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Pacific Ocean circulation rebounds
NOAA/Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Seattle, Washington, USA
NOAA/Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Seattle, Washington, USA
Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
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.
Citation: (2004), Pacific Ocean circulation rebounds, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L18301, doi:10.1029/2004GL020727.
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