2000年后中国北方东部地区夏季极端降水减少及水汽输送特征

本文研究了1961～2016年中国北方东部地区夏季极端降水日数和极端降水贡献率的年代际变化特征,并进一步分析了该地区极端降水和普通降水的大气环流和水汽输送的差异。主要的研究结果表明:1961～2016年中国北方东部地区夏季极端降水日数和极端降水贡献率在2000年前后发生显著年代际变化,2000年后夏季极端降水天数和极端降水贡献率显著减少。与1984～1999年相比,2000～2016年在对流层高层从欧洲大陆、中亚到东北—蒙古地区,位势高度异常呈现出“正—负—正”的大气波列,从而造成北方东部地区上空为正压的位势高度正异常控制,伴随着下沉运动,大气层结趋于稳定,这些环流条件不利于极端降水发生。2000年后负位相的太平洋年代际振荡（PDO）和正位相的北大西洋多年代际振荡（AMO）共同加强了北方东部地区上空的正位势高度异常。进一步研究表明,极端降水与普通降水的水汽输送和收支以及关键的局地大气系统存在着显著差异,较普通降水而言,极端降水在南北向水汽输送和收支上更强;北方东部地区低空为较强的闭合低压控制,并不断受到高层高位涡空气下传的影响。     

青藏高原南、北积雪异常与中国东部夏季降水关系的数值试验研究

青藏高原冬、春积雪有着显著的南、北空间差异,本文利用通用地球系统模式（CESM）设计了增加高原南、北冬、春积雪的敏感性试验,结果表明:当高原南部冬、春积雪异常偏多,长江及其以北地区夏季降水偏多,华南大部分地区夏季降水偏少;而当高原北部冬、春积雪异常偏多,华北及东北地区夏季降水偏多,长江下游南部地区夏季降水偏少,雨带更偏北。青藏高原南、北部冬、春积雪异常影响中国东部夏季降水的物理机制的分析结果表明,高原不同区域（南部和北部）冬、春积雪异常引起的非绝热加热异常效应都可持续到夏季,且北部积雪异常持续时间更长。高原南部和北部积雪异常偏多均会减弱高原北侧上空大气的水平温度梯度,进而减弱高原北侧西风急流的位置及强度,进而影响下游出口区处急流的强度和位置,且高原北部积雪异常偏多的影响更大。当高原南部积雪异常偏多,急流出口区的西风急流加强且偏南;而高原北部积雪异常偏多,出口区的西风急流减弱且偏北。相应地,对流层中层500 hPa西太平洋副热带高压减弱,低层850 hPa异常反气旋环流,影响中国东部地区水汽输送,从而影响了中国东部地区夏季雨带的变化。当高原南部积雪异常偏多,异常反气旋性环流位于东海附近,有利于更多水汽输送至长江流域,华南水汽输送减少;当高原北部积雪异常偏多,异常反气旋性环流相对偏北,更有利于华北及东北水汽输送,雨带偏北。     

东亚夏季经向水汽输送的变异及其对极端降水的影响

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

2011年夏季气候异常及主要异常事件成因分析

本文对2011年夏季的中国气候及大气环流异常特征进行分析,发现我国总体气温偏高,降水偏少。西北西部、华北南部、江淮至江南一带,西南地区东部等地出现了阶段性的较大范围极端高温天气过程。西南地区东部和广西等地出现严重干旱;而长江下游地区降水显著偏多。进一步对中国气候异常事件的成因分析表明：异常高压的长期维持,孟加拉湾的向北水汽输送偏弱及西太平洋副热带高压位置偏东使其西侧的东南和偏南水汽输送对我国西南地区影响小是导致西南地区严重干旱的大气环流因素;2010年秋季出现的中部型拉尼娜事件可能是西南干旱的一个重要外强迫条件。2011年夏季亚洲极涡偏弱偏小,欧亚中高纬地区经向环流偏强,有利于冷空气南下;同时,中纬度西太平洋地区海温持续偏低而激发反气旋性环流产生,造成西太平洋副高偏大偏强,冷暖气流在长江下游地区交汇造成降水显著偏多。     

