Atmospheric radiative feedbacks associated with transient climate change and climate variability

This study examines in detail the ‘atmospheric’ radiative feedbacks operating in a coupled General Circulation Model (GCM). These feedbacks (defined as the change in top of atmosphere radiation per degree of global surface temperature change) are due to responses in water vapour, lapse rate, clouds and surface albedo. Two types of radiative feedback in particular are considered: those arising from century scale ‘transient’ warming (from a 1% per annum compounded CO₂ increase), and those operating under the model’s own unforced ‘natural’ variability. The time evolution of the transient (or ‘secular’) feedbacks is first examined. It is found that both the global strength and the latitudinal distributions of these feedbacks are established within the first two or three decades of warming, and thereafter change relatively little out to 100 years. They also closely approximate those found under equilibrium warming from a ‘mixed layer’ ocean version of the same model forced by a doubling of CO₂. These secular feedbacks are then compared with those operating under unforced (interannual) variability. For water vapour, the interannual feedback is only around two-thirds the strength of the secular feedback. The pattern reveals widespread regions of negative feedback in the interannual case, in turn resulting from patterns of circulation change and regions of decreasing as well as increasing surface temperature. Considering the vertical structure of the two, it is found that although positive net mid to upper tropospheric contributions dominate both, they are weaker (and occur lower) under interannual variability than under secular change and are more narrowly confined to the tropics. Lapse rate feedback from variability shows weak negative feedback over low latitudes combined with strong positive feedback in mid-to-high latitudes resulting in no net global feedback—in contrast to the dominant negative low to mid-latitude response seen under secular climate change. Surface albedo feedback is, however, slightly stronger under interannual variability—partly due to regions of extremely weak, or even negative, feedback over Antarctic sea ice in the transient experiment. Both long and shortwave global cloud feedbacks are essentially zero on interannual timescales, with the shortwave term also being very weak under climate change, although cloud fraction and optical property components show correlation with global temperature both under interannual variability and transient climate change. The results of this modelling study, although for a single model only, suggest that the analogues provided by interannual variability may provide some useful pointers to some aspects of climate change feedback strength, particularly for water vapour and surface albedo, but that structural differences will need to be heeded in such an analysis.     

Atmospheric circulation variability in Europe and northern Asia (1901 to 2010)

Climate variability in Europe and northern Asia is markedly affected by changes in atmospheric circulation. Two manual catalogues of large-scale circulation patterns, the ‘Grosswetterlagen’ (GWLc) and ‘Vangengeim-Girs’ classifications (VGc), were analysed and compared to detect frequency changes of circulation forms. Results were compared with variations of ‘objective’ references: variations of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and a hybrid version of the GWLc (SynopVis Grosswetterlagen catalogue, SVGc). Changes were investigated for 1901–2010, focussing on the most recent climate normal (1981–2010). Trends are moderate in the winter half year (WHY), but rather consistent between the approaches. Circulation variability within VGc/NAO and GWLc/SVGc largely agrees. In the summer half year, large trends are visible in VGc and GWLc, but their objective support by the SVGc, showing comparably small changes, is low. Changes in the distribution of circulation patterns likely fostered a larger temperature increase in the investigated regions compared to global average temperatures during the past 30 years in the WHY. The results of this study help further in investigating temperature and precipitation changes in both Europe and northern Asia.     

Southern hemisphere atmospheric circulation: impacts on Antarctic climate and reconstructions from Antarctic ice core data

The atmospheric circulation patterns in the Southern Hemisphere have had a significant impact on the climate of the Antarctic and there is much evidence that these circulation patterns have changed in the recent past. This change is thought to have contributed to the warming trend observed at the Antarctic Peninsula over the last 50 years—one of the largest trends observed in this period on the planet. The trends associated with the continental Antarctic climate are less clear but are likely to be impacted less directly by atmospheric circulation changes. The circulation changes can be put into the context of longer timescales by considering atmospheric circulation reconstructions that have been performed using data from Antarctic ice cores. In this review paper we look at the main body of work examining: Antarctic climate trends; the understanding and impact of atmospheric circulation of the mid- to high-latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere; and the usefulness and reliability of atmospheric circulation reconstructions from Antarctic ice core data. Finally, beyond several of the more quantitative reconstructions, it is deemed that an assessment of their consistency is not possible due to the variety of circulation characteristics that the various reconstructions consider.     

