Clara Deser, Senior Scientist

Research

I am head of the Climate Analysis Section within the Climate and Global Dynamics Division at NCAR. My research interests include diagnostic analysis of observed climate variability in the coupled atmosphere-ocean-ice system, as well as future climate change. I am a co-chair of the CESM Climate Variability and Change Working Group.

Education

  • Ph.D., Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington, 1989, Dissertation title: "Meteorological Characteristics of the El Nino--Southern Oscillation Phenomenon"
  • B.S., Earth and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1982.

Papers

2012

Ghatak, D., C. Deser, A. Frei, G. Gong, A. Phillips, D. Robinson, and J. Stroeve, 2012: Simulated Eurasian Snow Cover Response to Observed Arctic Sea Ice Loss, 1979-2009. J. Geophys. Res., submitted. [Article]

Deser, C., A. S. Phillips, R. A. Tomas, Y. Okumura, M. A. Alexander, A. Capotondi, J. D. Scott, Y. -O. Kwon, and M. Ohba, 2012: ENSO and Pacific Decadal Variability in Community Climate System Model Version 4. J. Climate, 25, 2622-2651, 10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00301.1 [Article (.pdf)]

Screen, J. A., C. Deser, and I. Simmonds, 2012: Local and remote forcing of observed Arctic warming. Geophys. Res. Lett., in press. [Article (.pdf)]

Deser, C., R. Knutti, S. Solomon, and A. S. Phillips, 2012: Communication of the role of natural variability in future North American climate. Nat. Clim. Change, accepted. [Article (.pdf)]

Screen, J. A., I. Simmonds, C. Deser, and R. Tomas, 2012: The atmospheric response to three decades of observed Arctic sea ice loss. J. Climate, submitted. [Article (.pdf)]

Wang, C., C. Deser, J. -Y. Yu, P. DiNezio, and A. Clement, 2012: El Nino and Southern Oscillation (ENSO): A Review. Coral Reefs of the Eastern Pacific, P. Glynn, D. Manzello and I. Enochs, Eds., Springer-Verlag, submitted. [Chapter (.pdf, revised)]

Okumura, Y. M., D. Schneider, C. Deser, and R. Wilson, 2012: Decadal-interdecadal climate variability over Antarctica and linkages to the tropics: Analysis of ice core, instrumental, and tropical proxy data. J. Climate, accepted. [Article (.pdf)]

2011

Ault, T. R., J. E. Cole, J. T. Overpeck, G. T. Pederson, S. St. George, B. Otto-Bliesner, C. A. Woodhouse, and C. Deser, 2011: The continuum of drought variability in western North America: Insights from instrumental, paleoclimate and global climate model data. J. Climate, submitted. [Article (.pdf)]

Okumura, Y. M., M. Ohba, and C. Deser, 2011: A proposed mechanism for the asymmetric duration of El Niño and La Niña. J. Climate, 24, 3822-3829, 10.1175/2011JCLI3999.1. [Article (.pdf)}

Schneider, D. P., Y. Okumura, and C. Deser, 2011: Observed Antarctic interannual climate variability and tropical linkages. J. Climate, in press. [Article (.pdf)]

Stevenson, S., B. Fox-Kemper, M. Jochum, R. Neale, C. Deser, and G. Meehl, 2011: Will there be a Significant Change to El Nino in the 21st Century? J. Climate, accepted as part of the CCSM4 Special Issue. [Article (.pdf)]

Polvani, L. M., M. Previdi, and C. Deser, 2011: Large cancellation, due to ozone recovery, of future Southern Hemisphere atmospheric circulation trends. Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L04707, doi: 10.1029/2011GL046712. [Article (.pdf)]

Schneider, D. P., C. Deser, and Y. Okumura, 2011: An assessment and interpretation of the observed warming of West Antarctica in the austral spring. Climate Dyn.,DOI: 10.1007/s00382-010-0985-x. [Article (.pdf)]

Clement, A., P. DiNezio, and C. Deser, 2011: Rethinking the Ocean's Role in the Southern Oscillation. J. Climate, 24, 4056-4072, doi: 10.1175/2011JCLI3973.1. [Article (.pdf)]

