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.     

Weakening of Indian summer monsoon in recent decades

The analysis of 43 years of NCEP-NCAR reanalysis data and station observations reveals the connections between tropospheric temperature variations and the weakening of the Indian summer monsoon circulation. The Indian summer monsoon variation is strongly linked to tropospheric temperature over East Asia, showing significant positive correlations of mean tropospheric temperature with all-Indian summer rainfall and the monsoon circulation intensity. The result shows that Indian summer monsoon circulation underwent two weakening processes in recent decades. The first occurred in circa the mid-1960s, and the other occurred in circa the late 1970s. The finding indicates that the mean tropospheric temperature may play a crucial role in the weakening of the Indian summer monsoon intensity via changing land-sea thermal contrast. The role of the tropospheric temperature contrast between East Asia and the tropical area from the eastern Indian Ocean to the tropical western Pacific is to weaken the Indian summer monsoon circulation.     

Decadal and interannual variability of the Indian Ocean Dipole

This study investigates the decadal and interannual variability of the Indian Ocean Dipole （IOD）. It is found that the long-term IOD index displays a decadal phase variation. Prior to 1920 negative phase dominates but after 1960 positive phase prevails. Under the warming background of the tropical ocean, a larger warming trend in the western Indian Ocean is responsible for the decadal phase variation of the IOD mode. Due to reduced latent heat loss from the local ocean, the western Indian Ocean warming may be caused by the weakened Indian Ocean westerly summer monsoon. The interannual air-sea coupled IOD mode varies on the background of its decadal variability. During the earlier period （1948-1969）, IOD events are characterized by opposing SST anomaly （SSTA） in the western and eastern Indian Ocean, with a single vertical circulation above the equatorial Indian Ocean. But in the later period （1980-2003）, with positive IOD dominating, most IOD events have a zonal gradient perturbation on a uniform positive SSTA. However, there are three exceptionally strong positive IOD events （1982, 1994, and 1997）, with opposite SSTA in the western and eastern Indian Ocean, accompanied by an El Nifio event. Consequently, two anomalous reversed Walker cells are located separately over the Indian Ocean and western-eastern Pacific; the one over the Indian Ocean is much stronger than that during other positive IOD events.     

Possible Impacts of the Arctic Oscillation on the Interdecadal Variation of Summer Monsoon Rainfall in East Asia

The influences of the wintertime AO (Arctic Oscillation) on the interdecadal variation of summer monsoon rainfall in East Asia were examined. An interdecadal abrupt change was found by the end of the 1970s in the variation of the AO index and the leading principal component time series of the summer rainfall in East Asia, The rainfall anomaly changed from below normal to above normal in central China, the southern part of northeastern China and the Korean peninsula around 1978. However,the opposite interdecadal variation was found in the rainfall anomaly in North China and South China.The interdecadal variation of summer rainfall is associated with the weakening of the East Asia summer monsoon circulation. It is indicated that the interdecadal variation of the AO exerts an influence on the weakening of the monsoon circulation. The recent trend in the AO toward its high-index polarity during the past two decades plays important roles in the land-sea contrast anomalies and wintertime precipitation anomaly. The mid- and high-latitude regions of the Asian continent are warming, while the low-latitude regions are cooling in winter and spring along with the AO entering its high-index polarity after the late 1970s. In the meantime, the precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau and South China is excessive, implying an increase of soil moisture. The cooling tendency of the land in the southern part of Asia will persist until summer because of the memory of soil moisture. So the warming of the Asian continent is relatively slow in summer. Moreover, the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean which are located southward and eastward of the Asian land, are warming from winter to summer. This suggests that the contrast between the land and sea is decreased in summer. The interdecadal decrease of the land-sea heat contrast finally leads to the weakening of the East Asia summer monsoon circulation.     

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.     

Recent advances in monsoon studies in China

This review provides a synopsis of the major progress that has been made in monsoon studies in China and to further bridge the gap between the Chinese and international meteorological community. It consists of seven major sections. After the introduction, the second section begins with the global monsoon systems and their seasonal variation, based on some new methods proposed in recent years. Besides, some major intraseasonal features of East Asian monsoon, including the onset of South China Sea summer monsoon are discussed. In the third section, we review the interactions between ENSO and the East Asian monsoon, focusing in particular on the results of Chinese meteorologists that indicate the influence of ENSO on the East Asian summer monsoon(EASM) is obviously different from that on the tropical monsoon. Besides the tropical Pacific,other ocean basins, such as the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean, are also important to the East Asian monsoon, and this topic is discussed in the fourth section. In the fifth section, we address the role of land surface processes in East Asian monsoon. For example, we describe work that has shown more snow cover in spring on the Tibetan Plateau is followed by a weakened EASM and more summer rainfall in the Yangtze River valleys. The sixth section focuses on the influence of atmospheric circulation in the Southern Hemisphere(SH) on EASM, demonstrating how the signal from the SH is likely to provide new clues for the seasonal forecasting of summer rainfall in China. Finally, in the seventh section, we concentrate on the interdecadal variations of EASM. In particular, we look at a significant interdecadal variation that occurred at the end of the 1970 s, and how our understanding of this feature could affect forecasting ability.     

