POSSIBLE INFLUENCES OF THE TROPICAL INDIAN OCEAN DIPOLE ON THE EASTWARD PROPAGATION OF MJO

Based on multiple datasets, correlation and composite analyses, and case studies, this paper investigated possible influences of the Indian Ocean dipole （IOD） mode on the eastward propagation of intraseasonal oscillation in the tropical atmosphere. The results showed that （1） the 30-60 day outgoing longwave radiation anomalies in the southeastern Indian Ocean and the 30-60 day 850-hPa zonal wind anomalies over the equatorial central Indian Ocean were significantly correlated with the IOD index; （2） during positive IOD years, the anomalously cold water in the southeastern Indian Ocean and the 850-hPa anomalous easterlies over the equatorial central Indian Ocean might act as barriers to the continuously eastward propagation of the intraseasonal convection, which interrupts the Madden-Julian oscillation （MJO） propagation in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean and western Pacific; and （3） during negative IOD years, the anomalously warm water in the southeastern Indian Ocean and the low-level westerly anomalies over the equatorial central Indian Ocean favor the eastward movement of MJO.     

IAP AGCM4.0模式对热带大气季节内振荡的模拟评估

基于中国科学院大气物理所大气环流模式IAP AGCM4.0总共30年(1979~2008年)的模拟结果,评估了IAP AGCM4.0模式对热带大气季节内振荡的模拟能力。分析结果表明IAP AGCM4.0模式可以在一定程度上模拟出热带大气季节内振荡的主要时空谱结构特征,在周期30~80天处存在明显的谱能量中心;模式模拟的季节内振荡东传的主要特征与观测基本一致,东移波的能量远大于西移波。基于RMM指数(All-season Real-time Multivariate MJO Index)的分析表明,模式模拟的850 h Pa和200 h Pa季节内尺度风场和对流活动在赤道地区的空间分布与观测基本一致。但与观测相比,模式模拟的热带大气季节内振荡的周期较短,东传速度快于观测,虚假的西传特征过强,对流活跃区域范围较小、强度较弱。就非绝热加热而言,模式模拟结果与再分析资料比较接近,但最大加热在印度洋和西太平洋地区出现的位相较晚。进一步分析表明,模式中影响对流触发的相对湿度阈值(RHc)的不同取值(RHc分别取为85%、90%、95%和100%),可以显著影响热带大气非绝热加热垂直廓线,从而影响模式对热带大气季节内振荡的模拟;当对流触发相对湿度阈值取为90%时,IAP AGCM4.0模式对热带大气季节内振荡模拟的能力相对最好,非绝热加热垂直廓线在不同位相的分布特征也与再分析资料最为接近。这说明模式对流参数化方案中不同参数的合适选取,可以改进模式对热带大气季节内振荡的模拟能力。     

MJO change with A1B global warming estimated by the 40-km ECHAM5

This study estimates MJO change under the A1B greenhouse gas emission scenario using the ECHAM5 AGCM whose coupled version (ECHAM5/MPI-OM) has simulated best MJO variance among fourteen CGCMs. The model has a horizontal resolution at T319 (about 40 km) and is forced by the monthly evolving SST derived from the ECHAM5/MPI-OM at a lower resolution of T63 (about 200 km). Two runs are carried out covering the last 21 years of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis products and observed precipitation are used to validate the simulated MJO during the twentieth century, based on which the twenty-first century MJO change is compared and predicted. The validation indicates that the previously reported MJO variances in the T63 coupled version are reproduced by the 40-km ECHAM5. More aspects of MJO, such as the eastward propagation, structure, and dominant frequency and zonal wavenumber in power spectrum, are simulated reasonably well. The magnitude in power, however, is still low so that the signal is marginally detectable and embedded in the over-reddened background. Under the A1B scenario, the T63 ECHAM5/MPI-OM projected an over 3 K warmer tropical sea surface that forces the 40-km ECHAM to produce wetter tropics. The enhanced precipitation variance shows more spectral enhancement in background than in most wavebands. The zonal winds associated with MJO, however, are strengthened in the lower troposphere but weakened in the upper. On the one hand, the 850-hPa zonal wind has power nearly doubled in 30–60-days bands, demonstrating relatively clearer enhancement than the precipitation in MJO with the warming. A 1-tailed Student’s t test suggests that most of the MJO changes in variance and power spectra are statically significant. Subject to a 20–100-days band-pass filtering of that wind, an EOF analysis indicates that the two leading components in the twentieth-century run have a close structure to but smaller percentage of explained-to-total variance than those in observations; the A1B warming slightly increases the explained percentage and alters the structure. An MJO index formed by the two leading principal components discloses nearly doubling in the number of prominent MJO events with a peak phase occurring in February and March. A composite MJO life cycle of these events favors the frictional moisture convergence mechanism in maintaining the MJO and the nonlinear wind-induced surface heat exchange (WISHE) mechanism also appears in the A1B warming case. On the other hand, the Slingo index based on the 300-hPa zonal wind discloses that the upper-level MJO tends to be suppressed by the A1B warming, although the loose relationship with ENSO remains unchanged. Possible cause for the different change of MJO in the lower and upper troposphere is discussed.     