Using longwave HIRS radiances to test climate models

A ‘model-to-radiance’ comparison of simulated brightness temperatures from the Hadley Centre Global Environmental Model 2 with measurements from the High Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder/4 (HIRS/4) instrument onboard the MetOp-A satellite is presented. For the all-sky, the model overestimates brightness temperatures in the atmospheric window region with the greatest biases over areas associated with deep convective cloud. In contrast to many global climate models, much smaller clear-sky biases are found indicating that model clouds are the dominating source of error. Simulated values in upper atmospheric CO₂ channels approximate observations better as a result of compensating cold biases at the poles and warm biases at lower latitudes, due to a poor representation of the Brewer Dobson circulation in the 38 level ‘low-top’ configuration of the model. Simulated all and clear-sky outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) evaluated against the Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) and HIRS OLR products reveal good agreement, in part due to cancellation of positive and negative biases. Through physical arguments relating to the spectral energy balance within a cloud, it is suggested that broadband agreement could be the result of a balance between positive window biases and unseen negative biases originating from the water vapour rotational band in the far infrared (not sampled by HIRS).     

The relative contributions of radiative forcing and internal climate variability to the late 20th Century winter drying of the Mediterranean region

The roles of anthropogenic climate change and internal climate variability in causing the Mediterranean region’s late 20th Century extended winter drying trend are examined using 19 coupled models from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report. The observed drying was influenced by the robust positive trend in the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) from the 1960s to the 1990s. Model simulations and observations are used to assess the probable relative roles of radiative forcing, and internal variability in explaining the circulation trend that drove much of the precipitation change. Using the multi-model ensemble we assess how well the models can produce multidecadal trends of realistic magnitude, and apply signal-to-noise maximizing EOF analysis to obtain a best estimate of the models’ (mean) sea-level pressure (SLP) and precipitation responses to changes in radiative forcing. The observed SLP and Mediterranean precipitation fields are regressed onto the timeseries associated with the models’ externally forced pattern and the implied linear trends in both fields between 1960 and 1999 are calculated. It is concluded that the radiatively forced trends are a small fraction of the total observed trends. Instead it is argued that the robust trends in the observed NAO and Mediterranean rainfall during this period were largely due to multidecadal internal variability with a small contribution from the external forcing. Differences between the observed and NAO-associated precipitation trends are consistent with those expected as a response to radiative forcing. The radiatively forced trends in circulation and precipitation are expected to strengthen in the current century and this study highlights the importance of their contribution to future precipitation changes in the region.     

东亚冬季风的年代际变化及其与全球气候变化的可能联系

对近年来中外关于东亚冬季风(EAWM)年代际变化问题研究进展做了回顾和评述,主要包括以下3个方面内容:(1)东亚冬季风明显受到全球气候变化的影响,从20世纪50年代开始,中国冬季气温经历了一次冷期(从20世纪50年代延续到80年代初中期),一次暖期(从20世纪80年代初中后期延续到21世纪初)和近10-15年(约从1998年开始)出现的气候变暖趋缓期(也称气候变暖停顿期)。(2)东亚冬季风主要表现出强-弱-强3阶段的特征,即从1950年到1986/1987年,明显偏强;从1986/1987年冬季开始,东亚冬季风减弱;约2005年之后,东亚冬季风开始由弱转强。与东亚冬季风的年代际变化特征相对应,东亚冬季大气环流以及中国冬季气温和寒潮都表现出一致的年代际变化。(3)东亚冬季风的年代际变化与大气环流和太平洋海表温度(SST)的区域模态变化密切相关。当北半球环状模/北极涛动(NAM/AO)和太平洋年代际振荡(PDO)处于负(正)位相,东亚冬季风偏强(弱),中国冬季气温偏低(高)。此外,北大西洋年代尺度振荡(AMO)对东亚冬季风也有重要影响,在AMO负位相时,对应东亚冷期(强冬季风),正位相对应暖期(弱冬季风)。因而海洋的年代际变化是造成东亚冬季风气候脉动的主要自然原因,而全球气候变暖对东亚冬季风强度的减弱也有明显影响。     

