The motivation of this observational study is to provide a comprehensive analysis of ocean-atmosphere interaction in the Southern Ocean, with an emphasis on the relationships between the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) and observed variations in Southern Ocean sea-surface temperatures (SSTs). Lagged and contemporaneous relationships between SSTs and the SAM are examined on both monthly and weekly time scales. A complete diagnosis of the physical mechanisms that underlie the observed relationships is also provided. The implications of the results for large scale Southern Hemisphere SST variability and for observed trends in the Southern Ocean are discussed.Pages: 1253-125