The Oscillation between Tropical Indian Ocean and North Pacific:Evidence and Possible Impact on Winter Climate in China

This paper provides evidence that the variation of boreal winter sea level pressure (SLP) over the North Pacific is out-of-phase with SLP fluctuation over the tropical Indian Ocean on both the interdecadal and interannual time scales.Subsequently,a SLP between tropical Indian Ocean and North Pacific (TIO-NP) oscillation index is defined to indicate the variation of such out-of-phase fluctuation.Moreover,the simultaneous surface air temperature and precipitation anomalies in China are closely related to TIO-NP oscillations.Below-normal surface air temperature anomalies in the northern and the eastern part of China,and less rainfall in southern China,correspond to positive TIO-NP oscillation phase with negative SLP anomalies in tropical Indian Ocean and positive anomalies in North Pacific.The TIO-NP oscillation affects China’s winter climate anomalies,possibly through modulating the northeast East Asia winter monsoon.     

Predicting Western Pacific Subtropical High Using a Combined Tropical Indian Ocean Sea Surface Temperature Forecast

Weather and climate in East China are closely related to the variability of the western Pacific subtropical high（WPSH）, which is an important part of the Asian monsoon system. The WPSH prediction in spring and summer is a critical component of rainfall forecasting during the summer flood season in China. Although many attempts have been made to predict WPSH variability, its predictability remains limited in practice due to the complexity of the WPSH evolution. Many studies have indicated that the sea surface temperature（SST） over the tropical Indian Ocean has a significant effect on WPSH variability. In this paper, a statistical model is developed to forecast the monthly variation in the WPSH during the spring and summer seasons on the basis of its relationship with SST over the tropical Indian Ocean. The forecasted SST over the tropical Indian Ocean is the predictor in this model, which differs significantly from other WPSH prediction methods. A 26-year independent hindcast experiment from 1983 to 2008 is conducted and validated in which the WPSH prediction driven by the combined forecasted SST is compared with that driven by the persisted SST. Results indicate that the skill score of the WPSH prediction driven by the combined forecasted SST is substantial.     

INTERANNUAL VARIATION OF INDEX OF EAST ASIAN LAND-SEA THERMAL DIFFERENCE AND ITS RELATION TO MONSOON CIRCULATION AND RAINFALL OVER CHINA

This paper proposes an index of land-sea thermal difference(ILSTD)that describes its zonal andmeridional strength responsible for East Asian monsoon circulation to study its relation to the EastAsian monsoon circulation and the summer rainfall over China on an interannual basis.Results are asfollows:(1)ILSTD can be used to measure the strength of East Asian summer monsoon in such away that the strong(weak)ILSTD years are associated with strong(weak)summer monsooncirculation.(2)The index also reflects well summer rainfall anomaly over the eastern part of China.In the strong index years,rain belt is mainly located over the northern China,and serious droughtemerges in the Jianghuai valleys and mid-lower reaches of the Changjiang River,along with increaseof rainfall in North and South China,but in the weak years it is contrary.(3)Besides,the index hasobvious QBO and quasi 4-year oscillations,but the periods and amplitudes have significant changes onan interdecadal basis.     

Relationship Between East Asian Winter Monsoon and Summer Monsoon

Using National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Centre for Atmospheric Research(NCEP/NCAR) reanalysis data and monthly Hadley Center sea surface temperature(SST) data,and selecting a representative East Asian winter monsoon(EAWM) index,this study investigated the relationship between EAWM and East Asian summer monsoon(EASM) using statistical analyses and numerical simulations.Some possible mechanisms regarding this relationship were also explored.Results indicate a close relationship between EAWM and EASM:a strong EAWM led to a strong EASM in the following summer,and a weak EAWM led to a weak EASM in the following summer.Anomalous EAWM has persistent impacts on the variation of SST in the tropical Indian Ocean and the South China Sea,and on the equatorial atmospheric thermal anomalies at both lower and upper levels.Through these impacts,the EAWM influences the land-sea thermal contrast in summer and the low-level atmospheric divergence and convergence over the Indo-Pacific region.It further affects the meridional monsoon circulation and other features of the EASM.Numerical simulations support the results of diagnostic analysis.The study provides useful information for predicting the EASM by analyzing the variations of preceding EAWM and tropical SST.     

