Rectification of surface chlorophyll (Chl) concentration by the atmospheric intraseasonal variability is detected in a numerical biophysical ocean model when it is forced by composite Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) events. In addition to the shoaled mixed layer depth (MLD) previously reported, it is found that increased mean Chl by MJO forcing mostly co-occurs with shoaled isothermal depth (ITD) / nutrient isopleths and reduced barrier layer thickness (BLT).

The MJO modulation of sea surface chlorophyll-a (Chl) examined initially by Waliser et al. in Geophys Res Lett, (2005) is revisited with a significantly longer time-series of observations and a more systematic approach to characterizing the possible mechanisms underlying the MJO-Chl relationships. The MJO composite analysis of Chl and lead-lag correlations between Chl and other physical variables reveal regional variability of Chl and corresponding indicative temporal relationships among variables.