Investigation of the Interannual Variability of the Tropical Atlantic Ocean from Satellite Data

The interannual variability of the tropical Atlantic Ocean is analyzed from 1992 to 2011 using statistical decompositions of different satellite data such as altimetric series. Three regions of maximum variability are highlighted: a northern one, between 10 and 20 degrees N; a southern region, along 20 degrees S; and an equatorial region. This variability is due to both local and remote wind activity. The teleconnections with the tropical Pacific El NinoSouthern Oscillation indicate a possible connection of the tropical Atlantic between 10 and 20 degrees N with a 4-month delay, and in the Gulf of Guinea with a 16-month delay.