Atlantic Region Panel

About Us

Modes of Climate Variability in the Atlantic Sector. The figure on the right shows the path and strength of winter storms depending on the sign of the NAO; the location of tropical rainfal (determined by the ITCZ); and the transport of the ocean currents (MOC). Blue arrows:cold, deep currents; red arrows:warm surface currents (source: M. Visbeck, 2002; Science 297, 2223-2224).

Terms of Reference

The Terms of Reference of the Atlantic Region Panel are:

  1. Identify major emerging scientific issues related to research in Atlantic climate variability, climate change and climate predictability and foster research initiatives in Atlantic climate studies.
  2. Define the tools required to assess and understand climate variability, climate change and climate predictability of the ocean-atmosphere system within the Atlantic sector.
  3. Design a strategy to implement these methods, spanning observations, models, experiments and process studies.
  4. Provide scientific and technical input into the implementation in collaboration, if required and instrumental, with other CLIVAR panels and relevant programs
  5. Monitor and evaluate progress of the implementation
  6. Promote and enhance interactions among atmospheric sciences, oceanography, biogeochemistry and paleoclimate communities to further advance interdisciplinary Atlantic climate studies.
  7. Serve as a forum for the discussion and communication of scientific advances in the understanding of climate variability, predictability and change in the Atlantic region.
  8. Work with relevant agencies on the distribution and archiving of Atlantic Ocean observations.
  9. Respond to needs from stakeholders and facilitate the transfer of knowledge of science and applications with respect to Atlantic climate variability and predictability issues.
  10. Advise and report to the CLIVAR SSG on progress, achievements, new frontiers and impediments.

Associated and Endorsed activities

·Atlantic Ocean Blog (AOB)New! - A blog about the Atlantic Ocean - variability, predictability and change.

· Tropical Atlantic Observing System (TAOS) review – The TAOS review was organised by the CLIVAR ARP to evaluate scientific progress since the last review (2006) and recommend actions to advance sustained observing efforts in the tropical Atlantic.

· CLIVAR AMOC Task Team – The CLIVAR Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) task team provides international coordination for the AMOC community to facilitate collaboration and advance scientific understanding.

· CLIVAR Research Focus on Tropical Basin Interaction (TBI) – The research focus on TBI organised a workshop to provide an overview TBI science, identify knowledge gaps, and develop an experimental protocol for coordinated model sensitivity studies.

· CLIVAR-FIO Summer school on ‘Ocean Macroturbulence and its role in Earth’s Climate

· EUREC4A-OA / ATOMIC  - The CLIVAR endorsed Atlantic Tradewind Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Interaction Campaign (ATOMIC, US) and the Ocean-Atmosphere component of EUREC4A (EUREC4A-OA, Europe) initiatives took place during 6 weeks in January-February 2020 to address the Northwest Tropical Atlantic Ocean-atmosphere interactions at the mesoscale and their relation to the regional Oceanic Barrier Layers (OBL), air-sea interactions and atmospheric shallow-convection.

Atlantic Panel Members

Name Role Institute Country
Eleanor Frajka-Williams Co-Chair 2024 University of Hamburg Germany
Regina Rodrigues Co-Chair 2025 Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina Brazil
Gregory Foltz Member 2024 NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory USA
Tarron Lamont Member 2024 Oceans & Coastal Research South Africa
Ingo Richter Member 2024 Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology Japan
Jennifer Veicht Member 2025 South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON) South Africa
Tannecia Sydia Stephenson Member 2025 The University of the West Indies, Mona Jamaica
Laura Jackson Member 2025 Met Office UK
Olga Sato Member 2024 University of São Paulo Brazil
Dariia Atamanchuk Member 2024 Dalhousie University Canada
Penny Holliday Member 2026 National Oceanography Centre UK
Hyacinth Nnamchi Member 2026 GEOMAR Helmholz Centre for Ocean Research Germany
Aixue Hu Member 2026 NCAR USA

The ICPO contact for the CLIVAR Atlantic Region Panel is Jing Li.

Past activities

· Tropical Atlantic Climate Experiment (TACE) (2006-2011)  The TACE goal was to advance the understanding of coupled ocean-atmosphere processes and improve climate prediction for the tropical Atlantic region.

· See also recent EventsPublications and Resources.