Interannual and interdecadal variations of tropical cyclone activity over the western North Pacific

Summary This paper reviews the interannual and interdecadal variations in tropical cyclone (TC) activity over the western North Pacific (WNP) and the possible physical mechanisms responsible for such variations. Interannual variations can largely be explained by changes in the planetary-scale flow patterns. Sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) in the WNP, however, do not contribute to such variations. Rather, SSTs in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific are significantly correlated with TC activity over the WNP. Causality can be established: changes in the SST in the equatorial Pacific are related to the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, and modifications of the planetary-scale flow associated with ENSO alter the conditions over the WNP and hence TC activity there. Variations in annual TC activity are also associated with different phases of the stratospheric quasi-biennial oscillations due to its modification of the vertical wind shear of the environment in which TCs form. Interdecadal variations in TC activity are apparently related to the location, strength and extent of the North Pacific subtropical high. However, the mechanisms responsible for modifying these characteristics of the subtropical high have yet to be identified.     

Decadal Variations of Intense Tropical Cyclones over the Western North Pacific during 1948–2010简

Using Joint Warning Typhoon Center （JTWC） best track data during the period 1948-2010, decadal and interdecadal changes of annual category 4 and 5 tropical cyclone （TC） frequency in the western North Pacific basin were examined. By allowing all of the observed TCs in the JTWC dataset to move along the observed TC tracks in a TC intensity model, the annual category 4 and 5 TC frequency was simulated. The results agreed well with observations when the TC intensity prior to 1973 was adjusted based on time-dependent biases due to changes in measurement and reporting practices. The simulated and adjusted time series showed significant decadal （12-18 years） variability, while the interdecadal （18-32 years） variability was found to be statistically insignificant. Numerical simulations indicated that changes in TC tracks are the most important factor for the decadal variability in the category 4 and 5 TC frequency in the western North Pacific basin, while a combined effect of changes in SST and vertical wind shear also contributes to the decadal variability. Further analysis suggested that the active phase of category 4 and 5 TCs is closely associated with an eastward shift in the TC formation locations, which allows more TCs to follow a longer journey, favoring the development of category 4 and 5 TCs. The active phase corresponds with the SST warming over the tropical central and eastern Pacific and the eastward extension of the monsoon trough, thus leading to the eastward shift in TC formation locations.     

A Climatological Perspective on Extratropical Synoptic-Scale Transient Eddy Activity Response to Western Pacific Tropical Cyclones

An observational study focusing on the contribution of tropical cyclones(TCs)that form over the western North Pacific(WNP)to the synoptic-scale transient eddy activity(STEA)over the North Pacific during the boreal autumn and early winter in the period 1979–2019 is presented in this paper.Statistical results show that WNP TCs entering the midlatitudinal North Pacific provide significant positive effects on the pentad mean strength of STEA,which is primarily concentrated over the Kuroshio/Oyashio Extensions(KOE)and regions from east of Japan to 160°W in the lower and midto-upper troposphere,respectively.TC intensity is highly indicative of the subsequent STEA with a correlation coefficient of 0.37/0.33/0.45 at 300 hPa/500 hPa/850 hPa exceeding the 99%confidence level for the period 1979–2019.The strength of STEA in the upper troposphere associated with TCs presents a more significant linear growth with TC intensity than that at the mid-to-lower levels after the cyclones enter the KOE region,suggesting that the impact of TCs on STEA gradually increases with height.Further analyses reveal that the contribution of TCs accounts for 4%–6%of the total STEA change over the KOE region during the late autumn and early winter.In addition,the influence of TCs on STEA experienced an interdecadal decrease from the early 2000 s through the early 2010 s.     

