Relationship between thermally forced surface wind and sea surface temperature gradient

An important part of the influence of the oceans on the atmosphere is through direct radiation, sensible heat flux and release of latent heat of evaporation, whereby all of these processes are directly related to the surface temperature of the oceans. A main effect of the atmosphere on the oceans is through momentum exchange at the air-ocean interface, and this process is directly related to the surface wind stress. The sea surface temperature (SST) and the surface wind stress are the two important components in the air-ocean system. If SST is given, a thermally forced boundary layer atmospheric circulation can be simulated. On the other hand, if the surface wind stress is given, the wind-driven ocean waves and ocean currents can be computed.The relationship between SST and surface wind is a coupling of the atmosphere and the oceans. It changes a one-way effect (ocean mechanically driven by atmosphere, or atmosphere thermally forced by oceans) into two-way air-sea interactions. Through this coupling the SST distribution, being an output from an ocean model, leads to the thermally forced surface winds, which feeds back into the ocean model as an additional forcing.Based on Kuo's planetary boundary layer model a linear algebraic equation is established to link the SST gradient with the thermally forced surface wind. The surface wind blows across the isotherms from cold to warm region with some deflection angle to the right (left) in the Northern (Southern) Hemisphere. Results from this study show that the atmospheric stratification reduces both the speed and the deflection angle of the thermally forced wind, however, the Coriolis' effect increases the wind speed in stable atmosphere (Ri>10^–4) and increases the deflection angle.     

孟加拉湾夏季风爆发的判断指标及其年际特征

利用高低层大气环流、OLR（向外长波辐射）、CMAP降水、SST（海表温度）等资料分析了孟加拉湾地区3—5月多年气候平均大气环流及不同要素的演变特征,定义了一个新的孟加拉湾夏季风（BOBSM,下同）爆发指标为孟加拉湾地区（5°N—15°N,90°E—97.5°E）850 hPa和200 hPa纬向风区域平均的变化同时满足U850 > 3 m·s^-1和U200 < -5 m·s^-1,并持续5天的第一天即作为BOBSM爆发日期.该季风指数有明确的天气学意义,可以反映孟加拉湾低层西南风持续稳定和南亚高压在青藏高原建立早晚的特征.文章进一步分析了BOBSM爆发的年际特征及其前兆海洋信号特征,结果表明：1981—2010年BOBSM爆发的平均日期为5月10日,季风爆发有显著的年际波动,爆发最早在1999年（4月11日）和最晚在1968年（6月1日）,年代际尺度上表现为由爆发偏晚至偏早的变化趋势;BOBSM爆发早（晚）与热带印度洋地区850 hPa的越赤道气流和西风异常加强（减弱）,以及200 hPa青藏高原南亚高压的季节性建立偏早（晚）等密切联系;前期冬季赤道西太平洋的海温冷（暖）变化对BOBSM爆发早（晚）有很好的指示意义,前期冬季海温偏高（低）有利于季风偏早（晚）,其影响的主要途径是通过热源变化激发纬向垂直环流及其热带印度洋和太平洋低层环流异常,进而影响季风爆发早晚.     

一次切断低压诱发的暖区深对流与异常副热带锋及其平流层-对流层交换

采用Cloudsat/CPR云雷达,FY2C/TBB亮温,Aura/MLS大气成分等卫星遥感资料,结合ECMWF气象分析资料和HYSPLIT4轨迹模式,研究了2009年6月一次东亚切断低压的暖区深对流和异常副热带锋面的结构和演变.分析表明,由于低压切断前的旧槽背景,在低涡的近成熟期,内部冷、暖锋降水偏弱,边沿的高空副热带锋面异常发展到对流层底部,低空西南暖湿水汽在副热带锋前聚集,形成千公里长的暖区深对流降水带.随着该锋面的快速东移,副热带锋区进入原暖区雨带,锋区热力间接次级环流的强上升支,加强了锋下冷侧（原暖湿区）的深对流,但该锋面阻挡了来自暖侧的水汽补充,降水结束.该异常副热带锋区还发生了强烈的平流层-对流层相互交换,在高空急流出口区的下方,平流层1.5PVU等位涡线向下入侵可达5.5 km（约500 hPa）处,锋下向上的深对流注入可达10 km,在入侵-注入混合区,臭氧和水汽的散点图上出现了二者浓度双高和双低的特殊气团.     

