Abstract
The variabilities of the western Pacific warm pool, including areas of the warm pool, positions
of the gravitational center, sea surface temperature anomalies, and sea surface height anomalies
are studied using Florida State University wind data. ERS -1,2, and NSCATscatterometer wind
data. Reynolds optimum interpolation and historical reconstructed sea surface temperature data,
and TOPEX/Poseidon sea surface height data.The relationship between the westerly wind forc
ing and corresponding sea surface height and sea surface temperature responses in the tropical
PacificOcean duringEl Ninoand other years are analyzed. Acommoncharacteristic for typical
El Nino events is found and explainedby the westerly wind pattern.Time-frequency analysis of
the Topex/Poseidon sea level deviation time series along the equator using the Empirical Mode
Decomposition-Hilbert Spectrum method is also performed.