春夏东亚大气环流年代际转折的影响及其可能机理

本文通过多变量联合经验正交分解(MV-EOF)方法揭示了近30年(1979~2010年) 春季和夏季东亚大气环流所发生的年代际转折及其与中国南方降水年代际季节反相变化的内在联系,探讨了局地性大气热源年代际变化影响东亚大气环流年代际转折的可能机理.结果表明:(1)东亚大气环流春季第一模态和夏季第二模态在90年代中期都发生了明显的年代际转折;(2)与春季大气环流第一模态和夏季大气环流第二模态年代际转折相对应的是中国南方降水明显的年代际季节反相变化,即春季降水年代际减少,夏季降水年代际增多;(3)春季青藏高原和夏季贝加尔湖地区大气热源年代际变化对东亚大气环流年代际转折有一定贡献,是造成中国南方降水年代际季节反相变化的直接原因;(4)春季青藏高原大气热源的年代际减弱,使得高原东南侧的西南风减弱,导致中国南方上空水汽输送不足,春季降水减少.夏季贝加尔湖大气热源偶极型分布由“南负北正”转变为“南正北负”,由此在贝湖上空激发高压异常,使得夏季雨带北进受阻而停滞南方,造成中国南方夏季降水增多.     

华南夏季多年平均降水低频特征及其与低频水汽输送关系

利用中国国家气象信息中心提供的1961—2011年753站逐日降水资料、NECP/NCAR逐日再分析风场和比湿资料,研究了华南夏季多年平均降水低频特征及其与低频水汽输送的相关关系。结果表明,华南夏季降水量呈增多趋势,1992年之后(1993—2011年,时段Ⅱ)比之前(1961—1992年,时段Ⅰ)明显偏多,尤以广西大部、广东北部、闽赣交界处增幅最大。无论时段Ⅰ或时段Ⅱ,华南多年平均夏季降水均呈显著的10~20 d低频振荡,但时段Ⅱ比时段Ⅰ的低频周期更显著。影响10~20 d低频降水的10~20 d低频水汽输送环流系统,在时段Ⅰ主要为西北太平洋反气旋式水汽环流和中南半岛东部、南海南部的一对气旋、反气旋式水汽环流,水汽来自孟加拉湾、南海和西太平洋,冷空气来自里海附近和贝加尔湖以东;在时段Ⅱ主要为西北太平洋反气旋式—气旋式水汽环流对、印尼以东洋面的气旋式、反气旋式水汽环流对,水汽来自南海和西太平洋,冷空气来自贝加尔湖以东。     

中纬度瞬变涡旋活动对东亚夏季平均环流和降水的影响

首先利用CFSR再分析数据,分析了东亚夏季平均环流结构及瞬变涡旋活动特征,再通过WRF模式设计控制性试验和敏感性试验分别模拟受到/不受到来自北边界中纬度瞬变涡旋活动影响的东亚夏季环流和降水,通过两组试验对比揭示了瞬变涡旋活动对东亚夏季平均环流和降水的贡献。结果表明,中纬度瞬变涡旋活动可以通过系统性的输送动量、热量、水汽和涡度来改变背景场,从而影响夏季平均环流和降水。当中纬度瞬变涡旋活动大幅度减弱时,其产生的向极动量、热量和水汽输送也显著减弱。一方面向北热量和水汽输送的减少使东亚东部大陆上低层的平均温度和水汽增加,为降水提供了环流不稳定条件和水汽条件,另一方面瞬变涡旋的动力输送变化在环流场上形成相当正压结构响应,整个中国东部地区受强西南风控制,东亚夏季风增强并推进到更北的区域。这两个因素的共同作用使我国北部地区和华南地区产生了水汽辐合和对流增强,导致该地区降水的增强。     