西太平洋暖池对西北太平洋季风槽和台风活动影响过程及其机理的最近研究进展

本文回顾和综述了近年来关于西太平洋暖池对西北太平洋热带气旋和台风（TCs）活动影响过程及其机理的研究进展。文中首先简单回顾了近年来关于西太平洋暖池热状态和菲律宾周围对流活动变化特征及其对与TCs活动有关的南海夏季风爆发和西太平洋副热带高压的季节内、年际变异的影响过程和机理的研究;然后,本文系统地回顾了近年来关于西太平洋暖池热状态通过西北太平洋季风槽影响TCs活动年际和年代际变化的影响过程及其机理的研究。此外,文中还指出了关于西太平洋暖池对西北太平洋上空季风槽和TCs活动变异的热力和动力作用需进一步深入研究的科学问题。     

RESEARCH ON THE INTERANNUAL AND INTERDECADAL VARIABILITIES OF THE MONSOON TROUGH AND THEIR IMPACTS ON TROPICAL CYCLONE GENESIS OVER THE WESTERN NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN

In this paper, we mainly summarize and review the progresses in recent climatological studies (by CMSR, IAP/CAS and some associated domestic and international institutions) on the interannual and interdecadal variabilities of monsoon troughs and their impacts on tropical cyclones and typhoons (TCs) geneses over the western North Pacific Ocean. The climatological characteristics of monsoon troughs and four types of circulation patterns favorable to TCs genesis over the western North Pacific Ocean in summer and autumn are given in this paper. It is also shown in this paper that the monsoon trough over the western North Pacific Ocean has obvious interannual and interdecadal variabilities. Especially, it is revealed in this paper that the interannual and interdecadal variabilities of the monsoon trough over the western North Pacific Ocean influence the TCs genesis not only through the impact on distributions of the vorticity in the lower troposphere and the divergence in the upper troposphere, the water vapor in the mid- and lower troposphere and the vertical shear of wind fields between the upper and lower troposphere over the western North Pacific Ocean, but also through the dynamical effects of the transition between convectively coupled tropical waves and providing disturbance energy. Besides, some climatological problems associated with TCs activity over the western North Pacific Ocean that need to be studied further are also pointed out in this paper.     

A mechanism of interdecadal variability of tropical cyclone activity over the western North Pacific

Tropical cyclone (TC) activity in the western North Pacific (WNP) has changed interdecadally with an approximately 20-year period between 1951 and 1999. The cause and mechanism of interdecadal variability of TC frequency in the WNP is investigated using NCEP/NCAR reanalysis and the result obtained from a high-resolution coupled general circulation model (CGCM). The interdecadal variability of TC activity in the WNP correlates with long-term variations in sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the tropical central Pacific and with those of westerly wind anomalies associated with the monsoon trough that appears over the tropical WNP during the typhoon season of July to October. The westerly wind anomalies at near 10°N show positive feedback with the SST anomalies in the central Pacific. Therefore, the interdecadal variability of TC frequency is related to long-term variations in atmosphere–ocean coupling phenomena in the tropical North Pacific. A 50-year long-run simulation using the high-resolution CGCM showed the robustness of interdecadal variability of TC frequency.     

Re-examination of Trends Related to Tropical Cyclone Activity over the Western North Pacific Basin

In order to re-examine some trends related to tropical cyclones（TCs） over the western North Pacific since 1949,the unreliable maximum sustained wind(V_max) recorded in the 1949-1978 TC best-track data from the Shanghai Typhoon Institute was modified based on the wind-pressure relationships（WPRs） in this study. Compared to the WPR scheme based on the cyclostrophic balance,the WPR scheme based on the gradient balance could give a better fit to TCs under higher wind speeds and could introduce smaller estimated errors for TCs locating at higher latitudes as well as TCs landing on the continent.After the V_max modification based on minimum sea-level pressure and TC center latitude,the revised annual number of category 4-5 typhoons shows no long-term trend,while the potential destructiveness measured by power-dissipation index decreases slightly,and this trend is not significant in the period 1949-2008.     

东亚夏季经向水汽输送的变异及其对极端降水的影响

东亚夏季降水的异常与水汽输送的变异密切相关。基于1958—2016年资料,研究了夏季东亚季风区经向水汽输送的主要变异特征及其对东亚夏季极端降水的影响。经向水汽输送的第一主变异模态表现出中国东部和西北太平洋上的水汽经向输送呈现反向异常,以年际变化为主。当中国东部向北输送的水汽增强(减弱)而西北太平洋向北输送减弱(增强),则中国东部大范围的极端降水量及频次增加(减少)。该模态与西太(西太平洋)副高西伸(东撤)有关,并主要受到热带中东印度洋海温的影响。第二变异模态以年代际变化为主兼有年际变化,表现在1980年后中国东部及邻近海域上空的经向水汽输送减弱,使得环渤海地区和华南沿海的极端降水量及频次减少而长江上、下游和贵州的极端降水量及频次增加。该模态与西太副高的减弱有关,并受到热带西太海温年代际增温的影响。第三变异模态以年际变化为主兼有年代际变化,反映中国长江以北地区和日本南部及附近区域的经向水汽输送的反相变化结构。长江以北水汽输送减弱(增强),可导致华北、东北的极端降水量及频次减少(增加)和长江下游及江南地区的极端降水量及频次的减少(增加)。该模态主要受欧亚大陆上空中高纬度纬向遥相关波列和热带印太（印度洋太平洋）海温异常的影响。      

AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY ON DISTRIBUTION OF PRECIPITATION ASSOCIATED WITH LANDFALLING TROPICAL CYCLONES AFFECTING CHINA

In order to provide an operational reference for tropical cyclone precipitation forecast,this study investigates the spatial distributions of precipitation associated with landfalling tropical cyclones(TCs) affecting China using Geostationary Meteorological Satellite 5(GMS5)-TBB dataset.All named TCs formed over the western North Pacific that made direct landfall over China during the period 2001-2009 are included in this study.Based on the GMS5-TBB data,this paper reveals that in general there are four types of distribution of precipitation related to landfalling TCs affecting China.(a) the South-West Type in which there is a precipitation maximum to the southwestern quadrant of TC;(b) the Symmetrical South Type in which the rainfall is more pronounced to the south side of TC in the inner core while there is a symmetrical rainfall distribution in the outer band region;(c) the South Type,in which the rainfall maxima is more pronounced to the south of TC;and(d) the North Type,in which the rainfall maxima is more pronounced to the north of TC.Analyses of the relationship between precipitation distributions and intensity of landfalling TCs show that for intensifying TCs,both the maximum and the coverage area of the precipitation in TCs increase with the increase of TC intensity over northern Jiangsu province and southern Taiwan Strait,while decreasing over Beibu Gulf and the sea area of Changjiang River estuary.For all TCs,the center of the torrential rain in TC shifts toward the TC center as the intensity of TC increases.This finding is consistent with many previous studies.The possible influences of storm motion and vertical wind shear on the observed precipitation asymmetries are also examined.Results show that the environmental vertical wind shear is an important factor contributing to the large downshear rainfall asymmetry,especially when a TC makes landfall on the south and east China coasts.These results are also consistent with previous observational and numerical studies.     

A CLIMATOLOGY OF EXTRATROPICAL TRANSITION OF TROPICAL CYCLONES IN THE WESTERN NORTH PACIFIC

Based on best-track data and JRA-25 reanalysis, a climatology of western North Pacific extratropical transition (ET) of tropical cyclone (TC) is presented in this paper. It was found that 35% (318 out of 912) of all TCs underwent ET during 1979–2008. The warm-season (June through September) ETs account for 64% of all ET events with the most occurrence in September. The area 120°E–150°E and 20°N–40°N is the most favorable region for ET onsets in western North Pacific. The TCs experience ET at latitudes 30°N–40°N and have the greatest intensity in contrast to other latitude bands. The distribution of ET onset locations shows obviously meridional migration in different seasons. A cyclone phase space (CPS) method was used to analyze the TC evolution during ET. Except for some cases of abnormal ET at relatively high latitudes, typical phase evolution paths—along which TC firstly showed thermal asymmetry and an upper-level cold core and then lost its low-level warm core—can be used to describe the main features of ET processes in western North Pacific. Some seasonal variations of ET evolution paths in CPS were also found at low latitudes south of 15°N, which suggests different ET onset mechanisms there. Further composite analysis concluded that warm-season ETs have generally two types of evolutions, but only one type in cold season (October through next May). The first type of warm-season ETs has less baroclinicity due to long distance between the TC and upper-level mid-latitude system. However, significant interactions between a mid-latitude upper -level trough and TC, of either approaching or being absorbed into the trough, and TC’s relations with downstream and upstream upper-level jets, are the fingerprints for both a second type of warm-season ETs and almost all the cold-season ETs. For each type of ETs, detailed structural characteristics as well as precipitation distribution are illustrated by latitude.     

