Abstract
Using two reanalysis data sets, the influence of El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the surface freshwater balance of the Atlantic ocean is examined. We present evidence that the transport of water vapour out of the tropical Atlantic is enhanced during warm ENSO phases, while it is reduced during cold phases. These tropical changes alter the freshwater budget of the entire Atlantic drainage basin. The difference in freshwater export between La Niña and El Niño years is on the order of 0.1 Sv (1Sv=106 m³s−1) for the entire Atlantic. Results from an idealized coupled ocean‐atmosphere model suggest that this amplitude is of significance for the strength of the North Atlantic thermohaline ocean circulation, if the persistence of the anomaly is on the order of decades.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
