资源环境科技发展态势分析平台

A recent study by Zhang et al. (2019, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL084088) proposes "an interbasin ocean thermostat mechanism" to support the hypothesis that enhanced Indian Ocean warming during the past century has reduced the Pacific warming response to increasing greenhouse gases. In this commentary, we review the proposed mechanism in a broader perspective and discuss a potential role of Atlantic Ocean in modulating the future Pacific warming response to emphasize the interactive response of the pantropical atmosphere-ocean to increasing greenhouse gases.

Plain Language Summary During the past century, the tropical Pacific Ocean has warmed significantly less than the other tropical oceans in response to increasing greenhouse gases. A recent study by Zhang et al. (2019, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL084088) proposes a new mechanism to help explain how enhanced Indian Ocean warming during the past century has reduced the Pacific warming response. In this commentary, we review the proposed mechanism in a broader perspective and discuss large-scale atmospheric responses in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic basins and their interactions to increasing greenhouse gases. We also discuss how the future weakening of the Atlantic Ocean circulation may influence the Pacific warming response.