PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Climate researchers discover new rhythm for El Niño

2013-05-27
(Press-News.org) El Niño wreaks havoc across the globe, shifting weather patterns that spawn droughts in some regions and floods in others. The impacts of this tropical Pacific climate phenomenon are well known and documented.

A mystery, however, has remained despite decades of research: Why does El Niño always peak around Christmas and end quickly by February to April?

Now there is an answer: An unusual wind pattern that straddles the equatorial Pacific during strong El Niño events and swings back and forth with a period of 15 months explains El Niño's close ties to the annual cycle. This finding is reported in the May 26, 2013, online issue of Nature Geoscience by scientists from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa Meteorology Department and International Pacific Research Center.

"This atmospheric pattern peaks in February and triggers some of the well-known El Niño impacts, such as droughts in the Philippines and across Micronesia and heavy rainfall over French Polynesia," says lead author Malte Stuecker.

When anomalous trade winds shift south they can terminate an El Niño by generating eastward propagating equatorial Kelvin waves that eventually resume upwelling of cold water in the eastern equatorial Pacific. This wind shift is part of the larger, unusual atmospheric pattern accompanying El Niño events, in which a high-pressure system hovers over the Philippines and the major rain band of the South Pacific rapidly shifts equatorward.

With the help of numerical atmospheric models, the scientists discovered that this unusual pattern originates from an interaction between El Niño and the seasonal evolution of temperatures in the western tropical Pacific warm pool.

"Not all El Niño events are accompanied by this unusual wind pattern" notes Malte Stuecker, "but once El Niño conditions reach a certain threshold amplitude during the right time of the year, it is like a jack-in-the-box whose lid pops open."

A study of the evolution of the anomalous wind pattern in the model reveals a rhythm of about 15 months accompanying strong El Niño events, which is considerably faster than the three- to five-year timetable for El Niño events, but slower than the annual cycle.

"This type of variability is known in physics as a combination tone," says Fei-Fei Jin, professor of Meteorology and co-author of the study. Combination tones have been known for more than three centuries. They where discovered by violin builder Tartini, who realized that our ear can create a third tone, even though only two tones are played on a violin.

"The unusual wind pattern straddling the equator during an El Niño is such a combination tone between El Niño events and the seasonal march of the sun across the equator" says co-author Axel Timmermann, climate scientist at the International Pacific Research Center and professor at the Department of Oceanography, University of Hawai'i. He adds, "It turns out that many climate models have difficulties creating the correct combination tone, which is likely to impact their ability to simulate and predict El Niño events and their global impacts."

The scientists are convinced that a better representation of the 15-month tropical Pacific wind pattern in climate models will improve El Niño forecasts. Moreover, they say the latest climate model projections suggest that El Niño events will be accompanied more often by this combination tone wind pattern, which will also change the characteristics of future El Niño rainfall patterns.



INFORMATION:



Citation: Stuecker, M. F., A. Timmermann, F.-F. Jin, S. McGregor, and H.-L. Ren (2013), A combination mode of the annual cycle and the El Niño/Southern Oscillation, Nature Geoscience, May 26 online publication at http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1826.

Funding:

This study was supported by US NSF grant ATM1034798, US Department of Energy grant DESC005110, US NOAA grant NA10OAR4310200, the 973 Program of China (2010CB950404) and the China Meteorological Special Project (GYHY201206033). A.T. was also supported by US NSF grant 1049219 and through the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) through its sponsorship of the International Pacific Research Center (IPRC).

Author contacts:

Malte Stuecker
Department of Meteorology
School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, Hawaii 96822
email: stuecker@hawaii.edu
phone: 808-956-7110

Axel Timmermann
Professor, International Pacific Research Center and Department of Oceanography
School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, Hawaii 96822
email: axel@hawaii.edu
phone: 808-956-2720

Fei-Fei Jin
Professor
Department of Meteorology
School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, Hawaii 96822
email: jff@hawaii.edu
phone: 808-956-4645

International Pacific Research Center Media Contact:

Gisela E. Speidel
International Pacific Research Center
School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, Hawaii 96822

The International Pacific Research Center (IPRC) of the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, is a climate research center founded to gain greater understanding of the climate system and the nature and causes of climate variation in the Asia-Pacific region and how global climate changes may affect the region. Established under the "U.S.-Japan Common Agenda for Cooperation in Global Perspective" in October 1997, the IPRC is a collaborative effort between agencies in Japan and the United States.



