硫酸盐气溶胶直接辐射效应对东亚副热带季风进程的影响

本文利用全球气候—大气化学模式CAM5 并结合NCEP/NCAR（National Centers for EnvironmentalPrediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research）1950～2009 年再分析资料,讨论硫酸盐气溶胶直接辐射效应对东亚副热带季风爆发、发展和结束进程的影响。模拟结果表明:硫酸盐气溶胶通过直接辐射效应引起东亚大陆大部分地区近地面降温,进而降低了中纬度东亚大陆与西太平洋之间的纬向热力对比,延迟春初、提早夏末海陆纬向热力差异逆转时间,由此引发东亚副热带季风爆发时间延后了4 候左右,结束时间提前了3 候左右;减小的海陆热力差异导致东亚大陆偏南风减弱、东亚季风减弱以及季风降水的区域调整。我们通过NCEP/NCAR 再分析资料分析亦发现,1980 年以后中纬度东亚大陆与西太平洋之间的纬向热力差异逆转时间比1980 年以前在春初延迟、夏末提前,导致了副热带季风爆发时间比1980 年之前延后,结束时间提前,东亚大陆偏南风减弱,副热带夏季风系统性减弱,硫酸盐直接辐射效应可能是造成这一结果的原因之一。以往的观测和模拟都表明,由于人为活动的增加,导致1980 年后东亚大陆硫酸盐气溶胶负荷较之前大幅增加,而东亚夏季风减弱,本文的研究进一步确认了两者间关系。     

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.     

对流层上层东半球副热带西风急流与副热带(南亚)高压的关系

用NCEP/NCAR月平均再分析资料对南亚高压和对流层上层西风急流的季节变化及盛夏两类型态进行对比。结果表明,南亚高压和西风急流中心都有从冬到夏的西移北进和从夏到冬的东退南撤,急流中心位于南亚高压中心北侧。东亚夏季风盛行期间南亚高压中心的北移提前于西风急流中心的北移,二者的强度呈反相的季节变化。一般情况下,伊朗高压对应西部急流型,青藏高压对应东部急流型。典型东、西部急流年份中高纬气温及高度场的差异表明气压梯度力强弱对比是急流东西型变化的主要原因,南亚高压的位置基本上决定了急流中心的型态,但由于南亚高压具有"趋热性",而急流的移动符合热成风的规律,因而二者的热力影响机制有所不同。     

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。     

Discussion of Some Problems as to the East Asian Subtropical Monsoon

Based on NCEP/NCAR gridded reanalysis, TRMM precipitation data, CMAP, and rainfall observations in East China, a study is conducted with focus on the timing and distinctive establishment of the rainy season of the East Asian subtropical monsoon （EASM） in relation to the South China Sea （SCS） tropical summer monsoon （SCSM）. A possible mechanism for the EASM is investigated. The results suggest that 1） the EASM rainy season begins at first over the south of the Jiangnan region to the north of South China in late March to early April （i.e., pentads 16-18）, and then the early flooding period in South China starts when southerly winds enhance and convective rainfall increases pronouncedly; 2） the establishment of the EASM rainy season is earlier than that of its counterpart, the SCSM. The EASM and the SCSM each is featured with its own independent rain belt, strong southwesterly wind, intense vertical motion, and robust low-level water vapor convergence. The SCSM interacts with the EASM, causing the EASM rainy belt to move northward. The two systems are responsible for the floods/droughts over the eastern China; and 3） in mid-late March, the eastern Asian landmass （especially the Tibetan Plateau） has its thermal condition changing from a cold to a heat source for the atmosphere. A reversal of the zonal thermal contrast and related temperature and pressure contrasts between the landmass and the western Pacific happens. The argument about whether or not the dynamic and thermal effects of the landmass really act as a mechanism for the earlier establishment of the EASM rain belt is discussed and to be further clarified. Finally, the article presents some common understandings and disagreements regarding the EASM.     

夏季东亚高空副热带西风急流季节内异常的环流特征及前兆信号

位于东亚中纬度上空的东亚高空副热带西风急流是东亚季风环流系统中的重要成员,我国夏季降水雨带的季节内变化受东亚高空副热带西风急流位置季节内异常变化影响。根据1979~2008年中国降水资料、NCEP/NCAR再分析资料以及NOAA ERSST V3月平均海表温度资料,利用统计分析和物理量诊断方法对夏季东亚高空副热带西风急流位置季节内异常的东亚大气环流特征及外强迫信号的物理过程进行了探讨。研究指出:6月东亚高空副热带西风急流位置异常主要受欧亚大陆中高纬东传的Rossby波列位相变化影响,春季北大西洋海温异常是欧亚大陆中高纬度Rossby波列位相变化的最显著的外强迫信号;7月东亚高空副热带西风急流位置异常主要受西太平洋热带向副热带传播的Rossby波列位相变化影响,春季西太平洋热带海温异常是西太平洋热带向副热带传播的Rossby波列位相变化的最显著的外强迫信号;8月东亚高空副热带西风急流位置异常主要受南亚大陆向东亚大陆热带、副热带传播的Rossby波列位相变化影响,春季印度洋海温异常是南亚大陆向东亚大陆热带、副热带传播的Rossby波列位相变化的最显著的外强迫信号。     