Interpreting observed northern hemisphere snow trends with large ensembles of climate simulations

Simulated variability and trends in Northern Hemisphere seasonal snow cover are analyzed in large ensembles of climate integrations of the National Center for Atmospheric Research’s Community Earth System Model. Two 40-member ensembles driven by historical radiative forcings are generated, one coupled to a dynamical ocean and the other driven by observed sea surface temperatures (SSTs) over the period 1981–2010. The simulations reproduce many aspects of the observed climatology and variability of snow cover extent as characterized by the NOAA snow chart climate data record. Major features of the simulated snow water equivalent (SWE) also agree with observations (GlobSnow Northern Hemisphere SWE data record), although with a lesser degree of fidelity. Ensemble spread in the climate response quantifies the impact of natural climate variability in the presence and absence of coupling to the ocean. Both coupled and uncoupled ensembles indicate an overall decrease in springtime snow cover that is consistent with observations, although springtime trends in most climate realizations are weaker than observed. In the coupled ensemble, a tendency towards excessive warming in wintertime leads to a strong wintertime snow cover loss that is not found in observations. The wintertime warming bias and snow cover reduction trends are reduced in the uncoupled ensemble with observed SSTs. Natural climate variability generates widely different regional patterns of snow trends across realizations; these patterns are related in an intuitive way to temperature, precipitation and circulation trends in individual realizations. In particular, regional snow loss over North America in individual realizations is strongly influenced by North Pacific SST trends (manifested as Pacific Decadal Oscillation variability) and by sea level pressure trends in the North Pacific/North Atlantic sectors.     

Uncertainty in climate change projections: the role of internal variability

Uncertainty in future climate change presents a key challenge for adaptation planning. In this study, uncertainty arising from internal climate variability is investigated using a new 40-member ensemble conducted with the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Climate System Model Version 3 (CCSM3) under the SRES A1B greenhouse gas and ozone recovery forcing scenarios during 2000–2060. The contribution of intrinsic atmospheric variability to the total uncertainty is further examined using a 10,000-year control integration of the atmospheric model component of CCSM3 under fixed boundary conditions. The global climate response is characterized in terms of air temperature, precipitation, and sea level pressure during winter and summer. The dominant source of uncertainty in the simulated climate response at middle and high latitudes is internal atmospheric variability associated with the annular modes of circulation variability. Coupled ocean-atmosphere variability plays a dominant role in the tropics, with attendant effects at higher latitudes via atmospheric teleconnections. Uncertainties in the forced response are generally larger for sea level pressure than precipitation, and smallest for air temperature. Accordingly, forced changes in air temperature can be detected earlier and with fewer ensemble members than those in atmospheric circulation and precipitation. Implications of the results for detection and attribution of observed climate change and for multi-model climate assessments are discussed. Internal variability is estimated to account for at least half of the inter-model spread in projected climate trends during 2005–2060 in the CMIP3 multi-model ensemble.     

Evaluation of the regional climate model ALADIN to simulate the climate over North America in the CORDEX framework

In this study, an ensemble of four multi-year climate simulations is performed with the regional climate model ALADIN to evaluate its ability to simulate the climate over North America in the CORDEX framework. The simulations differ in their driving fields (ERA-40 or ERA-Interim) and the nudging technique (with or without large-scale nudging). The validation of the simulated 2-m temperature and precipitation with observationally-based gridded data sets shows that ALADIN performs similarly to other regional climate models that are commonly used over North America. Large-scale nudging improves the temporal correlation of the atmospheric circulation between ALADIN and its driving field, and also reduces the warm and dry summer biases in central North America. The differences between the simulations driven with different reanalyses are small and are likely related to the regional climate model’s induced internal variability. In general, the impact of different driving fields on ALADIN is smaller than that of large-scale nudging. The analysis of the multi-year simulations over the prairie and the east taiga indicates that the ALADIN 2-m temperature and precipitation interannual variability is similar or larger than that observed. Finally, a comparison of the simulations with observations for the summer 1993 shows that ALADIN underestimates the flood in central North America mainly due to its systematic dry bias in this region. Overall, the results indicate that ALADIN can produce a valuable contribution to CORDEX over North America.     

