal that the region of positive OLR anomalies that prece
de the occurrence of enhanced convection is associated with positive S
W and negative E anomalies, which result in positive Q anomalies. The
prevailing conditions in the region of positive Q anomalies favor the
development of positive SST anomalies, which lead to variations of enh
anced convection. In contrast the region of negative OLR anomalies is
associated with negative SW and positive E anomalies. These conditions
induce negative Q anomalies, which favor the formation of negative SS
T anomalies. The above results suggest a possible feedback between the
oscillation and intraseasonal variations in SST and this may be an im
portant mechanism for numerical simulations:of the life cycle of the M
JO.