East Asian summer monsoon circulation structure controlled by feedback of condensational heating

The East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) features strong humid low-level southerly flows and abundant rainfall over the subtropical East Asia. This study identified how condensational heating generated by the EASM rainfall can affect the EASM circulation by contrasting two 10-member ensembles of atmospheric General Circulation Model experiments with Community Climate Model version 3/National Center for Atmospheric Research respectively with and without feedback of condensational heating over the East Asian domain. Major results inferred from the experiments are as follows. Condensational heating is found to absolutely dominate diabatic heating over East Asia. Exclusion of the feedback of condensational heating leads to a significant weakening of summertime tropospheric warming over land and thus a large reduction of the land-sea thermal contrast between entire Asian continent and surrounding oceans. Associated with this, the lower-level EASM flows are weakened, South Asian High at 200 hPa migrates southward with reduced intensity and breaks over East Asia with southerly flows prevailing in the upper troposphere, in contrast to northerly flows in reality. Consequently, local EASM meridional cell disappears and the baroclinic structure featured by the EASM circulation that is dynamically determined by convective condensational heating over East Asia is altered to a barotropic structure. Therefore, it is concluded that the feedback of condensational heating acts to largely enhance lower-level flows of the EASM and essentially determine its baroclinic structure and meridional cell, once the solar radiation and inhomogeneity of the Earth’s surface form low-level monsoon flows in East Asia by enhancing land-sea thermal contrast.     

季节预测模式对东亚夏季环流的预测能力及其对热带海洋的响应分析

东亚夏季环流变化对中国夏季降水的年际变化有重要影响,因此需要进一步理解季节预测模式对东亚夏季环流的预测能力。利用1991~2013年美国国家环境预测中心（NCEP）、中国气象局国家气候中心（NCC）和日本东京气候中心（TCC）的三个季节预测模式（CFS V2、BCC_CSM V2和MRI-CGCM）以及NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,定量评估了模式对东亚夏季风（EASM）和夏季西太平洋副热带高压（WPSH）强度的预测能力。在此基础上,分析了模式预测的EASM和WPSH对热带海温异常的响应能力,以及ENSO事件对EASM和WPSH预测的影响,阐述了预测误差产生的原因。结果表明:整体而言,三个模式对EASM和WPSH的预测技巧较高,但TCC模式对WPSH的预测技巧相对较低。三个模式预测的850 hPa风场在西北太平洋存在一个异常气旋,使得预测的EASM偏强和WPSH偏弱。同时,二者的年际变率整体比观测小。三个模式预测的EASM和WPSH对热带海洋海温异常的响应随季节演变特征与观测比较接近,但NCEP模式和TCC模式预测的EASM对前期热带太平洋和前期、同期热带印度洋的海温异常响应要强于观测,NCC模式预测的EASM对前期和同期的热带太平洋的海温异常响应明显比观测强。此外,三个模式预测的WPSH对前期和同期的热带太平洋、热带印度洋和热带大西洋的海温异常响应明显强于观测。三个模式预测的EASM和WPSH在ENSO年的平均绝对误差（MAE）整体而言要比正常年的小很多,NCEP模式和NCC模式预测的EASM和WPSH的MAE在La Ni?a年和El Ni?o年差别不大,而TCC模式预测的EASM和WPSH的MAE在El Ni?o年比在La Ni?a年大很多,表明ENSO事件是东亚夏季环流重要的可预报源。     

