Phytoplankton influences on tropical climate.

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Timmermann, Axel and Jin, F.-F. (2002) Phytoplankton influences on tropical climate. Open Access Geophysical Research Letters, 29 . p. 2104. DOI 10.1029/2002GL015434.

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Abstract

We study the effect of ocean biology on tropical surface temperatures using a simplified coupled atmosphere-ocean model. It is shown that moderate phytoplankton blooms, occuring e.g. during La Niña conditions, lead to a vertical redistribution of heat in the surface layers and an associated surface layer warming of about 20 W/m2. The positive air-sea coupling in the eastern equatorial Pacific plays an important role in amplyfying this signal, thereby damping La Niña conditions. This temperature-regulating feedback acts as a biological thermostat within the surface ocean and influences also the amplitude and asymmetry of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation.

Document Type: Article
Keywords: Phytoplankton influence, tropical climate, La Niña
Research affiliation: OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB1 Ocean Circulation and Climate Dynamics > FB1-TM Theory and Modeling
Refereed: Yes
Open Access Journal?: No
Publisher: AGU (American Geophysical Union)
Date Deposited: 18 Feb 2008 17:25
Last Modified: 20 Feb 2018 07:44
URI: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/3179

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