Interannual Variability in Atmospheric Radiative Fluxes and Sea Surface Temperature in the Tropics

摘要

Interannual variability of top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflected shortwave (SWR) and outgoing longwave radiation (OLR), as measured by NASA's Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) nonscanner radiometer is described by an empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis. ERBS radiative flux data are available for a 15-year period, from November 1984 through September 1999. Interannual variability of the sea surface temperature (SST) field is described by an EOF analysis of the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) monthly optimum interpolation (OI) data set over the same time period as the ERBE measurements. The EOF analyses were performed on the monthly mean anomalies of both the radiative fluxes and the SST, in order to obtain estimates of interannual variability. The analyses were restricted to the tropics, between 35N and 35S latitude. In addition to ENSO-driven variability in the tropics, a center of non-ENSO driven variability appears near Indonesia.