Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 3 May 2002:
Vol. 296. no. 5569, pp. 895 - 899
DOI: 10.1126/science.1069270
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Reports

Interpretation of Recent Southern Hemisphere Climate Change

David W. J. Thompson,1* Susan Solomon2

Climate variability in the high-latitude Southern Hemisphere (SH) is dominated by the SH annular mode, a large-scale pattern of variability characterized by fluctuations in the strength of the circumpolar vortex. We present evidence that recent trends in the SH tropospheric circulation can be interpreted as a bias toward the high-index polarity of this pattern, with stronger westerly flow encircling the polar cap. It is argued that the largest and most significant tropospheric trends can be traced to recent trends in the lower stratospheric polar vortex, which are due largely to photochemical ozone losses. During the summer-fall season, the trend toward stronger circumpolar flow has contributed substantially to the observed warming over the Antarctic Peninsula and Patagonia and to the cooling over eastern Antarctica and the Antarctic plateau.

1 Department of Atmospheric Science, Foothills Campus, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
2 Aeronomy Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 325 South Broadway, Boulder, CO 80305, USA.
*   To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: davet{at}atmos.colostate.edu

Read the Full Text


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Wind-Driven Upwelling in the Southern Ocean and the Deglacial Rise in Atmospheric CO2.
R. F. Anderson, S. Ali, L. I. Bradtmiller, S. H. H. Nielsen, M. Q. Fleisher, B. E. Anderson, and L. H. Burckle (2009)
Science 323, 1443-1448
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Icy insights from emperor penguins.
C. C. St. Clair and M. S. Boyce (2009)
PNAS 106, 1691-1692
   Full Text »    PDF »
The atmospheric ocean: eddies and jets in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current.
A. F Thompson (2008)
Phil Trans R Soc A 366, 4529-4541
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Ice cores record significant 1940s Antarctic warmth related to tropical climate variability.
D. P. Schneider and E. J. Steig (2008)
PNAS 105, 12154-12158
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Impact of Stratospheric Ozone Recovery on the Southern Hemisphere Westerly Jet.
S.-W. Son, L. M. Polvani, D. W. Waugh, H. Akiyoshi, R. Garcia, D. Kinnison, S. Pawson, E. Rozanov, T. G. Shepherd, and K. Shibata (2008)
Science 320, 1486-1489
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Global change tipping points: above- and below-ground biotic interactions in a low diversity ecosystem.
D. H Wall (2007)
Phil Trans R Soc B 362, 2291-2306
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Climatically driven fluctuations in Southern Ocean ecosystems.
E. J Murphy, P. N Trathan, J. L Watkins, K. Reid, M. P Meredith, J. Forcada, S. E Thorpe, N. M Johnston, and P. Rothery (2007)
Proc R Soc B 274, 3057-3067
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Marine pelagic ecosystems: the West Antarctic Peninsula.
H. W Ducklow, K. Baker, D. G Martinson, L. B Quetin, R. M Ross, R. C Smith, S. E Stammerjohn, M. Vernet, and W. Fraser (2007)
Phil Trans R Soc B 362, 67-94
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Climate change and the marine ecosystem of the western Antarctic Peninsula.
A. Clarke, E. J Murphy, M. P Meredith, J. C King, L. S Peck, D. K.A Barnes, and R. C Smith (2007)
Phil Trans R Soc B 362, 149-166
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Observations of change in the Southern Ocean.
S. Jacobs (2006)
Phil Trans R Soc A 364, 1657-1681
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Holocene climate evolution in the high-latitude Southern Hemisphere simulated by a coupled atmosphere-sea ice-ocean-vegetation model.
H. Renssen, H. Renssen, H. Goosse, T. Fichefet, V. Masson-Delmotte, and N. Koc (2005)
The Holocene 15, 951-964
   Abstract »    PDF »
Relationship between Antarctic sea ice and southwest African climate during the late Quaternary.
J.-B. W. Stuut, X. Crosta, K. van der Borg, and R. Schneider (2004)
Geology 32, 909-912
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Simulation of Recent Southern Hemisphere Climate Change.
N. P. Gillett and D. W. J. Thompson (2003)
Science 302, 273-275
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Dynamics of Recent Climate Change in the Arctic.
R. E. Moritz, C. M. Bitz, and E. J. Steig (2002)
Science 297, 1497-1502
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)