Linear dimensionality reduction techniques, notably principal component analysis, are widely used in climate data analysis as a means to aid in the interpretation of datasets of high dimensionality. These hnear methods may not be appropriate for the analysis of data arising from nonlinear processes occurring in the climate system. Numerous techniques for nonlinear dimensionality reduction have been developed recently that may provide a potentially useful tool for the identification of low-dimensional manifolds in climate data sets arising from nonlinear dynamics. In this thesis I apply three such techniques to the study of El Niño/Southern Oscillation variability in tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures and thermocline depth, comparing observational data with simulations from coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation models from the CMIP3 multi-model ensemble.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [161]-166).

The ocean emission and subsequent oxidation of dimethylsulfide (DMS) provides a source of sulfate in the atmosphere, potentially affecting the amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface through both direct and indirect radiative effects of sulfate aerosols. DMS in the ocean can be quite variable with season and location, which in turn leads to high spatial and temporal variability of ocean DMS emissions. This study tested currently available observational and empirically-based climatologies of DMS concentration in the surface ocean. The exploration of the existing parameterizations mainly reveals the limitations of estimating DMS with an empirical model based on variables such as chlorophyll and mixed layer depth. The different algorithms show significant differences in spatial pattern, and none correlate strongly with observations. There is considerable uncertainty both in terms of the spatiotemporal distribution in DMS concentration and flux, as well as in the global total DMS flux. The present research investigates the influence of DMS on sulfate aerosols and radiative fluxes given different DMS climatologies in the fourth generation of the Canadian Global Atmospheric Climate Model (CanAM4.1). In general, the response in the radiative flux seems to follow the variation in the global mean flux of DMS linearly. Differences in the spatial and temporal structure of oceanic DMS have only a secondary effect on the radiative changes. The overall response of the atmosphere to the presence or absence of structure of DMS in space and time is distinctly smaller compared to the possible uncertainty of this response associated with the magnitude of the annually averaged global flux. / Graduate / 0425 / 0725 / 0416 / jetesdal@uvic.ca

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro / Recentes observações satelitais têm demonstrado um aumento na extensão total do gelo marinho Antártico e redução do gelo marinho no Ártico. Apesar destas constatações, no Oceano Sul análises regionais apontam tendências negativas nos mares de Bellingshausen-Amundsen e positivas no mar de Ross, enquanto que para o Ártico ocorrer uma redução uniforme do gelo marinho. Neste estudo, foi realizada uma análise multivariada para identificar as mudanças na extensão do gelo marinho Antártico e Ártico em resposta à variabilidade de um conjunto de forçantes/parâmetros/índices climáticos de reconhecida importância em escala global. Especificamente, as associações entre o gelo marinho e os parâmetros e forçantes climáticos foram examinadas através da correlação linear e da análise de agrupamento. Diferentes respostas em diferentes setores foram examinadas e discutidas. Os resultados indicam que a variabilidade do gelo marinho Antártico e Ártico é um fenômeno multivariado e que a extensão de gelo marinho mínima, média e máxima podem apresentar diferentes padrões espaciais e responderem a diferentes conjuntos de parâmetros e forçantes climáticos. Foi identificado um significativo impacto de forçantes/parâmetros/índices climáticos sobre o gelo marinho no Oeste Antártico. No hemisfério Norte o aumento da temperatura média global e do CO2 atmosférico são os principais responsáveis pela redução na extensão do gelo marinho. / Recent satellite observations have shown an increase in the total extent of Antarctic sea ice and a reduction of sea ice in the Arctic. Despite these findings, regional analyses in the Southern Ocean indicates negative trends in the Bellingshausen-Amundsen Sea and positive trends in the Ross Sea, while in the Arctic seems to occur a uniform reduction of sea ice. In this study, mutivariate analysis was performed to identify changes in Antarctic sea ice in response to changes in a set of climate forcings/parameters/indices. More specifically, the relationships between sea ice and climate forcings and parameters were examined by linear correlation and cluster analysis. Different responses in different sectors were examined and discussed. The findings indicate that Antarctic sea ice variability is a multivariate phenomenon and that the minimum, maximum, and mean sea ice extent depicts different spatial pattern and may respond to a different set of climate forcings/parameters/indices. A significant impact of climate forcings/parameters/indices occurs over western Antarctic. In the northern hemisphere the increase in global mean temperature and atmospheric CO2 seems to be the major responsible for the reduction in sea ice extent.

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro / Recentes observações satelitais têm demonstrado um aumento na extensão total do gelo marinho Antártico e redução do gelo marinho no Ártico. Apesar destas constatações, no Oceano Sul análises regionais apontam tendências negativas nos mares de Bellingshausen-Amundsen e positivas no mar de Ross, enquanto que para o Ártico ocorrer uma redução uniforme do gelo marinho. Neste estudo, foi realizada uma análise multivariada para identificar as mudanças na extensão do gelo marinho Antártico e Ártico em resposta à variabilidade de um conjunto de forçantes/parâmetros/índices climáticos de reconhecida importância em escala global. Especificamente, as associações entre o gelo marinho e os parâmetros e forçantes climáticos foram examinadas através da correlação linear e da análise de agrupamento. Diferentes respostas em diferentes setores foram examinadas e discutidas. Os resultados indicam que a variabilidade do gelo marinho Antártico e Ártico é um fenômeno multivariado e que a extensão de gelo marinho mínima, média e máxima podem apresentar diferentes padrões espaciais e responderem a diferentes conjuntos de parâmetros e forçantes climáticos. Foi identificado um significativo impacto de forçantes/parâmetros/índices climáticos sobre o gelo marinho no Oeste Antártico. No hemisfério Norte o aumento da temperatura média global e do CO2 atmosférico são os principais responsáveis pela redução na extensão do gelo marinho. / Recent satellite observations have shown an increase in the total extent of Antarctic sea ice and a reduction of sea ice in the Arctic. Despite these findings, regional analyses in the Southern Ocean indicates negative trends in the Bellingshausen-Amundsen Sea and positive trends in the Ross Sea, while in the Arctic seems to occur a uniform reduction of sea ice. In this study, mutivariate analysis was performed to identify changes in Antarctic sea ice in response to changes in a set of climate forcings/parameters/indices. More specifically, the relationships between sea ice and climate forcings and parameters were examined by linear correlation and cluster analysis. Different responses in different sectors were examined and discussed. The findings indicate that Antarctic sea ice variability is a multivariate phenomenon and that the minimum, maximum, and mean sea ice extent depicts different spatial pattern and may respond to a different set of climate forcings/parameters/indices. A significant impact of climate forcings/parameters/indices occurs over western Antarctic. In the northern hemisphere the increase in global mean temperature and atmospheric CO2 seems to be the major responsible for the reduction in sea ice extent.