Associations between the Autumn Arctic Sea Ice and North American Winter Precipitation

Associations between the autumn Arctic sea ice concentrations (SICs) and North American winter precipitation were examined using singular value decomposition. The results show that a reduced SIC in the majority of the Arctic is accompanied by dry conditions over the Great Plains, the southern United States, Mexico, eastern Alaska, and southeastern Greenland, and by wet conditions over the majority of Canada, the northeastern United States, and the majority of Greenland. Atmospheric circulation anomalies associated with the SIC variability show a wave train structure that is persistent from autumn to winter and is responsible for the covariability between the autumn Arctic SICs and North American winter precipitation. This relationship suggests a potential long-term outlook for the North American winter precipitation.     

我国西南地区秋季干湿分类及主要类型 异常年环流特征分析

本文使用我国西南地区97站1960～2009年逐日资料,计算了考虑降水和气温的干湿指数,分析了西南地区秋季及9、10、11月干湿指数的时空变化特征。采用相似方法,构造了综合相似指数,对历年干湿分布进行分类,并给出了秋季各月各类干湿出现的概率。此外还使用再分析资料分月探讨了干湿分布主要类型异常年的大气环流特征。分析结果表明:西南地区秋季存在显著的干旱化趋势,且该地区干湿变化存在全区一致、东西相反和南北相反的特征。根据干湿变化主要模态的空间型,利用综合相似指数可以将历年秋季干湿分为全区一致偏干型、全区一致偏湿型、东湿西干型、东干西湿型、南湿北干型、南干北湿型和非典型型,共7类。全区干湿一致型出现的次数最多（不低于50%）,东西相反型次之（约25%）,南北相反型较少（约15%）,而出现非典型型次数极少（不足10%）。从季节内尺度来看,全区偏干（湿）的持续性较差,但10月份的东部偏湿区域则有较大几率（不低于50%）在下个月扩展到整个区域。全区偏干型异常年,东亚大槽偏弱或偏东,冷空气南侵困难;南海上空低层维持一个异常的气旋环流,西南地区暖湿气流输送偏弱;西太平洋副高偏强、西伸,南亚高压面积偏大,与西太副高重叠,西南地区长期受高压控制。这种异常环流形势的维持,使得该地区天气晴朗少雨,气温偏高,持续干旱。偏湿型异常年则基本呈相反的环流特征。而西南地区东、西部上空异常的垂直运动和东部低层的南、北风异常是造成东湿（干）西干（湿）型异常的重要原因。     

The influence of tropical Pacific forcing on the Arctic Oscillation

The potential role of tropical Pacific forcing in driving the seasonal variability of the Arctic Oscillation (AO) is explored using both observational data and a simple general circulation model (SGCM). A lead–lag regression technique is first applied to the monthly averaged sea surface temperature (SST) and the AO index. The AO maximum is found to be related to a negative SST anomaly over the tropical Pacific three months earlier. A singular value decomposition (SVD) analysis is then performed on the tropical Pacific SST and the sea level pressure (SLP) over the Northern Hemisphere. An AO-like atmospheric pattern and its associated SST appear as the second pair of SVD modes. Ensemble integrations are carried out with the SGCM to test the atmospheric response to different tropical Pacific forcings. The atmospheric response to the linear fit of the model’s empirical forcing associated with the SST variability in the second SVD modes strongly projects onto the AO. Idealized thermal forcings are then designed based on the regression of the seasonally averaged tropical Pacific precipitation against the AO index. Results indicate that forcing anomalies over the western tropical Pacific are more effective in generating an AO-like response while those over the eastern tropical Pacific tend to produce a Pacific-North American (PNA)-like response. The physical mechanisms responsible for the energy transport from the tropical Pacific to the extratropical North Atlantic are investigated using wave activity flux and vorticity forcing formalisms. The energy from the western tropical Pacific forcing tends to propagate zonally to the North Atlantic because of the jet stream waveguide effect while the transport of the energy from the eastern tropical Pacific forcing mostly concentrates over the PNA area. The linearized SGCM results show that nonlinear processes are involved in the generation of the forced AO-like pattern.     

青藏高原东部冬季降水对北极涛动异常的响应

基于1979—2015年中国区域CN05.1格点降水以及全球降水气候中心(GPCC)降水等数据资料,采用回归、合成分析等方法,分析了青藏高原东部(简称高原)冬季降水的南、北区域性差异及其年际变化对北极涛动(AO)异常的响应.结果表明:(1)高原北部和南部冬季降水都与AO异常存在密切关系,但降水的年际变化并不一致,对AO...     