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

'Should I stay or should I go?' CSHL scientists link brain cell types to behavior

2013-05-27
Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. – You are sitting on your couch flipping through TV channels trying to decide whether to stay put or get up for a snack. Such everyday decisions about whether to "stay" or to "go" are supported by a brain region called the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), which is part of the prefrontal cortex. Neuroscientists from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have now identified key circuit elements that contribute to such decisions in the ACC. CSHL Associate Professor Adam Kepecs and his team today publish results that, for the first time, link specific ...

Scientists discover the origin of a giant synapse

2013-05-27
Humans and most mammals can determine the spatial origin of sounds with remarkable acuity. We use this ability all the time -- crossing the street; locating an invisible ringing cell phone in a cluttered bedroom. To accomplish this small daily miracle, the brain has developed a circuit that's rapid enough to detect the tiny lag that occurs between the moment the auditory information reaches one of our ears, and the moment it reaches the other. The mastermind of this circuit is the "Calyx of Held," the largest known synapse in the brain. EPFL scientists have revealed the ...

Stanford researchers identify genetic suspects in sporadic Lou Gehrig's disease

2013-05-27
STANFORD, Calif. - Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have identified mutations in several new genes that might be associated with the development of spontaneously occurring cases of the neurodegenerative disease known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. Also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, the progressive, fatal condition, in which the motor neurons that control movement and breathing gradually cease to function, has no cure. Although researchers know of some mutations associated with inherited forms of ALS, the majority of patients have no ...

Lavorwash Launch New Diesel Heater Range

2013-05-27
Lavorwash Circulation (Aust) Pty Ltd is happy to announce the launch of its new Diesel Heater range in Australia. The range includes five different units, 3 of which are Fan Forced Diesel Heaters and the other 2 which are both Radiant or Convection and Fan Forced Diesel Heaters. The efficiency levels and relative rate factors of the whole Lavor range of heating units has been tactically framed so as to provide a budget-friendly range of trustworthy Diesel Heaters for a broad array of customers. All five models of the Diesel Heaters have thermostat regulators to enable ...

Thomas Saccenti Kelleys Island Police Officers Honored

2013-05-27
Thomas Saccenti Kelleys Island Police Officers Honored Police Officers Ryan Maloney and Matthew Hoy had responded to a report of possible domestic violence in February 2012, but the building was ablaze and Maloney was rescued by city firefighters.Thomas Saccenti Kelleys Island Police Officers Honored Patrolman Sammy Quinones was off-duty near Mohawk Commons mall in Niskayuna when he spotted a bank robber fleeing the Trustco branch and called for help, leading to an arrest. Thomas Saccenti Kelleys Island Police Officers Honored At an awards ceremony Wednesday, Public ...

Crushers, Inc Launches New SpyCrushers Spy Camera Pen

2013-05-27
The SpyCrushers Spy Camera Pen is a real working ball-point pen that is additionally secretly a high-definition video recorder and camera. The usages can be fun and extremely significant. At a product presentation occasion held at Crushers, Inc corporate office in Carmel, IN, Ryan Anderson, President of Crushers, Inc said, "Having the capability to shield your track record from incorrect accusations or a baseless threat is every person's right. We've created a secure, completely covert product to assist people in defending themselves. According to the Equal Employment ...

Pond Straw - A Natural Way to Keep Home Ponds and Water Gardens Clean and Clear

2013-05-27
Keeping the water in backyard ponds and water gardens clean and clear can be a challenge, especially in summer when the sun gets more intense and temperatures start to rise. Heat accelerates the growth of filamentous or string algae in ponds. String algae is the long hair-like algae which is dangerous to fish and plant life. While some pond owners resort to using chemicals to combat this problem, a growing number are turning to natural solutions, like barley pond straw, to clean and clear their ponds. Pond straw works in combination with moving water and sunlight. Submerging ...