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。     

Interdecadal shift in the relationship between the East Asian summer monsoon and the tropical Indian Ocean

In this work, the authors investigate changes in the interannual relationship between the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) and the tropical Indian Ocean (IO) in the late 1970s. By contrasting the correlations of the EASM index (EASMI) with the summer IO sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) between 1953–1975 and 1978–2000, a pronounced different correlation pattern is found in the tropical IO. The SSTA pattern similar to the positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) shows a strongly positive correlation with the EASMI in 1953–1975. But in 1978–2000, significant negative correlation appears in the northern IO and the IOD-like correlation pattern disappears. It is indicated that the summer strong IOD events in 1953–1975 can cause a weaker-than-normal western North Pacific (WNP) subtropical high, which tends to favor a strong EASM. In 1978–2000, the connection between the summer IOD and the WNP circulation is disrupted by the climate shift. Instead, the northern IO shows a close connection with the WNP circulation in 1978–2000. The warming over the northern IO is associated with the significant enhanced 500 hPa geopotential height and an anomalous anticyclone over the WNP. The change in the IO–EASM relationship is attributed to the interdecadal change of the background state of the ocean–atmosphere system and the interaction between the ENSO and IO. In recent decades, the tropical IO and tropical Pacific have a warmer mean SST, which has likely strengthened (weakened) the influence of the northern IO (IOD) on the EASM. In addition, due to the increase in the ENSO variability along with the higher mean equatorial eastern Pacific SST in 1978–2000, the influence of ENSO on the East Asian summer circulation experiences a significant strengthening after the late 1970s. Because the warming over the northern IO is associated with the significant warming in the equatorial eastern Pacific, the strengthened ENSO–EASM relationship has likely also contributed to the strengthened relationship between the northern IO and the EASM in 1978–2000.     

亚洲—太平洋夏季风系统的基本模态特征分析

亚洲—太平洋季风区各季风子系统间的相互作用对季风区甚至全球的气候变化都有着显著的影响.整个亚洲—太平洋夏季风系统都处于高层辐散、低层辐合的庞大辐散环流中,从高层辐散中心流出的三支气流分别对推动印度夏季风、东亚副热带夏季风和南海夏季风起着重要的作用,很好地表现了亚洲—太平洋夏季风系统的整体性特征.季风区多种气象要素的基本模态在年代际和年际尺度上都表现出较为一致的变化特征:年代际尺度上亚洲—太平洋夏季风系统整体呈现减弱趋势;年际尺度上存在准2年和准4年的两个周期,其中准2年振荡特征表现为若印度西南季风偏强,则印度季风雨带偏强偏北,导致印度大陆中北部地区降水偏多;同时,由于西太平洋副热带高压的北移和偏强的印度西南季风显著向东延伸,10°N~30°N范围内的西北太平洋地区则表现为异常的气旋性环流,而30°N~50°N之间为反气旋性环流异常,对应东亚夏季风偏强,季风雨带能够北推至我国华北地区.也就是说,当亚洲夏季风中某一季风子系统表现为异常偏强时,另一季风子系统在这一年中也将表现为异常偏强,反之亦然.准2年的振荡周期可能是亚洲—太平洋夏季风系统的一种固有振荡,它从年际尺度上反映了亚洲—太平洋夏季风受热带太平洋—印度洋海温的强迫表现出明显的整体一致特征.     

夏季北印度洋海温异常对西北太平洋低层反气旋异常的影响

采用1957—2002年850 hPa风场的ERA-40再分析资料,分析得知西北太平洋低层环流存在着明显的年际变化。这种年际变化表征了西北太平洋夏季风的年际变化,并且会影响东亚夏季风的变化。用Hadley海表面气压以及海表温度资料诊断得到,这种夏季西北太平洋反气旋异常（WPAC,northwest Pacific anomalous anticyclone）的年际变化与北印度洋同期海表温度变化存在很好的相关。用偏相关方法消除N ino3.4信号的同期线性影响,这种同期相关更加显著,而西南热带印度洋的同期海温与WPAC的相关并不显著。数值试验结果表明,北印度洋存在正海温异常时,北印度洋降水偏多,同时伴随着西北太平洋反气旋异常。当只有西南热带印度洋有正海温异常时,北印度洋会出现东风异常且降水减少,而西北太平洋有弱的气旋异常。数值模式结果与观测数据的诊断结果相吻合,说明当夏季北印度洋海表温度为正异常时,可能会产生西北太平洋反气旋异常。     

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.     

