It has been known for some time that various parts of the world’s climate system can become synchronised, for example the pattern of El Nino events in the Pacific can be linked with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). New research now purports to demonstrate that rather than simply being two climate signals that become coupled, it is the activity in the North Atlantic that is the driving force in the partnership. This finding could have important consequences because the North Atlantic is currently the location of the most rapid climatic changes on the planet so the changes that are occuring there could rapidly lead to other changes around the world. There is a short news item on this research in New Scientist, Issue 2695 (14 February 2009) .
Tim O'Hare 