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GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 31, L18301, doi:10.1029/2004GL020727, 2004

Pacific Ocean circulation rebounds

Michael J. McPhaden

NOAA/Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Seattle, Washington, USA


Dongxiao Zhang

NOAA/Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Seattle, Washington, USA
Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean, University of Washington, Seattle, USA


Abstract

Recent observations indicate that the shallow meridional overturning circulation in the tropical Pacific Ocean has rebounded since 1998, following 25 years of significantly weaker flow. Convergence of cold interior ocean pycnocline water towards the equator increased to 24.1 ± 1.8 × 106 m3 s−1 during 1998–2003 from a low of 13.4 ± 1.6 × 106 m3 s−1 during 1992–98. Intensified circulation led to the development of anomalously cool tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures, which may have affected Pacific marine ecosystems and global climate. The abruptness of the rebound also obscures presumed anthropogenic warming trends in the instrumental temperature record of the tropical Pacific.

Received 10 June 2004; accepted 13 August 2004; published 16 September 2004.

Index Terms: 4215 Oceanography: General: Climate and interannual variability (3309); 4231 Oceanography: General: Equatorial oceanography; 4504 Oceanography: Physical: Air/sea interactions (0312); 4532 Oceanography: Physical: General circulation; 1620 Global Change: Climate dynamics (3309).

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Citation: McPhaden, M. J., and D. Zhang (2004), Pacific Ocean circulation rebounds, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L18301, doi:10.1029/2004GL020727.