A model of the seasonal cycle in the tropical Atlantic Ocean
Abstract
In the western tropical Atlantic, seasonal variations in the surface winds and in the ocean are dominated by an annual harmonic. A simulation with a general circulation model indicates that the response in the western side of the basin is an equilibrium one practically in phase with the local winds. It includes the following: large vertical excursions of the thermocline that have a 180° change in phase across 8°N approximately; a change in the direction of the North Brazilian Coastal Current, which flows continuously along the coast between December and May but which veers offshore near 5°N to feed the North Equatorial Countercurrent during the other months; and a seasonal reversal of the countercurrent. To the east of 30°W, seasonal changes in the model have a prominent semiannual harmonic in phase with the local winds but only partially attributable to forcing at that frequency. The transients excited by the abrupt intensification of the southeast tradewinds in May happen to have a phase essentially the same as that of the semiannual forcing. These transients decay by the end of the calendar year, so that the seasonal cycle that starts with the intensification of the winds in May can be treated as an initial value problem as far as the upper ocean, above the thermocline, is concerned. The winds along the equator determine the response of the surface equatorial layer in the Gulf of Guinea but play a minor role in the seasonal upwelling along the coast near 5°N. That upwellin…
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These thermocline variations are mainly a direct response to zonal wind stress.
“These variations are mainly a direct response to zonal wind stress (Figure 1b) [Philander and Pacanowski, 1986].”
From Seasonal cycle in the upper equatorial Atlantic Ocean (2009) · cites this paper as Philander and Pacanowski, 1986
A deficiency of both models is that simulated sea surface height variations are too weak, and in the west they lead observations by about one month and are in phase with the zonal wind variations.
“A deficiency of both models is that simulated SSH variations are too weak, and in the west they lead observations by about one month and are in phase with the zonal wind variations; a problem previously noted [Philander and Pacanowski, 1986].”
From Seasonal cycle in the upper equatorial Atlantic Ocean (2009) · cites this paper as Philander and Pacanowski, 1986
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- Authors
- Philander, S. G. H., & Pacanowski, R. C.
- Venue
- Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
- Publisher
- American Geophysical Union (AGU)
- Published
- 1986-12-15
- Volume
- 91
- Issue
- C12
- Pages
- 14192-14206
- ISSN
- 0148-0227 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2069393077
- Cited by
- 283
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 13.89
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres (publishedVersion)
- Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR) (acceptedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Oceanography › Oceanographic and Atmospheric Processes
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Climate variability and models
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Meteorological Phenomena and Simulations
- Keywords
- seasonal cycle, tropical western Atlantic, North Equatorial Countercurrent, wind forcing, coastal upwelling, Gulf of Guinea, wind stress curl, general circulation model simulations
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