American Geophysical Union Become an AGU Member
Subscribe to AGU Journals		 AGU Home AGU Publications

Read Full Article (file size: 2029991 bytes)    Cited by

GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 30, NO. 7, 1406, doi:10.1029/2002GL016535, 2003

Coherency of multi-scale abrupt changes between the NAO, NPI, and PDO

Franklin B. Schwing

Pacific Fisheries Environmental Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Pacific Grove, California, USA


Jianmin Jiang

Pacific Fisheries Environmental Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Pacific Grove, California, USA


Roy Mendelssohn

Pacific Fisheries Environmental Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Pacific Grove, California, USA


Abstract

A scanning t-test and coherency detection algorithm is used to analyze and detect multi-scale abrupt changes in three climate indices; the NAO (North Atlantic Oscillation), PDO (Pacific Decadal Oscillation), and NPI (North Pacific Index). The analysis suggests that decadal fluctuations in atmospheric and ocean circulation are linked between the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean regions. The NPI and PDO are negatively correlated on decadal scales, with change points in about 1915, 1924, 1942, 1961, 1976, and 1988. The longer NAO also displays significant change points around these dates, as well as in 1832, 1865, 1870, and 1881. Decadal changes in the NAO and NPI (PDO) were positively (negatively) correlated prior to the late 1950s, but negatively (positively) correlated during 1962–1988. Although the north Atlantic and north Pacific atmosphere is teleconnected on decadal scales, the change after 1961 suggests it has multiple spatial modes.

Published 11 April 2003.

Index Terms: 1620 Global Change: Climate dynamics (3309); 3339 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Ocean/atmosphere interactions (0312, 4504); 4215 Oceanography: General: Climate and interannual variability (3309); 9325 Information Related to Geographic Region: Atlantic Ocean; 9355 Information Related to Geographic Region: Pacific Ocean.

Read Full Article (file size: 2029991 bytes)    Cited by

Citation: Schwing, F. B., J. Jiang, and R. Mendelssohn (2003), Coherency of multi-scale abrupt changes between the NAO, NPI, and PDO, Geophys. Res. Lett., 30(7), 1406, doi:10.1029/2002GL016535.