Bipolar seesaw (Q348)
Subject, term, tag: Bipolar seesaw
- Bipolar seesaw (also inter-hemispheric seesaw, inter-hemispheric asymmetry, hemispheric asymmetry)
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Bipolar seesaw |
Subject, term, tag: Bipolar seesaw |
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Statements
IPCC Glossary v1.5
1 reference
27 May 2026
A phenomenon in which temperature changes in the Northern and Southern hemispheres are related but out of phase, generally inferred to represent a change in the magnitude or sign of net heat transport across the equator. Originally called hemispheric asymmetry and linked to changes in thermohaline overturning circulation on multi-millennial scales (Mix et al, 1986), later named bipolar seesaw and applied to millennial scales (Broecker, 1998) with a similar thermohaline mechanism (Stocker and Johnsen, 2003). (English)
IPCC Glossary v1.5
1 reference
27 May 2026