The
atmospheric circulation response seems to be sensitive to the magnitude and geographic pattern of sea - ice loss and, in some cases, to the background climate state.
The influence of changing ocean currents on climate change is evaluated by comparing an earth system model's response to increased CO2 with and without an
ocean circulation response.
El Niño is defined by SST anomalies in the eastern tropical Pacific while the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) is a measure of the atmospheric
circulation response in the Pacific - Indian Ocean region.
The
Walker Circulation response is associated with broad Pacific anomalies that project onto the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO) in its negative phase.
Wind shear, both horizontal and vertical, is extremely important, and it is influenced in complex ways by large -
scale circulation responses to the balance of various forcings.
Semenov, V. A. & Latif, M. Nonlinear winter
atmospheric circulation response to Arctic sea ice concentration anomalies for different periods during 1966 — 2012.
Blackport, R. & Kushner, P. J. Isolating the atmospheric
circulation response to Arctic sea ice loss in the coupled climate system.
Remarkable separability of
the circulation response to Arctic sea ice loss and greenhouse gas forcing.
However, they add: «Simulations with a greater diversity of coupled models are needed to confirm the robustness of
the circulation response to projected Arctic sea ice loss.»