Where is ENSO stress balanced?

Matthias Munnich and J. David Neelin
Atm. Sci. Lett., 5, 2004.

Paper (PDF 675 KB) © Copyright 2004 Royal Meteorological Society.

Abstract. The zonal surface torque budget associated with the tropical wind stress anomalies during El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is analyzed. Mountain and surface stress torques over South America are found to play a prominent role. Local momentum change is negligible for six month averages allowing the balance among regional contributions to the torque anomalies to be compared. During El ntilde;o, eastward torque anomalies over the central equatorial Pacific are largely compensated by westward anomalies elsewhere in the equatorial band, notably over South America. Torque anomalies over South America and the Pacific in latitude bands north and south of the equator are both westward and are not compensated within the band, implying an export of eastward momentum to higher latitudes.

Citation. Munnich, M., and J. D. Neelin, 2004: Where is ENSO stress balanced? Atmos. Sci. Lett., 5 (2004), 13-22.

Acknowledgments. This research was sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration through grants NA16GP2003 and NA16GP2004 and by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) through grant NAG5-9358.

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