海表温度异常影响东亚夏季风年代际变化的数值模拟

采用1950-2000年逐月观测的不同海域(全球、热带外、热带、热带印度洋-太平洋、热带印度洋及热带太平洋)海表温度分别驱动NCAR CAM3全球大气环流模式,进行了多组长时间积分试验,对比ERA-40和NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,讨论了这些海域海表温度异常对东亚夏季风年代际变化的影响。数值试验结果表明:全球、热带、热带印度洋-太平洋和热带太平洋海表温度变化对东亚夏季风的年代际变化具有重要作用,均模拟出了东亚夏季风在20世纪70年代中后期发生的年代际减弱现象,以及强、弱夏季风年代夏季大气环流异常分布的显著不同,这与观测结果较一致,表明热带太平洋是影响东亚夏季风此次年代际变化的关键海区;利用热带印度洋海表温度驱动模式模拟出的东亚夏季风在20世纪70年代中后期发生年代际增强现象,即当热带印度洋海表温度年代际偏暖(冷)时,东亚夏季风年代际增强(减弱),与热带太平洋海表温度变化对东亚夏季风年代际变化的影响相反;热带太平洋海表温度年代际背景的变化对东亚夏季风在20世纪70年代中后期的年代际减弱有重要作用。     

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF SSTA IMPACTS UPON THE INTERDECADAL VARIATION OF THE CROSS-EQUATORIAL FLOWS IN EASTERN HEMISPHERE

Impacts of regional sea surface temperature(SST)anomalies on the interdecadal variation of the cross-equatorial flows(CEFs)in Eastern Hemisphere are studied using numerical simulations with a global atmospheric circulation model(NCAR CAM3)driven with 1950-2000 monthly SSTs in different marine areas(the globe,extratropics,tropics,tropical Indian Ocean-Pacific,and tropical Pacific)and ERA-40reanalysis data.Results show that all simulations,except the one driven with extratropical SSTs,can simulate the interdecadal strengthening of CEFs around Somali,120oE,and 150oE that occurred in the midand late-1970s.Among those simulated CEFs,the interdecadal variability in Somali and its interdecadal relationship with the East Asian summer monsoon are in better agreement with the observations,suggesting that changes in the SSTs of tropical oceans,especially the tropical Pacific,play a crucial role in the interdecadal variability of CEFs in Somali.The interdecadal change of CEFs in Somali is highly associated with the interdecadal variation of tropical Pacific SST.As the interdecadal warmer(colder)SST happens in the tropical Pacific,a"sandwich"pattern of SST anomalies,i.e."+,-,+"("-,+,-"),will occur in the eastern tropical Pacific from north to south with a pair of anomalous anticyclone(cyclone)at the lower troposphere;the pair links to another pair of anomalous cyclone(anticyclone)in the tropical Indian Ocean through an atmospheric bridge,and thus strengthens(weakens)the CEFs in Somali.     

热带印度洋和太平洋增暖对东亚夏季风趋势的相反影响

利用多成员集合试验结果,比较分析了热带印度洋和太平洋增暖各自对东亚夏季风趋势变化的影响。试验所用模式是GFDLAM2大气环流模式,增暖是通过在气候平均海洋表面温度（SST）基础上,叠加随时间线性增加的、相当于实际50a左右达到的SST异常来实现的。结果表明：热带印度洋和太平洋共同增暖有使东亚夏季风减弱的趋势。相比较而言,单独印度洋增暖有使东亚夏季风增强、华北降水增多的趋势,而单独太平洋增暖有使东亚夏季风减弱的趋势,即印度洋增暖与太平洋增暖对东亚夏季风存在相反的、竞争性影响。进一步分析指出,热带太平洋特别是热带中东太平洋的增温可能对20世纪70年代末期开始的夏季风年代际减弱有更重要的贡献;在未来热带印度洋和太平洋持续增暖、但增暖强度纬向差异减小的新情况下,东亚夏季风减弱的趋势可能还将持续。     