青藏高原热力异常与华北汛期降水关系的研究

利用1980～1994年NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,以及我国336个测站1956～1994年月降水量资料,通过诊断分析和数值实验,研究了夏季高原上热力异常与华北汛期降水的关系.结果表明:华北汛期干旱年,青藏高压及西太平洋副热带高压偏南、偏东,华北汛期降水偏多年则相反;华北汛期旱年时,高原上升、高原东侧邻近地区下沉的垂直环流明显加强,而降水偏多年时,垂直环流减弱,华北地区为上升气流控制;夏季高原为热源和水汽汇区,它们的异常对华北地区降水有很大影响,当热源和水汽汇增强(减弱)时,华北地区降水偏少(偏多).数值试验表明,高原上潜热加热异常引起青藏高压、西太平洋副热带高压、亚洲季风以及欧亚中高纬地区环流的变化,进而影响到华北地区的降水.     

热带大气季节内振荡对西南地区东部夏季降水的影响及其可能机制

利用1979~2013年6~8月的西南地区东部20个台站日降水量资料、逐日MJO(Madden-Julian Oscillation)指数、全球OLR(Outgoing Longwave Radiation)逐日格点资料以及NCEP/NCAR再分析日资料,采用合成分析和线性回归等方法,对夏季MJO不同位相活动影响西南地区东部夏季降水的原因及其可能机制进行了初步分析。研究表明,MJO与西南地区东部夏季降水之间存在着显著的关系,当MJO处于第4(第6)位相时,由于西太平洋副高位置偏南(偏北)、向西南地区东部的水汽输送偏多(偏少),在异常上升(下沉)气流影响下,西南地区东部夏季降水偏多(偏少)。MJO影响西南地区东部夏季降水的可能原因是:当MJO处于第4位相时,赤道东印度洋地区上空大气释放凝结潜热,其激发东北向传播的异常波动,进而影响东亚环流,使得西南地区东部出现夏季降水偏多的环流形势,西南地区东部夏季降水增多;但在第6位相时,西太平洋地区上空对流释放的凝结潜热,其激发PJ(太平洋-日本)型Rossby波列,出现不利于西南地区东部夏季降水的环流形势,西南地区东部夏季降水偏少。     

华南夏季降水两次年代际转折的水汽输送异常成因初探

本文利用NCEP/NCAR再分析资料和中国2374站日降水资料,通过水汽收支方程分解方法分析了华南夏季降水在1993~2002年时段年代际增多以及2003~2013年时段年代际减少的水汽输送特征及其成因。结果表明:1993~2002年时段（2003~2013年时段）,局地环流导致异常下沉（上升）气流,南亚高压偏东（偏西）和西太平洋副热带高压（简称副高）偏西（偏东）,菲律宾及副高西南侧水汽输送加强（减弱）,华南地区低层出现强的水汽辐合（辐散）,导致降水偏多（偏少）。华南地区夏季降水两次年代际变化主要与风速变化引起的水汽输送动力散度项的异常有关,同时还受到与比湿变化引起的水汽输送热力散度项异常、及天气尺度的涡旋引起的水汽输送涡流散度项异常影响。此外,研究发现水汽输送的异常与环流和海温异常均密切相关。     