百余年来影响福建热带气旋的变化特征

应用1884—2003年影响福建的热带气旋资料, 采用突变分析、最大熵谱分析、连续小波变换以及正交小波变换等方法研究百余年来影响福建热带气旋频数变化的多时间尺度特征及其异常年份的海气背景场特征。结果表明:百余年来福建经历了3次少台期和2次多台期, 影响福建热带气旋频数具有准13年、准4年和准2.5年的振荡周期, 1971年为年频数变化的突变点; 影响福建热带气旋频数近百年呈弱的上升趋势, 但近十几年略微下降, 未来有偏多的趋势; 影响福建热带气旋异常偏多 (少) 的年份, 夏季500 hPa高度场上, 鄂霍次克海地区位势高度偏低 (高), 从高纬到低纬呈“-+-”(“ +-+”) 的距平型, 纬 (经) 向环流占优势, 西风带低槽偏北 (南), 副热带高压北界偏北 (南), 副热带高压脊线偏北 (南); 赤道中、东太平洋为明显的带状负 (正) SSTA距平区, 同时西太平洋热带气旋主要源区和西北太平洋上皆为正 (负) SSTA距平。由此可见, 影响福建热带气旋频数多寡与西太平洋热带气旋生成区的海温有关, 同时大气环流系统的位置和强弱对热带气旋路径的变化起着关键性作用, 从而使影响福建热带气旋频数的变化。     

西北太平洋近赤道热带气旋生成的特征分析

1979—2012年西北太平洋存在70个形成于0°～5°N的低纬度地区的热带气旋(TC),占TC总量的8%,其中达到台风等级的个数占64%。而针对此类缺少一定科氏力作用而形成的罕见TC生成的研究相对较少。本文利用JTWC的TC最佳观测资料、ERA-Interim再分析资料,以及NOAA-OISST海温资料,以西北太平洋近赤道TC为研究对象,统计诊断了其年际、年代际、季节分布特征,分析了其大尺度环境背景场,重点探讨了近赤道TC生成的影响因子。研究结果表明,近赤道TC具有明显的年际与年代际变化,并且近赤道TC具有与西北太平洋总TC恰好相反的季节变化。近赤道TC生成的大尺度环境背景场是东北冬季风与其在近赤道地区偏转形成的西北风之间的气旋性环流。对流层低层的绝对涡度动力项与对流层中层的湿度热量项是近赤道TC生成的主要贡献因子,并且相对于5°～10°N生成的TC,近赤道TC对对流层低层的正涡度与对流层中层的湿度条件的要求更高。     

我国东部夏季降水异常主模态的年代际变化及其与东亚水汽输送的关系

本文利用1958～2000年ERA-40再分析每日资料和我国516台站降水资料以及EOF方法,分析了我国东部季风区夏季降水异常主模态的年代际变化特征及其与东亚上空水汽输送通量时空变化的关系.分析结果表明了我国东部季风区夏季降水的时空变化存在两种主模态:第1主模态不仅显示出明显的准两年周期振荡的年际变化特征且也有明显的年...     

2017年春季海洋天气评述

2017年春季（3—5月）大气环流特征为：北半球极涡呈单极型分布,主体位于北冰洋上空,中高纬西风带呈5波型分布。3月,地面冷高压偏强,冷空气活动频繁。4月,环流由纬向型向经向型逐渐调整,冷空气势力减弱。5月,东北气旋明显加强,冷暖势力相当,入海气旋增多。春季,我国近海海域主要有16次8级以上大风过程,其中冷空气大风过程有7次,冷空气和温带气旋共同影响的大风过程有1次,入海温带气旋过程有4次,东北冷涡影响大风过程有3次,强对流导致雷暴大风过程1次;且有8次明显的浪高在2 m以上的大浪过程。春季共有6次比较明显的海雾过程,分别为3月1次、4月2次、5月3次。西北太平洋和南海共生成1个台风“梅花”和1个热带低压,其他各大洋共有热带气旋15个,分别为大西洋1个、东太平洋1个、南太平洋5个、南印度洋6个、北印度洋2个。     

