The CLIVAR C20C project: which components of the Asian–Australian monsoon circulation variations are forced and reproducible?

A multi-model set of atmospheric simulations forced by historical sea surface temperature (SST) or SSTs plus Greenhouse gases and aerosol forcing agents for the period of 1950–1999 is studied to identify and understand which components of the Asian–Australian monsoon (A–AM) variability are forced and reproducible. The analysis focuses on the summertime monsoon circulations, comparing model results against the observations. The priority of different components of the A–AM circulations in terms of reproducibility is evaluated. Among the subsystems of the wide A–AM, the South Asian monsoon and the Australian monsoon circulations are better reproduced than the others, indicating they are forced and well modeled. The primary driving mechanism comes from the tropical Pacific. The western North Pacific monsoon circulation is also forced and well modeled except with a slightly lower reproducibility due to its delayed response to the eastern tropical Pacific forcing. The simultaneous driving comes from the western Pacific surrounding the maritime continent region. The Indian monsoon circulation has a moderate reproducibility, partly due to its weakened connection to June–July–August SSTs in the equatorial eastern Pacific in recent decades. Among the A–AM subsystems, the East Asian summer monsoon has the lowest reproducibility and is poorly modeled. This is mainly due to the failure of specifying historical SST in capturing the zonal land-sea thermal contrast change across the East Asia. The prescribed tropical Indian Ocean SST changes partly reproduce the meridional wind change over East Asia in several models. For all the A–AM subsystem circulation indices, generally the MME is always the best except for the Indian monsoon and East Asian monsoon circulation indices.     

赤道西太平洋-印度洋海温异常对亚洲夏季风的影响

本文采用了p-σ五层原始方程模式模拟并研究了赤道西太平洋-印度洋海温距平场对亚洲夏季风的影响,计算了四种不同的海温距平试验方案。试验结果表明赤道西太平洋海温正距平使对流层下层的印度低压明显加强,副高北挺,季风槽加深,同时加强了对流层上层的反气旋环流。赤道西印度洋暖海温的模拟结果与赤道西太平洋暖海温对上述系统的影响相反,而赤道西印度洋冷海温对季风环流的影响与赤道西太平洋暧海温的影响一致。试验进一步表明赤道西太平洋-印度洋海温距平的纬向梯度方向对亚洲夏季风的影响是主要的,这一结论与实际观测结果一致。本文进一步讨论了赤道海温距平对越赤道气流、印度洋赤道东-西纬向环流和非绝热加热场的影响,结果都表明赤道西太平洋海温正距平和赤道西印度洋海温负距平的模拟特征与反El Nino年亚洲夏季环流特征类似,而赤道西印度洋海员正距平的模拟特征与El Nino年亚洲夏季坏流特征类似。     

东亚季风指数及其与大尺度热力环流年际变化关系

将东西向海平面气压差与低纬度高、低层纬向风切变相结合 ,定义了东亚季风指数 ,该季风指数较好地反映了东亚冬、夏季风变化。其中 ,夏季风指数年际异常对西太平洋副热带高压南北位置变化和长江中下游旱涝具有较强的反映能力。分析表明 :东亚夏季风年际变化与印度洋 -西太平洋上空反 Walker环流及夏季越赤道南北半球间的季风环流呈显著正相关关系。在强、弱异常东亚夏季风年份 ,异常的 Walker环流在西太平洋上的辐合 (辐散 )中心在垂直方向不重合 ,高层 ( 2 0 0 h Pa)速度势与东亚夏季风显著相关区域位于西北太平洋上 ,该异常环流的高层的辐合 (辐散 )通过改变低层空气质量而影响夏季 50 0 h Pa西北太平洋副热带高压。采用 SVD分析进一步发现 :与海温耦合的异常 Walker环流在西太平洋上空的上升支表现出南北半球关于赤道非对称结构 ,亚澳季风区受该异常 Walker环流控制。因而 ,东亚季风与热带海气相互作用可直接通过这种纬向非对称的 Walker环流发生联系。     

