Extreme monsoons over East Asia: Possible role of Indian Ocean Zonal Mode

Summary The influence of the Indian Ocean Zonal Mode on the extreme summer monsoon rainfall over East Asia (China, Korea, Japan) has been investigated applying simple statistical techniques of correlation and composite analysis. While the observed rainfall data are used as a measure of rainfall activity, the NCEP-NCAR Reanalysis data are used to examine the circulation features associated with the extreme monsoon phases and the dynamics of the zonal mode – monsoon variability connections. The data used covers the period 1960 to 2000.The equatorial Indian Ocean is dominated by westerly winds blowing towards Indonesia. However, during the positive phase of the zonal mode, an anomalous, intensified easterly flow prevails, consistent with the positive (negative) sea surface temperature anomalies over the western (southeastern) equatorial Indian Ocean. This positive phase of the zonal mode enhances summer monsoon activity over China, but suppresses the monsoon activity over the Korea-Japan sector, 3 to 4 seasons later. The relationship is more consistent and stronger over the Korea-Japan region than over China.The Indian Ocean influences the monsoon variability over East Asia via the northern hemisphere mid-latitudes or via the eastern Indian Ocean/west Pacific route. The monsoon-desert mechanism induces strong subsidence northwest of India due to the anomalous convection over the Indian Ocean region associated with the positive phase of the zonal mode. This induces a zonal wave pattern over the mid-latitudes of Asia propagating eastwards and displacing the north Pacific subtropical high over East Asia. The warming over the eastern Indian Ocean/west Pacific inhibits the westward extension of the north Pacific sub-tropical high. The location and shape of this high plays a dominant role in the monsoon variability over East Asia. The memory for delayed impact, three to four seasons later, could be carried by the surface boundary conditions of Eurasian snow cover via the northern channel or the equatorial SSTs near the Indonesian Through Flow via the southern channel.     

热带海温异常对东南亚夏季风爆发的影响

通过季风指数Im定义了能表征东南亚地区降水实况的东南亚夏季风指数,根据东南亚夏季风指数测算出东南亚夏季风爆发的平均时间为5月7日.利用东南亚夏季风指数分析热带海温场及垂直速度场的变化后发现,在东南亚夏季风爆发的前期秋、冬季节,中东太平洋地区以及中西印度洋地区的冷海温有利于东南亚地区夏季风的提前爆发.当中东太平洋地区是冷(暖)海温时,对应着纬向的Walker环流及季风环流圈强(弱),东南亚地区的对流也强(弱),则东南亚地区夏季风爆发早(迟).     

亚洲和南半球大气冷(热)源对亚洲冬季风影响的数值试验

利用NCAR CAM3.1模式及NCEP/NCAR(version 1)再分析资料计算了几种现实大气热源分布情况,讨论了亚洲各地区和南半球上空冬季1月大气冷(热)源对东亚冬季风环流系统和印度冬季风环流系统形成的影响.结果表明:(1)冬季1月东亚地区和澳大利亚上空大气冷(热)源与东亚冬季风环流关系密切,南半球澳大利亚附近的非绝热加热可以激发出澳大利亚北部的热低压系统,东亚大陆东部的大气冷源可以使东亚大陆低空出现冷高压,基本上模拟出东亚季风系统冬季主要环流成员;(2)亚洲地区西部及其对应的南半球印度洋非绝热加热与印度冬季风环流关系密切,同样对东亚冬季风也有一定的影响,特别是亚洲大陆西部副热带地区的非绝热加热可以加强冬季南海的越赤道气流并能调整阿留申低压的位置.     

影响东亚夏季风降水异常的前期海温信号

采用NCEP/NCAR大气再分析资料、HadISST海温数据以及中国东亚季风区的实测降水资料,探讨前期冬季海温与东亚夏季风之间的关系。研究表明,影响东亚夏季风异常的海温变化存在2个关键区,分别位于南印度洋中部和北太平洋东部,关键区的海温与东亚季风区的降水在长江中游有显著正相关,与东亚夏季风指数有显著负相关。基于此,定义了印-太海温指数。强海温指数年的南亚高压、索马里越赤道气流、西太平洋副高偏强,有利于东亚夏季风北进,中国大部降水偏多;弱海温指数年则相反。      

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.     