关于东亚副热带季风和热带季风的再认识

利用NCEP/NCAR再分析数据集和CMAP(Climate Prediction Center Merged Analysis of Precipitation)降水资料, 分析了东亚副热带夏季风与热带夏季风的区别和联系, 以及两者相互作用问题, 深入讨论了东亚副热带季风的本质。分析发现东亚副热带夏季风建立早于热带夏季风, 于3月中旬已经开始建立。两者是相互独立的两个过程, 前者并非是后者向北推进的结果；相反, 前者建立后的突然南压有利于后者的爆发。副热带夏季风为渐进式建立, 但撤退迅速；热带夏季风爆发突然, 但撤退缓慢。副热带夏季风的建立以偏南风的建立为特征, 而热带夏季风的建立以偏东风向偏西风转变为特征。热带夏季风的建立时间取决于经向海陆热力差异转向, 而东亚副热带夏季风则更依赖于纬向海陆热力差异的逆转。亚洲大陆（含青藏高原）与西太平洋之间的纬向海陆热力差异的季节逆转无论对东亚副热带夏季风还是热带夏季风均有重要作用。     

Numerical Experiment on Impact of Anomalous SST Warming in Kuroshio Extension in Previous Winter on East Asian Summer Monsoon

The impact of anomalous sea surface temperature (SST) warming in the Kuroshio Extension in the previous winter on the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) was investigated by performing simulation tests using NCAR CAM3.The results show that anomalous SST warming in the Kuroshio Extension in winter causes the enhancement and northward movement of the EASM.The monsoon indexes for East Asian summer monsoon and land-sea thermal difference,which characterize the intensity of the EASM,show an obvious increase during the onset period of the EASM.Moreover,the land-sea thermal difference is more sensitive to warmer SST.Low-level southwesterly monsoon is clearly strengthened meanwhile westerly flows north (south) of the subtropical westerly jet axis are strengthened (weakened) in northern China,South China Sea,and the Western Pacific Ocean to the east of the Philippines.While there is an obvious decrease in precipitation over the Japanese archipelago and adjacent oceans and over the area from the south of the Yangtze River in eastern China to the Qinling Mountains in southern China,precipitation increases notably in northern China,the South China Sea,the East China Sea,the Yellow Sea,and the Western Pacific to the east of the Philippines.North China is the key area where the response of the EASM to the SST anomalous warming in the Kuroshio Extension is prominent.The surface air temperature shows a warming trend.The warming in the entire troposphere between 30oN and 50oN increases the land-sea thermal contrast,which plays an important role in the enhancement of the EASM.Atmospheric circulation and precipitation anomalies in China and its adjacent regions have a close relationship with the enhancement of the Western Pacific subtropical high and its northward extension.     

MRI-CGCM模式气候预测回报试验在东亚夏季的检验和降尺度订正

应用1979—2010年MRI-CGCM模式回报、NCEP/NCAR再分析数据和中国东部降水观测资料检验了模式对东亚夏季风的模拟能力,并利用模式500 hPa高度场回报资料建立了中国东部夏季降水的奇异值分解（SVD）降尺度模型。模式较好地模拟了亚洲季风区夏季降水的气候态,但模拟的季风环流偏弱、偏南,导致降水偏弱。模拟降水的方差明显偏小,且模拟降水的外部、内部方差比值低,模拟降水受模式初值影响较大。模式对长江雨型的模拟能力最高,华南雨型次之,华北雨型最低。模式对东亚夏季风第1模态的模拟能力明显高于第2模态。对于东亚夏季风第1模态,模式模拟出了西太平洋异常反气旋,但强度偏弱,且未模拟出中高纬度的日本海气旋、鄂霍次克海反气旋,导致长江中下游至日本南部降水偏弱。各时次模拟环流均能反映但低估了ENSO衰减、印度洋偏暖对西太平洋反气旋的增强作用。对于东亚夏季风第2模态,模式对西太平洋的“气旋-反气旋”结构有一定的模拟能力,但未模拟出贝加尔湖异常反气旋和东亚沿海异常气旋,导致中国东部“北少南多”雨型在模拟中完全遗漏。仅超前时间小于4个月的模拟降水能够反映ENSO发展对降水分布的作用。通过交叉检验选取左场时间系数可以提高降尺度模型的预测技巧,SVD降尺度模型在华南、江南、淮河、华北4个区域平均距平相关系数分别为0.20、0.23、0.18、0.02,明显高于模式直接输出。      

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.     

云南夏季旱涝与前期冬季环流变化的关系

夏季气候异常的前期信号特征分析一直是短期气候预测工作的重点。利用1948—2004年NCEP/NCAR月平均再分析资料、1961—2004年云南124个站的月平均降水和1948—2003年英国Hadley中心的月平均海温资料, 分析了云南夏季旱涝的时空特征, 探讨了云南夏季旱涝与前期大气环流和大气热力状态变化的关系, 发现云南夏季旱涝前冬12月—1月, 特别是1月东亚中高纬度地区的大气环流变化和赤道附近高低层大气的热力状态对云南夏季旱涝有重要的指示意义, 当前冬东亚大槽强 (弱), 冬季风强 (弱), 赤道附近高低层大气温度偏低 (高) 时, 后期云南夏季降水偏多 (少)。同时, 初步探讨了东亚冬夏季风环流变化的相互联系及热带海温变化的可能影响, 指出冬季到夏季印度洋和赤道西太平洋地区持续的海温异常有可能通过改变夏季海陆的热力对比, 进而影响夏季风活动和云南夏季降水的变化。     

