Time Lags Between El Niño Southern Oscillation and Wave Energy Fluxes along the Caribbean Coast of Northern South America

Abstract:

Teleconnections play a fundamental role in wave climate variability, thus influencing long term morphodynamics of nearshore environments. Recent studies suggest that wave energy variability in the Caribbean Sea depends on El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Although there is some clarity in this dependency, the time lag between the onset of ENSO and subsequent waves response is still not well known. Here, we quantify the coherence between modeled wave energy fluxes and the Oceanic Niño Index along the Caribbean coast of Colombia to analyze the time lags between the signals. Preliminary results show the phase lag varies in time, sometimes exhibiting and in-phase behavior during positive ENSO periods. Given this variable response, our approach may contribute to the development of early-warning systems of high energy wave events along the Caribbean coast of Northern South America.