太平洋—日本遥相关型的年代际变化特征及其成因

本文首先利用NCEP/NCAR和ERA-40再分析资料以及中国753站降水资料对太平洋—日本(Pacific-Japan,简称P-J)遥相关型在上世纪70年代末期气候突变前后的年代际变化特征进行了分析研究。结果表明,在气候突变前后,P-J遥相关型的位置发生了显著的变化,气候突变以后其位置明显向西向南偏移。这种位置的变化同样也反映在纬向风场、高度场上。研究结果还表明,气候突变前后P-J遥相关型的年代际变化与热带太平洋和印度洋海温变化有关。气候突变之前,P-J遥相关型的变化与前期热带太平洋和印度洋海温不存在显著的相关;但在气候突变之后,P-J遥相关型与前期冬春季的热带太平洋、印度洋海温之间存在大范围的显著相关区。这种P-J遥相关型与热带太平洋、印度洋海温相关关系的年代改变可能与1970年代中期以后赤道中东太平洋海温变化振幅明显增强有关。随后,本文采用一个高分辨率的大气环流模式,通过一系列的数值试验也进一步证实了1970年代末期热带太平洋和印度洋海温的年代际变化确实可致使P-J遥相关型位置发生相应的改变。     

Phase transition of the Pacific decadal oscillation and decadal variation of the East Asian summer monsoon in the 20th century

This paper focuses on the relationship between the phase transition of the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) and decadal variation of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) in the twentieth century. The first transition occurred in the 1940s, with an enhanced SST in the North Pacific and reduced SST in the tropical eastern Pacific and South Indian Ocean. In agreement with these SST changes, a higher SLP was found in most parts of the Pacific, while a lower SLP was found in the North Pacific and most parts of the Indian Ocean. In this case, the EASM was largely enhanced with a southerly anomaly in the lower troposphere along the east coast of China. Correspondingly, there was less rainfall in the Yangtze River valley and more rainfall in northern and southern China. An opposite change was found when the PDO reversed its phase in the late 1970s. In the tropical Indian Ocean and western Pacific, however, the SST was enhanced in both the 1940s and 1970s. As a result, the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) tended to extend westward with a larger magnitude in the 1970s. The major features were reasonably reproduced by an atmospheric general circulation model (IAP AGCM4.0) prescribed with observed SST and sea ice. On the other hand, the westward extension of the WPSH was exaggerated in the 1970s, while it was underestimated in the 1940s. Besides, the spatial pattern of the simulated summer rainfall in eastern China tended to shift southward compared with the observation.     

Responses of East Asian summer monsoon to historical SST and atmospheric forcing during 1950–2000

The East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) circulation and summer rainfall over East China have experienced large decadal changes during the latter half of the 20th century. To investigate the potential causes behind these changes, a series of simulations using the national center for atmospheric research (NCAR) community atmospheric model version 3 (CAM3) and the geophysical fluid dynamics laboratory (GFDL) atmospheric model version 2.1 (AM2.1) are analyzed. These simulations are forced separately with different historical forcing, namely tropical sea surface temperature (SSTs), global SSTs, greenhouse gases plus aerosols, and a combination of global SSTs and greenhouse gases plus aerosols. This study focuses on the relative roles of these individual forcings in causing the observed monsoon and rainfall changes over East Asia during 1950–2000. The simulations from both models show that the SST forcing, primarily from the Tropics, is able to induce most of the observed weakening of the EASM circulation, while the greenhouse gas plus (direct) aerosol forcing increases the land-sea thermal contrast and thus enhances the EASM circulation. The results suggest that the recent warming in the Tropics, especially the warming associated with the tropical interdecadal variability centered over the central and eastern Pacific, is a primary cause for the weakening of the EASM since the late 1970s. However, a realistic simulation of the relatively small-scale rainfall change pattern over East China remains a challenge for the global models.     