大气季节内振荡的数值模拟比较研究

用国内外两个较好的大气环流模式、在观测海表温度的强迫下进行了长时间(1978—1989年)的数值积分,然后对数值模拟结果与NCAR/NCEP再分析资料进行比较分析,其结果清楚表明,模式模拟结果的均方根误差中有30%—40%是来自于模拟的大气季节内振荡的均方根误差。尤其是,大气季节内振荡模拟的均方根误差的分布形势与总的均方根误差的分布形势几乎完全一致。对热带地区大气季节内振荡动能的模拟结果与NCAR/NCEP再分析资料的比较分析表明,其差异也十分明显,说明模式对热带大气季节内振荡的模拟能力也还比较差。因此可以认为,大气季节内振荡在天气气候模拟中极为重要,而如何在数值模式中模拟好大气季节内振荡还需要进行很好地研究。     

Performance of FGOALS-s2 in simulating intraseasonal oscillation over the south Asian monsoon region

The capability of the current version of the air-sea coupled climate model, the Flexible Global Ocean-Atmosphere-Land System model, Spectral Version 2 (FGOALS-s2), in simulating the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) over the south Asian monsoon (SAM) region is diagnosed, in terms of dominant period, propagation direction, and vertical structure. Results show that the coupled model can reasonably simulate the main features of observed ISO propagation compared to the chosen AGCM. These features include the eastward movement of intraseasonal 850-hPa zonal wind over the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, the vertical structure in active phases, and the realistic phase relationship between ISO and underlying SST. However, the eastward propagation cannot be reproduced in the uncoupled model. This suggests that air-sea interaction is important in generating intraseasonal variability over the SAM region. Nevertheless, some deficiencies remain in the coupled model, which may relate to physical processes depicted by the cumulus parameterization and PBL schemes within its atmospheric component.     

IAP9L AGCM中大气季节内振荡的时空特征

根据IAP9LAGCM10年积分850hPa纬向风的逐日输出结果,应用Morlet小波分析方法,研究了该模式中的大气季节内振荡(MJO),结果表明该模式能抓住热带MJO的基本时空特征,模式中MJO的显著周期为36天;另外还分析了16～64天重构信号的时间经度剖面图,发现该MJO为东传,这与实际较一致;最后用EOF方法分析了模式大气中850hPa5天平均速度势,揭示出该MJO在全球表现为行星尺度1波和2波的特征。     

The Madden–Julian oscillation in ECHAM4 coupled and uncoupled general circulation models

The Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) dominates tropical variability on timescales of 30–70 days. During the boreal winter/spring, it is manifested as an eastward propagating disturbance, with a strong convective signature over the eastern hemisphere. The space–time structure of the MJO is analyzed using simulations with the ECHAM4 atmospheric general circulation model run with observed monthly mean sea-surface temperatures (SSTs), and coupled to three different ocean models. The coherence of the eastward propagation of MJO convection is sensitive to the ocean model to which ECHAM4 is coupled. For ECHAM4/OPYC and ECHO-G, models for which ~100 years of daily data is available, Monte Carlo sampling indicates that their metrics of eastward propagation are different at the 1% significance level. The flux-adjusted coupled simulations, ECHAM4/OPYC and ECHO-G, maintain a more realistic mean-state, and have a more realistic MJO simulation than the nonadjusted scale interaction experiment (SINTEX) coupled runs. The SINTEX model exhibits a cold bias in Indian Ocean and tropical West Pacific Ocean sea-surface temperature of ~0.5°C. This cold bias affects the distribution of time-mean convection over the tropical eastern hemisphere. Furthermore, the eastward propagation of MJO convection in this model is not as coherent as in the two models that used flux adjustment or when compared to an integration of ECHAM4 with prescribed observed SST. This result suggests that simulating a realistic basic state is at least as important as air–sea interaction for organizing the MJO. While all of the coupled models simulate the warm (cold) SST anomalies that precede (succeed) the MJO convection, the interaction of the components of the net surface heat flux that lead to these anomalies are different over the Indian Ocean. The ECHAM4/OPYC model in which the atmospheric model is run at a horizontal resolution of T42, has eastward propagating zonal wind anomalies and latent heat flux anomalies. However, the integrations with ECHO-G and SINTEX, which used T30 atmospheres, produce westward propagation of the latent heat flux anomalies, contrary to reanalysis. It is suggested that the differing ability of the models to represent the near-surface westerlies over the Indian Ocean is related to the different horizontal resolutions of the atmospheric model employed.     

MJO prediction in the NCEP Climate Forecast System version 2

The Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) is the primary mode of tropical intraseasonal climate variability and has significant modulation of global climate variations and attendant societal impacts. Advancing prediction of the MJO using state of the art observational data and modeling systems is thus a necessary goal for improving global intraseasonal climate prediction. MJO prediction is assessed in the NOAA Climate Forecast System version 2 (CFSv2) based on its hindcasts initialized daily for 1999–2010. The analysis focuses on MJO indices taken as the principal components of the two leading EOFs of combined 15°S–15°N average of 200-hPa zonal wind, 850-hPa zonal wind and outgoing longwave radiation at the top of the atmosphere. The CFSv2 has useful MJO prediction skill out to 20 days at which the bivariate anomaly correlation coefficient (ACC) drops to 0.5 and root-mean-square error (RMSE) increases to the level of the prediction with climatology. The prediction skill also shows a seasonal variation with the lowest ACC during the boreal summer and highest ACC during boreal winter. The prediction skills are evaluated according to the target as well as initial phases. Within the lead time of 10 days the ACC is generally greater than 0.8 and RMSE is less than 1 for all initial and target phases. At longer lead time, the model shows lower skills for predicting enhanced convection over the Maritime Continent and from the eastern Pacific to western Indian Ocean. The prediction skills are relatively higher for target phases when enhanced convection is in the central Indian Ocean and the central Pacific. While the MJO prediction skills are improved in CFSv2 compared to its previous version, systematic errors still exist in the CFSv2 in the maintenance and propagation of the MJO including (1) the MJO amplitude in the CFSv2 drops dramatically at the beginning of the prediction and remains weaker than the observed during the target period and (2) the propagation in the CFSv2 is too slow. Reducing these errors will be necessary for further improvement of the MJO prediction.     

A GCM Study on the Tropical Intraseasonal Oscillation

The ability of AGCM to simulate the tropical intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) has been studied using the output of global spectral model (ALGCM (R42L9)) of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the outoput is compared with the results from NCEP/NCAR reanalysis for the year 1978-1989. The model displays an evident periodic signal of the tropical ISO. Basic propagating characters of the tropical ISO are captured, and changes in phase speed between Eastern and Western Hemispheres are also well presented, and the simulation of eastward propagation is better than that of westward propagation. This model has increased the ability to simulate the strength of the tropical ISO, especially at 200 hPa, and basically simulates the horizontal structure of wind characterized by the convergence in low-level and divergence in upper-level. The vertical structure of the zonal wind is also well reproduced. Moreover, observed results show that the representing of seasonal preference to form strong ISO in winter and spring is related to ISO's interannual variability, but it is shown in this model with strong ISO in winter and summer and weak ISO in spring and autumn. Structures of some physical elements such as vertical velocity, divergence, specific humidity, etc., and the special distribution of ISO have also differences with these from NCEP reanalysis data, which make it clear to develop this model to simulate the structure and spatial distribution of the ISO.     