热带大气垂直环流对海表温度异常的响应——一个初步的理论分析

本文提出了一个β平面定常的线性二维模式,并考虑了海面边界层和赤道侧向边界层,讨论了热带海表温度异常对大气所产生的垂直环流——经向环流和纬向环流。结果表明:热带大洋东部(例如太平洋)海表温度比平均状态暖而西部较冷时,其上空经向环流(Hadley环流)比平均状态强,而纬向环流(如在太平洋上,称Walker环流)弱。相反,当热带大洋西部暖而东部冷时,经向环流减弱,纬向环流加强。这些是与观测事实比较一致的。     

春季赤道印度洋纬向-垂直环流的变化特征及其与Walker环流的关系

利用1951~2010年20CR（20th Century Reanalysis Version 2）再分析资料和NOAA海表温度资料研究了赤道印度洋纬向-垂直环流的季节性差异、变化特征及其与Walker环流的关系。本文首先分析了四个季节赤道印度洋上空纬向-垂直环流的结构特征,发现春季和秋季存在严格东西方向上的赤道印度洋纬向-垂直环流。随后,针对春季赤道印度洋纬向-垂直环流变化特征作进一步的分析,研究结果表明,春季纬向-垂直环流的强度及其变率在1951~2010年间持续增强,而该垂直环流的中心位置则表现出明显的年代际变化特征:1981年之前垂直环流的中心位置表现为向西移动,而在1981年后则转为向东移。春季赤道印度洋纬向-垂直环流与Walker环流之间的相关关系同样存在年代际转折,1981年之前两者之间并不存在显著的相关,而在1981年之后,两者之间的关系显著增强。不同年代际时段内赤道印度洋纬向-垂直环流与海温的关系也发生了明显的改变,1981~2010年赤道印度洋纬向-垂直环流主要受到前期和同期太平洋上的ENSO型海温信号的影响,而在此之前该垂直环流主要受到前期和同期赤道东印度洋海温的影响。     

Modulation of low frequency intraseasonal oscillations of northern summer monsoon by El Nino and Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

Summary In order to improve our understanding of the interannual variability of the 30–50 day oscillations of the northern summer monsoon, we have performed numerical experiments using a 5-level global spectral model (GSM). By intercomparing the GSM simulations of a control summer experiment (E1) and a warm ENSO experiment (E2) we have examined the sensitivity of the low frequency intraseasonal monsoonal modes to changes in the planetary scale component of the monsoon induced by anomalous heating in the equatorial eastern Pacific during a warm ENSO phase.It is found that the anomalous heating in the equatorial eastern Pacific induces circulation changes which correspond to weakening of the time-mean divergent planetary scale circulation in the equatorial western Pacific, weakening of the east-west Walker cell over the western Pacific ocean, weakening of the time-mean Reverse Hadley circulation (RHC) over the summer monsoon region and strengthening of the time-mean divergent circulation and the subtropical jet stream over the eastern Pacific and Atlantic oceans. These changes in the large scale basic flow induced by the anomalous heat source are found to significantly affect the propagation characteristics of the 30–50 day oscillations. It is noticed that the reduction (increase) in the intensity of the time-mean divergent circulation in the equatorial western (eastern) Pacific sectors produces weaker (stronger) low-level convergence as a result of which the amplitude of the eastward propagating 30–50 day divergent wave decreases (increases) in the western (eastern) Pacific sectors in E2. One of the striking aspects is that the eastward propagating equatorial wave arrives over the Indian longitudes more regularly in the warm ENSO experiment (E2). The GSM simulations reveal several small scale east-west cells in the longitudinal belt between 0–130°E in the E1 experiment. On the other hand the intraseasonal oscillations in E2 show fewer east-west cells having longer zonal scales. The stronger suppression of small scale east-west cells in E2 probably accounts for the greater regularity of the 30–50 day oscillations over the Indian longitudes in this case.The interaction between the monsoon RHC and the equatorial 30–50 day waves leads to excitation of northward propagating modes over the Indian subcontinent in both cases. It is found that the zonal wind perturbations migrate northward at a rate of about 0.8° latitude per day in E1 while they have a slightly faster propagation speed of about 1° latitude per day in E2. The low frequency monsoonal modes have smaller amplitude but possess greater regularity in E2 relative to E1. As the wavelet trains of low latitude anomalies progress northward it is found that the giant meridional monsoonal circulation (RHC) undergoes well-defined intraseasonal oscillations. The amplitude of the monsoon RHC oscillations are significantly weaker in E2 as compared to E1. But what is more important is that the RHC is found to oscillate rapidly with a period of 40 days in E1 while it executes slower oscillations of 55 days period in E2. These results support the observational findings of Yasunari (1980) who showed that the cloudiness fluctuations on the 30–60 day time scale over the Indian summer monsoon region are associated with longer periods during El Nino years. The oscillations of the monsoon RHC show an enhancement of the larger scale meridional cells and also a stronger suppression of the smaller scale cells in E2 relative to E1 which seems to account for the slower fluctuations of the monsoon RHC in the warm ENSO experiment. It is also proposed that the periodic arrival of the eastward propagating equatorial wave over the Indian longitudes followed by a stronger inhibition of the smaller meridional scales happen to be the two primary mechanisms that favour steady and regular northward propagation of intraseasonal transients over the Indian subcontinent in the warm ENSO experiment (E2). This study clearly demonstrates that the presence of E1 Nino related summertime SST anomalies and associated convection anomalies in the tropical central and eastern Pacific are favourable criteria for the detection and prediction of low frequency monsoonal modes over India.With 11 Figures     