THE INTERDECADAL VARIATION OF THE SOUTH ASIAN HIGH AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH THE SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE OF TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL REGIONS

This study aims to explore the interdecadal variation of South Asian High (SAH) and its relationship with SST (Sea surface temperature) of the tropical and subtropical regions by using the NCEP/NCAR monthly reanalysis data from 1948 to 2012, based on the NCAR CAM 3.0 general circulation model. The results show that: 1) the intensity of SAH represents a remarkable interdecadal variation characteristic, the intensity of SAH experienced from weak to strong at the late 1970s, and after the late 1970s , its strength is enhanced and the area is expanded in the east-west direction. The expansion degree is greater westward than eastward, while it is opposite in summer. 2) Corresponding to the interdecadal variation of SAH intensity, after the late 1970s, the divergent component of wind field has two ascending and three descending areas. Of the two ascending areas, one is located in the East Pacific, the other location varies with the season from the Indian Ocean in winter to the South China Sea and West Pacific in summer. Three descending areas are located in the north-central Africa, the East Asia and the Middle Pacific region respectively. 3) Corresponding to the interdecadal variation of SAH intensity, the rotational component of wind field at the lower level is an anomalous cyclone over the South China Sea and West Pacific in summer, while in winter, it is an anomalous cyclone over the Indian Ocean, and an anomalous anticyclone over the equatorial Middle Pacific. 4) Numerical simulations show that the interdecadal variation of SAH is closely related to the SST of the tropical and subtropical regions. The SST of Indian Ocean plays an important role in winter, while in summer, the SST of the South China Sea and West Pacific plays an important role, and the SST of the East Pacific also plays a certain role.     

Impact of global SST on decadal shift of East Asian summer climate

East Asia experienced a significant interdecadal climate shift around the late 1970s, with more floods in the valley of the Yangtze River of central-eastern China and more severe drought in North China since then. Whether global SST variations have played a role in this shift is unclear. In the present study, this issue is investigated by ensemble experiments of an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM), the GFDL AM2, since one validation reveals that the model simulates the observed East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM) well. The results suggest that decadal global SST variations may have played a substantial role in this climate shift. Further examination of the associated atmospheric circulation shows that these results are physically reasonable.     

Decadal-scale climate variability in the tropical and North Pacific during the 1970s and 1980s: observations and model results

An abrupt change in the large-scale boreal winter circulation pattern over the North Pacific was observed during the mid-1970s. Most notably, this change was marked by a southward shift and intensification of the Aleutian Low and prevailing westerlies over the mid-latitude central and eastern Pacific. Associated changes in diverse North Pacific climatological, hydrological, and biological variables have been noted by numerous researchers. Intriguingly, the timing of these changes in the extra-tropical circulation was coincident with a shift in the background state of the coupled ocean-atmosphere system over the tropical Pacific. These changes include increases in SST over broad regions of the central and eastern tropical Pacific and an eastward displacement of the region of persistent convection in the western Pacific. This paper presents a variety of observed data and model results to describe the climate shift, and to understand some of the links within the coupled climate system that produced it. Five main findings are emphasized: (1) evidence of abrupt, simultaneous, and apparently related changes can be found in many fields and in many model results; the climate shift is not an artifact, (2) over the tropical Pacific the climate change represents a shift in the state of the coupled ocean-atmosphere system, some aspects of which resemble features associated with El Niño episodes. However, the shift in state is not well characterized as due to a change in the frequency of intensity of El Ni~no episodes; it is better described as a change in background mean state, (3) when forced with observed SSTs, both a very simple atmospheric model and a full general circulation model (GCM) qualitatively simulate aspects of the decadal-scale shift over the tropical Pacific, (4) when forced with observed surface wind stress, two ocean models of the tropical Pacific, in which surface heat fluxes are parameterized as Newtonian damping, reproduce some aspects of the near-equatorial decadal SST signal. However, the models do not reproduce the large changes in SST observed at higher latitudes of the tropical Pacific, suggesting that altered surface heat fluxes dominated in producing these changes, and (5) an important new finding of this study is the success of a GCM in reproducing important aspects of the observed mid-1970s shift in winter northern hemisphere circulation. Comparative analyses of the observed and GCM simulated circulation suggest the altered patterns of tropical Pacific SST and convection were important in forcing the changes in the mid-latitude circulation, a finding corroborated by recent GCM experiments.     

