• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

RealClimate

Climate science from climate scientists...

  • Start here
  • Model-Observation Comparisons
  • Miscellaneous Climate Graphics
  • Surface temperature graphics
You are here: Home / Extras / Glossary / Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (“AMO”) Oscillation Atlantique Multi-Décennale (“AMO”)

Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (“AMO”) Oscillation Atlantique Multi-Décennale (“AMO”)

28 Nov 2004 by group

A multidecadal (50-80 year timescale) pattern of North Atlantic ocean-atmosphere variability whose existence has been argued for based on statistical analyses of observational and proxy climate data, and coupled Atmosphere-Ocean General Circulation Model (“AOGCM”) simulations. This pattern is believed to describe some of the observed early 20th century (1920s-1930s) high-latitude Northern Hemisphere warming and some, but not all, of the high-latitude warming observed in the late 20th century. The term was introduced in a summary by Kerr (2000) of a study by Delworth and Mann (2000).
Mode de variabilité de l’océan et atmosphère de l’Atlantique Nord a l’échelle de temps multi-décennale (50 a 70 ans). Ce mode a été décrit sur la base d’analyses statistiques de données climatiques instrumentales et reconstruites par des proxies, ainsi que de simulations numériques de modèles couplés Océan-Atmosphère. Ce mode de variabilité contient une partie du réchauffement aux hautes latitudes de l’hémisphère Nord dans le début du 20ème siècle (années 1920-1930), et également en partie (mais pas tout) du réchauffement aux hautes latitudes observé a la fin du 20ème siècle. Ce terme a été employé pour la première fois par R.Kerr dans un résumé de l’étude de Delworth et Mann (2000).

Filed Under: Glossary

Primary Sidebar

Search

Search for:

Email Notification

get new posts sent to you automatically (free)
Loading

Recent Posts

  • Site updates etc.
  • Raising Climate Literacy
  • Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • High-resolution ‘fingerprint’ images reveal a weakening Atlantic Ocean circulation (AMOC)
  • Unforced variations: Oct 2025
  • “But you said the ice was going to disappear in 10 years!”

Our Books

Book covers
This list of books since 2005 (in reverse chronological order) that we have been involved in, accompanied by the publisher’s official description, and some comments of independent reviewers of the work.
All Books >>

Recent Comments

  • Mr. Know It All on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • Piotr on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • Atomsk's Sanakan on Raising Climate Literacy
  • Piotr on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • Tomáš Kalisz on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • Atomsk's Sanakan on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • Yebo Kandu on Raising Climate Literacy
  • Nigelj on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • Atomsk's Sanakan on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • Piotr on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • Piotr on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • Piotr on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • David on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • David on High-resolution ‘fingerprint’ images reveal a weakening Atlantic Ocean circulation (AMOC)
  • Tomáš Kalisz on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • David on High-resolution ‘fingerprint’ images reveal a weakening Atlantic Ocean circulation (AMOC)
  • zebra on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • Janne Sinkkonen on Site updates etc.
  • Geoff Miell on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • Richard Caldwell on High-resolution ‘fingerprint’ images reveal a weakening Atlantic Ocean circulation (AMOC)
  • Tomáš Kalisz on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • Tomáš Kalisz on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • Piotr on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • JCM on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • zebra on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • Atomsk's Sanakan on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • Pete Best on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • Piotr on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • Piotr on Unforced variations: Nov 2025
  • Thomas on Unforced variations: Nov 2025

Footer

ABOUT

  • About
  • Translations
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Page
  • Login

DATA AND GRAPHICS

  • Data Sources
  • Model-Observation Comparisons
  • Surface temperature graphics
  • Miscellaneous Climate Graphics

INDEX

  • Acronym index
  • Index
  • Archives
  • Contributors

Realclimate Stats

1,387 posts

11 pages

248,633 comments

Copyright © 2025 · RealClimate is a commentary site on climate science by working climate scientists for the interested public and journalists.