Pacific Walker Circulation variability in coupled and uncoupled climate models

There is still considerable uncertainty concerning twentieth century trends in the Pacific Walker Circulation (PWC). In this paper, observational datasets, coupled (CMIP5) and uncoupled (AGCM) model simulations, and additional numerical sensitivity experiments are analyzed to investigate twentieth century changes in the PWC and their physical mechanisms. The PWC weakens over the century in the CMIP5 simulations, but strengthens in the AGCM simulations and also in the observational twentieth century reanalysis (20CR) dataset. It is argued that the weakening in the CMIP5 simulations is not a consequence of a reduced global convective mass flux expected from simple considerations of the global hydrological response to global warming, but is rather due to a weakening of the zonal equatorial Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) gradient. Further clarification is provided by additional uncoupled atmospheric general circulation model simulations in which the ENSO-unrelated and ENSO-related portions of the observed SST changes are prescribed as lower boundary conditions. Both sets of SST forcing fields have a global warming trend, and both sets of simulations produce a weakening of the global convective mass flux. However, consistent with the strong role of the zonal SST gradient, the PWC strengthens in the simulations with the ENSO-unrelated SST forcing, which has a strengthening zonal SST gradient, despite the weakening of the global convective mass flux. Overall, our results suggest that the PWC strengthened during twentieth century global warming, but also that this strengthening was partly masked by a weakening trend associated with ENSO-related PWC variability.     

North African climate variability. Part 1: Tropical thermocline coupling

Summary Tropical ocean thermocline variability is studied using gridded data assimilated by an ocean model in the period 1950–2000. The dominant patterns and variability are identified using EOF analysis applied to E–W depth slices of sea temperatures averaged over the tropics. After removing the annual cycle, an east–west ‘see-saw’ with an interannual to decadal rhythm is the leading mode in each of the tropical basins. In the case of the leading mode in the Pacific, the thermocline oscillation forms a dipole structure, but in the (east) Atlantic and (southwest) Indian Ocean there is a single center of action. The interaction of the ocean thermocline and atmospheric Walker circulations is studied through cross-modulus analysis of wavelet-filtered EOF time scores. Our study demonstrates how tropical ocean thermocline variability contributes to zonal circulation anomalies in the atmosphere. The equatorial Pacific thermocline oscillation explains 62 and 53% of the variability of the Pacific and Atlantic zonal overturning circulations, the latter driving convective polarity between North Africa and South America. The Pacific sea-saw leads the Atlantic zonal circulation by a few months.     