Multidecadal-to-centennial SST variability in the MPI-ESM simulation ensemble for the last millennium

We assess the responses of North Atlantic, North Pacific, and tropical Indian Ocean Sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs) to natural forcing and their linkage to simulated global surface temperature (GST) variability in the MPI-Earth System Model simulation ensemble for the last millennium. In the simulations, North Atlantic and tropical Indian Ocean SSTs show a strong sensitivity to external forcing and a strong connection to GST. The leading mode of extra-tropical North Pacific SSTs is, on the other hand, rather resilient to natural external perturbations. Strong tropical volcanic eruptions and, to a lesser extent, variability in solar activity emerge as potentially relevant sources for multidecadal SST modes’ phase modulations, possibly through induced changes in the atmospheric teleconnection between North Atlantic and North Pacific that can persist over decadal and multidecadal timescales. Linkages among low-frequency regional modes of SST variability, and among them and GST, can remarkably vary over the integration time. No coherent or constant phasing is found between North Pacific and North Atlantic SST modes over time and among the ensemble members. Based on our assessments of how multidecadal transitions in simulated North Atlantic SSTs compare to reconstructions and of how they contribute characterizing simulated multidecadal regional climate anomalies, past regional climate multidecadal fluctuations seem to be reproducible as simulated ensemble-mean responses only for temporal intervals dominated by major external forcings.     

华南秋季干旱的年代际转折及其与热带印度洋热含量的关系

采用1961—2014年逐月全球标准化降水蒸散指数(Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index,SPEI)数据集、ORA-S4海温资料及NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,对华南地区秋季干旱的年代际转折及其与热带印度洋热含量的关系进行了研究。结果表明:华南秋季SPEI主要表现为全区一致变化型,且具有明显的年代际变化特征,在1988年发生了年代际转折,转折后(前)为偏旱(涝)期。进一步分析表明,华南秋季SPEI与同期热带西印度洋海洋热含量变化呈显著的正相关关系,即当秋季热带西印度洋热含量偏低时,华南地区SPEI偏小,易发生干旱。热带西印度洋热含量异常影响华南秋季干旱的可能机制为:秋季热带印度洋热含量变化表现为""型的东西向偶极子分布,即当热带西印度洋热含量偏低时,热带东印度洋热含量将会偏高;而热带东印度洋热含量偏高将会使热带东印度洋—西太平洋海表温度偏高、外逸长波辐射偏小、降水增多,凝结潜热释放增强,产生偏强的东亚Hadley环流,使华南地区存在异常下沉运动,不利于产生降水;热带东印度洋—西太平洋海表温度偏高,还会使西北太平洋副热带高压位置偏西、面积偏大,西北太平洋存在气旋性环流异常,使华南地区受偏北气流异常控制,从而削弱了向华南地区的水汽输送。热带东印度洋—西太平洋海表温度年代际变化是热带西印度洋热含量异常影响华南秋旱年代际变化的重要环节,因此用NCAR CAM5.1全球大气环流模式进行了热带东印度洋—西太平洋海表温度年代际变化的敏感性试验,证实该区海表温度年代际升高对华南秋季年代际干旱具有重要作用。     

