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North Atlantic Oscillation – Concepts And Studies

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Abstract

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of previous studies and concepts concerning the North Atlantic Oscillation. The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and its recent homologue, the Arctic Oscillation/Northern Hemisphere annular mode (AO/NAM), are the most prominent modes of variability in the Northern Hemisphere winter climate. The NAO teleconnection is characterised by a meridional displacement of atmospheric mass over the North Atlantic area. Its state is usually expressed by the standardised air pressure difference between the Azores High and the Iceland Low. ThisNAO index is a measure of the strength of the westerly flow (positive with strong westerlies, and vice versa). Together with the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, the NAO is a major source of seasonal to interdecadal variability in the global atmosphere. On interannual and shorter time scales, the NAO dynamics can be explained as a purely internal mode of variability of the atmospheric circulation. Interdecadal variability maybe influenced, however, by ocean and sea-ice processes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geography, University of Bern, Hallerstrasse 12, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland

    Heinz Wanner, Stefan Brönnimann, Carlo Casty, Dimitrios Gyalistras, Jürg Luterbacher, Christoph Schmutz & Eleni Xoplaki

  2. National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) in Climate, University of Bern, Erlachstrasse 9a, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland

    Heinz Wanner & Jürg Luterbacher

  3. Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, 1629 E. University Blvd, Tucson, Arizona, 85721-0092, USA

    Stefan Brönnimann

  4. Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, Earley Gate, PO Box 243, Reading, RG6 6BB, UK

    David B. Stephenson

  5. Department of Meteorology and Climatology, University of Thessaloniki, GR-540 06, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Eleni Xoplaki

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Wanner, H., Brönnimann, S., Casty, C. et al. North Atlantic Oscillation – Concepts And Studies. Surveys in Geophysics 22, 321–381 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014217317898

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014217317898

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