Spatial Asymmetric Tilt of the NAO Dipole Mode and Its Variability

• Published in: Atmosphere
• Main Author: Yao Yao
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 2019
• Subjects: North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO); asymmetric tilt; quadrupole pattern; Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO); decadal variability; Tilting; North Atlantic; North Atlantic oscillation
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos10120781

The dipole structure of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is examined in this study by defining the tilt of the NAO dipole centers on synoptic time scales. All the positive NAO phase (NAO+) and negative NAO phase (NAO−) events are divided into three tilting types according to their definition; namely, northeast–southwest (NE–SW), north–south symmetric (N–S, not tilted), and northwest–southeast (NW–SE) tilting NAO events. Then, the associated surface air temperature (SAT), geopotential height, zonal wind, and SST (surface sea temperature) anomalies of each type are examined. It is found that, for different asymmetric NAO tilt types, the local SATs exhibit significantly different distributions. The zonal wind has a good match with the NAO dipole tilt, which also includes the positive feedback of the NAO circulation. The basic zonal flow that removes the NAO days also exhibits a clear tilt structure that favors the tilt of the NAO dipole. Moreover, it is found that the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) may be an important factor affecting the tilt of the NAO dipole. The AMO index has a significant 15-year lead for the NAO index and basic zonal flow index, with a high correlation coefficient, which might be seen as a precondition that indicates the tilt of the NAO events, especially on decadal or multidecadal time scales. However, the physical mechanisms and processes are still not fully understood.