Using an Ocean-ENSO Teleconnection to Predict the California Current Zooplankton Population to 2-3 Months in Advance.

Abstract:

Past analysis of California Current satellite sea surface height (SSH) and in situ measurements of dynamic height has shown that most of the interannual and decadal dynamics of the California Current region is observed to be governed by long non-dispersive Rossby waves that propagate westward from the coast. These waves are of equatorial origin and are well-described by a first vertical mode Rossby wave with zero bottom pressure. Since this large-scale signal propagates seaward from the coast, monthly San Diego sea level anomalies can be used to predict the logarithm of the zooplankton population about 2-3 months in advance. Here we will examine this dynamics in further detail and discuss how it can be used in practice to predict other climatic variability.