Zhang, Y., D. J. Seidel, J. -C. Golaz, C. Deser, and R. A. Tomas, 2011: Climatological Characteristics of Arctic and Antarctic Surface-Based Inversions. J. Climate, 24, 5167-5186, doi: 10.1175/2011JCLI4004.1. [Article and Supplementary Material (.pdf)]

Medeiros, B., C. Deser, R. A. Tomas, and J. E. Kay, 2011: Arctic inversion strength in climate models. J. Climate, 24, 4733-4740, doi: 10.1175/2011JCLI3968.1. [Article (.pdf)]

Solomon, A., L. Goddard, A. Kumar, J. Carton, C. Deser, I. Fukumori, A. Greene, G. Hegerl, B. Kirtman, Y. Kushnir, M. Newman, D. Smith, D. Vimont, T. Delworth, J. Meehl, and T. Stockdale, 2011: Distinguishing the roles of natural and anthropogenically forced decadal climate variability: Implications for prediction. Bull. Amer. Met. Soc., 92, 141-156, 10.1175/2010BAMS2962.1. [Article (.pdf)]

Ciasto, L. M., M. A. Alexander, C. Deser, and M. H. England, 2011: On the persistence of cold season SST anomalies associated with the Annular Modes. J. Climate, 24, 2500-2515, 10.1175/2010JCLI3535.1. [Article (.pdf)]

2010

Deser, C., A. S. Phillips, V. Bourdette, and H. Teng, 2010: Uncertainty in climate change projections: The role of internal variability. Climate Dyn., 38, 527-546, DOI 10.1007/s00382-010-0977-x. [Article (.pdf)]

Alexander, M. A., R. Tomas, C. Deser, and D. L. Lawrence, 2010: The Atmospheric Response to Projected Terrestrial Snow Changes in the Late 21st Century. J. Climate, 23, 6430-6437, doi: 10.1175/2010JCLI3899.1. [Article (.pdf)]

Deser, C., A. S. Phillips, and M. A. Alexander, 2010: Twentieth Century Tropical Sea Surface Temperature Trends Revisited. Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L10701, doi:10.1029/2010GL043321. [Article (.pdf)] [Supplemental Material]

Okumura, Y. M., C. Deser, 2010: Asymmetry in the Duration of El Nino and La Nina. J. Climate, 23, 5826-5843, 10.1175/2010JCLI3592.1. [Article (.pdf)]

Anderson, B. T., J. R. Knight, M. A. Ringer, C. Deser, A. S. Phillips, J. -H. Yoon, and A. Cherchi, 2010: Climate forcings and climate sensitivities diagnosed from atmospheric global circulation models. Climate Dyn., 35, 1461-1475, DOI: 10.1007/s00382-010-0798-y. [Article (.pdf)]

Kwon, Y.-O., C. Deser and C. Cassou, 2010: Coupled atmosphere-mixed layer ocean response to ocean heat flux convergence along the Kuroshio Current Extension. Climate Dyn., DOI 10.1007/s00382-010-0764-8. [Article (.pdf)] [Supplementary Figures]

Deser, C., M. A. Alexander, S. -P. Xie, and A. S. Phillips, 2010: Sea surface temperature variability: patterns and mechanisms. Ann. Rev. Mar. Sci., 2010.2, 115-143, doi:10.1146/annurev-marine-120408-151453. [Article (.pdf)]

Deser, C., R. Tomas, M. Alexander, and D. Lawrence, 2010: The seasonal atmospheric response to projected Arctic sea ice loss in the late 21st century. J. Climate, 23, 333-351, 10.1175/2009JCLI3053.1. [Article (.pdf)]

Xie, S. -P., C. Deser, G. A. Vecchi, J. Ma, H. Teng, A. T. Wittenberg, 2010: Global warming pattern formation: sea surface temperature and rainfall. J. Climate, 23, 966-986, doi:101175/2009JCLI3329.1. [Article (.pdf)]

