Abstract
At intervals that vary from 2 to 10 yr sea-surface temperatures and rainfall are unusually high and the tradewinds are unusually weak over the tropical Pacific Ocean. These Southern Oscillation El Niño events which devastate the ecology of the coastal zones of Ecuador and Peru, which affect the global atmospheric circulation and which can contribute to severe winters over northern America, often develop in a remarkably predictable manner. But the event which began in 1982 has not followed this pattern.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Walker, G. T. Mem. Ind. met. Dept. 24, 75–131 (1923).
Walker, G. T. Mem. Ind. met. Dept. 24, 275–332 (1924).
Walker, G. T., Mem, R. met. Soc. II, No. 17, 97–106 (1928).
Walker, G. T. & Bliss, E. W. Mem. R. met. Soc. No. 4, 53–84 (1932).
Walker, G. T. & Bliss, E. W. Mem. R. met. Soc. No. 4, 119–139 (1937).
Horel, J. D. & Wallace, J. M. Mon. Weath. Rev. 109, 813–829 (1981).
van Loon, H. & Madden, R. A. Mon. Weath. Rev. 109, 1150–1162 (1981).
Pan, Y. H. & Oort, A. H., Mon. Weath. Rev. (in the press).
Bjerknes, J. Tellus 18, 820–829, 1966.
Bjerknes, J. Mon. Weath. Rev. 97, 163–172, 1969.
Bjerknes, J. J. phys. Oceanogr. 2, 212–217, 1972.
Rasmusson, E. M. & Carpenter, T. H. Mon. Weath. Rev. 110, 354–384 (1982).
Donguy, J. R., Henin, C., Morliere, A., Robert, J. P. & Meyers, G. Preprint (Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California).
Ramage, C. S. & Hori, A. M. Mon. Weath. Rev. 110, 587–600 (1982).
Pazan, E. P. & Meyers, G. Mon. Weath. Rev. 110, 587–600 (1982).
Wyrtiki, K. J. phys. Oceanogr. 5, 572–584 (1975).
Wyrtki, K. J. phys. Oceanogr. 7, 779–787, 1977.
Enfield, D. B. Resource Management and Environmental Uncertainty (ed. Glantz, M. H.) (Wiley, New York, 1980).
Hickey, B. J. phys. Oceanogr. 5, 460–475 (1975).
Enfield, D. B. J. geophys. Res. 86, 2005–2016 (1981).
Barnett, T. J. phys. Oceanogr. 11, 1043–1058 (1981).
Reiter, E. A. Mon. Weath. Rev. 106, 324–330 (1978).
Wyrtki, K. Science 180, 66–68 (1973).
Enfield, D. B. & Allen, J. S. J. phys. Oceanogr. 10, 557–578 (1980).
Chelton, D. B. & Davis, R. E. J. phys. Oceanogr. 12, 757–784 (1982).
Lighthill, M. J. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A265, 45–93 (1967).
Veronis, G. & Stommel, H. J. mar. Res. 15, 43–69 (1956).
Philander, S. G. H. & Pacanowski, R. C. Tellus 33, 201–210 (1981).
Sverdrup, H. U., Johnson, M. W. & Fleming, R. H. The Oceans (Prentice-Hall, New York, 1942).
Wooster, W. S. & Guillen, O. J. mar. Res. 32, 378–404 (1974).
McCreary, J. J. phys. Oceanogr. 6, 632–645 (1976).
Hurlburt, H. E., Kindle, J. C. & O'Brien, J. J. J. phys. Oceanogr. 6, 621–631 (1976).
Cane, M. A. & Sarachik, E. S. J. mar. Res. 35, 2, 395–432 (1977).
McCreary, J. thesis, Univ of California, San Diego (1977).
Philander, S. G. H. J. phys. Oceanogr. 11, 176–189 (1981).
Katz, E. J. & Garzoli, S. J. mar. Res. 40, Suppl., 307–327 (1982).
Halpern, D. J. phys. Oceanogr. (in the press).
Busalacchi, A. J. & O'Brien, J. J. J. geophys. Res. 86, 10901–10907 (1981).
Hoskins, B. J. & Karoly, D. J. atmos. Sci. 38, 1179–1196 (1981).
Webster, P. J. Mon. Weath. Rev. 100, 518–541 (1972).
Webster, P. J. J. atmos. Sci. 38, 554–571 (1981).
Gill, A. E. Q. Jl R. met. Soc. 106, 447–462 (1980).
Keshavamurty, R. N. J. atmos. Sci. 39, 1241–1259 (1982).
Barnett, T. P. Mon. Weath. Rev. 109, 1021–1038 (1981).
Berlage, H. P. Korte Ned. Met. Inst. Meded. Verh. 69, 1–152 (1957).
Trenberth, K. E. Q. Jl R. met. Soc. 102, 639–653 (1976).
Chen, W. Y. Mon. Weath. Rev. 110, 800–807 (1982).
Meyers, G. J. phys. Oceanogr. 12, 1161–1168 (1982).
Colin, C., Henin, C., Hisard, P. & Oudot, C. Cah. O.R.S.T.O.M. Oceanogr. 9, 167–186 (1971).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Philander, S. El Niño Southern Oscillation phenomena. Nature 302, 295–301 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/302295a0
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/302295a0
This article is cited by
-
Delayed impact of El Niño on the spring surface air temperature over India
Climate Dynamics (2024)
-
Seasonal Variation of the Sea Surface Temperature Growth Rate of ENSO
Advances in Atmospheric Sciences (2024)
-
Distinct North American teleconnection of the strong El Niños as modulated by the ENSO-annual cycle combination mode
Climate Dynamics (2024)
-
Key to ENSO phase-locking simulation: effects of sea surface temperature diurnal amplitude
npj Climate and Atmospheric Science (2023)
-
The mechanism of boreal summer SSTA phase-locking in the far eastern Pacific
npj Climate and Atmospheric Science (2023)