Intercomparison of the seasonal cycle of tropical surface stress in 17 AMIP atmospheric general circulation models

 The mean state of the tropical atmosphere is important as the nature of the coupling between the ocean and the atmosphere depends nonlinearly on the basic state of the coupled system. The simulation of the annual cycle of the tropical surface wind stress by 17 atmospheric general circulation models (AGCMs) is examined and intercompared. The models considered were part of the Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP) and were integrated with observed sea surface temperature (SST) for the decade 1979–1988. Several measures have been devised to intercompare the performance of the 17 models on global tropical as well as regional scales. Within the limits of observational uncertainties, the models under examination simulate realistic tropical area-averaged zonal and meridional annual mean stresses. This is a noteworthy improvement over older generation low resolution models which were noted for their simulation of surface stresses considerably weaker than the observations. The models also simulate realistic magnitudes of the spatial distribution of the annual mean surface stress field and are seen to reproduce realistically its observed spatial pattern. Similar features are observed in the simulations of the annual variance field. The models perform well over almost all the tropical regions apart from a few. Of these, the simulations over Somali are interesting. Over this region, the models are seen to underestimate the annual mean zonal and meridional stresses. There is also wide variance between the different models in simulating these quantities. Large model-to-model variations were also seen in the simulations of the annual mean meridional stress field over equatorial Indian Ocean, south central Pacific, north east Pacific and equatorial eastern Pacific oceans. It is shown that the systematic errors in simulating the surface winds are related to the systematic errors in simulating the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) in its location and intensity. Weaker than observed annual mean southwesterlies simulated by most models over Somali is due to weaker than observed southwesterlies during the Northern Hemisphere summer. This is related to the weaker than observed land precipitation simulated by most models during the Northern Hemisphere summer. The diversity in simulation of the surface wind over Somali and equatorial Indian ocean is related to the diversity of AGCMs in simulating the precipitation zones in these regions. Received: 2 August 1996 / Accepted: 7 February 1997     

夏季海洋性大陆区域气候与赤道太平洋中部型海温异常的直接和间接联系

利用1979-2015年NCEP/NCAR月平均再分析资料、美国国家海洋和大气管理局（NOAA）的月平均降水资料（CMAP）以及英国哈得来中心海表温度月平均资料,采用2009年Kao等定义的中部型ENSO指数,给出了夏季中部型海表温度（SST）异常指数,并分析了中部型ENSO和海洋性大陆（MC）区域气候的联系。结果表明,当夏季中部型海表温度正异常事件发生时,海洋性大陆核心区域（中太平洋）出现显著降水和气温负（正）异常,此时海洋性大陆核心区域有明显的负（正）热源异常,大气受冷却（加热）而下沉（上升）,同时潜热释放之外的非绝热加热表现为负（正）异常,易于导致降水负（正）异常。海洋性大陆区域与中太平洋间主要通过水平环流和垂直环流建立联系。（1）中部型ENSO指数显著正异常时,在对流层低（高）层,海洋性大陆区域和中太平洋间存在由关于赤道的对称气旋性（反气旋性）环流对而形成的直接联系,并使得海洋性大陆区域东部辐散（辐合）偏弱,而海洋性大陆区域西部辐散（辐合）偏强。（2）在垂直剖面上,赤道中太平洋海表温度的正异常和海洋性大陆核心区域的大气异常冷却有利于促使该地区低层赤道西风异常增强并进而利于中部型海表温度正异常的维持,并由此通过反沃克环流圈促进海洋性大陆区域下沉运动增强。此为海洋性大陆与中太平洋间的直接联系,可由皮叶克尼斯机制进行解释。而位于中太平洋与秘鲁地区的异常垂直环流亦可用这一机制进行解释。海洋性大陆与中太平洋的间接联系主要表现在由赤道外低纬和中纬度地区均存在的沿弧形路径上的垂直环流而建立的海洋性大陆与中太平洋地区的联系上。这些弧形垂直剖面上的垂直环流不仅与局地哈得来环流有关,还与热带和中纬度的罗斯贝波动有关。这些结果有利于深刻认识中部型ENSO对海洋性大陆区域气候的影响机理以及与热带外环流异常的联系。     