The Antarctic oscillation-East Asian summer monsoon connections in NCEP-1 and ERA-40

Connections between the spring Antarctic Oscillation(AAO)and the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM)in two reanalysis datasets—NCEP-1(NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis 1)and ERA-40(ECMWF 40- year Reanalysis)—are investigated in this study.Both show significant correlation between AAO and EASM rainfall over the Yangtze River valley,especially after about 1985.Though ERA-40 shows weaker anomalous signals connecting AAO and EASM over southern high latitudes than NCEP-1,both datasets reveal similar connecting patterns between ...     

东亚冬季风异常的空间结构及与海陆热力差异的联系

对NCEP／NCAR再分析资料采用经验正交函数和奇异谱分析方法研究东亚冬季风异常的空间结构和时间变率，在进行相关分析的基础上用奇异值分解方法研究东亚冬季风异常与海陆热力差异的联系。分析结果表明：在东亚季风区内冬季风异常有明显的地理差异，根据经向风的气修平均图及均方差图上极值中心的位置、形态，确定三个区域。WM1、WM2、WM3区为东亚冬季风的三个子系统，分别位于南海、东海、日本海上。三个子系统强度的年际、年代际变率都不同。近40aWM3区冬季风呈减弱趋势，而WM1、WM2区冬季风没有明显的减弱趋势，不同地区海陆热力差异明显不同子系统的强度，WM1、WM2区冬季风与热带西太平洋海温相关紧密，WM3区冬季风与高纬度海陆热力差异相关密切。     

Responses of East Asian summer monsoon to historical SST and atmospheric forcing during 1950–2000

The East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) circulation and summer rainfall over East China have experienced large decadal changes during the latter half of the 20th century. To investigate the potential causes behind these changes, a series of simulations using the national center for atmospheric research (NCAR) community atmospheric model version 3 (CAM3) and the geophysical fluid dynamics laboratory (GFDL) atmospheric model version 2.1 (AM2.1) are analyzed. These simulations are forced separately with different historical forcing, namely tropical sea surface temperature (SSTs), global SSTs, greenhouse gases plus aerosols, and a combination of global SSTs and greenhouse gases plus aerosols. This study focuses on the relative roles of these individual forcings in causing the observed monsoon and rainfall changes over East Asia during 1950–2000. The simulations from both models show that the SST forcing, primarily from the Tropics, is able to induce most of the observed weakening of the EASM circulation, while the greenhouse gas plus (direct) aerosol forcing increases the land-sea thermal contrast and thus enhances the EASM circulation. The results suggest that the recent warming in the Tropics, especially the warming associated with the tropical interdecadal variability centered over the central and eastern Pacific, is a primary cause for the weakening of the EASM since the late 1970s. However, a realistic simulation of the relatively small-scale rainfall change pattern over East China remains a challenge for the global models.     

Seasonal Variation of the East Asian Subtropical Westerly Jet and Its Association with the Heating Field over East Asia

The structure and seasonal variation of the East Asian Subtropical Westerly Jet （EAWJ） and associations with heating fields over East Asia are examined by using NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data. Obvious differences exist in the westerly jet intensity and location in different regions and seasons due to the ocean-land distribution and seasonal thermal contrast, as well as the dynamic and thermodynamic impacts of the Tibetan Plateau. In winter, the EAWJ center is situated over the western Pacific Ocean and the intensity is reduced gradually from east to west over the East Asian region. In summer, the EAWJ center is located over the north of the Tibetan Plateau and the jet intensity is reduced evidently compared with that in winter. The EAWJ seasonal evolution is characterized by the obvious longitudinal inconsistency of the northward migration and in-phase southward retreat of the EAWJ axis. A good correspondence between the seasonal variations of EAWJ and the meridional differences of air temperature （MDT） in the mid-upper troposphere demonstrates that the MDT is the basic reason for the seasonal variation of EAWJ. Correlation analyses indicate that the Kuroshio Current region to the south of Japan and the Tibetan Plateau are the key areas for the variations of the EAWJ intensities in winter and in summer, respectively. The strong sensible and latent heating in the Kuroshio Current region is closely related to the intensification of EAWJ in winter. In summer, strong sensible heating in the Tibetan Plateau corresponds to the EAWJ strengthening and southward shift, while the weak sensible heating in the Tibetan Plateau is consistent with the EAWJ weakening and northward migration.     