Arctic sea ice and Eurasian climate: A review

The Arctic plays a fundamental role in the climate system and has shown significant climate change in recent decades,including the Arctic warming and decline of Arctic sea-ice extent and thickness. In contrast to the Arctic warming and reduction of Arctic sea ice, Europe, East Asia and North America have experienced anomalously cold conditions, with record snowfall during recent years. In this paper, we review current understanding of the sea-ice impacts on the Eurasian climate.Paleo, observational and modelling studies are covered to summarize several major themes, including: the variability of Arctic sea ice and its controls; the likely causes and apparent impacts of the Arctic sea-ice decline during the satellite era,as well as past and projected future impacts and trends; the links and feedback mechanisms between the Arctic sea ice and the Arctic Oscillation/North Atlantic Oscillation, the recent Eurasian cooling, winter atmospheric circulation, summer precipitation in East Asia, spring snowfall over Eurasia, East Asian winter monsoon, and midlatitude extreme weather; and the remote climate response(e.g., atmospheric circulation, air temperature) to changes in Arctic sea ice. We conclude with a brief summary and suggestions for future research.     

The response of the South Asian Summer Monsoon circulation to intensified irrigation in global climate model simulations

Agricultural intensification in South Asia has resulted in the expansion and intensification of surface irrigation over the twentieth century. The resulting changes to the surface energy balance could affect the temperature contrasts between the South Asian land surface and the equatorial Indian Ocean, potentially altering the South Asian Summer Monsoon (SASM) circulation. Prior studies have noted apparent declines in the monsoon intensity over the twentieth century and have focused on how altered surface energy balances impact the SASM rainfall distribution. Here, we use the coupled Goddard Institute for Space Studies ModelE-R general circulation model to investigate the impact of intensifying irrigation on the large-scale SASM circulation over the twentieth century, including how the effect of irrigation compares to the impact of increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) forcing. We force our simulations with time-varying, historical estimates of irrigation, both alone and with twentieth century GHGs and other forcings. In the irrigation only experiment, irrigation rates correlate strongly with lower and upper level temperature contrasts between the Indian sub-continent and the Indian Ocean (Pearson’s r = ?0.66 and r = ?0.46, respectively), important quantities that control the strength of the SASM circulation. When GHG forcing is included, these correlations strengthen: r = ?0.72 and r = ?0.47 for lower and upper level temperature contrasts, respectively. Under irrigated conditions, the mean SASM intensity in the model decreases only slightly and insignificantly. However, in the simulation with irrigation and GHG forcing, inter-annual variability of the SASM circulation decreases by ~40 %, consistent with trends in the reanalysis products. This suggests that the inclusion of irrigation may be necessary to accurately simulate the historical trends and variability of the SASM system over the last 50 years. These findings suggest that intensifying irrigation, in concert with increased GHG forcing, is capable of reducing the variability of the simulated SASM circulation and altering the regional moisture transport by limiting the surface warming and reducing land–sea temperature gradients.     