More intensive summer tropical cyclone near 30°N of East Asia

The present study revealed that a climate regime shift occurred during the 1988–1991 period involving changes in tropical cyclone (TC) intensity (central pressure, maximum sustained wind speed) during the summer near 30°N in East Asia. Climatologically, TC intensity at 110°–125°E near 30°N (over Mainland China) is the weakest at that latitude while the strongest is found at 125°–130°E (over Korea). The TC intensity during the 1991–2015 (91–15) period had strengthened significantly compared to that of the 1965–1988 (65–88) period. The strengthening was due to a significantly lower frequency of TCs that passed through Mainland China during the 91–15 period. This lower frequency of was due to anomalous northeasterlies blown from the anomalous anticyclonic circulation located over continental East Asia and that had strengthened along the coast. Instead, TCs mainly followed a path from eastern regions in the subtropical western North Pacific to Korea and Japan via the East China Sea due to anomalous cyclonic circulations that had strengthened in the western North Pacific. In addition, low vertical wind shear had formed along the mid-latitude region in East Asia and along the main TC track in the 91–15 period, and most regions in the western North Pacific experienced a higher sea surface temperature state during the 91–15 period than in the previous period, indicating that a favorable environment had formed to maintain strong intensities of TCs at the mid–latitudes. The characteristics of TCs at the lower latitudes caused a strong TC intensity at the time of landfall in Korea and a gradual shifting trend of landing location from the western to southern coast in recent years.     

ENSO and Western North Pacific tropical cyclone activity simulated in a CGCM

A high-resolution (T213) coupled ocean–atmosphere general circulation model (CGCM) has been used to examine the relationship between El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and tropical cyclone (TC) activity over the western North Pacific (WNP). The model simulates ENSO-like events similar to those observed, though the amplitude of the simulated Niño34 sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly is twice as large as observed. In El Niño (La Niña) years, the annual number of model TCs in the southeast quadrant of the WNP increases (decreases), while it decreases (increases) in the northwest quadrant. In spite of the significant difference in the mean genesis location of model TCs between El Niño and La Niña years, however, there is no significant simultaneous correlation between the annual number of model TCs over the entire WNP and model Niño34 SST anomalies. The annual number of model TCs, however, tends to decrease in the years following El Niño, relating to the development of anticyclonic circulation around the Philippine Sea in response to the SST anomalies in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific. Furthermore, it seems that the number of model TCs tends to increase in the years before El Niño. It is also shown that the number of TCs moving into the East Asia is fewer in October of El Niño years than La Niña years, related to the anomalous southward shift of mid-latitude westerlies, though no impact of ENSO on TC tracks is found in other months. It is found that model TCs have longer lifetimes due to the southeastward shift of mean TC genesis location in El Niño years than in La Niña years. As the result of longer fetch of TCs over warm SST, model TCs appear to be more intense in El Niño years. These relationships between ENSO and TC activity in the WNP are in good agreement with observational evidence, suggesting that a finer-resolution CGCM may become a powerful tool for understanding interannual variability of TC activity.     

THE STATISTICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF IMPACT OF THE WESTWARD-GOING TROPICAL CYCLONES ON RAINFALL IN YUNNAN PLATEAU

Using data available from the Retrieval System Based on Yearbooks of Tropical Cyclones over the Western North Pacific,NCEP/NCAR reanalysis daily data and observed precipitation data for 1959 to 2007 in Yunnan,a province located in a low-latitude plateau,this work analyzes the climatic characteristics and the corresponding large-scale circulation patterns related to the western North Pacific westward moving TCs(WMTCs).Its impacts on the rainfall in the Yunnan Plateau are studied.Results show that WMTCs happen almost every year,mainly from July to September.It shows a downward trend in decadal variation.Nearly the entire Yunnan area is affected by them but the eastern part experiences the most severe influences.Most of the WMTCs migrate from the South China Sea,primarily make landfall in Hainan and Guangdong and enter the Northern Bay.The tracks of these typhoons can be classified into five categories,in which the most significant impact results from those making landfall in Guangdong.All categories of the tropical cyclones can induce province-wide heavy rainfall in Yunnan.Super typhoons bring about the heaviest and most extensive rainfall over the low-latitude plateau while the associated circulation pattern is marked with a dominant 500 hPa meridional circulation at middle latitudes,an active monsoon depression and Intertropical Convection Zone(ITCZ) at low latitudes and a westward-located South Asia High at 100 hPa,which is favorable for tropical cyclones to travel westward.WMTCs tend to go westward into the interior part of China if the subtropical high extends its westernmost ridge point to the northeast of Yunnan,or expands its periphery anti-cyclonic circulation to the Tibetan Plateau,or merges with the Qinghai-Tibetan high.     

