Pan-Pacific low-frequency modes of sea level and climate variability

Little, C. M., Yeager, S., Fasullo, J. T., Karnauskas, K. B., Nerem, R. S., et al. (2025). Pan-Pacific low-frequency modes of sea level and climate variability. Science Advances, doi:https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adw3661

Title Pan-Pacific low-frequency modes of sea level and climate variability
Genre Article
Author(s) C. M. Little, Stephen Yeager, John T. Fasullo, K. B. Karnauskas, R. S. Nerem, N. S. Etige
Abstract Tide gauges provide a long observational record that can inform the nature of satellite-era basin-scale sea level trends. However, common signals must be extracted from geographically sparse records. Here, by applying low-frequency component analysis (LFCA) to tide gauge records and surface climate reconstructions, we isolate three coherent modes of Pacific Ocean variability that we ascribe to: a secular, greenhouse gas–driven climate change (LFC1); a nonlinear mode of variability with a reversal around 1980, potentially linked to aerosols (LFC2); and the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (LFC3). Although sea level trend patterns reflect the superimposed contribution of all modes, satellite-era trends are dominated by an increasing phase of LFC2: They are thus potentially unrepresentative of both longer-term historical patterns and those expected in the future.
Publication Title Science Advances
Publication Date May 30, 2025
Publisher's Version of Record https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adw3661
OpenSky Citable URL https://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d7mp57qt
OpenSky Listing View on OpenSky
CGD Affiliations ESP, CAS

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