The Little Ice Age climate of New Zealand reconstructed from Southern Alps cirque glaciers: a synoptic type approach

Little Ice Age (LIA) austral summer temperature anomalies were derived from palaeoequilibrium line altitudes at 22 cirque glacier sites across the Southern Alps of New Zealand. Modern analog seasons with temperature anomalies akin to the LIA reconstructions were selected, and then applied in a sampling of high-resolution gridded New Zealand climate data and global reanalysis data to generate LIA climate composites at local, regional and hemispheric scales. The composite anomaly patterns assist in improving our understanding of atmospheric circulation contributions to the LIA climate state, allow an interrogation of synoptic type frequency changes for the LIA relative to present, and provide a hemispheric context of the past conditions in New Zealand. An LIA summer temperature anomaly of ?0.56 °C (±0.29 °C) for the Southern Alps based on palaeo-equilibrium lines compares well with local tree-ring reconstructions of austral summer temperature. Reconstructed geopotential height at 1,000 hPa (z1000) suggests enhanced southwesterly flow across New Zealand occurred during the LIA to generate the terrestrial temperature anomalies. The mean atmospheric circulation pattern for summer resulted from a crucial reduction of the ‘HSE’-blocking synoptic type (highs over and to the west of NZ; largely settled conditions) and increases in both the ‘T’- and ‘SW’-trough synoptic types (lows passing over NZ; enhanced southerly and southwesterly flow) relative to normal. Associated land-based temperature and precipitation anomalies suggest both colder- and wetter-than-normal conditions were a pervasive component of the base climate state across New Zealand during the LIA, as were colder-than-normal Tasman Sea surface temperatures. Proxy temperature and circulation evidence were used to corroborate the spatially heterogeneous Southern Hemisphere composite z1000 and sea surface temperature patterns generated in this study. A comparison of the composites to climate mode archetypes suggests LIA summer climate and atmospheric circulation over New Zealand was driven by increased frequency of weak El Niño-Modoki in the tropical Pacific and negative Southern Annular Mode activity.     

An assessment and interpretation of the observed warming of West Antarctica in the austral spring

We synthesize variability and trends in multiple analyses of Antarctic near-surface temperature representing several independent source datasets and spatially complete reconstructions, and place these into the broader context of the behavior of other components of the climate system during the past 30–50?years. Along with an annual-mean trend during the past 50?years of about 0.1°C/decade averaged over Antarctica, there is a distinct seasonality to the trends, with insignificant change (and even some cooling) in austral summer and autumn in East Antarctica, contrasting with warming in austral winter and spring. Apart from the Peninsula, the seasonal warming is largest and most significant in West Antarctica in the austral spring since the late 1970s. Concurrent trends in sea ice are independent evidence of the observed warming over West Antarctic, with the decrease in sea ice area in the Amundsen and Bellingshausen Seas congruent with at least 50% of the inland warming of West Antarctica. Trends in near surface winds and geopotential heights over the high-latitude South Pacific are consistent with a role for atmospheric forcing of the sea ice and air temperature anomalies. Most of the circulation trend projects onto the two Pacific South American (PSA) modes of atmospheric circulation variability, while the Southern Annular Mode lacks a positive trend in spring that would otherwise cause a cooling tendency. The largest circulation trend is associated with the PSA-1 mode, a wave-train extending from the tropics to the high Southern latitudes. The PSA-1 mode is significantly correlated with SSTs in the southwestern tropical and subtropical Pacific. The increased SSTs in this region, together with the observed increase in rainfall, suggest that anomalous deep convection has strengthened or increased the occurrence of the Rossby wave-train associated with PSA-1. This hypothesis is supported by results from two ensembles of SST-forced atmospheric general circulation model simulations. Finally, the implications of the seasonality, timing, and spatial patterns of Antarctic temperature trends with respect to interpreting the relative roles of stratospheric ozone depletion, SSTs and increased atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gasses are discussed.     