印度洋冬季风异常海气环流耦合模态分析

本文对印度洋冬季风异常海气环流耦合主要模态做了分析和讨论,得到以下结果:第一模态海面和低空大气环流的异常主要发生在东印度洋海域上空,而上层大洋环流的异常则主要反映了印度洋冬季风环流的异常,并主要体现在西向赤道暖流和东向赤道逆流上。第二模态的大气环流相应异常主要发生在孟加拉湾、阿拉伯海和赤道印度洋上空,而上层大洋环流异常除与第一模态类似外,还包括索马里暖流的明显异常。第一、二模态分别是印度洋冬季风的偏东、偏西模态,也是其主、次模态;均有约4年的年际变化,还分别有约18、22年的年代际变化;该主、次模态分别在1976年及1976、1986年有突变发生;这样印度洋冬季风有约4年的年际变化,并在1976年出现明显突变。该主、次模态的年代际变化周期也是冬季北太平洋海气联合复EOF分解第二、第一模态的年代际变化周期,这反映两大洋之间有密切联系,这是因冬季蒙古西伯利亚高压是南亚、东亚冬季风的共同源头,对两大洋的大气环流异常都有明显影响。南亚冬季风偏强时印度洋的Hadley环流和赤道辐合带上的对流均偏强,反之亦然;且该冬季风的主、次模态都如此;这也反映了南亚冬季风大气环流异常与冬季热带大气环流异常之间的耦合关系。当该主、次模态发生正、负异常变化时,近表层热带印度洋海温异常分别呈现横贯大洋的南北向跷跷板变化以及大洋东、西向的跷跷板变化;但前者是主要的。印度洋冬季风对印度洋偶极子起着抑制作用,这是该偶极子在冬季最弱的原因。在热带印度洋,大气低空垂直运动下沉、上升区域都分别大致位于该大洋近表层的下沉、上升运动区域之上,这构成了海气相互作用的负反馈机制,并有助于南亚冬季风、Hadley环流、赤道辐合带以及印度洋中冬季风环流的维持和稳定。     

赤道西太平洋-印度洋海温异常对亚洲夏季风的影响

本文采用了p-σ五层原始方程模式模拟并研究了赤道西太平洋-印度洋海温距平场对亚洲夏季风的影响,计算了四种不同的海温距平试验方案。试验结果表明赤道西太平洋海温正距平使对流层下层的印度低压明显加强,副高北挺,季风槽加深,同时加强了对流层上层的反气旋环流。赤道西印度洋暖海温的模拟结果与赤道西太平洋暖海温对上述系统的影响相反,而赤道西印度洋冷海温对季风环流的影响与赤道西太平洋暧海温的影响一致。试验进一步表明赤道西太平洋-印度洋海温距平的纬向梯度方向对亚洲夏季风的影响是主要的,这一结论与实际观测结果一致。本文进一步讨论了赤道海温距平对越赤道气流、印度洋赤道东-西纬向环流和非绝热加热场的影响,结果都表明赤道西太平洋海温正距平和赤道西印度洋海温负距平的模拟特征与反El Nino年亚洲夏季环流特征类似,而赤道西印度洋海员正距平的模拟特征与El Nino年亚洲夏季坏流特征类似。     

冬夏东亚季风环流对太平洋热状况的响应

冬夏隔季韵律关系一直是我国长期天气预报和短期气候预测的一个重要依据,然而迄今为止对它们之间的物理过程及成因机理并不十分清楚。利用NCEP/NCAR全球2.5°×2.5°网格月平均再分析资料,研究1951~2000年冬夏东亚季风环流异常变化与太平洋海面温度(SST)的关系及对关键海温区响应机理。研究指出:冬夏东亚季风环流隔季韵律关系及其年际变化与赤道东太平洋海面温度异常(SSTA)变化密切相关,冬季赤道东太平洋出现La Ni~na(El Ni~no)型的SST分布,有利冬、夏东亚季风环流加强(减弱),其影响过程通过赤道Walker环流强(弱)以及东亚地区Hadley环流强(弱)过程完成。冬季赤道东太平洋海温变化是冬、夏东亚环流季节以及年际变化的一个重要外强迫因子。     