2009

Schubert, S., D. Gutzler, H. Wang, A. Dai, T. Delworth, C. Deser, K. Findell, R. Fu, W. Higgins, M. Hoerling, B. Kirtman, R. Koster, A. Kumar, D. Legler, D. Lettenmaier, B. Lyon, V. Magana, K. Mo, S. Nigam, P. Pegion, A. Phillips, R. Pulwarty, D. Rind, A. Ruiz-Barradas, J. Schemm, R. Seager, R. Stewart, M. Suarez, J. Syktus, M. Ting, C. Wang, S. Weaver, N. Zeng, 2009: A USCLIVAR project to assess and compare the responses of global climate models to drought-related SST forcing patterns: Overview and results.J. Climate, 22, 5251-5272, doi:10.1175/2009JCLI3060.1 [Article (.pdf)]

Okumura, Y. M., C. Deser, A. Hu, A. Timmermann, and S. -P. Xie, 2009: North Pacific climate response to freshwater forcing in the subarctic North Atlantic: Oceanic and atmospheric pathways. J. Climate, 22, 1424-1445. [Article (.pdf)]

Hurrell, J. W., and C. Deser, 2009: North Atlantic climate variability: The role of the North Atlantic Oscillation. J. Mar. Syst., 78, No. 1, 28-41, doi:10.1016/j.jmarsys.2008.11.026.
[Article (.html)]

Tsukernik, M., C. Deser, M. Alexander, and R. Tomas, 2009: Atmospheric forcing of Fram Strait sea ice export: A closer look. Climate Dyn., doi:10.1007/s00382-009-0647-z. [Article (.pdf)]

Lu, J., C. Deser, and T. Reichler, 2009: Cause of the widening of the tropical belt since 1958. Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L03803, doi:10.1029/2008GL036076. [Article (.pdf)]

Sanchez-Lorenzo, A., J. Calbó, M. Brunetti, and C. Deser, 2009: Dimming/brightening over the Iberian Peninsula: Trends in sunshine duration and cloud cover and their relations with atmospheric circulation. J. Geophys. Res., 114, D00D09, doi:10.1029/2008JD011394. [Article (.pdf)]

Zhou, T., R. Yu, J. Zhang, J. Li, X. Xin, H. Drange, C. Cassou, E. Sanchez-Gomez, C. Deser, Y. M. Okumura, D. L. Hodson, N. Keenlyside, 2009: Why the western Pacific subtropical high has extended westward since the late 1970s. J. Climate, 22, 2199-2215, doi: 10.1175/2008JCLI2527.1. [Article (.pdf)]

Deser, C., and A.S. Phillips, 2009: Atmospheric Circulation Trends, 1950-2000: The Relative Roles of Sea Surface Temperature Forcing and Direct Atmospheric Radiative Forcing. J. Climate, 22, 396-413, doi:10.1175/2008JCLI2453.1. [Article (.pdf)]

2008

Bhatt, U. S., M. A. Alexander, C. Deser, J. E. Walsh, J. S. Miller, M. Timlin, J. D. Scott, and R. Tomas, 2008: The atmospheric response to realistic reduced summer Arctic sea ice anomalies. Arctic Sea Ice Decline: Observations, Projections, Mechanisms, and Implications, Geophys. Monogr. Ser., 180, E. T. DeWeaver, C. M. Bitz, and L. -B. Tremblay, Eds., AGU, 91-110. [Article (.pdf)]

Lawrence, D. M., A. G. Slater, R. A. Tomas, M. M. Holland, and C. Deser, 2008: Accelerated Arctic land warming and permafrost degradation during rapid sea ice loss. Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L11506, doi:10.1029/2008GL033985. [Article]

Deser, C., and H. Teng, 2008: Recent trends in Arctic sea ice and the evolving role of atmospheric circulation forcing, 1979-2007. Arctic Sea Ice Decline: Observations, Projections, Mechanisms, and Implications, Geophys. Monogr. Ser., 180, E. T. DeWeaver, C. M. Bitz, and L. -B. Tremblay, Eds., AGU, 7-26. [Article (.pdf)]

