Mechanisms for a PNA-Like Teleconnection Pattern in Response to the MJO

AbstractKinematic mechanisms of the Pacific–North America (PNA)-like teleconnection pattern induced by the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) is examined using an atmospheric general circulation model (GCM) and a barotropic Rossby wave theory. Observation shows that a negative PNA-like teleconnection pattern emerges in response to MJO phase-2 forcing with enhanced (suppressed) convection located over the Indian (western Pacific) Ocean. The GCM simulations show that both forcing anomalies contribute to creating the PNA-like pattern. Indian Ocean forcing induces two major Rossby wave source (RWS) regions: a negative region around southern Asia and a positive region over the western North Pacific (WNP). The negative RWS to the north of the enhanced convection in the Indian Ocean arises from southerly MJO-induced divergent wind crossing the Asian jet. Unexpectedly, another significant RWS region develops over the WNP owing to refracted northerly divergent wind. A ray-tracing method demonstrates three different w...