Southern Oscillation

E22959

The Southern Oscillation is a large-scale atmospheric pressure pattern across the tropical Pacific that drives the El Niño–Southern Oscillation climate phenomenon and influences global weather and rainfall.


Statements (47)
Predicate Object
instanceOf atmospheric oscillation
climate phenomenon
abbreviatedAs SOI when referring to its index
affects global climate
global rainfall patterns
global weather patterns
tropical Pacific Ocean
alsoKnownAs SO
causes anomalies in surface air temperature patterns
shifts in tropical rainfall belts
characterizedBy fluctuations in sea-level air pressure
pressure differences between eastern and western tropical Pacific
discoveredBy Gilbert Walker
drives El Niño events
El Niño–Southern Oscillation climate variability
La Niña events
hasComponent negative phase
positive phase
impactOn agricultural productivity in affected regions
fisheries in the Pacific
hydrological cycles
influences drought occurrence
flood occurrence
monsoon systems
sea surface temperature patterns in the Pacific
tropical cyclone activity
linkedTo Pacific trade winds variability
changes in Walker circulation strength
measuredBy Southern Oscillation Index
monitoredBy global climate monitoring agencies
national meteorological services
partOf El Niño–Southern Oscillation
phaseAssociatedWith El Niño in its negative phase
La Niña in its positive phase
quantifiedBy pressure difference between Tahiti and Darwin
region tropical Pacific
relatedTo El Niño
La Niña
Walker circulation
scale large-scale atmospheric pattern
studiedIn climatology
meteorology
temporalPattern irregular cycle of several years
timescale interannual variability
usedFor drought forecasting
flood risk assessment
seasonal climate prediction

Referenced by (2)

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