Ueyama, R., and C. Deser, 2008: A climatology of diurnal and semidiurnal surface wind variations over the Tropical Pacific Ocean based on the Tropical Atmosphere Ocean moored buoy array. J. Climate, 21, 593-607, doi:10.1175/JCLI1666.1. [Article (.pdf)]

Alexander, M., A. Capotondi, A. Miller, F. Chai, R. Brodeur, and C. Deser, 2008: Decadal variability in the Northeast Pacific in a physical-ecosystem model: Role of mixed layer depth and trophic interactions. J. Geophys. Res., 113, C02017, doi:10.1029/2007JC004359. [Article]

Zeng, Z, W. Randel, S. Sokolovskiy, C. Deser, Y. -H. Kuo, M. Hagan, J. Du, and W. Ward, 2008: Detection of migrating diurnal tide in the tropical upper troposphere and lower stratosphere using the Challenging Minisatellite Payload radio occultation data. J. Geophys. Res., 113, D03102, doi:10.1029/2007JD008725. [Article]

Deser, C., and H. Teng, 2008: Evolution of Arctic sea ice concentration trends and the role of atmospheric circulation forcing, 1979-2007. Geophys. Res. Lett, 35, L02504, doi:10.1029/2007GL032023. [Article (.pdf)] [Supplemetary Material (.pdf)]

2007

Deser, C., R. A. Tomas, and S. Peng, 2007: The transient atmospheric circulation response to North Atlantic SST and sea ice anomalies. J. Climate, 20, 4751-4767. [Article (.pdf)]

Cassou, C., C. Deser, and M. A. Alexander, 2007: Investigating the impact of reemerging sea surface temperature anomalies on the winter atmospheric circulation over the North Atlantic. J. Climate, 20, 3510-3526. [Article (.pdf)] [Supplementary Material]

Kwon, Y. -O., and C. Deser, 2007: North Pacific decadal variability in the Community Climate System Model Version 2. J. Climate, 20, 2416-2433. [Article (.pdf)]

Jochum, M., C. Deser, and A. Phillips, 2007: Tropical atmospheric variability forced by oceanic internal variability.J. Climate, 20, 765-771. [Article (.pdf)]

2006

Park, S., M. A. Alexander, and C. Deser, 2006: The impact of cloud radiative feedback, remote ENSO forcing, and entrainment on the persistence of North Pacific sea surface temperature anomalies. J. Climate, 19, 6243-6261. [Article (.pdf)]

Deser, C., and A. S. Phillips, 2006: Simulation of the 1976/1977 climate transition over the North Pacific: Sensitivity to tropical forcing. J. Climate, 19, 6170-6180. [Article (.pdf)]

Deser, C., A. Capotondi, R. Saravanan, and A. S. Phillips, 2006: Tropical Pacific and Atlantic climate variability in CCSM3. J. Climate, 19, 2451-2481. [Article (.pdf)] [Supplementary Figures]

2005

D'Arrigo, R., R. Wilson, C. Deser, G. Wiles, E. Cook, R. Villalba, A. Tudhope, J. Cole, and B. Linsley, 2005: Tropical-North Pacific climate linkages over the past four centuries. J. Climate, 18, 5253-5265. [Article (.pdf)]

Park, S., C. Deser, and M. A. Alexander, 2005: Estimation of the surface heat flux response to sea surface temperature anomalies over the global oceans. J. Climate, 18, 4582-4599. [Article (.pdf)]

Capotondi, A., M. A. Alexander, C. Deser, and M. J. McPhaden, 2005: Anatomy and decadal evolution of the Pacific Subtropical-Tropical Cells (STCs). J. Climate, 18, 3739-3758. [Article (.pdf)]

Capotondi, A., M. A. Alexander, C. Deser, and A. J. Miller, 2005: Low-frequency pycnocline variability in the Northeast Pacific. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 35, 1403-1420. [Article (.pdf)]

2004

Cassou, C., C. Deser, L. Terray, J. W. Hurrell, and M. Dr�villon, 2004: Summer sea surface temperature conditions in the North Atlantic and their impact upon the atmospheric circulation in early winter. J. Climate, 17, 3349-3363. [Article (.pdf)]

