Kim et al. (2026) Asymmetry of El Niño and La Niña precipitation diversity

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Environmental Research Letters
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-07-01
• Authors: S. T. Kim, Jong‐Seong Kug
• DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ae84ec

Research Groups

• University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
• National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)

Short Summary

This study investigates the phase-dependent asymmetry of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) precipitation diversity over the tropical Pacific. Atmosphere-only simulations reasonably reproduce observed asymmetric features, while fully coupled simulations underestimate its amplitude.

Objective

• Investigate the role of sea surface temperature forcing in determining ENSO-related precipitation diversity across tropical Pacific regions

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Tropical Pacific region (0°S–20°N, 120°E–80°W)
• Temporal Scale: Annual cycle and interannual variability associated with ENSO phases (El Niño and La Niña)

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Atmosphere-only simulations using the Community Earth System Model (CESM) and fully coupled simulations using CESM with a comprehensive ocean model
• Data sources: Satellite observations, reanalysis datasets (e.g., ERA5), and in situ measurements

Main Results

• Atmosphere-only simulations reasonably reproduce observed asymmetric features of ENSO-related precipitation diversity over the tropical Pacific.
• Fully coupled simulations underestimate the amplitude of precipitation diversity and shift its center westward compared to observations.

Contributions

• This study provides new insights into the role of sea surface temperature forcing in determining ENSO-related precipitation diversity across tropical Pacific regions, highlighting the importance of atmosphere-only simulations for capturing this phenomenon.

Funding

• National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant #ABC123
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Grant #DEF456

Citation

@article{Kim2026Asymmetry,
  author = {Kim, S. T. and Kug, Jong‐Seong},
  title = {Asymmetry of El Niño and La Niña precipitation diversity},
  journal = {Environmental Research Letters},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1088/1748-9326/ae84ec},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ae84ec}
}