Effects of Earth's rotation on convection in magma chambers

The rotation of the Earth is predicted to have a strong influence on the convective motions in basaltic magmas which cool at high and intermediate latitudes on the Earth's surface. Convection in layers greater than 100 m deep is characterised by large Taylor numbers and small Rossby numbers, for which laboratory experiments provide evidence of strong rotationally-induced flows. In the case of convection driven by either thermal or compositional buoyancy fluxes from horizontal top or bottom boundaries Coriolis forces induced by the Earth's rotation are expected to cause the turbulent convective motions to form into intense vortices whose axes tend to be close to the vertical. These vortices should be tall and thin, be very unsteady, and have rapid vertical motion in their cores. Earth's rotation is likely to have little or no effects on convection in very shallow convecting layers ( < 100 m) of basaltic magmas or in chambers of more viscous (granitic) magmas. When convection is driven by horizontal density differences (such as those produced by cooling or crystallization at sloping or vertical walls or by simple lateral variation of layer depth) in basaltic chambers of order 10 km or greater in width the rotation of the Earth may cause relatively rapid horizontal (geostrophic) circulation over the lateral scales of the chamber. These predictions involve some extrapolation of fluid dynamical principles from laboratory to magma chamber conditions. Speculative comments on some possible petrological implications are included.     

Representing the Sensitivity of Convective Cloud Systems to Tropospheric Humidity in General Circulation Models

Convective cloud variability on many times scales can be viewed as having three major components: a suppressed phase of shallow and congestus clouds, a disturbed phase of deep convective clouds, and a mature phase of transition to stratiform upper-level clouds. Cumulus parameterization development has focused primarily on the second phase until recently. Consequently, many parameterizations are not sufficiently sensitive to variations in tropospheric humidity. This shortcoming may affect global climate model simulations of climate sensitivity to external forcings, the continental diurnal cycle of clouds and precipitation, and intraseasonal precipitation variability. The lack of sensitivity can be traced in part to underestimated entrainment of environmental air into rising convective clouds and insufficient evaporation of rain into the environment. As a result, the parameterizations produce deep convection too easily while stabilizing the environment too quickly to allow the effects of convective mesoscale organization to occur. Recent versions of some models have increased their sensitivity to tropospheric humidity and improved some aspects of their variability, but a parameterization of mesoscale organization is still absent from most models. Evidence about the effect of these uncertainties on climate change projections suggests that climate modelers should make improved simulation of high and convective clouds as high a priority as better representations of low clouds.     

Role of Ocean in the Variability of Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall

Asian summer monsoon sets in over India after the Intertropical Convergence Zone moves across the equator to the northern hemisphere over the Indian Ocean. Sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies on either side of the equator in Indian and Pacific oceans are found related to the date of monsoon onset over Kerala (India). Droughts in the June to September monsoon rainfall of India are followed by warm SST anomalies over tropical Indian Ocean and cold SST anomalies over west Pacific Ocean. These anomalies persist till the following monsoon which gives normal or excess rainfall (tropospheric biennial oscillation). Thus, we do not get in India many successive drought years as in sub-Saharan Africa, thanks to the ocean. Monsoon rainfall of India has a decadal variability in the form of 30-year epochs of frequent (infrequent) drought monsoons occurring alternately. Decadal oscillations of monsoon rainfall and the well-known decadal oscillation in SST of the Atlantic Ocean (also of the Pacific Ocean) are found to run parallel with about the same period close to 60 years and the same phase. In the active–break cycle of the Asian summer monsoon, the ocean and the atmosphere are found to interact on the time scale of 30–60 days. Net heat flux at the ocean surface, monsoon low-level jetstream (LLJ) and the seasonally persisting shallow mixed layer of the ocean north of the LLJ axis play important roles in this interaction. In an El Niño year, the LLJ extends eastwards up to the date line creating an area of shallow ocean mixed layer there, which is hypothesised to lengthen the active–break (AB) cycle typically from 1 month in a La Niña to 2 months in an El Niño year. Indian monsoon droughts are known to be associated with El Niños, and long break monsoon spells are found to be a major cause of monsoon droughts. In the global warming scenario, the observed rapid warming of the equatorial Indian ocean SST has caused the weakening of both the monsoon Hadley circulation and the monsoon LLJ which has been related to the observed rapid decreasing trend in the seasonal number of monsoon depressions.     