Deser, C., A. S. Phillips, and J. W. Hurrell, 2004: Pacific interdecadal climate variability: Linkages between the tropics and North Pacific during boreal winter since 1900. J. Climate, 17, 3109-3124. [Article (.pdf)] [Supplementary Figures] [Tropical Index ascii file]

Magnusdottir, G., C. Deser, and R. Saravanan, 2004: The effects of North Atlantic SST and sea-ice anomalies on the winter circulation in CCM3, Part I: Main features and storm-track characteristics of the response. J. Climate, 17, 857-876. [Article (.pdf)]

Deser, C., G. Magnusdottir, R. Saravanan, and A. Phillips, 2004: The effects of North Atlantic SST and sea-ice anomalies on the winter circulation in CCM3, Part II: Direct and indirect components of the response. J. Climate, 17, 877-889. [Article (.pdf)]

Cassou, C., L. Terray, J. W. Hurrell, and C. Deser, 2004: North Atlantic winter climate regimes: Spatial asymmetry, stationarity with time, and oceanic forcing. J. Climate, 17, 1055-1068. [Article (.pdf)]

2002-2003

Capotondi, A., M. A. Alexander, and C. Deser, 2003: Why are there Rossby Wave maxima in the Pacific at 10�S and 13�N? J. Phys. Oceanogr., 33, 1549-1563. [Article (.pdf)]

Deser, C., M. A. Alexander, and M. S. Timlin, 2003: Understanding the persistence of sea surface temperature anomalies in midlatitudes. J. Climate, 16, 57-72. [Article (.pdf)]

Hu, A., C. Rooth, R. Bleck, and C. Deser, 2002: NAO influence on sea ice extent in the Eurasian coastal region. Geophys. Res. Lett.: 29, No. 2053-2056. [Article (.pdf)]

Timlin, M. S., M. A. Alexander, and C. Deser, 2002: On the reemergence of North Atlantic SST anomalies. J. Climate, 15, 2707-2712. [Article (.pdf)]

Lysne, J., and C. Deser, 2002: Wind-driven thermocline variability in the Pacific: A model/data comparison. J. Climate, 15, 829-845. [Article (.pdf)]

Deser, C., M. Holand, G. Reverdin, and M. S. Timlin, 2002: Decadal variations in Labrador sea ice cover and North Atlantic sea surface temperatures. J. of Geophys. Res., 107, C5, doi:10.1029/2000JC000683. [Article (.pdf) (.4MB)]

2000-2001

Lietzke, C. E., C. Deser, and T. H. Vonder Haar, 2001: Evolutionary structure of the Eastern Pacific double ITCZ based on satellite moisture profile retrievals.J. Climate, 14, 743-751. [Article (.pdf)]

Joyce, T. M., C. Deser, and M. A. Spall, 2000: The relation between decadal variability of subtropical mode water in the North Atlantic and large-scale patterns of air-sea forcing. J. Climate, 13, 2550-2569. [Article (.pdf)]

Deser, C., 2000: On the teleconnectivity of the "Arctic Oscillation". Geophys. Res. Lett., 27, 779-782. [Article (.pdf)]

Deser, C., M. A. Alexander, and M. S. Timlin, 2000: Reply to Drs. Latif and Ventzke comments on "Evidence for a wind-driven intensification of the Kuroshio Current Extension from the 1970s to the 1980s". J. Climate, 13, 1995-1995. [Article (.pdf)]

Deser, C., M. Alexander, and M. Timlin, 2000: Re-emergence of winter SST anomalies in the North Atlantic. World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE), 2000 U.S. WOCE Report, 12, 32-35.

