@maksimovich (February 18, 2012 at 3:37 pm)
From your Vecchio, Capparelli, & Carbone (2010) lead, tracked this down:
Stine, A.R.; Huybers, P.; & Fung, I.Y. (2009). Changes in the phase of the annual cycle of surface temperature. Nature 457, 435-441. doi:10.1038/nature07675.
http://www.seas.harvard.edu/climate/seminars/pdfs/Stine_2009.pdf
They’re looking at an interesting problem, but they’re way off-track. I think some readers here will find their reference to IPCC model failings interesting, even if those readers have little or no interest in actually lifting a finger to help better understand & appreciate natural variability.