亚洲夏季风的年际和年代际变化及其未来预测

本文是对我们近五年在亚洲夏季风年代际与年际变率及其未来预测方面研究的一个综述.主要包括下列三个问题:(1)根据123年中国夏季降水资料和印度学者的分析,检测出亚洲夏季风具有明显的年代际尺度减弱,这种年代际变化使中国东部(包括东亚)和南亚夏季降水的格局在过去60年中发生了明显变化.在东亚,从1970年代后期开始,主要异常雨带有不断南移的趋势,结果造成了南涝北旱的降水分布,这主要受到60～80年年代际振荡的影响.青藏高原前冬和春季积雪的年代际减少与热带中东太平洋海表温度的年代际增加是东亚降水型改变的主要原因,这是通过减弱亚洲地区夏季海陆温差与夏季风强度而实现的.未来亚洲夏季风的预测表明,东亚夏季风和南亚夏季风对气候变暖有十分不同的响应.东亚夏季风在本世纪将增强,雨带北推,尤其在2040年代之后;而南亚夏季风环流将继续减弱.这种不同的变化是由于两者对高低层海陆热力差异的不同响应造成.(2)年际尺度的变率在亚洲夏季风区主要表现为2年与4～7年的振荡.本文着重分析了2年振荡(TBO)形成的过程、机理及其对东亚降水的影响.对TBO-海洋机理进行了具体的改进,说明了东亚夏季风降水深受TBO影响的原因,尤其是阐明了长江型(YRV) TBO和淮河型(HRV) TBO的特征及其形成的循环过程.(3)在总结亚洲夏季风时期遥相关型的基础上,本文提出了季节内和年际尺度的低空遥相关型:即西北太平洋季风的遥相关型与印度“南支”和“北支”遥相关型.它们基本上反映了沿低空夏季风强风速带Rossby波群速度传播的结果.据此可以根据西北太平洋和印度夏季风的变化分别预测中国梅雨和华北雨季来临和降水异常.最后研究还表明,在本世纪亚洲夏季风可能更显著地受到人类活动造成的全球变暖的影响,未来的亚洲夏季风活动是人类排放的CO2引起的全球变暖与自然变化(海洋和陆面过程(积雪))共同作用的结果.     

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.     

Decadal/Interdecadal Variations of the Ocean Temperature and its Impacts on Climate

Decadal/interdecadal climate variability is an important research focus of the CLIVAR Program and has been paid more attention. Over recent years, a lot of studies in relation to interdecadal climate variations have been also completed by Chinese scientists. This paper presents an overview of some advances in the study of decadal/interdecadal variations of the ocean temperature and its climate impacts, which includes interdecadal climate variability in China, the interdecadal modes of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the North Pacific, and in particular, the impacts of interdecadal SST variations on the Asian monsoon rainfall. As summarized in this paper, some results have been achieved by using climate diagnostic studies of historical climatic datasets. Two fundamental interdecadal SST variability modes (7– 10-years mode and 25–35-years mode) have been identified over the North Pacific associated with different anomalous patterns of atmospheric circulation. The southern Indian Ocean dipole (SIOD) shows a major feature of interdecadal variation, with a positive (negative) phase favoring a weakened (enhanced) Asian summer monsoon in the following summer. It is also found that the China monsoon rainfall exhibits interdecadal variations with more wet (dry) monsoon years in the Yangtze River (South China and North China) before 1976, but vice versa after 1976. The weakened relationship between the Indian summer rainfall and ENSO is a feature of interdecadal variations, suggesting an important role of the interdecadal variation of the SIOD in the climate over the south Asia and southeast Asia. In addition, evidence indicates that the climate shift in the 1960s may be related to the anomalies of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and North Pacific Oscillation (NPO). Overall, the present research has improved our understanding of the decadal/interdecadal variations of SST and their impacts on the Asian monsoon rainfall. However, the research also highlights a number of problems for future research, in particular the mechanisms responsible for the monsoon long-term predictability, which is a great challenge in climate research.     

