Statistical Characteristics of Southern Oscillation and its Barometric Pressure Data

The impacts of El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon on climate are widespread and extend far beyond the tropical Pacific. The phenomenon can be characterized by Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) which is derived from values of the monthly mean sea level pressure barometric difference between Tahiti and Darwin, Australia. Its best-known extreme is the El Nino event. In this study, general statistical characteristics of SOI and the data from which it is derived (i.e. mean sea level pressure data at Tahiti and Darwin) are presented as guidance when using SOI far other analyses. The characteristics include the availability of the barometric pressure data, statistics of monthly pressure data, correlation of SO intensity, frequency analysis of SOI by magnitude and by month (January-December), duration properties of SOI by run analysis.