Madden-Julian Oscillation

Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO), intraseasonal fluctuation of atmospheric pressure over the equatorial Indian and western Pacific oceans, named for American atmospheric scientists Roland Madden and Paul Julian in 1971. This phenomenon comes in the form of alternating cyclonic and anticyclonic regions that enhance and suppress rainfall, respectively, and flow eastward along the Equator. The MJO occurs every 40–50 or 30–60 days, and it can be detected in the winds that occur in the planetary boundary layer and the upper reaches of the troposphere. The MJO has the ability to influence monsoonal circulation and rainfall by adding moisture during its cyclonic (wet) phase and reducing convection during its anticyclonic (dry) phase. At the surface in monsoon regions, both dry and wet spells result. These periods may alternate locally on the order of two or more weeks per phase.