Tropical/extratropical forcing on wintertime variability of the extratropical temperature and circulation

The secular trends and interannual variability of wintertime temperatures over northern extratropical lands and circulations over the northern hemisphere are examined using the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis from 1961 to 2010. A primitive equation dry atmospheric model, driven by time-averaged forcing in each winter diagnosed from the NCEP reanalysis, is then employed to investigate the influences of tropical and extratropical forcing on the temperature and circulation variability. The model has no topography and the forcing is thus model specific. The dynamic and thermodynamic maintenances of the circulation and temperature anomalies are also diagnosed. Distinct surface temperature trends over 1961–1990 and 1991–2010 are found over most of the extratropical lands. The trend is stronger in the last two decades than that before 1990, particularly over eastern Canadian Arctic, Greenland, and Asia. The exchange of midlatitude and polar air supports the temperature trends. Both the diagnosed extratropical and tropical forcings contribute to the temperature and circulation trends over 1961–1990, while the extratropical forcing dominates tropical forcing for the trends over 1991–2010. The contribution of the tropical forcing to the trends is sensitive to the period considered. The temperature and circulation responses to the diagnosed tropical and extratropical forcings are approximately additive and partially offsetting. Covariances between the interannual surface temperature and 500-hPa geopotential anomalies for the NCEP reanalysis from 1961 to 2010 are dominated by two leading modes associated with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and Pacific-North American (PNA) teleconnection patterns. The diagnosed extratropical forcing accounts for a significant part of the NAO and PNA associated variability, including the interannual variability of stationary wave anomalies, as well as dynamically and thermodynamically synoptic eddy feedbacks over the North Atlantic and North Pacific. The tropical forcing contributes to the PNA related temperature and circulation variability, but has a small contribution to the NAO associated variability. Additionally, relative contributions of tropical Indian and Pacific forcings are also assessed.     

The Relationship between Precipitation and Airflow over the Tibetan Plateau in Boreal Summer

Based on the observation data and the reanalysis datasets, the variability and the circulation features influencing precipitation in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are investigated. Taking into account the effects of topography, surface winds are deconstructed into flow-around and flow-over components relative to the TP. Climatologically, the flow-around component mainly represents cyclonic circulation in the TP during the summer. The transition zone of total precipitation in the summer parallels the convergence belt between the southerlies and the northerlies of the flow-over component. The leading mode of rainfall anomalies in the TP has a meridional dipole structure, and the first principal component (PC1) mainly depicts the variation of rainfall in the southern TP. The wet southern TP experiences strengthened flow-over, which in turn mechanistically favors intensified ascent forced by the flow-over component. In addition, variations in the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) have an important role in influencing the flow over the southern TP, and the ISM ultimately impacts the precipitation over southern TP.     

Precursor Role of Winter Sea-Ice in the Labrador Sea for Following-Spring Precipitation over Southeastern North America and Western Europe

The role of winter sea-ice in the Labrador Sea as a precursor for precipitation anomalies over southeastern North America and Western Europe in the following spring is investigated. In general terms, as the sea ice increases, the precipitation also increases. In more detail, however, analyses indicate that both the winter sea-ice and the sea surface temperature(SST)anomalies related to increases in winter sea-ice in the Labrador Sea can persist into the following spring. These features play a forcing role in the spring atmosphere, which may be the physical mechanism behind the observational relationship between the winter sea-ice and spring precipitation anomalies. The oceanic forcings in spring include Arctic sea-ice anomalies and SST anomalies in the tropical Pacific and high-latitude North Atlantic. Multi-model Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 and Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project simulation results show that the atmospheric circulation response to the combination of sea-ice and SST is similar to that observed, which suggests that the oceanic forcings are indeed the physical reason for the enhanced spring precipitation. Sensitivity experiments conducted using an atmospheric general circulation model indicate that the increases in precipitation over southeastern North America are mainly attributable to the effect of the SST anomalies, while the increases over Western Europe are mainly due to the sea-ice anomalies. Although model simulations reveal that the SST anomalies play the primary role in the precipitation anomalies over southeastern North America, the observational statistical analyses indicate that the area of sea-ice in the Labrador Sea seems to be the precursor that best predicts the spring precipitation anomaly.     