Evaluating the formation mechanisms of the equatorial Pacific SST warming pattern in CMIP5 models

Based on the historical and RCP8.5 runs of the multi-model ensemble of 32 models participating in CMIP5, the present study evaluates the formation mechanisms for the patterns of changes in equatorial Pacific SST under global warming.Two features with complex formation processes, the zonal El Ni ?no-like pattern and the meridional equatorial peak warming(EPW), are investigated. The climatological evaporation is the main contributor to the El Ni ?no-like pattern, while the ocean dynamical thermostat effect plays a comparable negative role. The cloud–shortwave-radiation–SST feedback and the weakened Walker circulation play a small positive role in the El Ni ?no-like pattern. The processes associated with ocean dynamics are confined to the equator. The climatological evaporation is also the dominant contributor to the EPW pattern, as suggested in previous studies. However, the effects of some processes are inconsistent with previous studies. For example,changes in the zonal heat advection due to the weakened Walker circulation have a remarkable positive contribution to the EPW pattern, and changes in the shortwave radiation play a negative role in the EPW pattern.     

Zonal and meridional circulations in the equatorialzone as deduced from the divergence field of the surface wind

The zonal and meridional circulations and their variability are examined on the basis of the surface wind data for 1950-1979. The climatological mean zonal wind and its divergence are examined in reference to the Walker Circulation. The role played by the meridional circulation in contributing to convergence of the surface wind field within the equatorial zone is emphasized. Regression coefficients are used to infer seasonal mean anomalies of divergence of the surface wind in years when the sea level pressure is 1 hPa above normal at Darwin, a condition representative of El Nino events. It is shown that anomalies in the divergence associated with the meridional wind component are primarily responsible for the heavy precipitation in the Central Pacific, while the anomalous divergence associated with the zonal wind component may cause the drought in the Western Pacific near Indonesia. A similar pattern of divergence anomalies is evident during three consecutive seasons beginning in northern summer and ending in northern winter. The reinforcement of the Hadley Circulation during El Nino episodes is noted. It is shown that the circulations over the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean are relatively uncorrelated. The interrelation between the dipole anticyclones and the meridional cir-culation over the central Pacific is discussed.     

冬夏季节热带副热带OLR场的遥相关分析

本文利用NOAA13年月平均格点资料分析了冬夏热带副热带射出长波辐射(OLR)的气候特征及其遥相关结构。结果表明,OLR场的高低值带有明显的季节变动,低值带中心从冬至夏由赤道西太平洋地区向西北移至孟加拉湾,高值带从冬至夏北移约10—15个纬度,但东南太平洋高值区的位置无明显季节变动。 遥相关结构分析表明,冬夏季节OLR场分别有8个遥相关关键区,它们之间存在着较强的同时性遥相关联系。冬季遥相关型主要由位于赤道低纬度“印度洋—西太平洋—东太平洋—大西洋”的纬向2波式遥相关和在太平洋中部、东亚地区,南北半球副热带与赤道地区的经向负遥相关型组成。夏季OLR遥相关关键区主要分布在孟加拉湾至赤道西太平洋、东太平洋与低纬度大西洋和中纬度东亚沿海与北美大陆,构成低纬度和中纬度两类纬向正遥相关型。进一步分析发现,冬夏OLR遥相关型的年际变化较好地揭示了OLR场异常与ENSO、低纬度Walker、Hadley环流等海—气系统异常的整体联系。      

