The study,published in Journal of Climate, offers a fresh perspective on how the sun's 11-year cycle influences the tropical Pacific's climate over decades. By accumulating solar radiation, the ocean absorbs heat, influencing its heat content (OHC) and subsequently impacting the atmosphere's behavior on a decadal scale. This interconnected process amplifies the alignment of climate variations with the 11-year solar cycle.

Examining observations, reanalysis datasets, and a solar-cycle-forced sensitivity experiment (known as the SOL experiment), the team identified distinct patterns. During the ascending phase of the solar cycle, the tropical Pacific's OHC anomalies mirror a La Nina-like pattern, accompanied by westward shifts in the Walker circulation. Conversely, the declining phase exhibits opposite trends. This coherence arises from solar-induced alterations in warm water volumes and the redistribution of solar-related heat via ocean dynamics.

 

Throughout the 11-year solar cycle, Pacific Walker circulation anomalies sustain OHC anomalies in the western equatorial Pacific, aiding phase transitions in the eastern Pacific. Moreover, oceanic heat transport and the propagation of off-equatorial Rossby waves contribute lagged negative feedback to these transitions, aligning with the solar cycle.

This study fundamentally highlights the 11-year solar cycle's role in shaping tropical Pacific climate variations. It introduces a novel 'bottom-up' mechanism, enriching our understanding of how solar cycle forces influence long-term climate patterns. 

 

These findings hold promise in advancing climate predictions at decadal scales, offering updated insights into tropical Pacific climate dynamics.

 

Citation: 

Huo Wenjuan, Xiao Ziniu, Zhao Liang. Phase-Locked Impact of the 11-Year Solar Cycle on Tropical Pacific Decadal Variability. J. Climate, 36(2),421-439, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-21-0595.1.