Lab: Agricultural Consequences of the El Niño - Southern Oscillation Phenomenon
Summary The warm phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon is a warming of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean that occurs every 2 to 7 years, and lasts about 18 months. By upsetting normal patterns of atmospheric circulation, ENSO warm and cold phase events influence weather patterns in regions quite remote from the tropical Pacific Ocean. In these areas, critical and climate-sensitive industries such as agriculture could be adversely affected. One major goal of predicting and understanding ENSO is to be able to predict ENSO events before they happen. With this knowledge, we might be able to offset or mitigate their potentially damaging effects on the world's food supply. The purpose of this lab is to see why and how the warm phase of ENSO affects the climate of remotely located regions and their agricultural systems.