Alexander, M. A., J. D. Scott, and C. Deser, 2000: Processes that influence sea surface temperature and ocean mixed layer depth variability in a coupled model. J. Geophys. Res, 105, C7, 16823-16842. [Article (pdf)]

Deser, C., J. E. Walsh, M. S. Timlin, 2000: Arctic sea ice variability in the context of recent atmospheric circulation trends. J. Climate, 13, 617-633. [Article (pdf)]

1997-1999

Alexander, M. A., C. Deser, M. S. Timlin, 1999: The reemergence of SST anomalies in the North Pacific Ocean. J. Climate, 12, 2419-2433. [Article (pdf)]

Deser, C., M. A. Alexander, M. S. Timlin, 1999: Evidence for a wind-driven intensification of the Kuroshio Current Extension from the 1970s to the 1980s. J. Climate, 12, 1697-1706. [Article (pdf)]

Schneider, N., A. J. Miller, M. A. Alexander, and C. Deser 1999: Subduction of decadal North Pacific temperature anomalies: Observations and dynamics. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 29, 1056-1070. [Article (pdf)]

Schneider, N., S. Venzke, A. J. Miller, D. W. Pierce, T. P. Barnett, C. Deser, and M. Latif, 1999: Pacific thermocline bridge revisited. Geophys. Res. Lett., 26, 1329-1332.. [Article (pdf)]

Dai, A., and C. Deser, 1999: Diurnal and semidiurnal variations in global surface wind and divergence fields. J. Geophys. Res., 104, D24, 31109-31125. [Article (pdf)]

Deser, C. and C. Smith, 1998: Diurnal and semidiurnal variations of the surface wind field over the Tropical Pacific Ocean. J. Climate, 11, 1730-1748. [Article (pdf)]

Deser, C., and M. Timlin, 1998: Atmosphere-ocean interaction on weekly timescales in the North Atlantic and Pacific. J. Climate, 10, 393-408. [Article (pdf)]

1994-1996

Deser, C., M. A. Alexander, and M. S. Timlin, 1996: Upper-Ocean Thermal Variations in the North Pacific during 1970-1991. J. Climate, 9, 1840-1855. [Article (pdf)]

Deser, C., and M. L. Blackmon, 1995: Surface climate variations over the North Atlantic Ocean during winter: 1900-89. National Academy of Sciences Symposium on Natural Variability of the Climate System on 10-100 Year Time Scales. National Academy Press.

Deser, C. and M. L. Blackmon, 1995: On the relationship between Tropical and North Pacific sea surface temperature variations. J. Climate, 8, 1677-1680. [Article (pdf)]

Alexander, M. A., C. Deser, 1995: A mechanism for the recurrence of wintertime midlatitude SST anomalies. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 25, 122-137. [Article (pdf)]

Deser, C., 1994: Daily surface wind variations over the equatorial Pacific Ocean. J. Geophys. Res., 99, D11, 23071-23078. [Article (.pdf)]

1990-1993

Deser, C., and M. L. Blackmon, 1993: Surface climate variations over the North Atlantic Ocean during winter: 1900-89. J. Climate, 6, 1743-1753. [Article (pdf)]

Deser, C., S. Wahl, and J. J. Bates, 1993: The influence of sea surface temperature gradients on stratiform cloudiness along the equatorial front in the Pacific Ocean. J. Climate, 6, 1172-1180. [Article (pdf)]

Deser, C., 1992: Diagnosis of the surface momentum balance over the tropical Pacific Ocean. J. Climate, 6, 64-74. [Article (pdf)]

Deser, C., and J. M. Wallace 1990: Large-scale atmospheric circulation features of warm and cold episodes in the Tropical Pacific. J. Climate, 3, 1254-1281. [Article (pdf)]

1987-1989

Wallace, J. M., T. P. Mitchell, and C. Deser 1989: The influence of sea-surface temperature on surface wind in the Eastern Equatorial Pacific: Seasonal and interannual variability. J. Climate, 2, 1492-1499. [Article (pdf)]

Richey, J. E., C. Nobre, and C. Deser 1989: Amazon River discharge and climate variability: 1903-1985. Science, 246, (Oct. 1989), 101-103. [Article (pdf)]

Wright, P. B., J. M. Wallace, T. P. Mitchell, and C. Deser 1988: Correlation structure of the El Nino/Southern Oscillation phenomenon. J. Climate, 1, 609-625. [Article (pdf)]

Deser, C., and J. M. Wallace 1987: El Nino events and their relationship to the Southern Oscillation: 1925-1986. J. of Geophys. Res., 92, C13, 14189-14196. [Article (pdf)]