冬/夏季热带太平洋与印度洋海表温度年际异常关系的年代际变化

利用NCEP/NCAR再分析资料、全球海温海冰GISST 2.3b资料, 用EOF技术分析了热带太平洋海表温度的年际异常 (SSTA) 变化特征表明:可用Ni?o3指数表示热带太平洋SSTA, 并用该指数来讨论热带太平洋、热带印度洋SSTA间的关系。分季节分析表明:冬季Ni?o3指数与热带印度洋SSTA间的关系表现为热带印度洋整体相关系数为正的单极形态, 且1976年以后两者的关系减弱, 其原因是冬季为ENSO事件的盛期, 另外, 冬季西太平洋暖水区东移导致太平洋Walker环流上升支强盛处的东移, 造成两洋的垂直纬向环流耦合减弱。夏季两者关系表现为偶极形态 (热带西印度洋与Ni?o3指数同相变化, 热带东印度洋则相反), 但1976年以后两者的关系有所加强, 是因为夏季为偶极子盛期, 也是ENSO事件的发展期, 同时夏季西太平洋暖水区东移并未引起太平洋Walker环流上升支强盛处的明显东移, 且印度洋季风环流、太平洋Walker环流的上升支强盛处的强度增大了, 造成两洋的垂直纬向环流耦合更强烈。即1976年以后, 冬季热带两洋SSTA间的关系减弱了, 而夏季两者关系则变得更密切。     

The summer monsoon of 1988

Summary Time averaged, monthly mean fields of a number of climate parameters such as sea surface temperature anomalies, outgoing longwave radiation anomalies, 200 mb velocity potential field, streamfunction anomaly at the lower and the upper troposphere and percentage rainfall amounts are presented, for the summer of 1988 over the regions of Asian summer monsoon. Above normal rainfall occurred over most of the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia and eastern China during 1988. In comparison, 1987 was a drought year. This paper presents a comparison of some of the salient aforementioned parameters. The evolution of the planetary scale divergent motions and the streamfunction anomaly exhibit prominent differences during the life cycle of the monsoon in these two years. The velocity potential field exhibits a pronounced planetary scale geometry with the divergent outflows emanating from the monsoon region during 1988. The descending branches of these time averaged circulations are found over the Atlantic ocean to the west and over the eastern Pacific and North America to the east. The immense size of this circulation is indicative of an above normal monsoon activity. During 1987, the outflow center was located much further to the southeast over the western Pacific ocean. The longitudinal extent of the monsoonal divergent circulations were much smaller in 1987.The positive sea surface temperature anomaly of the El Nino year 1987 is seen to move westwards to the western Pacific in 1988, a warm anomaly also appears over the eastern equatorial Indian ocean and the Bay of Bengal at this time. The latter contributes to the supply of moisutre during the active monsoon season of 1988. The outgoing long wave radiation anomalies evolve with a westward propagation of strong positive anomalies from the central Pacific ocean consistent with the evolution of divergent circulation. The streamfunction anomalies basically show westerly zonal wind anomalies being replaced by easterly anomalies during 1988 over the upper troposphere of the monsoon region.The lower tropospheric streamfunction anomaly during the drought year 1987 showed a pronounced counter monsoon circulation. That feature was absent in 1988.With 11 Figures     

A NUMERICAL STUDY FOR THE EFFECT OF TROPICAL 40-50 DAY OSCILLATION ON ASIAN SUMMER MONSOON

By using a five-layer primitive equation model with P-sigma coordinates,the effect of convective heating source with the oscillation of a dipole pattern over the tropical Indian Ocean-Western Pacific on Asian summer monsoon is investigated.The results from simulations show that the oscillatary heating source may cause oscillations in east-west zonal circulation at the equator,in cross-equatorial flow,in meridional monsoon circulation and in the phase of high-low level circulation over Asia,with period same as that of the oscillating heat source.Furthermore,the influence mechanism of the tropical heating source associated with oscillations on Asian summer monsoon circulation is also studicd.It is clearly shown that the westward propagation of thermally-forced Rossy waves to the west of the oscillatary heating source and the northward propagation of disturbances can give rise to oscillations of the equatorial east-west zonal circulation and monsoonal meridional circulation.Finally,the oscillation of all the Asian summer monsoon circulation is formed.     

Delayed Atmospheric Temperature Response to ENSO SST： Role of High SST and the Western Pacific

Tropical zonally symmetric atmospheric warming occurs during ENSO’s warm phase, and lags the equa- torial east Pacific sea surface temperatures (SSTs) by 3–4 months. The role of the Indian and Atlantic oceans on the atmospheric delayed response has been pointed out by earlier studies. For 1951–2004, a regression analysis based on the observed SST data shows the western Pacific has a similarly important role as the Indian and Atlantic. Nevertheless, there is time mismatch of around 1–2 months between the zon...     

