Project Leader:
Dr. Andrew Robertson
Earth Institute Contact: Dr. Andrew Robertson
Locations: Atlantic Ocean
Description:
Seasonal climate forecasts over tropical Africa and South America are hampered by the lack of skillful predictions of sea surface temperatures (SST) in the tropical Atlantic. The mean seasonal cycle and variability of the tropical Atlantic are closely linked to the South Atlantic through the subtropical anticyclone and shared modes of SST variability. In particular, it is hypothesized that the interactions between the El Niño-Southern Oscillation during boreal spring with pre-existing upper-ocean anomalies over the South Atlantic Ocean yield increased predictability of tropical Atlantic variability (TAV). The goal of this project is to make advances in two areas in order to improve seasonal prediction over the tropical Atlantic: (1) physical understanding of ocean-atmosphere interactions over the South Atlantic and their interactions with ENSO and TAV, and (2) simulation of the mean climate and seasonal cycle by coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation models (GCMs) over the South Atlantic, as a prerequisite to successful dynamical seasonal prediction over the Atlantic sector.
EI Unit:
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO)
Cross Cutting Themes:
Climate and Society
Core Disciplines:
Earth Sciences
Collaborating Institutions:
UCLA
Funding Agency:
NOAA
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