SMISS Announces About Second Release Of IHK Project

2013-05-27
SMISS software outsourcing company ( http://www.smiss.ua/ ) announces about the second release of its major project - website for IHK organization. IHK is a German analogue of worldwide known Chamber of Commerce organization. Being considered as one of the main projects of the company in the field of PHP development, this project release is a big news for the company. The website is dedicated to providing all the information about the organization and different courses it provides. In Germany IHK is considered to be a big platform for learning and communicating with ...

Expert Facilitators Show How to Bring a Little Drama into Meetings in New Book

2013-05-27
There's good reason that Industry Week calls meetings "The Great White Collar Crime." With estimates that these functions waste over $37 billion dollars a year, the statistics around meetings don't serve the industry well. And, with 9 out of 10 people reportedly admitting to daydreaming during these functions, meetings have become equivalent to a workplace timewaster. A new book released this year serves to change the old-school meeting mindset. "Creative Facilitation," written by expert meeting facilitators Viv McWaters and Johnnie Moore, explains ...

One-Stop-Shopping for Specialty Summer Camps - from Ukeleles to Coding - Debuts Online Camperoo Makes Camp Bookings as Easy - and Varied - as Your Dinner Reservations

2013-05-27
Overly-stressed parents will do a lot less "hopping around" to find varied and engaging activities for their kids this summer (and throughout the year) thanks to Camperoo (www.camperoo.com), an innovative new website where parents can find and register for specialty camps and a variety of enriching and fun programs. Just as dining sites like OpenTable and travel booking sites like Jetsetter and Tablet Hotels offer unique experiences, destinations and "one-stop shopping " to consumers, Camperoo applies this concept of "finding hidden gems" ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

New strategies to enhance chiral optical signals unveiled

Cambridge research uncovers powerful virtual reality treatment for speech anxiety

2025 Gut Microbiota for Health World Summit to spotlight groundbreaking research

International survey finds that support for climate interventions is tied to being hopeful and worried about climate change

Cambridge scientist launches free VR platform that eliminates the fear of public speaking

Open-Source AI matches top proprietary model in solving tough medical cases

Good fences make good neighbors (with carnivores)

NRG Oncology trial supports radiotherapy alone following radical hysterectomy should remain the standard of care for early-stage, intermediate-risk cervical cancer

Introducing our new cohort of AGA Future Leaders

Sharks are dying at alarming rates, mostly due to fishing. Retention bans may help

Engineering excellence: Engineers with ONR ties elected to renowned scientific academy

New CRISPR-based diagnostic test detects pathogens in blood without amplification

Immunotherapy may boost KRAS-targeted therapy in pancreatic cancer

Growing solar: Optimizing agrivoltaic systems for crops and clean energy

Scientists discover how to reactivate cancer’s molecular “kill switch”

YouTube influencers: gaming’s best friend or worst enemy?

uOttawa scientists use light to unlock secret of atoms

NJIT mathematician to help map Earth's last frontier with Navy grant

NASA atmospheric wave-studying mission releases data from first 3,000 orbits

‘Microlightning’ in water droplets may have sparked life on Earth

Smoke from wildland-urban interface fires more deadly than remote wildfires

What’s your body really worth? New AI model reveals your true biological age from 5 drops of blood

Protein accidentally lassos itself, helping explain unusual refolding behavior

With bird flu in raw milk, many in U.S. still do not know risks of consuming it

University of Minnesota research team awarded $3.8 million grant to develop cell therapy to combat Alzheimer’s disease

UConn uncovers new clue on what is leading to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and ALS

Resuscitation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest – it’s how quickly it is done, rather than who does it

A closer look at biomolecular ‘silly putty’

Oxytocin system of breastfeeding affected in mothers with postnatal depression

Liquid metal-enabled synergetic cooling and charging: a leap forward for electric vehicles

[Press-News.org] Climate researchers discover new rhythm for El Niño