INTERDECADAL VARIATION OF THE INTENSITY OF SOUTH ASIAN HIGH

The characteristics and possible physical mechanism of interdecadal variation of the intensity of the South Asian High (SAH) in summer are analyzed using the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data and NOAA extended reconstructed sea surface temperature (SST) data. The results indicate that a remarkable interdecadal transition occurred in the late 1970s that increased the intensity of SAH, or, an abrupt climate change was around 1978. A comparative analysis between the weak and strong period of the SAH intensity shows that the related anomalous patterns of the atmospheric circulation (including wind field, air temperature field and vertical velocity field) are nearly opposite to each other. The surface latent heat flux anomalies over the plateau (especially in the northwest of the plateau) in summer exert great influence on the interdecadal variation of the SAH intensity and the surface sensible heat flux anomalies play a more important role. Consistent with the interdecadal variation of the SAH intensity, the monopole mode of the tropical Indian Ocean SST in summer also experienced a low to high transition in the late 1970s. To some extent, this can reveal the impact of the anomalous monopole mode of the tropical Indian Ocean SST in summer on interdecadal variation of the SAH.     

Decadal/Interdecadal Variations of the Ocean Temperature and its Impacts on Climate

Decadal/interdecadal climate variability is an important research focus of the CLIVAR Program and has been paid more attention. Over recent years, a lot of studies in relation to interdecadal climate variations have been also completed by Chinese scientists. This paper presents an overview of some advances in the study of decadal/interdecadal variations of the ocean temperature and its climate impacts, which includes interdecadal climate variability in China, the interdecadal modes of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the North Pacific, and in particular, the impacts of interdecadal SST variations on the Asian monsoon rainfall. As summarized in this paper, some results have been achieved by using climate diagnostic studies of historical climatic datasets. Two fundamental interdecadal SST variability modes (7– 10-years mode and 25–35-years mode) have been identified over the North Pacific associated with different anomalous patterns of atmospheric circulation. The southern Indian Ocean dipole (SIOD) shows a major feature of interdecadal variation, with a positive (negative) phase favoring a weakened (enhanced) Asian summer monsoon in the following summer. It is also found that the China monsoon rainfall exhibits interdecadal variations with more wet (dry) monsoon years in the Yangtze River (South China and North China) before 1976, but vice versa after 1976. The weakened relationship between the Indian summer rainfall and ENSO is a feature of interdecadal variations, suggesting an important role of the interdecadal variation of the SIOD in the climate over the south Asia and southeast Asia. In addition, evidence indicates that the climate shift in the 1960s may be related to the anomalies of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and North Pacific Oscillation (NPO). Overall, the present research has improved our understanding of the decadal/interdecadal variations of SST and their impacts on the Asian monsoon rainfall. However, the research also highlights a number of problems for future research, in particular the mechanisms responsible for the monsoon long-term predictability, which is a great challenge in climate research.     

Interdecadal modulation of Australian rainfall

Interdecadal variability is investigated in a 300 year run of the Parallel Climate Model, a global coupled atmosphere-land-ocean-sea ice model. The model simulates El Niño variability of realistic magnitude and is found to produce interdecadal characteristics similar to those observed, both in frequency, spatial patterns and amplitude. Modulation of Australian rainfall on interdecadal time scales is similar to observed and is found to have contributions from both the modulation of ENSO, changes in the position of the Walker circulation and variations in western Pacific SSTs. A slackening of the equatorial Pacific thermocline slope is associated with diminished ENSO variability during interdecadal periods of positive tropical Pacific SSTs. These interdecadal changes to ENSO and shifts in the position of the Walker circulation are physical mechanisms that contribute to the weakened correlations between the SOI and Australian climate during interdecadal periods of positive tropical Pacific SSTs. Warm anomalies in the western Pacific also contribute to a decrease in Australian rainfall in the model on interdecadal time scales.     

