Meteorology and the Oceans

This lecture was presented on the occasion of the awarding of the Buys Ballot Medal to the author by the American Meteorological Society. It reviews the present incomplete knowledge of the influence of the oceans upon the atmosphere with regard to analysis, prediction, and climate problems. It concludes that an enhanced observational system over the world oceans is needed to satisfy the requirements for reliable analyses and predictions. The observational system may, in the future, be obtained through a combination of ships of opportunity, a network of floating buoys, and satellite measurements. A sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) located in low latitudes appears to have a pronounced influence on the circulation pattern in high latitudes; a SSTA located in middle and high latitudes seems to have an influence on the circulation, but it appears difficult to draw firm conclusions because of the low signal-to-noise ratio for realistic values of the temperature anomaly. The oceans form a vital part in the climate system and should be observed, in some detail, in order to increase the possibility of formulating realistic climate models.