热带印度洋偶极子与中国夏季年际气候异常关系的年代际变化

利用中国站点观测逐月降水和月平均气温资料以及NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,揭示了热带印度洋偶极子(IOD)与中国夏季气候异常关系的年代际变化.结果表明:IOD与中国夏季年际气候异常的关系既有稳定的一面,又存在着年代际变化.较为稳定的关系表现为:IOD与同年夏季长江黄河之间的降水变化存在显著负相关,与四川气温变化存在显著正相关;IOD与次年夏季四川降水存在显著正相关.伴随发生在20世纪70年代末的大尺度环流年代际转型,IOD与中国气候年际异常的联系亦发生变化:IOD正位相年的同年夏季降水异常型,由中国大部分地区偏少变为长江以南(北)偏多(少),气温由西南地区东部偏暖变为长江以南(北)偏冷(暖);次年夏季降水由全国大部分地区偏多变为长江以南(北)偏少(多),气温由全国大部分地区相关不显著变为黄河以南大部分地区显著偏暖.在IOD负位相年,中国夏季气候异常的特征与IOD正位相年相反.在20世纪70年代末的大尺度年代际气候转犁前后,与IOD相关的东亚大气环流异常特征明显不同.在IOD发展阶段,在70年代末以前,印度夏季风和南海季风偏强,副热带高压势力偏弱,导致中国华南大部分地区降水偏少,华北西部以及内蒙古中部等地降水偏多;70年代末以后,东亚大陆中纬度为弱的东风距平,导致新疆北部降水偏少,气温偏高,华南降水偏多.在IOD次年夏季,70年代末以前,华南、河套以及四川等地盛行偏南气流,降水偏多;70年代末以后,南亚高压和西太平洋副高偏西偏强,华南、江南降水偏少.     

中国东部夏季气候20世纪80年代后期的年代际转型及其可能成因

指出了中国东部夏季气候在20世纪80年代末出现了一次明显的年代际气候转型.伴随着这次年代际转型,80年代末以后中国东部南方地区降水明显增多,500 hPa西太平洋副热带高压西伸且南北范围变大,西北太平洋上空850 hPa反气旋增强.中国东部夏季80年代后期出现南方多雨的年代际转型与欧亚大陆春季积雪、西北太平洋夏季海面温度的年代际变化存在密切联系,它们也都在80年代末出现年代际转型.从80年代末以后,伴随着欧亚大陆春季积雪明显减少和西北太平洋夏季海面温度明显增高,中国夏季南方降水明显增加.文中分析了欧亚大陆春季积雪和西北太平洋夏季海面温度影响中国降水的物理过程,指出欧亚大陆春季积雪能够在500 hPa激发出大气中的遥相关波列,所激发出的波列可以从春季一直持续到夏季,造成中国北方为高压控制,南方为微弱低压控制,使得降水出现在中国南方.西北太平洋夏季海面温度的升高能够减小海陆热力差异,使得夏季风减弱,导致中国南方地区降水增多.     

Interdecadal Change of the Relationship Between the Tropical Indian Ocean Dipole Mode and the Summer Climate Anomaly in China

The interdecadal change of the relationship between the tropical Indian Ocean dipole(IOD) mode and the summer climate anomaly in China is investigated by using monthly precipitation and temperature records at 210 stations in China and the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data for 1957-2005.The results indicate that along with the interdecadal shift in the large-scale general circulation around the late 1970s,the relationship between the IOD mode and the summer climate anomaly in some regions of China has significantly changed.Before the late 1970s,a developing IOD event is associated with an enhanced East Asian summer monsoon,which tends to decrease summer precipitation and increase summer temperature in South China;while after the late 1970s,it is associated with a weakened East Asian summer monsoon,which tends to increase(decrease) precipitation and decrease(increase) temperature in the south(north) of the Yangtze River.During the next summer,following a positive IOD event,precipitation is increased in most of China before the late 1970s,while it is decreased(increased) south(north) of the Yangtze River after the late 1970s.There is no significant correlation between the IOD and surface air temperature anomaly in most of China in the next summer before the late 1970s;however,the IOD tends to increase the next summer temperature south of the Yellow River after the late 1970s.     