DIAGNOSTIC STUDY FOR INTRASEASONAL OSCILLATION OF THE MIDDLE-HIGH LATITUDES IN A LOW RESOLUTION GLOBAL SPECTRAL MODEL

In this paper, five-year simulated data from a low-resolution global spectral model with triangular trunca-lion at wavenumber 10 are analyzed in order to study dynamical features and propagation characteristics ofintraseasonal oxillations over the mid-latitudes and the tropical atmosphere. The simulations show that thereis the 30-50 day periodic oscillation in the low-resolution spectral model without non-seasonal external forcing,and spatial scale of the intraseasonal oscihations is of the globe .Further analysis finds that propagation charac-ters of intraseasonal oscillations over the mid-latitudes and the tropics are different. The 30-50 day oscillationover the tropics exhibits structure of the velocity potential wave with wavenumber 1 in the latitudinal and thecharacter of the traveling wave eastward at speed of 8 longitudes/day. However, the 30-50 day oscillationsin mid-latitude atmosphere exhibit phase and amplitude oscillation of the standing planetary waves and theyare related to transform of teleconnection patterns over the mid-latitudes. The energy is not only transferredbetween the tropics and the middle-high latitudes, but also between different regions over the tropics. Based on the analysis of 5-year band pass filtered data from a 5-layer global spectral model of Jow-ordetwith truncated wavenumber l0,investigation is done of the source of intraseasonal oscillations in the extratropicalmodel atmosphere and its mechanism. Results show that (1) the convective heat transferred eastward alongthe equator serves as the source of the intraseasonal oxillation both in the tropical and the extratropical atmos--phere; (2) the velocity-potential wave of a zonal structure of wavenumber 1 gives rise to oxillation in divergentand convergent wind fields of a dipole-form as seen from the equatorial Indian Ocean to the western Pacificduring its eastward propagation, thus indicating the oscillation in the dipole-form heat soure:e/sink pattertl; (3)the tropical heat-source oscillation is responsible for the variation in phase and intensity of the extratropicalstationary wave train, and the interaction between the oscillating low-frequency inertial gravity and stationaryRossby modes that are probably mechanisms for the oscillations ip the middle-high latitudes.     

热带夏季风场与对流场季节内振荡传播模比较

利用1979-2007年卫星观测日平均OLR资料以及NCEP/DOE第2套再分析资料中的风场资料,采用有限区域波一频分析、合成分析等方法,分析对比对流层高、低层风场与对流场所表征的热带北半球夏季季节内振荡(BSISO)各种传播模态谱分布气候特征及其年际异常。结果表明:各要素反映的BSISO各种模态的气候特征及其年际变化存在一定差异,总体而言对流层低层风(850hPa纬向风或经向风)与对流比较一致。850hPa经向风(纬向风)所反映的纬向(经向)传播BSISO谱分布气候特征与对流情况最相似。在ENSO发展年,850hPa经向风反映的赤道东传波加强趋势与对流较为一致;850hPa纬向风、经向风反映的北传波变化趋势都与对流相似。在ENSO衰减年,850hPa纬向风(经向风)反映的赤道东传波(赤道外西传波)减弱趋势与对流较为一致;对流以及850hPa经向风、200hPa纬向风和200hPa经向风4种要素都能体现南海及周边地区北传波明显减弱这一特征。对流和850hPa纬向风所反映的北传波与印度洋偶极子模态之间关系一致。     

Simulations of the Madden–Julian oscillation in four pairs of coupled and uncoupled global models

