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Enhanced biennial variability in the Pacific due to Atlantic capacitor effect

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  • Lei Wang

    (University of California
    Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Coastal Ocean Variation and Disaster Prediction, College of Ocean and Meteorology, Guangdong Ocean University)

  • Jin-Yi Yu

    (University of California)

  • Houk Paek

    (University of California)

Abstract

The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the variability in the Pacific subtropical highs (PSHs) have major impacts on social and ecological systems. Here we present an Atlantic capacitor effect mechanism to suggest that the Atlantic is a key pacemaker of the biennial variability in the Pacific including that in ENSO and the PSHs during recent decades. The ‘charging’ (that is, ENSO imprinting the North Tropical Atlantic (NTA) sea surface temperature (SST) via an atmospheric bridge mechanism) and ‘discharging’ (that is, the NTA SST triggering the following ENSO via a subtropical teleconnection mechanism) processes alternate, generating the biennial rhythmic changes in the Pacific. Since the early 1990s, a warmer Atlantic due to the positive phase of Atlantic multidecadal oscillation and global warming trend has provided more favourable background state for the Atlantic capacitor effect, giving rise to enhanced biennial variability in the Pacific that may increase the occurrence frequency of severe natural hazard events.

Suggested Citation

  • Lei Wang & Jin-Yi Yu & Houk Paek, 2017. "Enhanced biennial variability in the Pacific due to Atlantic capacitor effect," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-7, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms14887
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14887
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    Cited by:

    1. Jajcay, Nikola, 2018. "Spatial and temporal scales of atmospheric dynamics," Thesis Commons ar8ks, Center for Open Science.
    2. Hyun-Su Jo & Yoo-Geun Ham, 2023. "Enhanced joint impact of western hemispheric precursors increases extreme El Niño frequency under greenhouse warming," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.

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