Ocean salinity indices of interannual modes in the tropical Pacific

Salinity fronts in the tropical Pacific Ocean

This study delineates the salinity fronts (SF) across the tropical Pacific, and describes their variability and regional dynamical significance using Aquarius satellite observations. From the monthly maps of the SF, we find that the SF in the tropical Pacific are (1) usually observed around the boundaries of the fresh pool under the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), (2) stronger in boreal ...

Interannual Variability of Sea Surface Temperature in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean and Central American Rainfall

Title of Document: INTERANNUAL VARIABILITY OF SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE IN THE EASTERN TROPICAL PACIFIC OCEAN AND CENTRAL AMERICAN RAINFALL Kristopher B. Karnauskas, Ph.D., 2007 Directed By: Professor Antonio J. Busalacchi Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Sea surface temperature (SST) in the east Pacific warm pool (EPWP) plays a potentially important role in Central American rainfall...

Interannual and Decadal Variability in the Tropical and Midlatitude Pacific Ocean

Forty-four years of mechanical and expendable bathythermograph observations are assimilated into a general circulation model of the Pacific Ocean. The model is run from 1950 through 1993 with forcing at the surface from observed monthly mean wind stress and temperature. The resulting analysis is used to describe the spatial and temporal patterns of variability at interannual and decadal periods...

Decadal trends of the upper ocean salinity in the tropical Indo-Pacific since mid-1990s

A contrasting trend pattern of sea surface salinity (SSS) between the western tropical Pacific (WTP) and the southeastern tropical Indian Ocean (SETIO) is observed during 2004-2013, with significant salinity increase in the WTP and freshening in the SETIO. In this study, we show that increased precipitation around the Maritime Continent (MC), decreased precipitation in the western-central tropi...

Constraints on the salinity–oxygen isotope relationship in the central tropical Pacific Ocean