Vector empirical orthogonal function modes of the ocean surface wind variability derived from satellite scatterometer data

Ocean surface winds derived from NSCAT, QuikSCAT and ERS-1/2 scatterometer observations during a period from January 1992 to April 2000 were analyzed using the vector empirical orthogonal function (VEOF) method. With the boreal winter and summer oscillation, the first VEOF is dominated by the Indian and East Asian monsoons and also shows an annual cycle of the trade winds. The second VEOF represents the boreal autumn and spring oscillation, and reveals a transition state between winter and summer. The third VEOF indicates the wind variability associated with El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, because the temporal mode has a high correlation coefficient of 0.8 with the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI). Further more, the third mode reveals the teleconnection of the Indian monsoon and wind variability over high latitude oceans', such as the Aleutian Low system, with ENSO events.