The Decadal Shift of the Summer Climate in the Late 1980s over Eastern China and Its Possible Causes

In this paper, it is pointed out that a notable decadal shift of, the summer climate in eastern China occurred in the late 1980s. In association with this decadal climate shift, after the late 1980s more precipitation appeared in the southern region of eastern China （namely South China）, the western Pacific subtropical high stretched farther westward with a larger south-north extent, and a strengthened anticyclone at 850 hPa appeared in the northwestern Pacific. The decadal climate shift of the summer precipitation in South China was accompanied with decadal changes of the Eurasian snow cover in boreal spring and sea surface temperature （SST） in western North Pacific in boreal summer in the late 1980s. After the late 1980s, the spring Eurasian snow cover apparently became less and the summer SST in western North Pacific increased obviously, which were well correlated with the increase of the South China precipitation. The physical processes are also investigated on how the summer precipitation in China was affected by the spring Eurasian snow cover and summer SST in western North Pacific. The change of the spring Eurasian snow cover could excite a wave-train in higher latitudes, which lasted from spring to summer. Because of the wave-train, an abnormal high appeared over North China and a weak depression over South China, leading to more precipitation in South China. The increase of the summer SST in the western North Pacific reduced the land-sea thermal contrast and thus weakened the East Asian summer monsoon, also leading to more precipitation in South China.     

Boreal summer continental monsoon rainfall and hydroclimate anomalies associated with the Asian-Pacific Oscillation

With the twentieth century analysis data (1901–2002) for atmospheric circulation, precipitation, Palmer drought severity index, and sea surface temperature (SST), we show that the Asian-Pacific Oscillation (APO) during boreal summer is a major mode of the earth climate variation linking to global atmospheric circulation and hydroclimate anomalies, especially the Northern Hemisphere (NH) summer land monsoon. Associated with a positive APO phase are the warm troposphere over the Eurasian land and the relatively cool troposphere over the North Pacific, the North Atlantic, and the Indian Ocean. Such an amplified land–ocean thermal contrast between the Eurasian land and its adjacent oceans signifies a stronger than normal NH summer monsoon, with the strengthened southerly or southwesterly monsoon prevailing over tropical Africa, South Asia, and East Asia. A positive APO implies an enhanced summer monsoon rainfall over all major NH land monsoon regions: West Africa, South Asia, East Asia, and Mexico. Thus, APO is a sensible measure of the NH land monsoon rainfall intensity. Meanwhile, reduced precipitation appears over the arid and semiarid regions of northern Africa, the Middle East, and West Asia, manifesting the monsoon-desert coupling. On the other hand, surrounded by the cool troposphere over the North Pacific and North Atlantic, the extratropical North America has weakened low-level continental low and upper-level ridge, hence a deficient summer rainfall. Corresponding to a high APO index, the African and South Asian monsoon regions are wet and cool, the East Asian monsoon region is wet and hot, and the extratropical North America is dry and hot. Wet and dry climates correspond to wet and dry soil conditions, respectively. The APO is also associated with significant variations of SST in the entire Pacific and the extratropical North Atlantic during boreal summer, which resembles the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation in SST. Of note is that the Pacific SST anomalies are not present throughout the year, rather, mainly occur in late spring, peak at late summer, and are nearly absent during boreal winter. The season-dependent APO–SST relationship and the origin of the APO remain elusive.     

INTERDECADAL VARIATIONS OF INTERACTION BETWEEN NORTH PACIFIC SSTA AND EAST ASIAN SUMMER MONSOON

Identification of key SST zones is essential in predicting the weather / climate systems in East Asia. With the SST data by the U.K. Meteorological Office and 40-year geopotential height and wind fields by NCAR / NCEP, the relationship between the East Asian summer monsoon and north Pacific SSTA is studied, which reveals their interactions are of interdecadal variation. Before mid-1970's, the north Pacific SSTA acts upon the summer monsoon in East Asia through a great circle wavetrain and results in more rainfall in the summer of the northern part of China. After 1976, the SSTA weakens the wavetrain and no longer influences the precipitation in North China due to loosened links with the East Asian summer monsoon. It can be drawn that the key SST zones having potential effects on the weather / climate systems in East Asia do not stay in one particular area of the ocean but rather shift elsewhere as governed by the interdecadal variations of the air-sea interactions. It is hoped that the study would help shed light on the prediction of drought / flood spans in China.