夏季索马里急流的建立及其影响机制

定义了夏季索马里急流（SSMJ）的建立指数，从而确定了1948--2002年的SSMJ建立日期，并以此为基础研究了SSMJ建立过程以及前冬海陆热力异常和冬季风异常对其建立早晚的影响。结果表明：SSMJ的建立是亚洲季风爆发的最早信号；其建立过程受到马斯克林高压、中非低压以及阿拉伯高压等非洲-印度洋系统的影响，而印度低压的发展有利于SSMJ越过赤道后向东转向；夏季索马里急流建立时间的年际变化反映了北半球冬季海陆热力差异的年际异常；强（弱）东亚冬季风时，次年春季SSMJ建立偏迟（早）。     

夏季亚洲季风区对流层向平流层输送的源区、路径及其时间尺度的模拟研究

基于NCEP/NCAR分析资料和拉格朗日轨迹输送模式FLEXPART, 通过气块轨迹计算, 对2005年夏季亚洲季风区对流层向平流层输送 (Troposphere to Stratosphere Transport, 简称TST) 的近地层源区、 输送路径及其时间尺度问题进行了一些初步探讨。结果表明: (1) 夏季亚洲季风区TST两个主要的边界层源区, 一个是热带西太平洋地区; 另一个是青藏高原南部、 孟加拉湾以及印度半岛中北部等地区, 上述两个区域与夏季强对流的分布相一致。在对流层顶高度附近 (约16 km高度), 两个近地层源区的垂直输送贡献相当。但进一步分析发现, 穿越对流层顶高度的质量输送只有约10％能够进入20～22 km高度的平流层中, 且主要源于以青藏高原南侧为代表的南亚季风区 (约贡献75%), 这进一步强调了青藏高原及其周边区域在全球TST过程中的重要地位。 (2) 轨迹分析显示, 夏季亚洲季风区对流层进入平流层的 “入口区” 主要在 (25°N～35°N, 90°E～110°E) 区域的青藏高原及其周边区域。TST路径受对流层上层南亚高压闭合环流、 北半球副热带西风急流和赤道东风急流的共同控制。 (3) 亚洲季风区TST两个主要的过程, 一个是和夏季湿对流抬升直接联系的快速输送过程, 它可以使近地层大气在1～2天内输送到平流层中, 贡献了整个TST的10%～30%; 另一个是大气辐射加热所致的大尺度垂直输送, 该输送是一个相对的慢过程, 时间尺度一般为5～30天。此结果意味着, 源于地表的短生命周期的大气污染物可通过光化学反应过程对该区域平流层臭氧及其他大气痕量成分平衡产生重要影响。     

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.     

冬季流入南印度洋的低空越赤道气流分析

本文利用1980—1987年850 hPa格点风资料和500 hPa高度场资料，分析了冬季自北半球流入南印度洋的越赤道气流的特征，指出在35°—135°E的近赤道地区冬季低空有四支源自北半球的越赤道气流，它们具有明显的年变化和年际变化；它们主要来自阿拉伯半岛—东亚地区大陆冷高压的东北季风，其强弱变化取决于东北季风的活动。     

Regional features of precipitation over Asia and summer extreme precipitation over Southeast Asia and their associations with atmospheric–oceanic conditions

The variations of both total and extreme precipitations over Asia are characterized by large regional features and seasonality. Extreme precipitation mainly occurs in summer and then in autumn over South Asia but it is a prominent phenomenon in all seasons over Southeast Asia. It explains above 40% of the total precipitation in winter over India, while the ratio of extreme precipitation to total precipitation is 30% or smaller in all seasons over southern-central China. Over Southeast Asia, the largest ratio appears in winter. The extreme precipitation over Southeast Asia (EPSEA) exhibits significant positive trends in all seasons except autumn. The long-term increase in summer EPSEA is associated with significant surface warming over extratropical Asia and the Indo-Pacific oceans and linked to a large-scale anomalous cyclonic pattern over Southeast Asia. An increase in de-trended summer EPSEA is associated with less significant surface warming. However, it is still clearly linked to an anomalous cyclonic pattern over Southeast Asia, contributed by intensifications of monsoon flow from the west, trade wind from the east, and cross-equatorial flow over Indonesia. The antecedent features of increased summer EPSEA include an overall warming over the tropical–subtropical northern hemisphere and an anomalous cyclonic pattern over Southeast Asia in winter and spring. When the large-scale Asian monsoon (measured by the Webster-Yang monsoon index) or the South Asian monsoon is strong, summer extreme precipitation mainly increases over tropical Asia. When monsoon is strong over Southeast Asia or East Asia, extreme precipitation increases over Southeast Asia and decreases over East Asia. A strong summer monsoon over Southeast Asia or East Asia is also followed by decreased autumn extreme precipitation over Southeast Asia.     