中国西南地区5月降水与阿拉伯海季风关系的年代际变化

本文利用1960～2017年中国西南地区115个台站观测降水资料和日本气象厅发布的55年再分析资料集,研究了中国西南地区5月降水变异的主导模态及其与阿拉伯海季风的关系。结果显示,中国西南地区5月降水的第一主导模态主要表现为全区一致的变异特征;该模态与同期5月阿拉伯海季风强度异常关系密切,但两者的关系在20世纪70年代后期发生了显著的年代际变化。在1960～1976年,阿拉伯海季风异常所引起的低层大气环流和水汽输送异常主要集中在阿拉伯海到孟加拉湾一带;阿拉伯海季风异常所引起的大气环流不能到达中国西南地区,因此它对中国西南地区5月降水的影响偏弱。但在1981～2017年,阿拉伯海季风异常可以导致整个北印度洋到南海地区的大气环流异常,进而引起中国西南地区水汽和垂直运动的变化,最终对该地区5月降水产生显著的影响。进一步的研究显示,阿拉伯海季风与中国西南地区5月降水关系的变化可能与季风自身的年代际变率有关。阿拉伯海季风在20世纪70年代末之前变率偏弱,其引起的环流异常也偏弱;相反在20世纪70年代末之后,其变率增强,它引起的大气环流异常也偏强,可以延伸到中国西南地区,进而影响到西南地区的5月降水。因此,季风变率的强弱可能在季风对西南地区5月降水的影响中起着非常重要的作用。     

Euro-Atlantic circulation types and modes of variability in winter

Extra-tropical atmospheric circulation variability is addressed in this study using two complementary approaches: circulation types and modes of variability. Principal component analysis (PCA) in T- and S-modes has been used to estimate the features. An objective synoptic classification of Euro-Atlantic atmospheric circulation is described. Eight circulation types have been identified and described in terms of their spatial features, mean frequency and lifetime, transitions and trends. The most persistent type is connected with the presence of a ridge over the British Isles and Iceland, while the less persistent type is related to a tilted ridge west of the continent. Increases in the persistence of some circulation types such as the Scandinavian and the Euro-Atlantic blockings and a ridge with axis over Western Europe have been found in the 1990s. Data from two independent re-analyses are used to test the robustness of the results. The main differences between the two datasets have been found in the distribution of events as a function of their duration. In a second step, the main modes of variability over the Euro-Atlantic area have been identified using daily data. An analysis of the relationship between these modes and the circulation types suggests that specific circulation types shift the phases of certain modes of variability.     

Spatial Variability of Trends in the Rainfall-Runoff Relationship: A Mesoscale Study in the Mosel Basin

The spatial variability of observed trends in rainfall structure over the last 5 decades and its effects on the spatial variability of maximum daily water levels in the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg (Europe) were investigated in 9 sub-basins of the Mosel river. Over the past 25 years, an increase in westerly atmospheric circulation types during winter months has caused an increase in winter rainfall totals, duration and intensity. More specifically, the spatial variability of trends having affected winter rainfall totals, duration and intensity have led to spatially varying positive trends in maximum daily water levels. Observed trends in rainfall characteristics and maximum daily water levels during winter show closely linked spatial patterns that are strongly related to the topography of the study area.     

近百年东亚冬季气温及其大气环流变化型态

利用最新20世纪近百年再分析气象资料,研究近百年东亚冬季气温变化型及其相关的大气环流型态.结果表明近百年内东亚冬季气温主要有两种变化型:第一是东亚西南与东北相反气温变化型,表现在40°N以南及105°E以西地区(西南地区)气温变化与40°N以北及105°E以东地区(东北地区)变化相反;第二是40°N以南气温一致变化型.与第一种气温变化型耦合的大气模态是500hPa欧亚型遥相关、西伯利亚高压及北大西洋涛动.当欧亚型遥相关负位相,北大西洋涛动正位相及西伯利亚高压减弱时,有利于蒙古和我国105° E以东的区域增温而我国西南地区和青藏高原降温,反之亦然.第二种气温变化型耦合大气模态是500hPa西太平洋型遥相关,北太平洋涛动.当西太平洋型遥相关及北太平洋涛动处于正位相时(北太平洋北负南正),东亚40°N以南地区增温,东亚40°N以北地区降温.耦合的大气模态的型态差异,影响各阶段气温的年际变化.近一百年中,欧亚型遥相关和北大西洋涛动在1984～2010期间的型态最显著,是20世纪80年代东亚显著增暖的原因之一.研究还发现20世纪中期后东亚气温的年际变化与极地环流的变化联系紧密,表现在西伯利亚高压范围东扩并与极地环流联系,也是近百年气温趋势上升的一个原因.     