The status of the numerical reproduction of the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) by current global models was assessed through diagnoses of four pairs of coupled and uncoupled simulations. Slow eastward propagation of the MJO, especially in low-level zonal wind, is realistic in all these simulations. However, the simulated MJO suffers from several common problems. The MJO signal in precipitation is generally too weak and often eroded by an unrealistic split of an equatorial maximum of precipitation into a double ITCZ structure over the western Pacific. The MJO signal in low-level zonal wind, on the other hand, is sometimes too strong over the eastern Pacific but too weak over the Indian Ocean. The observed phase relationship between precipitation and low-level zonal wind associated with the MJO in the western Pacific and their coherence in general are not reproduced by the models. The seasonal migration in latitude of MJO activity is missing in most simulations. Air–sea coupling generally strengthens the simulated eastward propagating signal, but its effects on the phase relationship and coherence between precipitation and low-level zonal wind, and on their geographic distributions, seasonal cycles, and interannual variability are inconsistent among the simulations. Such inconsistency cautions generalization of results from MJO simulations using a single model. In comparison to observations, biases in the simulated MJO appear to be related to biases in the background state of mean precipitation, low-level zonal wind, and boundary-layer moisture convergence. This study concludes that, while the realistic simulations of the eastward propagation of the MJO are encouraging, reproducing other fundamental features of the MJO by current global models remains an unmet challenge.

---

热带对流和环流季内振荡强度与海表温度关系对比研究

利用外逸长波辐射(OLR）、风场和海表温度(SST)资料, 研究了热带大气季节内振荡(ISO)强度的季节变化特征, 发现热带印度洋和热带西太平洋区域是OLR和风场季内振荡最主要的共同活跃区。对比分析了OLR和风场季内振荡强度与海表温度异常之间的年际异常关系, 发现OLR季内振荡强度异常与海表温度异常之间存在显著局地正相关关系, 即在热带中东太平洋区域、热带西北太平洋区域和热带西南太平洋区域, 当海表温度正(负)异常时, OLR季内振荡增强(减弱),特别在冬春季节这一关系更清楚。除个别区域外, 风场季内振荡强度异常与海表温度异常不存在类似OLR的局地关系。OLR和风场季内振荡强度异常与海表温度异常之间局地和非局地关系的差异, 体现了两种要素特性的本质差异。但两种要素季内振荡强度在El Niño事件发展过程中的变化基本一致, 即在气候场中季内振荡活跃的区域, 事件发生之前季内振荡会增强, 并逐渐向东传播, 事件发生之后这些区域振荡减弱。     

The MJO in an AGCM with three different cumulus parameterization schemes

The Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) is simulated using an AGCM with three different cumulus parameterization schemes: a moist convective adjustment (MCA) scheme, the Zhang–McFarlane (ZM) mass-flux scheme, and the Tiedtke scheme. Results show that the simulated MJO is highly dependent on the cumulus parameterization used. Among the three cumulus parameterizations, only the MCA scheme produces MJO features similar to observations, including the reasonable spatial distribution, intraseasonal time scales and eastward propagation. Meanwhile, the amplitude is too large and the eastward propagation speed too fast than observations and the relationship between precipitation and low-level wind anomaly is unrealistic with enhanced convection occurring within easterly anomalies instead of westerly anomalies as in observations. The over-dependence of precipitation on boundary convergence produced by the MCA scheme is presumably responsible for this unrealistic phase relation in the simulation. The other two schemes produce very poor simulations of the MJO: spectral power of westward propagation is larger than that of eastward propagation in zonal wind and precipitation, indicating a westward propagation of the intraseasonal variability.The mean state and vertical profile of diabatic heating are perhaps responsible for the differences in these simulations. The MCA scheme produces relatively realistic climate background. When either ZM or Tiedtke scheme is used, the observed extension of westerly winds from the western Pacific to the dateline is missing and precipitation over the equatorial region and SPCZ is dramatically underestimated. In addition, diabatic heating produced by both ZM and Tiedtke schemes are very weak and nearly uniform with height. The heating profile produced by the MCA scheme has a middle-heavy structure with much larger magnitude than those produced by the other two schemes. In addition, a very unrealistic boundary layer heating maximum produced by the MCA scheme induces too strong surface convergence, which perhaps contributes to the too strong intraseasonal variability in the simulation.     