强弱南海夏季风年水汽输送路径特征分析

采用印度洋偶极子指数（dipole mode index,简称DMI）、Nino3指数和国内学者定义的5种东亚夏季风指数来比较分析印度洋偶极子（Indian Ocean dipole,简称IOD）、ENSO与东亚夏季风年际变化联系的年代际改变,讨论了这种改变的可能成因。结果表明,东亚夏季风指数分别与DMI、Ni-no3指数的年际变化的联系都呈明显的年代际改变。东亚夏季风指数除了在20世纪80年代及90年代初期与DMI联系较弱之外,其余时段均与DMI具有很好的正相关关系。当季风指数与DMI为正相关时,其与Nino3指数则呈负相关,IOD和ENSO对夏季风具有相反的影响。当季风指数与DMI呈较强的正相关时,其与ENSO的相关较弱;而在70年代末至80年代初季风指数与ENSO呈较强的相关时,其与DMI的关系亦较弱。东亚夏季风与IOD、ENSO年际变化之间的联系呈现此强彼弱的特点。1972—1982年和1983—1993年这两个阶段海温分布的显著不同,可能导致了海气相互作用过程中环流变化的周期及分布的改变,使得东亚夏季风与IOD和ENSO的关系发生年代际改变。     

印度洋偶极子对大气环流和气候的影响

赤道印度洋SST的分析研究证实了偶极子型振荡的存在，它在9-11月较强而在1-4月较弱。若以海温西高东低为偶极子振荡正位相，以海温东高西低为负位相，则一般是正位相时振荡要强于负位相。印度洋偶极子也存在年际（主要周期为4－5年）和年代际（主要周期为25-30年）变化。分析研究表明，印度洋偶极子对亚洲季风活动有明显影响，因为亚洲地区对流层低层的风场，南亚高压和西太平洋副高强度都与印度洋偶极子有关。另外，印度洋偶极子还对北美和南印度洋（包括澳大利亚和南美）地区的大气环流和气流有影响。     

东亚夏季风强弱年大气环流和热源异常对比分析

根据黄刚等定义的东亚夏季风指数, 对强、弱东亚夏季风年大气环流、大气热源和外强迫源SST的差异进行分析, 结果表明:强 (弱) 东亚夏季风年前期冬季到夏季, 太平洋SSTA为La Ni?a (El Ni?o) 型分布, 西太平洋暖池SST暖 (冷), 使得暖池附近对流活动较强 (较弱)。与此同时, 南亚大陆从印度半岛、青藏高原南部、中南半岛至华南大气异常加热 (变冷), 并且海陆热力对比加强 (减弱), 有利于出现强 (弱) 的东亚夏季风。此外, 由于暖池附近对流活动强 (弱), 该地区上升气流较强 (弱), Walker环流增强 (减弱), 当强 (弱) 的东亚夏季风向北推进时, 副热带西风急流北撤位置偏北 (南), 副热带高压位置也偏北 (南), 7月至8月华北 (江淮流域) 位于副热带西风急流南侧, 降水偏多, 江淮流域 (华北) 降水偏少。并给出与东亚夏季风年际变异有关的大气环流和SST异常的物理图像。     

Interdecadal Variability of the East Asian Summer Monsoon and Associated Atmospheric Circulations

Based on the National Centers for Environmental Prediction and National Center for Atmospheric Research （NCEP/NCAR） reanalysis data from 1950-1999, interdecadal variability of the East Asian Summer Monsoon （EASM） and its associated atmospheric circulations are investigated. The EASM exhibits a distinct interdecadal variation, with stronger （weaker） summer monsoon maintained from 1950-1964 （1976-1997）. In the former case, there is an enhanced Walker cell in the eastern Pacific and an anti-Walker cell in the western Pacific. The associated ascending motion resides in the central Pacific, which flows eastward and westward in the upper troposphere, descending in the eastern and western ends of the Pacific basin. At the same time, an anomalous East Asian Hadley Cell （EAHC） is found to connect the low-latitude and mid-latitude systems in East Asia, which strengthens the EASM. The descending branch of the EAHC lies in the west part of the anti-Walker cell, flowing northward in the lower troposphere and then ascending at the south of Lake Baikal （40°-50°N, 95°- 115°E） before returning to low latitudes in the upper troposphere, thus strengthening the EASM. The relationship between the EASM and SST in the eastern tropical Pacific is also discussed. A possible mechanism is proposed to link interdecadal variation of the EASM with the eastern tropical Pacific SST. A warmer sea surface temperature anomaly （SSTA） therein induces anomalous ascending motion in the eastern Pacific, resulting in a weaker Walker cell, and at the same time inducing an anomalous Walker cell in the western Pacific and an enhanced EAHC, leading to a weaker EASM. Furthermore, the interdecadal variation of summer precipitation over North China is found to be the south of Lake Baikal through enhancing and reducing strongly regulated by the velocity potential over the regional vertical motions.