春夏季青藏高原积雪对中国夏末秋初 降水的影响及其可能机制

本文首先利用最大协方差分析方法,探讨青藏高原积雪与中国降水之间的联系,发现中国夏末秋初（8～10月,简称ASO）降水与前期及同期高原积雪有着显著联系,当春夏季青藏高原西部多雪时,其后ASO中国长江及其以南地区多雨,而东部沿海的狭长区域少雨。进一步引入最大响应估计等方法,研究中国区域降水对高原积雪异常的响应及其可能的物理机制,结果表明,冬春季高原多雪异常可持续到夏季,并通过改变地表热力状况,导致ASO南亚高压减弱,同时在高、低空激发出两支波列:高层200 hPa波列沿中高纬西风急流传播,自高原经蒙古到达日本呈现明显的“负—正—负”位势高度异常传播,日本上空为气旋性异常环流;低层850 hPa波列起于高原,经孟加拉湾至中国南海,沿着西南气流传播,导致台湾附近的反气旋性异常环流,其西侧的偏南气流,将南海丰富的水汽输送至中国南部湖南、广西;而高层中心位于日本的气旋性异常环流西侧的偏北气流利于北方天气尺度扰动向南移动,它们为长江中下游及其以南地区多雨提供了有利条件。进一步计算定常波波数也表明,高层西风急流与低层西南季风气流作为波导,有利于高原上空的扰动沿着高、低空2支通道向东传播。由于东部沿海浙江、福建为正位势高度异常区,低层反气旋性异常环流则抑制了该区域的降水。     

中国东部冬季温度异常偶极型模态的一个前兆信号

利用中国160站逐月温度、NCEP再分析、NOAA-CIRES 20世纪再分析以及NOAA海表温度等资料,分析了中国东部（100°E以东地区）冬季温度年际变化的主要模态,并重点研究了其中第2模态（即偶极型模态）的成因机理和前期信号。同时,也以2012～2013年冬季为例,探讨了这一温度异常模态的预测方法。研究主要发现:除中国东部大范围一致偏冷或偏暖模态以外,110°E以东的北方地区偏冷（暖）还经常对应着华南和110°E以西地区的偏暖（冷）,构成温度异常反向变化的偶极型模态。这种偶极型模态也是冬季气候变化的一个主要模态,2012～2013年冬季温度异常即属于这一模态。中国东部冬季温度一致型模态主要与前期秋季中东太平洋海温异常、亚洲大陆北部积雪,及其邻近的北冰洋地区海冰密集度异常联系紧密。而对于偶极型模态,海温的影响并不明显,前期秋季的东亚中纬度地区积雪、北冰洋斯瓦尔巴群岛、法兰士约瑟夫地群岛附近海域的海冰密集度异常,以及它们引起的表面温度异常分布可能具有重要贡献,其中北冰洋海冰密集度异常导致的该地区表面温度异常的影响可能更为重要。综合了海冰和积雪信号的前期秋季北冰洋—东亚温度差异（Arctic Ocean-East Asian temperature contrast,简称AE）指数与中国东部冬季温度异常偶极型模态具有显著联系,可以作为一个重要的预测因子。2012年秋季赤道中东太平洋海温的正常状态以及北冰洋暖异常和东亚中纬度地区冷异常的表面温度分布特征,都不利于中国东部冬季温度南北一致型异常的发生,而是有利于偶极型异常分布。利用AE指数可以有效地预测2012～2013年中国东部冬季温度异常特征。     

CMIP5模式对青藏高原中东部夏季降水双极型模拟能力的评估

青藏高原中东部夏季降水主要表现为东北和东南反位相变化的双极型特征。采用经验正交函数(empirical orthogonal function,EOF)分解方法,系统性地评估参与第五次耦合模式比较计划 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5,CMIP5)历史模拟试验的 47 个模式对青藏高原中东部夏季降水双极型变化特征的模拟能力。结果表明,大多数模式基本可以反映青藏高原中东部夏季降水东北部和东南部反位相的变化特征。模式间 EOF 分析结果表明在35°N 以南的东西向模拟偏差是 CMIP5 模式模拟降水空间型态的主要偏差,且大多数模式对时间系数的模拟效果差于空间型态。文中定义了一个综合评估指标 Snew 来定量描述模式对空间型态、时间系数以及方差贡献的综合模拟效果。由定量评估结果来看,MIROC-ESM、HadGEM2-CC 和 ACCESS1-0 (FIO-ESM、 HadGEM2-AO 和 MIROC-ESM-CHEM)模式对观测降水的 EOF1(EOF2)模态的综合模拟能力相对较好,而 GISS 系列模式、CESM1-CAM5 和 MPI-ESM-LR (CMCC-CESM、MPI-ESM-MR 和 GFDL- CM3)模式对观测降水的 EOF1(EOF2)模态的综合模拟效果较差。由 EOF1 和 EOF2 的综合评估结果来看,MIROC-ESM-CHEM模式对观测降水的 EOF1 和 EOF2 模态的综合模拟效果最好。     

