SEA-SURFACE TEMPERATURE AND SOUTHERN OSCILLATION SIGNAL IN THE UPPER STRATOSPHERE-LOWER MESOSPHERE

Using rocketsonde-derived data for 17 years (1969-1985) the relationship between the Southern Oscillation (SO), sea surface temperature (SST) and temperature at the northern upper stratosphere-middle mesophere is investigated. In the upper stratosphere-middle mesosphere region a strong correlation is found between the SO signal and temperature. In the same atmospheric region and in the northern subtropics a correlation is also found between SST and temperature. The latter correlation depends on latitude and season. Lag correlation coefficients as high as 0.8-0.9 were found for all seasons. In most cases the correlation between SO and temperature is opposite in sign to that existing between SST and temperature.