Which mechanism causes cyclical changes in surface sea temperature across the equatorial Pacific Ocean?

💡 Explanation

When trade winds weaken in the Pacific, the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) occurs because warm water accumulates in the eastern Pacific, suppressing upwelling and altering atmospheric circulation, leading to sea surface temperature changes. Therefore ENSO results, instead of thermohaline variations/upwelling which are related causes, or gyre changes which happen on wider geographical areas.

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