Comparison of the Structure and Evolution of Intraseasonal Oscillations Before and After Onset of the Asian Summer Monsoon

High-resolution satellite-derived data and NCEP-NCAR reanalysis data are used to investigate intraseasonal oscillations （ISO） over the tropical Indian Ocean.A composite evolution of the ISO life cycle is constructed,including the initiation,development,and propagation of rainfall anomalies over the tropical Indian Ocean.The characteristics of ISO over the tropical Indian Ocean are profoundly different before and after the onset of the Indian summer monsoon.Positive precipitation anomalies before monsoon onset appear one phase earlier than those after monsoon onset.Before monsoon onset,precipitation anomalies associated with ISO first initiate in the western tropical Indian Ocean and then propagate eastward along the equator.After monsoon onset,convective anomalies propagate northward over the Indian summer monsoon region after an initial eastward propagation over the equatorial Indian Ocean.Surface wind convergence and air-sea interaction play critical roles in initiating each new cycle of ISO convection.     

MJO活动轨迹对贵州区域强降水过程延伸期预报的影响分析北大核心

通过对贵州省主汛期季节内振荡(Intra-Seasonal Oscillation,ISO)活跃年进行低频对流场和降水的合成分析,确定了影响贵州主汛期ISO和降水的热带印度洋(Indian Ocean,IO)低频对流关键区和南海(South China Sea,SCS)低频对流关键区,并利用MJO活动轨迹对贵州区域强降水过程开展了延伸期预报试验。将贵州省主汛期ISO位相划分为发展、峰值、减弱、抑制、谷值和恢复6个位相,发现贵州主汛期ISO活跃年的降水与本地区低频对流具有较好的对应关系,即在峰值位相时低频对流最强、降水正异常强度最强;在谷值位相时低频对流最弱、降水负异常强度最强。同时,热带和副热带低频对流场在贵州主汛期ISO波动的第1、4位相、第2、5位相及第3、6位相均呈反位相特征。在热带印度洋低频对流发展、并东传的过程中,有两条传播路径分别激发了孟加拉湾西南季风ISO活跃和南海热带季风ISO活跃共同影响贵州主汛期降水;在贵州主汛期有3个低频对流活跃期,IO关键区和SCS关键区ISO都有3次提前的低频对流加强。基于上述研究,分析MJO活动轨迹对贵州主汛期区域强降水过程的影响,发现热带印度洋MJO活动中心强度在贵州区域强降水过程发生前15 d~前3 d具有较好的持续性预报信号,提前9 d时正相关性最好。与延伸期预报业务规定的预报时段(未来11~30 d)相结合,通过确定贵州典型区域强降水过程发生前(提前量为10 d)至过程结束时段的MJO活动轨迹在历年中的最相似时段,发现MJO活动中心轨迹和强度对贵州区域强降水过程的趋势预报具有较好的指示意义。     

Major modes of short-term climate variability in the newly developed NUIST Earth System Model (NESM)

A coupled earth system model(ESM) has been developed at the Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology(NUIST) by using version 5.3 of the European Centre Hamburg Model(ECHAM), version 3.4 of the Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean(NEMO), and version 4.1 of the Los Alamos sea ice model(CICE). The model is referred to as NUIST ESM1(NESM1). Comprehensive and quantitative metrics are used to assess the model's major modes of climate variability most relevant to subseasonal-to-interannual climate prediction. The model's assessment is placed in a multi-model framework. The model yields a realistic annual mean and annual cycle of equatorial SST, and a reasonably realistic precipitation climatology, but has difficulty in capturing the spring–fall asymmetry and monsoon precipitation domains. The ENSO mode is reproduced well with respect to its spatial structure, power spectrum, phase locking to the annual cycle, and spatial structures of the central Pacific(CP)-ENSO and eastern Pacific(EP)-ENSO; however, the equatorial SST variability,biennial component of ENSO, and the amplitude of CP-ENSO are overestimated. The model captures realistic intraseasonal variability patterns, the vertical-zonal structures of the first two leading predictable modes of Madden–Julian Oscillation(MJO), and its eastward propagation; but the simulated MJO speed is significantly slower than observed. Compared with the T42 version, the high resolution version(T159) demonstrates improved simulation with respect to the climatology, interannual variance, monsoon–ENSO lead–lag correlation, spatial structures of the leading mode of the Asian–Australian monsoon rainfall variability, and the eastward propagation of the MJO.     