海南岛海风雷暴结构的数值模拟

本文利用高分辨率WRF模式对2012年7月20日发生在海南地区的一次海风雷暴过程进行模拟,探讨了海南岛复杂地形下海风雷暴的结构、发展演变过程及其触发机制.结果表明,海南岛北部向内陆传播的海风与南部受地形阻挡的海风相遇后会形成海风辐合带,辐合带能影响当地的散度和涡旋特征,为雷暴的发生发展提供有利的动力和热力学条件.海南岛受热带海洋的影响较大,当地的水汽条件和对流潜势长期保持着有利于对流发展的状态,自由对流高度始终处于较低的位置,一旦海风辐合带来的抬升运动克服对流抑制到达自由对流高度后,对流就能自主地发展起来,所以单纯的海风辐合也常常能触发当地的强雷暴.雷暴发生发展过程中对流参数存在明显的变化,其演变曲线的突变位置对雷暴的发生有一定的指示作用.海南岛的海风雷暴过程与当地的复杂地形密切相关,地形的动力阻挡作用影响着低层海风的辐合以及对流的发展.     

Convective Self-Aggregation in Numerical Simulations: A Review

Organized convection in the tropics occurs across a range of spatial and temporal scales and strongly influences cloud cover and humidity. One mode of organization found is “self-aggregation,” in which moist convection spontaneously organizes into one or several isolated clusters despite spatially homogeneous boundary conditions and forcing. Self-aggregation is driven by interactions between clouds, moisture, radiation, surface fluxes, and circulation, and occurs in a wide variety of idealized simulations of radiative–convective equilibrium. Here we provide a review of convective self-aggregation in numerical simulations, including its character, causes, and effects. We describe the evolution of self-aggregation including its time and length scales and the physical mechanisms leading to its triggering and maintenance, and we also discuss possible links to climate and climate change.     

Simulation of Tropical Cyclone Circulation over Bay of Bengal Using the Arakawa-Schubert Cumulus Parametrization. Part I — Description of the Model, Initial Data and Results of the Control Experiment

—A ten-level axi-symmetric primitive equation model with cylindrical coordinates is used to simulate the tropical cyclone evolution from a weak vortex for the Bay of Bengal region. The physics of the model comprises the parameterization schemes of Arakawa-Schubert cumulus convection (Lord et al., 1982) and Deardorff’s (1972) planetary boundary layer. The initial conditions have been taken from the climate mean data for November of Port Blair (92.4 E, 11.4 N) in the Bay of Bengal, published by the India Meteorological Department. An initial vortex has been designed to have tangential wind maximum of 10 m/s at 120-km radius with a central surface pressure of 1008 hPa. As a control experiment, referred to as ASBB1, the model is integrated for 240 h maintaining the sea-surface temperature (SST) constant at 301 K. The results of the control experiment reveal a slow decrease of the Central Surface Pressure (CSP) from the initial value of 1008 hPa to 970 hPa at 156 h. After 156 h the CSP decreased sharply until 186 h, attaining 890 hPa. The tangential wind at 1 km level attained the Cyclone Threshold Intensity (CTI) of 17 m/s around 78 h and a maximum of 87 m/s was found at 210 h. These features indicate a predeveloping stage up to 156 h, a deepening stage of 30 h from 156–186 h followed by the mature stage. The mature stage is characterized by the simulation of the central eye region, warm core, strong cyclonic circulation in the central 300 km with low-level inflow; strong vertical motion at the eye wall and outflow aloft. The convection features of the different cloud types conform with the circulation features. The control experiment clearly indicates the evolution of a cyclone with hurricane intensity from a weak vortex. In part two of the paper, results from sensitivity experiments with respect to variations in latitude, SST and initial thermodynamic state have been presented.     