Mechanisms of monsoon-Southern Oscillation coupling: insights from GCM experiments

 The relative roles of internal atmospheric dynamics, land surface evaporation and sea surface temperature (SST) forcings on the coupling between the Asian monsoon (AM) and the Southern Oscillation (SO) are investigated in a series of GCM experiments. Results confirm previous studies indicating that the characteristic large-scale pattern of the SO is due primarily to SST anomaly (SSTA) forcing. The AM circulation anomalies are coupled to the SO via a characteristic upper level circulation couplet over the equatorial central Pacific. This couplet acts as a radiating node for teleconnection signals originating from the AM region to the extratropics. Generally, a weak AM is associated with warm SST over the eastern equatorial Pacific, concomitant with the negative phase of the SO, i.e., low (high) surface pressure over Tahiti (Darwin). The reverse holds for strong AM. Two wavetrains associated with the AM fluctuation have been identified: one arcing over northeastern Asia via the Aleutians to North American, and another emanating from northwestern Europe, via Siberia to northern India. Internal dynamics appear to underpin the origin of these wavetrains, which are strongly tempered by SSTA forcing and to a lesser degree by interactive land processes. Regionally, land-atmosphere interaction seems to have the strongest impact over East Asia/Indochina and the adjacent oceanic region of the South China Sea. Here, land-atmosphere interaction is responsible for the enhancement of a subseasonal scale see-saw oscillation in precipitation between land and the adjacent oceans. A local land-atmosphere feedback mechanism involving strong coupling between the hydrologic and energy cycles is identified. It is suggested that the interaction among precipitation, moisture convergence and land surface turbulent heat fluxes and radiation processes play key roles in determining the fast (subseasonal and shorter scales) response of the AM. On these time scales, the occurrences of cool/wet and hot/dry states associated with the precipitation seesaw appear to be chaotic. However, the preferred occurrence of a given state and the abrupt transition between states are dependent on the large-scale circulation and radiation forcings induced by the SO. One of the more provocative findings here is that effects of land-atmosphere interaction do not seem to alter the basic planetary scale features of the AM-SO system. As a result, the interannual variability of the coupled AM-SO is relatively small in the absence of anomalous SST forcing. Yet, the local effect of land-atmosphere interaction on AM is quite pronounced and dependent upon the large-scale forcings related to SO. Received: 18 November 1997 / Accepted: 07 April 1998     

The synoptic‐ and planetary‐scale signatures of precipitating systems over the Mackenzie River Basin

Abstract

The synoptic‐ and planetary‐scale signatures of precipitating systems over the Mackenzie River Basin (MRB) are elucidated using composites based on a 28‐year sample of widespread precipitation events. These wet events are defined as days on which 5 or more of 12 surface stations in the MRB receive at least 2.5 mm of precipitation. Seasonal composites based on a total of 600 wet events reveal a sequence of statistically significant flow anomalies. Examination of individual wet events motivates stratification of the seasonal samples according to sea‐level pressure distribution. One evolution that is particularly common during fall, winter and spring involves lee cyclogenesis over the southern MRB in association with a strong cyclone over the Gulf of Alaska; such events are dubbed Gulf Redevelopment (GR) cases. A composite based on 59 wintertime GR events indicates upslope flow north of the lee cyclone and warm advection along an east‐west oriented warm front during the precipitation event. Composites of the Q‐vector and the divergence of this field confirm the presence of quasigeostrophic (QG) forcing for ascent over the MRB during this period. A thermally indirect “topographic tilting” mechanism, involving downs‐lope warming over the southern MRB and upslope cooling to the north, is hypothesized to increase warm‐frontal baroclinicity over the MRB. The GR composite 500 hPa geopotential height anomaly pattern is characterized by a series of anomalies extending from the Bering Sea to the Gulf of Mexico. The western (eastern) anomalies tend to decay (amplify) with time. The composite exhibits a positive anomaly over the Bering Sea, a negative anomaly over the Gulf of Alaska that moves eastward into the MRB during the precipitation event, and a positive anomaly that moves eastward over western and central North America. The presence of large, slow‐moving flow anomalies and an extended period of enhanced southwesterly geostrophic flow over the MRB in the composite suggests that a persistent influx of Pacific moisture is required to moisten the atmosphere over the MRB sufficiently for widespread precipitation. An independent composite of dry MRB cyclone events exhibits substantially weaker southwesterly geostrophic flow into the MRB relative to the wet GR composite.     

