El Nino and the Tropical Maximum Sea Surface Temperature (SST)

University Of Colorado At Boulder, Boulder CO

Investigators

Abstract

The planned work will examine the reasons why there exists an upper bound for tropical Sea Surface Temperature (SST) in the western Pacific. The role of El Nino in regulating the SST will be studied. The hypothesis to be tested is the following: once the tropical maximum SST is sufficiently warm to sustain El Nino, and the coupled system finds itself in an oscillatory state, it is El Nino that regulates the tropical maximum SST. The PI will test his hypothesis using two coupled models, a simple coupled model for the tropical Pacific region and the NCAR CSM TOGA model (NCAR CCM3 coupled to a fine resolution tropical Pacific basin model). The work will also address the issue of whether El Ninos will become more energetic in response to global warming. The work is important because it will increase our understanding of interaction and feedback mechanisms involving El Nino and tropical SSTs.