Numerical coupled model for the global atmosphere and the tropical Pacific

The climate produced in a 20-year integration of a coupled model for the general atmospheric circulation and the tropical Pacific is analyzed. The error in the simulated annual mean sea surface temperature (SST) is less than 1.5 degrees almost everywhere in the computational domain. The basic features of the observed distribution of the mixed layer depth and the structure and velocities of tropical currents are well reproduced by the model. The interannual variability of the model SST is similar to the observed variability in the central Pacific and is smaller than the observed variability near the eastern coast. The time variability of the model SST, with a dominant period of 2.5 years, is more regular than the observed variability. The simulated anomalies in the mixed layer depth and the lower tropospheric wind during El Nino events are close in value to observed anomalies. The teleconnection response of the atmospheric dynamics to El Nino is similar in structure to the observed response but has a somewhat smaller value.