Simulation of paleoclimate over East Asia at 6 ka BP and 21 ka BP by a regional climate model

Using a regional climate model with detailed land surface processes (RegCM2), East Asian monsoon climates at 6 ka BP and 21 ka BP are simulated by prescribing vegetation and employing paleovegetation respectively in order to examine land surface effects on East Asian climate system and the potential mechanisms for climate change. The RegCM2 with a 120 × 120 km² resolution has simulated the enlargement of the seasonal cycle of insolation, the temperature rising the whole year, and the reduction of perpetual snow in high latitudes at 6 ka BP. The simulation shows the East Asian summer monsoon strengthening, precipitation and P–E increasing, and the monsoon rain belt shifting westwards and northwards. Effect of paleovegetation included in the modeling reduced surface albedo and caused an increase in the winter temperature, which led to weakening of the winter continental cold anticyclone over China. The results make the seasonal characteristics of simulated temperature changes in better agreement with the geological records, and are an improvement over previous simulations of Paleoclimate Modeling Intercomparison Project (PMIP). The RegCM2 simulated the 21 ka BP climate with lowered temperature throughout the year, and with precipitation reduced in most areas of East Asia (but increased in both the Tibetan Plateau and Central Asia). Low temperature over East Asia led to the strengthening of the East Asian winter monsoon and the shrinking of the summer monsoon. The effect of paleovegetation included in the experiment has enlarged the glacial climate influence in East Asia, which is closer to geological data than the PMIP simulations directly driven by insolation, glaciation and low CO₂ concentration.     

冬夏季环流隔季相关的数值试验

利用海气耦合和大气气候模式研究东亚冬季风异常对夏季环流的影响, 结果表明, 东亚冬季风异常对于后期环流及海洋状态异常都起了很大的作用.一般情况下, 强的冬季风与后期弱的东亚夏季风和较强的南海季风相对应.与强(弱)冬季风异常相关的风应力的改变可以使热带太平洋海温从冬季至夏季呈现La Nina (El Nio)型异常分布.试验得到的由冬季风异常所产生的海洋及夏季环流的变化与实况是相当接近的.在异常的冬季风偏北风分量强迫下, 西太平洋上形成的偏差气旋环流在夏季已不存在, 这时东亚夏季风反而增强.而冬季赤道西风分量所产生的影响, 则在西太平洋上形成显著的偏差气旋环流, 使东亚副热带夏季风减弱, 南海夏季风加强.对于东亚大气环流而言, 与强弱冬季风对应的热带海洋海温异常强迫下, 不仅是冬季, 后期春季和夏季环流的特征都能得到很好的模拟.但是从分区看, 西太平洋暖池区的海温异常比东太平洋更为重要.单纯的热带中东太平洋的海温异常对东亚大气环流的影响主要表现在冬季, 对后期的影响并不十分清楚.整个热带海洋的异常型分布(不论是El Nio还是La Nia)型, 对冬夏季风的影响是重要的, 而单纯的某个地区的海温异常都比它的整体影响要小.从试验结果看, 海温在大尺度冬夏季环流的隔季相关中起了十分重要的作用.     

印度洋海温异常年际变率模态对中国东部地区夏季降水影响机制的数值试验

利用ECHAM5全球大气环流模式研究了印度洋海温异常年际变率模态从冬至夏的演变对我国东部地区夏季降水影响的机制。观测资料研究表明:对于正的印度洋海温异常年际变率模态,春、夏季热带印度洋和澳大利亚以西洋面(东极子)均为水汽的异常源区,向马达加斯加以东南洋面(西极子)及印度洋邻近大陆提供水汽。夏季,印度洋地区南极涛动、马斯克林高压加强;而印度季风低压和南亚高压均减弱,对应于印度夏季风减弱。夏季印度洋地区正压性的纬向风异常经向遥相关使热带印度洋地区出现西风异常,导致海洋性大陆地区对流活动减弱,而菲律宾海地区对流活动加强,进而导致西太平洋副热带高压偏弱、位置偏东北。对于负的印度洋海温异常年际变率模态,则反之。模式结果基本支持了已有的观测资料诊断结果。     