Mechanisms for projected future changes in south Asian monsoon precipitation

Results are first presented from an analysis of a global coupled climate model regarding changes in future mean and variability of south Asian monsoon precipitation due to increased atmospheric CO₂ for doubled (2 × CO₂) and quadrupled (4 × CO₂) present-day amounts. Results from the coupled model show that, in agreement with previous studies, mean area-averaged south Asian monsoon precipitation increases with greater CO₂ concentrations, as does the interannual variability. Mechanisms producing these changes are then examined in a series of AMIP2-style sensitivity experiments using the atmospheric model (taken from the coupled model) run with specified SSTs. Three sets of ensemble experiments are run with SST anomalies superimposed on the AMIP2 SSTs from 1979–97: (1) anomalously warm Indian Ocean SSTs, (2) anomalously warm Pacific Ocean SSTs, and (3) anomalously warm Indian and Pacific Ocean SSTs. Results from these experiments show that the greater mean monsoon precipitation is due to increased moisture source from the warmer Indian Ocean. Increased south Asian monsoon interannual variability is primarily due to warmer Pacific Ocean SSTs with enhanced evaporation variability, with the warmer Indian Ocean SSTs a contributing but secondary factor. That is, for a given interannual tropical Pacific SST fluctuation with warmer mean SSTs in the future climate, there is enhanced evaporation and precipitation variability that is communicated via the Walker Circulation in the atmosphere to the south Asian monsoon to increase interannual precipitation variability there. This enhanced monsoon variability occurs even with no change in interannual SST variability in the tropical Pacific.     

不同海域海表温度异常对西北太平洋副热带高压年代际变化影响的数值模拟研究

采用1950～2000年逐月观测的不同海域(全球、热带外、热带、热带印度洋-太平洋、热带印度洋及热带太平洋) 海表温度分别驱动NCAR CAM3全球大气环流模式, 进行了多组长时间积分试验, 对比观测资料, 讨论了这些海域海表温度异常 (SSTA) 对西北太平洋副热带高压年代际变化的影响。结果表明: 全球、 热带、 热带印度洋－太平洋和热带印度洋海表温度变化均对夏季西北太平洋副热带高压的年代际变化有重要作用, 即在这些海域的海表温度变化影响下, 西北太平洋副热带高压均在1970年代中后期发生了年代际变化, 其后副高面积增大、 强度增强、 位置偏西、 偏南, 这与观测结果较一致; 热带太平洋海表温度变化对夏季西北太平洋副热带高压的年代际变化也有重要作用, 在其作用下, 夏季西北太平洋副热带高压的强度、 面积在1960年代后期发生年代际变化, 南界在1970年代中后期发生年代际变化, 这些时段以后副高强度增强、 面积增大、 偏南; 热带印度洋海表温度驱动模拟的西北太平洋副热带高压变化比热带太平洋海表温度驱动模拟的副高更接近于观测结果, 且年代际变化更显著, 其差异的可能原因在于两区海表温度在1970年代中后期以后的年代际变化能在孟加拉湾〖CD*2〗中国东南沿海区域强迫产生的异常环流不同, 前者强迫产生出反气旋性环流异常, 有利于副高的增强、 面积增大和西伸, 而后者强迫产生出气旋性环流异常, 不利于副高的西伸; 热带太平洋和热带印度洋海表温度在1970年代中后期的冷、 暖年代际背景变化对夏季西北太平洋副热带高压年代际变化有重要作用; 热带外海表温度变化对西北太平洋副热带高压年代际变化作用较小。     

Interdecadal Variability of the East Asian Summer Monsoon in an AGCM

It is well known that significant interdecadal variation of the East Asian summer monsoon （EASM） occurred around the end of the 1970s. Whether these variations can be attributed to the evolution of global sea surface temperature （SST） and sea ice concentration distribution is investigated with an atmospheric general circulation model （AGCM）. The model is forced with observed monthly global SST and sea ice evolution through 1958-1999. A total of four integrations starting from different initial conditions are carried out. It is found that only one of these reproduces the observed interdecadal changes of the EASM after the 1970s, including weakened low-level meridional wind, decreased surface air temperature and increased sea level pressure in central China, as well as the southwestward shift of the western Pacific subtropical high ridge and the strengthened 200-hPa westerlies. This discrepancy among these simulated results suggests that the interdecadal variation of the EASM cannot be accounted for by historical global SST and sea ice evolution. Thus, the possibility that the interdecadal timescale change of monsoon is a natural variability of the coupled climate system evolution cannot be excluded.     

