Air–sea interactions

Photo by Robert Wiedemann on Unsplash

Ocean-atmosphere interactions, or coupled processes, involve the dynamic exchange of heat, moisture, and momentum between the ocean and atmosphere, fundamentally driving climate variability and long-term climate patterns.

Tropical systems like the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) are prime examples. ENSO alternates between El Niño (warm phase) and La Niña (cool phase), significantly affecting global weather, precipitation patterns, and ocean circulation. The IOD, driven by sea surface temperature gradients in the Indian Ocean, modulates monsoons and regional climate extremes.

In mid-latitudes, phenomena like the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) influence climate on interdecadal timescales. The PDO’s warm and cool phases impact marine ecosystems, North American weather, and global climate variability.

These interactions operate through feedback mechanisms, such as the Bjerknes feedback in ENSO, amplifying initial anomalies. Understanding ocean-atmosphere coupling is critical for climate prediction, requiring integrated observational networks and coupled climate models to capture these complex, multiscale processes.

API

easyclimate.field.air_sea_interaction.index_enso	ENSO Index
easyclimate.field.air_sea_interaction.index_iod	Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) Index
easyclimate.field.air_sea_interaction.index_iobm	Indian Ocean Basin mode (IOBM) Index
easyclimate.field.air_sea_interaction.index_amm	Atlantic Meridional Mode (AMM) Index
easyclimate.field.air_sea_interaction.index_atlantic_nino	Atlantic Niños Index