Exploring the symmetries of pan-tropical connections between the tropical Atlantic and Pacific basins

Abstract Recent analysis of pantropical interactions suggests that after 1980 the tropical Atlantic Ocean’s (TAO) influence on Pacific Ocean (TPO) appears to have become much more pronounced while Indian (TIO) weakened. This study explores whether and how decadal changes in TAO TPO SSTs modulate these connections an attempt explain recent dominance TAO. To this end, we carry out a series idealized atmosphere-only experiments using ACCESS atmospheric general circulation model where magnitude sign SST signal are varied, presenting various warm cool scenarios. understand further if influenced by SST, above with both phases variability (PDV). We find imposed warming leads increases temperature stability, which lead decrease average precipitation, most prominent occurring June–August. These precipitation induced largely mirrored when cooling is added, whereas rainfall response anomalies remains relatively unchanged for different PDV. In contrast response, wind did display some asymmetries between variability. Specifically, surface winds western half Niño-4 region exhibited significantly positive versus negative multidecadal (AMV), equatorial were stronger (roughly 40% larger) phase PDV than phase. results suggest AMV may through their effect zonal stress.