Quasi-periodic, global oscillations in sea level pressure on intraseasonal timescales

The sea level pressure (SLP) variability in 30–60 day intraseasonal timescales is investigated using 25 years of reanalysis data addressing two issues. The first concerns the non-zero zonal mean component of SLP near the equator and its meridional connections, and the second concerns the fast eastward propagation (EP) speed of SLP compared to that of zonal wind. It is shown that the entire globe resonates with high amplitude wave activity during some periods which may last for few to several months, followed by lull periods of varying duration. SLP variations in the tropical belt are highly coherent from 25°S to 25°N, uncorrelated with variations in mid latitudes and again significantly correlated but with opposite phase around 60°S and 65°N. Near the equator (8°S–8°N), the zonal mean contributes significantly to the total variance in SLP, and after its removal, SLP shows a dominant zonal wavenumber one structure having a periodicity of 40 days and EP speeds comparable to that of zonal winds in the Indian Ocean. SLP from many of the atmospheric and coupled general circulation models show similar behaviour in the meridional direction although their propagation characteristics in the tropical belt differ widely.     

Forecast skill of the tropical intraseasonal oscillation in the NCEP GFS dynamical extended range forecasts

This study examines the forecast performance of tropical intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) in recent dynamical extended range forecast (DERF) experiments conducted with the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Global Forecasting System (GFS) model. The present study extends earlier work by comparing prediction skill of the northern winter ISO (Madden-Julian Oscillation) between the current and earlier experiments. Prediction skill for the northern summer ISO is also investigated. Since the boreal summer ISO exhibits northward propagation as well as eastward propagation along the equator, forecast skill for both components is computed. For the 5-year period from 1 January, 1998 through 31 December, 2002, 30-day forecasts were made once a day. Compared to the previous DERF experiment, the current model has shown some improvements in forecasting the ISO during winter season so that the skillful forecasts (anomaly correlation>0.6) for upper-level zonal wind anomaly extend from the previous shorter-than 5 days out to 7 days lead-time. A similar level of skill is seen for both northward and eastward propagation components during the summer season as in the winter case. Results also show that forecasts from extreme initial states are more skillful than those from null phases for both seasons, extending the skillful range by 3–6 days. For strong ISO convection phases, the GFS model performs better during the summer season than during the winter season. In summer forecasts, large-scale circulation and convection anomalies exhibit northward propagation during the peak phase. In contrast, the GFS model still has difficulties in sustaining ISO variability during the northern winter as in the previous DERF run. That is, the forecast does not maintain the observed eastward propagating signals associated with large-scale circulation; rather the forecast anomalies appear to be stationary at their initial location and decay with time. The NCEP Coupled Forecast System produces daily operational forecasts and its predication skill of the MJO will be reported in the future.     

夏季MJO持续异常的主要特征分析

在MJO传播过程中,其活动中心并不总是规律地沿赤道东传。本文通过资料分析发现,夏季MJO的活动中心会出现东传停滞的情况,表现为MJO在赤道太平洋持续异常活跃或者在印度洋持续异常活跃两种形式。为更好描述MJO这种东传不明显的异常特征,本文定义了一个描述MJO持续异常的指数,并据此对夏季MJO持续异常的主要特征进行分析。通过小波分析的方法,发现夏季MJO持续异常时其振荡周期会出现缩短或变弱。通过对MJO持续异常状况下的大气环流进行合成对比分析后发现,夏季MJO的持续异常会对热带大气环流造成显著的影响。具体表现为:MJO夏季在赤道太平洋（印度洋）持续活跃的时候,赤道沃克环流减弱（增强）,西太平洋哈得来环流增强（减弱）,西太平洋副高位置偏北（偏南）,赤道太平洋（印度洋）高层辐散且对流活跃。