Observational evidence of deep convection over Indonesian sector in relation with major stratospheric warming events of 2003–04 and 2005–06

The major sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) events of 2003–04 and 2005–06 are considered to investigate changes in equatorial convection due to circulation changes associated with the SSW events. It is observed that the SSW events are accompanied by a considerable decrease in Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR), a proxy for tropical convection, over equatorial latitudes (15°N–15°S) in the Indonesian sector (90°E–150°E). However, unlike noted by earlier observations, the zonal mean OLR does not show any notable relationship with the SSW events. It can be explained from the latitude–longitude map of potential vorticity (PV) at 100 hPa, which shows a tongue of high PV emanating from high latitudes towards equator and converges in the longitude band of 90°E–150°E on the day of peak warming at 1 hPa in the case of 2003–04 and 10 hPa in the case of 2005–06. The latitude-height map of Eliassen–Palm (EP) vector and its divergence show convergence of EP flux in the upper troposphere at latitudes even lower than 20°N on these days. Further, vertical winds computed from the convergence of momentum flux are upward indicating convective activity at low-latitudes and downward at mid-latitudes.     

A simple model of convection in the terrestrial planets

Abstract

In this paper we study analytically the simplest fluid mechanical model which can mimic the convective behavior which is thought to occur in the solid mantles of the terrestrial planets. The convecting materials are polycrystalline rocks, whose creep behavior depends very strongly on temperature and probably also on pressure. As a simple model of this situation, we consider the flow of a Newtonian viscous fluid, whose viscosity depends strongly on temperature (only), and in fact has an infinite viscosity below a certain temperature, and a constant viscosity above this temperature. This model would also be directly relevant to the convection of a melt beneath its own solid phase (e.g. water below ice, though in that case there are other physical complications).

As a consequence of this assumption, there is a vigorous convection zone overlain by a stagnant lid, as also observed in analogous laboratory experiments (Nataf and Richter, 1982). The analysis is then very similar to that of Roberts (1979), but the extension to variable viscosity introduces important differences, most notably that the boundary between the lid and the convecting zone is unknown, and not horizontal. The resulting buoyancy induced stresses near this boundary are much larger than the stresses produced by buoyancy in the side-wall plumes, and mean that the dynamics of this region, and hence also the heat flux, are independent of the rest of the cell. We give a first order approximation for the Nusselt number-Rayleigh number relationship.     

Structure and Dynamical Influence of Water Vapor in the Lower Tropical Troposphere

In situ, airborne and satellite measurements are used to characterize the structure of water vapor in the lower tropical troposphere—below the height, \(z_*,\) of the triple-point isotherm, \(T_*.\) The measurements are evaluated in light of understanding of how lower-tropospheric water vapor influences clouds, convection and circulation, through both radiative and thermodynamic effects. Lower-tropospheric water vapor, which concentrates in the first few kilometers above the boundary layer, controls the radiative cooling profile of the boundary layer and lower troposphere. Elevated moist layers originating from a preferred level of convective detrainment induce a profile of radiative cooling that drives circulations which reinforce such features. A theory for this preferred level of cumulus termination is advanced, whereby the difference between \(T_*\) and the temperature at which primary ice forms gives a ‘first-mover advantage’ to glaciating cumulus convection, thereby concentrating the regions of the deepest convection and leading to more clouds and moisture near the triple point. A preferred level of convective detrainment near \(T_*\) implies relative humidity reversals below \(z*\) which are difficult to identify using retrievals from satellite-borne microwave and infrared sounders. Isotopologues retrievals provide a hint of such features and their ability to constrain the structure of the vertical humidity profile merits further study. Nonetheless, it will likely remain challenging to resolve dynamically important aspects of the vertical structure of water vapor from space using only passive sensors.     

华北降水年代际变化特征及相关的海气异常型

利用近50年华北地区26个站逐月降水观测资料和全球大气海洋分析资料,分析了华北降水的年代际变化特征及其和全球海气系统年代际变化的关系.对华北降水距平指数变化分析表明,近50年来华北降水具有减少的总体趋势,叠加在该趋势之上的是年代际变化,其中1965年和1980年发生了两次跃变,使得20世纪80年代干旱尤为严重.在对华北地区降水年代际变化特征分析的基础上,揭示了与华北降水年代际异常相伴随的大气环流和上层海洋热力异常型.结果表明,华北降水年代际异常与太平洋上层海洋热力状况异常有显著关系,主要表现为太平洋年代际振荡（PDO）与华北降水异常的相关.在年代际时间尺度上,华北干旱与上层海洋热力及大气环流异常的配置关系如下：当华北地区干旱时,则热带中东太平洋海温偏高,北太平洋中部海温偏低,即太平洋上主要表现为PDO暖位相,全球大部分地区（包括华北地区）气温偏高,青藏高原地区气温偏低,日本北部及东西伯利亚气压异常偏低,华北及其以南大片地区气压偏高,华北地区由异常西北风控制,不利于水汽向华北地区输送.     