不同资料揭示南海夏季风爆发特征的比较

利用全球月平均海温资料，近地面的风、气温、湿度资料，以及海表感热和潜热资料，在综合分析海温和气象要素变化的基础上，确定了7个全球海气相互作用的关键区，并运用相关分析法，着重分析了各关键海区上空气象要素场与海温的时滞相关，以揭示不同关键海区海气相互作用的异同。分析表明：不同海区海气热力相互作用较强，海温与气温比湿有较好的互代性，特别是中东太平洋和南印度洋海区。动力作用对海温的影响各海区差异较大，中西太平洋海区的动力影响可能更关键。在感热潜热与海温的相关中，东西太平洋海区和西北太平洋及南印度洋两季风区都较关键。通过分析各海区海温和各气象要素相邻月的持续相关概率，进一步了解哪些要素、哪些区在哪些时段其异常持续性好，或异常持续性容易发生破坏，这不仅对做预报有一定的参考价值，也为我们讨论海气相互作用的物理机制提供了依据。     

Links between Indo-Pacific climate variability and drought in the Monsoon Asia Drought Atlas

Drought patterns across monsoon and temperate Asia over the period 1877–2005 are linked to Indo-Pacific climate variability associated with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). Using the Monsoon Asia Drought Atlas (MADA) composed of a high-resolution network of hydroclimatically sensitive tree-ring records with a focus on the June–August months, spatial drought patterns during El Niño and IOD events are assessed as to their agreement with an instrumental drought index and consistency in the drought response amongst ENSO/IOD events. Spatial characteristics in drought patterns are related to regional climate anomalies over the Indo-Pacific basin, using reanalysis products, including changes in the Asian monsoon systems, zonal Walker circulation, moisture fluxes, and precipitation. A weakening of the monsoon circulation over the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia during El Niño events, along with anomalous subsidence over monsoon Asia and reduced moisture flux, is reflected in anomalous drought conditions over India, Southeast Asia and Indonesia. When an IOD event co-occurs with an El Niño, severe drought conditions identified in the MADA for Southeast Asia, Indonesia, eastern China and central Asia are associated with a weakened South Asian monsoon, reduced moisture flux over China, and anomalous divergent flow and subsidence over Indonesia. Insights into the relative influences of Pacific and Indian Ocean variability for Asian monsoon climate on interannual to decadal and longer timescales, as recorded in the MADA, provide a useful tool for assessing long-term changes in the characteristics of Asian monsoon droughts in the context of Indo-Pacific climate variability.     

青藏高原冬季雪盖增大对夏季东亚大气环流影响的数值试验

利用二维非线性能量（Ｅ－ε）闭合的边界层数值模式,研究了中纬度地区海岸日间局地海风环流的特征,并对不同海风特性条件下的ＴＩＢＬ高度廓线用幂指数关系进行了数学拟合。对大量的数值试验结果分析表明,ＴＩＢＬ廓线幂指数（α）的取值与海风特性有关,其大小在０．４－１．１之间,α＝０．５只在海风充分发展时的陆上适用,文中还给出了不同海风发展程度（阶段）下的α取值。     

South Asian high and Asian-Pacific-American climate teleconnection

Growing evidence indicates that the Asian monsoon plays an important role in affecting the weather and climate outside of Asia. However, this active role of the monsoon has not been demonstrated as thoroughly as has the variability of the monsoon caused by various impacting factors such as sea surface temperature and land surface. This study investigates the relationship between the Asian monsoon and the climate anomalies in the Asian-Pacific-American （APA） sector. A hypothesis is tested that the variability of the upper-tropospheric South Asian high （SAH）, which is closely associated with the overall heating of the large-scale Asian monsoon, is linked to changes in the subtropical western Pacific high （SWPH）, the midPacific trough, and the Mexican high. The changes in these circulation systems cause variability in surface temperature and precipitation in the APA region. A stronger SAH is accompanied by a stronger and more extensive SWPH. The enlargement of the SWPH weakens the mid-Pacific trough. As a result, the southern portion of the Mexican high becomes stronger. These changes are associated with changes in atmospheric teleconnections, precipitation, and surface temperature throughout the APA region. When the SAH is stronger, precipitation increases in southern Asia, decreases over the Pacific Ocean, and increases over the Central America. Precipitation also increases over Australia and central Africa and decreases in the Mediterranean region. While the signals in surface temperature are weak over the tropical land portion, they are apparent in the mid latitudes and over the eastern Pacific Ocean.