Internal variability in multidecadal trends of surface air temperature over antarctica in austral winter in model simulations

The surface air temperature (SAT) exhibits pronounced warming over West Antarctica in recent decades, especially in austral spring and winter. Using a 30-member ensemble of simulations by Community Earth System Model (CESM), two reanalysis datasets, and observed station data, this study investigates the relative contributions of internally generated low-frequency climate variability and externally forced climate change to the austral winter SAT trend in Antarctica. Although these simulations share the same external forcing, the SAT trends during 1979–2005 show large diversity among the individual members in the CESM ensemble simulations, suggesting that internally generated variability contributes a considerable part to the multidecadal SAT change in Antarctica. Quantitatively, the total forced contribution to the SAT (1979–2005) change is about 0.53 k/27 yr, and the internal variability can be strong enough to double or cancel the externally forced warming trend. A method called “dynamical adjustment” is utilized to further divide the forced response. We find both the forced thermodynamically-induced and the forced dynamically-induced SAT trends are positive over all the regions in Antarctica, with the regional mean values of 0.20 k /27 yr and 0.33 k/27 yr, respectively. The diversity of SAT trends among the simulations is closely linked to a Southern hemisphere Annular Mode (SAM)-like atmospheric circulation multidecadal change in the Southern Hemisphere. When there exists a positive–negative seesaw of pressure trend between Antarctica and the mid-latitudes, the SAT trend is positive over most of Antarctica but negative over the Antarctic Peninsula, and vice versa. The SAM-like atmospheric circulation multidecadal change mainly arises from atmospheric internal variability rather than remote tropical Sea Surface Temperature (SST).

     

Competition of NAO regime changes and increasing greenhouse gases and aerosols with respect to Arctic climate projections

Regional magnitudes and patterns of Arctic winter climate changes in consequence of regime changes of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) are analyzed using a regional atmospheric climate model. The regional model has been driven with data of positive and negative NAO phases from a control simulation as well as from a time-dependent greenhouse gas and aerosol scenario simulation. Both global model simulations include a quite realistic interannual variability of the NAO with pronounced decadal regime changes and no or rather weak long-term NAO trends. The results indicate that the effects of NAO regime changes on Arctic winter temperatures and precipitation are regionally significant over most of northwestern Eurasia and parts of Greenland. In this regard, mean winter temperature variations of up to 6 K may occur over northern Europe. Precipitation and synoptic variability are also regionally modified by NAO regime changes, but not as significantly as temperatures. However, the climate changes associated with the NAO are in some regions clearly stronger than those attributed to enhanced greenhouse gases and aerosols, indicating that projected global changes of the atmospheric composition and internal circulation changes are competing with each other in their importance for the Arctic climate evolution in the near future. The knowledge of the future NAO trend on decadal and longer time scales appears to be vitally important in terms of a regional assessment of climate scenarios for the Arctic.     

Modeling impacts of vegetation in western China on the summer climate of northwestern China

Using the monthly NCEP-NCAR reanalysis dataset, the monthly temperature and precipitation at surface stations of China, and the MM5 model, we examine impacts of vegetation cover changes in western China on the interdecadal variability of the summer climate over northwestern China during the past 30 years. It is found that the summer atmospheric circulation, surface air temperature, and rainfall in the 1990s were different from those in the 1970s over northwestern China, with generally more rainfall and higher temperatures in the 1990s. Associated with these changes, an anomalous wave train appears in the lower troposphere at the midlatitudes of East Asia and the low-pressure system to the north of the Tibetan Plateau is weaker. Meanwhile, the South Asian high in the upper troposphere is also located more eastward. Numerical experiments show that change of vegetation cover in western China generally forces anomalous circulations and temperatures and rainfall over these regions. This consistency between the observations and simulations implies that the interdecadal variability of the summer climate over northwestern China between the 1990s and 1970s may result from a change of vegetation cover over western China.