Seasonality and time scales in the relationship between global SST and African rainfall

The main goal of this study is to determine the oceanic regions corresponding to variability in African rainfall and seasonal differences in the atmospheric teleconnections. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) has been applied in order to extract the dominant patterns of linear covariability. An ensemble of six simulations with the global atmospheric general circulation model ECHAM4, forced with observed sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and sea ice boundary variability, is used in order to focus on the SST-related part of African rainfall variability. Our main finding is that the boreal summer rainfall (June–September mean) over Africa is more affected by SST changes than in boreal winter (December–March mean). In winter, there is a highly significant link between tropical African rainfall and Indian Ocean and eastern tropical Pacific SST anomalies, which is closely related to El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). However, long-term changes are found to be associated with SST changes in the Indian and tropical Atlantic Oceans, thus, showing that the tropical Atlantic plays a critical role in determining the position of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). Since ENSO is less in summer, the tropical Pacific and the Indian Oceans are less important for African rainfall. The African summer monsoon is strongly influenced by SST variations in the Gulf of Guinea, with a response of opposite sign over the Sahelian zone and the Guinean coast region. SST changes in the subtropical and extratropical oceans mostly take place on decadal time scales and are responsible for low-frequency rainfall fluctuations over West Africa. The modelled teleconnections are highly consistent with the observations. The agreement for most of the teleconnection patterns is remarkable and suggests that the modelled rainfall anomalies serve as suitable predictors for the observed changes.     

Analysis of Decadal Climate Variability in the Tropical Pacific by Coupled GCM

This study presents the spatial and temporal structures of the decadal variability of the Pacific from an extended control run of a coupled global climate model (GCM).The GCM used was version-g2.0 of the Flexible Global Ocean Atmosphere Land System (FGOALS-g2.0) developed at LASG/IAP.The GCM FGOALS-g2.0 re-produces similar spatial-temporal structures of sea surface temperature (SST) as observed in the Pacific decadal os-cillation (PDO) with a significant period of approximately 14 years.Correspondingly,the PDO signals were closely related to the decadal change both in the upper-ocean temperature anomalies and in the atmospheric circulation.The present results suggest that warm SST anomalies along the equator relax the trade winds,causing the SSTs to warm even more in the eastern equatorial Pacific,which is a positive feedback.Meanwhile,warm SST anomalies along the equator force characteristic off-equa-torial wind stress curl anomalies,inducing much more poleward transport of heat,which is a negative feedback.The upper-ocean meridional heat transport,which is asso-ciated with the PDO phase transition,links the equatorial to the off-equatorial Pacific Ocean,acting as a major mechanism responsible for the tropical Pacific decadal variations.Therefore,the positive and negative feedbacks working together eventually result in the decadal oscilla-tion in the Pacific.     

Modulation of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation on the summer precipitation over East China: a comparison of observations to 600-years control run of Bergen Climate Model

Observations show that the summer precipitation over East China often goes through decadal variations of opposite sign over North China and the Yangtze River valley (YRV), such as the “southern flood and northern drought” pattern that occurred during the late 1970s–1990s. In this study it is shown that a modulation of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) on the summer precipitation pattern over East China during the last century is partly responsible for this characteristic precipitation pattern. During positive PDO phases, the warm winter sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the eastern subtropical Pacific along the western coast of North American propagate to the tropics in the following summer due to weakened oceanic meridional circulation and the existence of a coupled wind–evaporation–SST feedback mechanism, resulting in a warming in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean (5°N–20°N, 160°W–120°W) in summer. This in turn causes a zonal anomalous circulation over the subtropical–tropical Pacific Ocean that induces a strengthened western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) and thus more moisture over the YRV region. The end result of these events is that the summer precipitation is increased over the YRV region while it is decreased over North China. The suggested mechanism is found both in the observations and in a 600-years fully coupled pre-industrial multi-century control simulations with Bergen Climate Model. The intensification of the WPSH due to the warming in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean was also examined in idealized SSTA-forced AGCM experiments.