Impact of the Equatorial Atlantic on the El Ni?o Southern Oscillation

Observations indicate that the Atlantic zonal mode influences El Ni?o Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in the Pacific, as already suggested in previous studies. Here we demonstrate for the first time using partial coupled experiments that the Atlantic zonal mode indeed influences ENSO. The partial coupling experiments are performed by forcing the coupled general circulation model (ECHAM5/MPI-OM) with observed sea surface temperature (SST) in the Tropical Atlantic, but with full air-sea coupling allowed in the Pacific and Indian Ocean. The ensemble mean of a five member simulation reproduces the observational results well. Analysis of observations, reanalysis, and coupled model simulations all indicate the following mechanism: SST anomalies associated with the Atlantic zonal mode affect the Walker Circulation, driving westward wind anomalies over the equatorial Pacific during boreal summer. The wind stress anomalies increase the east-west thermocline slope and enhance the SST gradient across the Pacific; the Bjerknes positive feedback acts to amplify these anomalies favouring the development of a La Ni?a-like anomalies. The same mechanisms act for the cold phase of Atlantic zonal mode, but with opposite sign. In contrast to previous studies, the model shows that the influence on ENSO exists before 1970. Furthermore, no significant influence of the Tropical Atlantic on the Indian Monsoon precipitation is found in observation or model.     

A recipe for simulating the interannual variability of the Asian summer monsoon and its relation with ENSO

This study investigates how accurately the interannual variability over the Indian Ocean basin and the relationship between the Indian summer monsoon and the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) can be simulated by different modelling strategies. With a hierarchy of models, from an atmospherical general circulation model (AGCM) forced by observed SST, to a coupled model with the ocean component limited to the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans, the role of heat fluxes and of interactive coupling is analyzed. Whenever sea surface temperature anomalies in the Indian basin are created by the coupled model, the inverse relationship between the ENSO index and the Indian summer monsoon rainfall is recovered, and it is preserved if the atmospherical model is forced by the SSTs created by the coupled model. If the ocean model domain is limited to the Indian Ocean, changes in the Walker circulation over the Pacific during El-Niño years induce a decrease of rainfall over the Indian subcontinent. However, the observed correlation between ENSO and the Indian Ocean zonal mode (IOZM) is not properly modelled and the two indices are not significantly correlated, independently on season. Whenever the ocean domain extends to the Pacific, and ENSO can impact both the atmospheric circulation and the ocean subsurface in the equatorial Eastern Indian Ocean, modelled precipitation patterns associated both to ENSO and to the IOZM closely resemble the observations.     

CMIP5 simulated change in the intensity of the Hadley and Walker circulations from the perspective of velocity potential

Based on the simulations of 31 global models in CMIP5, the performance of the models in simulating the Hadley and Walker circulations is evaluated. In addition, their change in intensity by the end of the 21 st century(2080–2099) under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios, relative to 1986–2005, is analyzed from the perspective of 200 h Pa velocity potential.Validation shows good performance of the individual CMIP5 models and the multi-model ensemble mean(MME) in reproducing the meridional(zonal) structure and magnitude of Hadley(Walker) circulation. The MME can also capture the observed strengthening tendency of the winter Hadley circulation and weakening tendency of the Walker circulation. Such secular trends can be simulated by 39% and 74% of the models, respectively. The MME projection indicates that the winter Hadley circulation and the Walker circulation will weaken under both scenarios by the end of the 21 st century. The weakening amplitude is larger under RCP8.5 than RCP4.5, due to stronger external forcing. The majority of the CMIP5 models show the same projection as the MME. However, for the summer Hadley circulation, the MME shows little change under RCP4.5 and large intermodel spread is apparent. Around half of the models project an increase, and the other half project a decrease. Under the RCP8.5 scenario, the MME and 65% of the models project a weakening of the summer southern Hadley circulation.