Impact of Surface Potential Vorticity Density Forcing over the Tibetan Plateau on the South China Extreme Precipitation in January 2008. Part Ⅱ:Numerical Simulation

The surface air convergence on the eastern flank of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) can increase the in situ surface potential vorticity density (PVD). Since the elevated TP intersects with the isentropic surfaces in the lower troposphere, the increased PVD on the eastern flank of TP thus forms a PVD forcing to the intersected isentropic surface in the boundary layer. The influence of surface PVD forcing over the TP on the extreme freezing rain/snow over South China in January 2008 is investigated by using numerical experiments based on the Finite-volume Atmospheric Model of the IAP/LASG (FAMIL). Compared with observations, the simulation results show that, by using a nudging method for assimilating observation data in the initial flow, this model can reasonably reproduce the distribution of precipitation, atmospheric circulation, and PVD propagation over and downstream of the TP during the extreme winter precipitation period. In order to investigate the impact of the increased surface PVD over the TP on the extreme precipitation in South China, a sensitivity experiment with surface PVD reduced over the TP region was performed. Compared with the control experiment, it is found that the precipitation in the TP downstream area, especially in Southeast China, is reduced. The rainband from Guangxi Region to Shandong Province has almost disappeared. In the lower troposphere, the increase of surface PVD over the TP region has generated an anomalous cyclonic circulation over southern China, which plays an important role in increasing southerly wind and the water vapor transport in this area;it also increases the northward negative absolute vorticity advection. In the upper troposphere, the surface PVD generated in eastern TP propagates on isentropic surface along westerly wind and results in positive absolute vorticity advection in the downstream areas. Consequently, due to the development of both ascending motion and water vapor transport in the downstream place of the TP, extremely heavy precipitation occurs over southern China. Thereby, a new mechanism concerning the influence of the increased surface PVD over the eastern TP slopes on the extreme weather event occurring over southern China is revealed.     

1961—2014年我国西南地区干湿季变化特征

利用中国1961—2014年逐日降水观测等资料,分析了西南地区的干湿季变化特征。结果表明：西南地区东部和西北部最早进入湿季;干季由四川盆地、贵州南部开始。西南中东部以及南部等地的湿季长度较长,干季则与之相反。干湿季开始日期以及干湿季长度均具有明显的年代际变化特征,在1970年代中期到1980年代发生了气候突变,呈现湿季长度变短,干季变长的趋势。湿季降水呈现东南多、西北少的特征,并表现出中东部减少,西部增加的趋势;干季降水则表现为东多西少的特点,在东部呈增加,在四川等地呈减少趋势。进一步分析表明：湿季异常偏湿(干)年,开始日期易偏早(晚),结束易偏晚(早),长度偏长(短);干季开始异常偏早(晚）年,干季长度长(短),干季略偏湿(干);太平洋、印度洋海温异常影响东亚大气环流的异常是造成西南地区干湿季出现异常的主要原因。     

Climate variability over the Greater Horn of Africa based on NCAR AGCM ensemble

Summary The variability and extreme wet anomalies in the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA) climate are investigated based on a multi-year National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) AGCM ensemble data. While the GCM ensemble average reproduces realistic inter-annual variability of rainfall pattern over the GHA sub-region compared to observations, there is a distinct northward shift in the simulated regions of rainfall maxima throughout the season. However, in agreement with observations and many previous studies, the inter-annual variability derived from leading mode of EOF analysis is dominated by ENSO-related fluctuations. On the other hand, the spatial pattern corresponding to the second mode (EOF2) exhibits a unique dipole rainfall anomaly pattern (wet/dry conditions) over the northern/southern halves of our domain during all the three months of the short rains season. When the 3–10 year periodicity is filtered out from the 40-year EOF2 time series of the ensemble mean data, three distinct quasi-decadal regimes in the rainfall anomalies is exhibited for both monthly and seasonal mean data. It is also evident from our results that a combination of anomalous surface and mid-tropospheric flow from northwestern and eastern Atlantic Ocean and easterly flow from the Indian Ocean played a significant role in setting up the non-ENSO related 1961 floods. Coversely, during the ENSO-related 1997 floods, the mid-troposheric flow was characterized by anomalous westerly flow originating from the Congo rainforest that converged with the flow from Indian Ocean along the East Africa coast and over eastern/northeastern Kenya. The anomalous moisture flux convergence/divergence in both the ensemble and NCEP reanalysis is also consistent with the mid-trospheric flow anomalies that are associated with the two wet events.     

