Challenges with interpreting the impact of Atlantic Multidecadal Variability using SST-restoring experiments

Climate model simulations that restore SSTs in the North Atlantic have been used to explore the climate impacts of Atlantic Multidecadal Variability (AMV). However, despite simulations and observations exhibiting similar North Atlantic SST anomalies, experiments with active SST-restoring in the Trop...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: O’Reilly, Christopher H., Patterson, Matthew, Robson, Jon, Monerie, Paul Arthur, Hodson, Daniel, Ruprich-Robert, Yohan|||0000-0002-4008-2026
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repositorio:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/385168
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/385168
https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41612-023-00335-0
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Teleconnections (Climatology)
Ocean-atmosphere interaction.
Atmospheric dynamics
Attribution
Climate and Earth system modelling
Physical oceanography
Projection and prediction
Simulació per ordinador
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria agroalimentària::Ciències de la terra i de la vida::Climatologia i meteorologia
Descripción
Sumario:Climate model simulations that restore SSTs in the North Atlantic have been used to explore the climate impacts of Atlantic Multidecadal Variability (AMV). However, despite simulations and observations exhibiting similar North Atlantic SST anomalies, experiments with active SST-restoring in the Tropical North Atlantic exhibit strong positive surface heat-fluxes out of the ocean with warm SST anomalies, which is not replicated in other simulations or observations. The upward surface heat-fluxes that are systematically driven by the active SST-restoring in the Tropical North Atlantic are found to be crucial for generating a strong local precipitation response and the associated remote impact on the Pacific Walker circulation; these are both absent in other simulations. The results of this study strongly suggest that experiments employing SST-restoring (or prescribed SSTs) in the Tropical North Atlantic exaggerate the influence of the Atlantic on patterns of global climate anomalies and its role in recent multidecadal SST trends.