Development of waves under explosive cyclones in the Northwestern Pacific

The development of ocean waves under explosive cyclones (ECs) is investigated in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean using a hindcast wave simulation around Japan during the period 1994 through 2014. A composite analysis of the ocean wave fields under ECs is used to investigate how the spatial patterns of the spectral wave parameters develop over time. Using dual criteria of a drop in sea level pressure below 980 hPa at the center of a cyclone and a decrease of at least 12 hPa over a 12-h period, ECs are identified in atmospheric reanalysis data. Two areas under an EC were identified with narrow directional spectra: the cold side of a warm front and the right-hand side of an EC (relative to the propagating direction). Because ECs are associated with atmospheric fronts, ocean waves develop very differently under ECs than they do under tropical cyclones. Moreover, ECs evolve very rapidly such that the development of the ocean wave field lags behind the peak wind speed by hours. In a case study of an EC that occurred in January 2013, the wave spectrum indicates that a warm front played a critical role in generating distinct ocean wave systems in the warm and cold zones along the warm front. Both the warm and cold zones have narrow directional and frequency spectra. In contrast, the ocean wave field in the third quadrant (rear left area relative to the propagation direction) of the EC is composed of swell and wind sea systems propagating in different directions.     

Influences of Indian Ocean interannual variability on different stages of El Nio: A FOAM1.5 model approach

Both the tropical Indian and tropical Pacific Oceans are active atmosphere-ocean interactive regions with robust interannual variability, which also constitutes a linkage between the two basins in the mode of variability. Using a global atmosphereocean coupled model, we conducted two experiments(CTRL and PC) to explore the contributions of Indian Ocean interannual sea surface temperature(SST) modes to the occurrence of El Ni?o events. The results show that interannual variability of the SST in the Indian Ocean induces a rapid growth of El Ni?o events during the boreal autumn in an El Ni?o developing year. However, it weakens El Ni?o events or even promotes cold phase conversions in an El Ni?o decaying year. Therefore, the entire period of the El Ni?o is shortened by the interannual variations of the Indian Ocean SST. Specifically, during the El Ni?o developing years, the positive Indian Ocean Dipole(IOD) events force an anomalous Walker circulation, which then enhances the existing westerly wind anomalies over the west Pacific. This will cause a warmer El Ni?o event, with some modulations by ocean advection and oceanic Rossby and Kelvin waves. However, with the onset of the South Asian monsoon, the Indian Ocean Basin(IOB) warming SST anomalies excite low level easterly wind anomalies over the west tropical Pacific during the El Ni?o decaying years. As a result, the El Ni?o event is prompted to change from a warm phase to a cold phase. At the same time, an associated atmospheric anticyclone anomaly appears and leads to a decreasing precipitation anomaly over the northwest Pacific. In summary, with remote forcing in the atmospheric circulation, the IOD mode usually affects the El Ni?o during the developing years, whereas the IOB mode affects the El Ni?o during the decaying years.     

长江中游1998年特大洪涝成因分析

应用 １００ｈＰａ、５００ｈＰａ月平均高度资料、海温、射出长波辐射（ＯＬＲ）及武汉的气温 和降水资料,对１９９８年长江中游特大洪涝的成因作了总结分析．结果表明,冬春厄尔尼诺、副 热带高压和从春到初夏期间,印度洋－西太平洋赤道辐合带（ＩＴＣＺ）南侧积云对流的异常较 强,以及冬季雨雪异常偏多等气候特点,是有利于洪涝发生的强信号．     

Shallow Circulations: Relevance and Strategies for Satellite Observation

Shallow circulations are central to many tropical cloud systems. We investigate the potential of existing and upcoming data to document these circulations. Different methods to observe or constrain atmospheric circulations rely on satellite-borne instruments. Direct observations of the wind are currently possible at the ocean surface or using tracer patterns. Satellite-borne wind lidar will soon be available, with a much better coverage and accuracy. Meanwhile, circulations can be constrained using satellite observations of atmospheric diabatic heating. We evaluate the commonalities and discrepancies of these estimates together with reanalysis in systems that include shallow circulations. It appears that existing datasets are in qualitative agreement, but that they still differ too much to provide robust evaluation criteria for general circulation models. This state of affairs highlights the potential of satellite-borne wind lidar and of further work on current satellite retrievals.     