Interannual Influences of the Surface Potential Vorticity Forcing over the Tibetan Plateau on East Asian Summer Rainfall

The influences of interannual surface potential vorticity forcing over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) on East Asian summer rainfall (EASR) and upper-level circulation are explored in this study. The results show that the interannual EASR and associated circulations are closely related to the surface potential vorticity negative uniform leading mode (PVNUM) over the TP. When the PVNUM is in the positive phase, more rainfall occurs in the Yangtze River valley, South Korea, Japan, and part of northern China, less rainfall occurs in southern China, and vice versa. A possible mechanism by which PVNUM affects EASR is proposed. Unstable air induced by the positive phase of PVNUM could stimulate significant upward motion and a lower-level anomalous cyclone over the TP. As a result, a dipole heating mode with anomalous cooling over the southwestern TP and anomalous heating over the southeastern TP is generated. Sensitivity experiment results regarding this dipole heating mode indicate that anomalous cooling over the southwestern TP leads to local and northeastern Asian negative height anomalies, while anomalous heating over the southeastern TP leads to local positive height anomalies. These results greatly resemble the realistic circulation pattern associated with EASR. Further analysis indicates that the anomalous water vapor transport associated with this anomalous circulation pattern is responsible for the anomalous EASR. Consequently, changes in surface potential vorticity forcing over the TP can induce changes in EASR.     

SST variability in the South Indian Ocean and associated circulation and rainfall patterns over Southern Africa

Summary A general circulation model is used to study the response of the atmosphere to an idealised sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly pattern (warm throughout the southern midlatitudes, cool in the tropics) in the South Indian Ocean region. The anomaly imposed on monthly SST climatology captures the essence of patterns observed in the South Indian Ocean during both ENSO events and multidecadal epochs, and facilitates diagnosis of the model response. A previous study with this anomaly imposed in the model examined differences in the response between that on the seasonal scale (favours enhancement of the original SST anomaly) and that on the decadal scale (favours damping of the anomaly). The current study extends that work firstly by comparing the response on the intraseasonal, seasonal and interannual scales, and secondly, by assessing the changes in the circulation and rainfall over the adjoining African landmass.It is found that the atmospheric response is favourable for enhancement of the original SST anomaly on scales up to, and including, annual. However, as the scale becomes interannual (i.e., 15–21 months after imposition of the anomaly), the model response suggests that damping of the original SST anomaly becomes likely. Compared to the shorter scale response, the perturbation pressure and wind distribution on the interannual scale is shifted poleward, and is more reminiscent of the decadal response. Winds are now stronger over the warm anomaly in the southern midlatitudes suggesting enhanced surface fluxes, upper ocean mixing, and consequently, a damping of the anomaly.Examination of the circulation and rainfall patterns indicates that there are significant anomalies over large parts of southern Africa during the spring, summer and autumn seasons for both short (intraseasonal to interannual) and decadal scales. It appears that rainfall anomalies are associated with changes in the advection of moist tropical air from the Indian Ocean and its related convergence over southern Africa. Over eastern equatorial Africa, the austral autumn season (the main wet season) showed rainfall increases on all time scales, while parts of central to eastern subtropical southern Africa were dry. The signals during summer were more varied. Spring showed generally dry conditions over the eastern half of southern Africa on both short and decadal time scales, with wet areas confined to the west. In all cases, the magnitude of the rainfall anomalies accumulated over a 90 day season were of the order of 90–180 mm, and therefore represent a significant fraction of the annual total of many areas. It appears that relatively modest SST anomalies in the South Indian Ocean can lead to sizeable rainfall anomalies in the model. Although precipitation in general circulation models tends to be less accurately simulated than many other variables, the model results, together with previous observational work, emphasize the need for ongoing monitoring of SST in this region.With 14 Figures     

REGIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SUMMER PRECIPITATION ANOMALIES OVER CHINA*

The regional characteristics of precipitation anomalies of total summer precipitation of June,July and August and individual monthly precipitation are analyzed by using the method of Varimax EOF and correlation analysis.The data set used is the precipitation of a 5°Lat.×5°Long.spatial uniform network over China in the period of 1959 to 1994.The analysis of total summer precipitation shows that the most significant regional characteristic is the existence of negative correlation in precipitation anomalies between the lower reaches of the Changjiang River and the Huaihe River Valley(the LRCH region) and the middle reaches of the Huanghe River Valley(the MRH region),and between the LRCH region and South China.The precipitation anomaly over the Sichuan Basin is negatively correlated with that over eastern part of Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and that over the LRCH region.The regional characteristics of summer precipitation anomalies in western China are that there exists negative correlation between the summer precipitation anomalies over the southern part of the central and eastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and that over its northern part.There also exists positive correlation between the southern part of the central and eastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and the eastern part of North China and the southern part of Northeast China.The above spatial correlation modes have significant periods of about 3 years and ten years.The analysis of the monthly precipitation shows that in June there exists positive correlation among the precipitation anomalies over the LRCH region,the eastern part of North China and Northeast China.In July,the precipitations in the MRH region and the LRCH region are negatively correlated.The regional characteristic of precipitation anomalies in August is very similar to that of the total summer precipitation anomalies.     

青藏高原地表位涡密度强迫对2008年1月中国南方降水过程的影响Ⅱ:数值模拟

青藏高原东坡近地表的辐合能够增加地表的位涡密度（PVD）。高耸的青藏高原与等熵面相切, 其东坡近地表增加的位涡密度成为等熵面边界上的位涡密度强迫源。利用IAP/LASG FAMIL全球大气环流模式探究青藏高原地表位涡密度增长对2008年初中国华南地区雨雪灾害天气形成的影响。首先与观测资料对比发现, 通过张弛逼近动力初始化, 在参照试验中, 模式能够比较合理地再现青藏高原东部的地表位涡密度增长和1月24-27日中国华南的大气环流场及降水场。而在高原的地表位涡密度增长减弱的敏感性试验中高原下游区域特别是华南沿海、广西到山东一带的降水明显减小甚至消失。对结果的分析表明:青藏高原区域的地表位涡密度增长在低空能够增强中国华南沿海地区的南风和水汽输送以及负的绝对涡度平流输送;在高空, 高原上产生的正的位涡密度沿西风环流向下游输送, 形成高层正的绝对涡度平流。从而在高原下游形成绝对涡度平流随高度增强的大尺度环流背景, 有利于上升运动发展。同时, 高原地表位涡密度增长在低空所激发的气旋式环流增加了华南的水汽输送, 最终激发了华南极端降水的产生。该个例模拟的结果证实了青藏高原东部的地表位涡密度强迫激发其下游极端天气发生的一种新机制。      

Simulation of the evolutionary response of global summer monsoons to orbital forcing over the past 280,000 years

We describe the evolutionary response of northern and southern hemisphere summer monsoons to orbital forcing over the past 280,000 years using a fully coupled general circulation ocean-atmosphere model in which the orbital forcing is accelerated by a factor of 100. We find a strong and positive response of northern (southern) summer monsoon precipitation to northern (southern) summer insolation forcing. On average, July (January) precipitation maxima and JJA (DJF) precipitation maxima have high coherence and are approximately in phase with June (December) insolation maxima, implying an average lag between forcing and response of about 30° of phase at the precession period. The average lag increases to over 40° for 4-month precipitation averages, JJAS (DJFM). The phase varies from region to region. The average JJA (DJF) land temperature maxima also lag the June orbital forcing maxima by about 30° of phase, whereas ocean temperature maxima exhibit a lag of about 60° of phase at the precession period. Using generalized measures of the thermal and hydrologic processes that produce monsoons, we find that the summer monsoon precipitation indices for the six regions all fall within the phase limits of the process indices for the respective hemispheres. Selected observational studies from four of the six monsoon regions report approximate in-phase relations of summer monsoon proxies to summer insolation. However other observational studies report substantial phase lags of monsoon proxies and a strong component of forcing associated with glacial-age boundary conditions or other factors. An important next step will be to include glacial-age boundary condition forcing in long, transient paleoclimate simulations, along with orbital forcing.