Intercomparison of the impacts of four summer teleconnections over Eurasia on East Asian rainfall

East Asian summer climate is strongly affected by extratropical circulation disturbances.In this study,impacts of four atmospheric teleconnections over Eurasia on East Asian summer rainfall are investigated using National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research （NCEP/NCAR） reanalysis data and Climatic Research Unit （CRU） land precipitation data during 1979-2009.The four teleconnections include the Scandinavian （SCA）,the Polar/Eurasian （PEU）,the East Atlantic/Western Russian （EAWR）,and the circumglobal teleconnection （CGT）.Moreover,the related changes of lower-tropospheric circulation are explored,specifically,the low pressure over northern East Asia （NEAL） and the subtropical high over the western North Pacific （WNPSH）.The results presented are in the positive phase.The PEU and SCA induce significant negative anomalies in North China rainfall （NCR）,while the CGT induces significant positive anomalies.In the past three decades,the PEU and SCA explain more than 20％ of the variance in NCR,twice that explained by the CGT,suggesting a more important role of the former two teleconnections in NCR variation than the latter one.Meanwhile,the PEU and SCA reduce rainfall in Northeast China and South Korea,respectively,and the CGT enhances rainfall in Japan.The rainfall responses are attributed to the SCA-induced northward shift of the NEAL,and PEU-induced northward shift and weakening of the NEAL,respectively.For the CGT,the dipole pattern of rainfall anomalies between North China and Japan is affected by both westward extension of the NEAL and northwestward expansion of the WNPSH.In addition,the EAWR leads to an increase of sporadic rainfall in South China as a result of the eastward retreat of the WNPSH.     

VARIATION OF THE EAST ASIAN SUBTROPICAL WESTERLY JET AND ASSOCIATED QUANTIFIED OBJECTIVE INDEXES TROPICAL CYCLONES OVER THE WESTERN NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN SUMMER: CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS FOR ACTIVE AND INACTIVE YEARS OF TROPICAL CYCLONES

In order to understand the role of East Asian subtropical westerly jet (EASWJ) in forecasting summer precipitation in East China, interseasonal pentad characteristics of the EASWJ and their relation to summer precipitation in East China are analyzed with the daily reanalysis data provided by National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP, USA) and daily precipitation data from 714 Chinese meteorological stations during the period 1960–2009. In addition, the daily evolution of the EASWJ and objective quantification of the EASWJ are investigated for the Meiyu season over the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River valley. It is found that the EASWJ and summer precipitation bands in East China move simultaneously. Especially, the stationary state and northward shift of the EASWJ are closely associated with the beginning, ending and stabilization of the annually first raining season in South China and Meiyu over these reaches. Analysis on the characteristics of the EASWJ in typical (atypical) Meiyu years over these reaches shows that the EASWJ swings steadily around its climatological position in meridional orientation (with large amplitude). Numerical experiments on an example in 2005 shows that indexes proposed in this study can depict the EASWJ well and should be valuable for application in the operation.     

Temporal Variations of the Spring Persistent Rains and South China Sea Sub-high and Their Correlations to the Circulation and Precipitation of the East Asian Summer Monsoon

National Meteorological Information Center （NMIC） rainfall data and NCEP/NCAR daily circulation reanalysis data are employed to establish the onset-pentad time index of the spring persistent rains （SPR） and the decay-pentad time index of the South China Sea （SCS） sub-high. These indexes are used to study the relationship between the factors in SPR period and their relations to the circulation and precipitation of the East Asian summer monsoon （EASM）. Results show that, the summer rainfall over southeastern China decreases when SPR onset is late. For then EASM strengthens and the cyclonic circulation around the Tibetan Plateau （TP） strengthens, which makes abnormal anti-cyclonic circulation （cyclonic convergent circulation weakens） appear over southeastern China. When the decay of SCS sub-high delays, abnormal flood prevails over the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River （MLYR） and to the south. That is mainly caused by EASM weakening while SCS sub-high strengthening, then the abnormal southwesterly over South China and the abnormal northerlies of anti-cyclonic circulation around the TP converge over the Yangtze Valley. The two indexes have high correlations with multivariate ENSO index （MEI） in March, indicating that the climate abnormity in East Asia is related to global climate abnormity tightly. The two time indexes are independent of each other, which is favorable for the prediction of the anomalies of the circulation and precipitation of EASM. From this point of view, we must take the global climate background into account when we analyze and predict the East Asian summer circulation and precipitation.