Possible mechanism of the effect of convection over Asian-Australian "land bridge" on the East Asian summer monsoon onset

The Asian-Australian "land bridge" is an area with the most vigorous convection in Asian monsoon region in boreal spring, where the onset and march of convection are well associated with the onset of East Asian summer monsoon. The convection occurs over Indo-China Peninsula as early as mid-April, which exerts critical impact on the evolution of monsoon circulation. Before mid-April there are primarily sensible heatings to the atmosphere over Indo-China Peninsula and Indian Peninsula, so the apparent heating ratios over them decrease with height. However, after mid-April it changes into latent heating over Indo-China Peninsula due to the onset of convection, and the apparent heating ratio increases with height in mid- and lower troposphere. The vertical distribution of heating ratio and its differences between Indo-China Peninsula and Indian Peninsula are the key factors leading to the splitting of boreal subtropical high belt over the Bay of Bengal. Such mechanism is strongly supported by the fact that the evolution of the vertical heating ratio gradient above Indo-China Peninsula leads that of 850 hPa vorticity over the Bay of Bengal. Convections over Indo-China Peninsula and its surrounding areas further increase after the splitting. Since then, there is a positive feedback lying among the convective heating, the eastward retreat of the subtropical high and the march of monsoon, which is a possible mechanism of the advance of summer monsoon and convection from Indo-China Peninsula to South China Sea.     

Possible mechanism of the effect of convection over Asian-Australian “land bridge” on the East Asian summer monsoon onset

The Asian-Australian “land bridge” is an area with the most vigorous convection in Asian monsoon region in boreal spring, where the onset and march of convection are well associated with the onset of East Asian summer monsoon. The convection occurs over Indo-China Peninsula as early as mid-April, which exerts critical impact on the evolution of monsoon circulation. Before mid-April there are primarily sensible heatings to the atmosphere over Indo-China Peninsula and Indian Peninsula, so the apparent heating ratios over them decrease with height. However, after mid-April it changes into latent heating over Indo-China Peninsula due to the onset of convection, and the apparent heating ratio increases with height in mid-and lower troposphere. The vertical distribution of heating ratio and its differences between Indo-China Peninsula and Indian Peninsula are the key factors leading to the splitting of boreal subtropical high belt over the Bay of Bengal. Such mechanism is strongly supported by the fact that the evolution of the vertical heating ratio gradient above Indo-China Peninsula leads that of 850 hPa vorticity over the Bay of Bengal. Convections over Indo-China Peninsula and its surrounding areas further increase after the splitting. Since then, there is a positive feedback lying among the convective heating, the eastward retreat of the subtropical high and the march of monsoon, which is a possible mechanism of the advance of summer monsoon and convection from Indo-China Peninsula to South China Sea.     

El Ni?o and El Ni?o Modoki variability based on a new ocean reanalysis

A new ocean reanalysis, covering the period from 1990 to 2009, is evaluated against observational sea surface temperature (SST) and sea surface height (SSH) data in reproducing the temporal characteristics of El Ni?o and El Ni?o Modoki. The new reanalysis assimilates the available SST, temperature–salinity profile, and satellite altimetry data sets into a global ocean model forced with surface boundary conditions from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction atmospheric reanalysis 2. Using the Ni?o 3 index and the improved El Ni?o Modoki index, to distinguish between El Ni?o and El Ni?o Modoki signals, our results show that the two time series in the new reanalysis are in agreement with those obtained from observations during the study period. A composite analysis method is used to demonstrate the temporal evolution of these two types of El Ni?o. The new reanalysis has the advantage of representing the strength and location of El Ni?o events better than the control run, with an increase in the spatial correlation, but El Ni?o variability in the reanalysis is weak in the eastern Pacific, particularly off the coast of South America. As for the El Ni?o Modoki events, the initiation, development, and termination of the warm SST anomalies all occur in the central Pacific. All main features associated with the warm SST anomaly pattern of El Ni?o Modoki are well represented in the reanalysis. Furthermore, using this new ocean reanalysis, we select two strong cases to investigate possible mechanisms that may lead to the different warm SST anomaly patterns.