Question

What is meant by ‘Southern Oscillation’? State an important feature of it.

Answer 1

Hint: Oscillations are simply referred to as the to and fro movements around a centrally located point in a definite pattern. In terms of geography and oceanic Sciences, they are synonymous with the natural changes of certain parameters of the atmosphere over any region of the globe.

Complete step by step answer:
Over the eastern front of the Pacific Ocean, there occurs frequent alteration in the parameters like wind speed, the temperature at the sea-surface interface. These change the climatic conditions of the tropical and subtropical regions of the globe broadly. In a broader outlook, there is a phase of warming and a phase of cooling. The former is popularly known as El Nino whereas the latter is known by the name of La Nina. This event occurs periodically in an irregular fashion. Between the waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean, there occurs a fluctuation in the pressures created by surface air. This is observed every two to five years. The southern oscillation has an important feature which is its association with El Nino. El Nino is a phenomenon in which instead of cold Peruvian currents, an ocean current of warm temperatures blows across the Peruvian coast. We measure the strength of the southern oscillation by an index known as the Southern Oscillation Index. It is primarily the difference between the surface air pressures in Tahiti( Pacific Ocean) and Darwin( Indian Ocean)

Note: The term Southern Oscillation is used to describe nothing but a component of atmospheric nature associated with El Nino. This association is often described as El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)