A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS ON INTENSITY CHANGE OF TROPICAL CYCLONES OVER THE WESTERN NORTH PACIFIC

55-year (1949 - 2003) data sets are used to study the statistical characteristics in intensity change of the tropical cyclones (TC) over the western North Pacific. According to the mathematical meaning of average value and standard deviation, the abruptly intensifying, gradually intensifying, stable intensity, gradually weakening and abruptly weakening of TC intensity are defined and the statistical characteristics, such as inter-decadal variation, inter-annual variation, inter-monthly variation, and regional distribution, etc. are analyzed. Main results are as follows: (1) From 1949 to 2003, there were 1886 TCs, averaging at 34.29 TCs per year. After 1995, the number of TCs dropped dramatically with less than 30 per year. 3.56% of the total were abruptly intensifying samples, and 3.31% were weakening samples. (2) For the annual mean, all but the stable group tend to decrease with the shift of decades as far as the overall change of the 6-h isallobaric process is concerned. (3) The abruptly intensifying TC seldom occurs over mid- and high-latitude area (north of 30°N) and low-latitude area and sometimes occurs around the islands and continent. Basically there is no gradually intensifying of TC over mid- and high- latitude area (north of 30°N and west of 125°E), in offshore Chinese waters. The gradually weakening and abruptly weakening TCs usually occur offshore China, west of 125 °E, but seldom over low-latitude area (0 - 5°N).     

SENSITIVITY FACTORS FOR TYPHOON GENESIS OVER THE WESTERN NORTH PACIFIC DURING JULY-SEPTEMBER

The paper compares the correlations between individual factors of the cyclogenesis and the number of TCs formed in the western North Pacific in July to September(NTWNP). It also compares the characteristics of zonal anomaly distribution of the factors in the primary TC source areas of the Northern Hemisphere. Results show that the vorticity factor has the closest correlation with NTWNP. In TC genesis conditions, this feature is relatively rich but not enough, which determines that it is the sensitivity factor of NTWNP's annual variation. The paper also analyzes the source of annual variation of the vorticity factor in the key area of the western North Pacific as well as its advantage in showing NTWNP. Results show that the annual variation of the vorticity factor mentioned above is related to the annual variation of Southern Oscillation, Antarctica Oscillation and the geopotential height field of East Australia, which reflects the effect of two large-scale systems in the Southern Hemisphere and ENSO(El Ni?o–Southern Oscillation) on NTWNP. Since the area where the vorticity factor is significantly correlated with NTWNP is consistent with the area of dense TC genesis sources, the vorticity factor has an obvious advantage in showing annual variation of TCs. Those features are very significant for research on the influencing mechanism of NTWNP and simulation of climate models.     

Growing Threat of Rapidly-Intensifying Tropical Cyclones in East Asia

This study examines the long-term change in the threat of landfalling tropical cyclones(TCs) in East Asia over the period 1975–2020 with a focus on rapidly intensifying(RI) TCs. The increase in the annual number of RI-TCs over the western North Pacific and the northwestward shift of their genesis location lead to an increasing trend in the annual number of landfalling RI-TCs along the coast of East Asia. The annual power dissipation index(PDI), a measure of the destructive potential of RI-TCs at landfall, also shows a significant increasing trend due to increases in the annual frequency and mean landfall intensity of landfalling RI-TCs. The increase in mean landfall intensity is related to a higher lifetime maximum intensity(LMI) and the LMI location of the landfalling RI-TCs being closer to the coast. The increase in the annual PDI of East Asia is mainly associated with landfalling TCs in the southern(the Philippines, South China, and Vietnam) and northern parts(Japan and the Korean Peninsula) of East Asia due to long-term changes in vertical wind shear and TC heat potential. The former leads to a northwestward shift of favorable environments for TC genesis and intensification, resulting in the northwestward shift in the genesis, RI, and LMI locations of RI-TCs. The latter provides more heat energy from the ocean for TC intensification, increasing its chances to undergo RI.