THE EAST ASIAN SUBTROPICAL SUMMER MONSOON INDEX AND ITS RELATION WITH THE CLIMATE ANOMALIES IN CHINA

A new East Asian subtropical summer monsoon circulation index is defined, where the barotropic and baroclinic components of circulation are included. Results show that this index can well indicate the interannual variability of summer precipitation and temperature anomalies in China. A strong monsoon is characterized by more rainfall in the Yellow River basin and northern China, less rainfall in the Yangtze River basin, and more rainfall in south and southeast China, in association with higher temperature in most areas of China. Furthermore, comparison is made between the index proposed in this paper and other monsoon indexes in representing climate anomalies in China.     

An East Asian Subtropical Summer Monsoon Index and Its Relationship to Summer Rainfall in China

Using the monthly mean NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data and the monthly rainfall observations at 160 rain gauge stations of China during 1961 1999, and based on major characteristics of the atmospheric circulation over East Asia and the western Pacific, a simple index for the East Asian subtropical summer monsoon （EASSM） is defined. The relationship between this index and summer rainfall in China and associated circulation features are examined. A comparison is made between this index and other monsoon indices. The results indicate that the index defined herein is reflective of variations of both the thermal low pressure centered in Siberia and the subtropical ridge over the western Pacific. It epitomizes the intensity of the EASSM and the variability of summer rainfall along the Yangtze River. Analysis shows that the Siberian low has a greater effect on the rainfall than the subtropical ridge, suggesting that the summer rainfall variability over the eastern parts of China is to a large extent affected by anomalies of the atmospheric circulation and cold air development in the midlatitudes. Taking into account of the effects of both the Siberian low and the subtropical ridge can better capture the summer rainfall anomalies of China. The index exhibits interannual and decadal variabilities, with high-index values occurring mainly in the 1960s and 1970s and low-index values in the 1980s and 1990s. When the EASSM index is low, the Siberian low and the subtropical ridge are weaker, and northerly wind anomalies appear at low levels over the midlatitudes and subtropics of East Asia, whereas southwesterly wind anomalies dominate in the upper troposphere over the tropics and subtropics of Asia and the western Pacific. The northerly wind anomalies bring about frequent cold air disturbances from the midlatitudes of East Asia, strengthening the convergence and ascending motions along the Meiyu front, and result in an increase of summer rainfall over the Yangtze River.     

Evaluation of East Asian Summer Climate Prediction from the CESM Large-Ensemble Initialized Decadal Prediction Project

Based on surface air temperature and precipitation observation data and NCEP/NCAR atmospheric reanalysis data,this study evaluates the prediction of East Asian summer climate during 1959–2016 undertaken by the CESM (Community Earth System Model) large-ensemble initialized decadal prediction (CESM-DPLE) project. The results demonstrate that CESM-DPLE can reasonably capture the basic features of the East Asian summer climate and associated main atmospheric circulation patterns. In general, the prediction skill is quite high for surface air temperature,but less so for precipitation, on the interannual timescale. CESM-DPLE reproduces the anomalies of mid-and highlatitude atmospheric circulation and the East Asian monsoon and climate reasonably well, all of which are attributed to the teleconnection wave train driven by the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO). A transition into the warm phase of the AMO after the late 1990s decreased the geopotential height and enhanced the strength of the monsoon in East Asia via the teleconnection wave train during summer, leading to excessive precipitation and warming over East Asia. Altogether, CESM-DPLE is capable of predicting the summer temperature in East Asia on the interannual timescale, as well as the interdecadal variations of East Asian summer climate associated with the transition of AMO phases in the late 1990s, albeit with certain inadequacies remaining. The CESM-DPLE project provides an important resource for investigating and predicting the East Asian climate on the interannual and decadal timescales.     

INTERANNUAL VARIATION OF INDEX OF EAST ASIAN LAND-SEA THERMAL DIFFERENCE AND ITS RELATION TO MONSOON CIRCULATION AND RAINFALL OVER CHINA

This paper proposes an index of land-sea thermal difference(ILSTD)that describes its zonal andmeridional strength responsible for East Asian monsoon circulation to study its relation to the EastAsian monsoon circulation and the summer rainfall over China on an interannual basis.Results are asfollows:(1)ILSTD can be used to measure the strength of East Asian summer monsoon in such away that the strong(weak)ILSTD years are associated with strong(weak)summer monsooncirculation.(2)The index also reflects well summer rainfall anomaly over the eastern part of China.In the strong index years,rain belt is mainly located over the northern China,and serious droughtemerges in the Jianghuai valleys and mid-lower reaches of the Changjiang River,along with increaseof rainfall in North and South China,but in the weak years it is contrary.(3)Besides,the index hasobvious QBO and quasi 4-year oscillations,but the periods and amplitudes have significant changes onan interdecadal basis.     

Statistical Downscaling for Multi-Model Ensemble Prediction of Summer Monsoon Rainfall in the Asia-Pacific Region Using Geopotential Height Field

The 21-yr ensemble predictions of model precipitation and circulation in the East Asian and western North Pacific （Asia-Pacific） summer monsoon region （0°-50°N, 100° 150°E） were evaluated in nine different AGCM, used in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Climate Center （APCC） multi-model ensemble seasonal prediction system. The analysis indicates that the precipitation anomaly patterns of model ensemble predictions are substantially different from the observed counterparts in this region, but the summer monsoon circulations are reasonably predicted. For example, all models can well produce the interannual variability of the western North Pacific monsoon index （WNPMI） defined by 850 hPa winds, but they failed to predict the relationship between WNPMI and precipitation anomalies. The interannual variability of the 500 hPa geopotential height （GPH） can be well predicted by the models in contrast to precipitation anomalies. On the basis of such model performances and the relationship between the interannual variations of 500 hPa GPH and precipitation anomalies, we developed a statistical scheme used to downscale the summer monsoon precipitation anomaly on the basis of EOF and singular value decomposition （SVD）. In this scheme, the three leading EOF modes of 500 hPa GPH anomaly fields predicted by the models are firstly corrected by the linear regression between the principal components in each model and observation, respectively. Then, the corrected model GPH is chosen as the predictor to downscale the precipitation anomaly field, which is assembled by the forecasted expansion coefficients of model 500 hPa GPH and the three leading SVD modes of observed precipitation anomaly corresponding to the prediction of model 500 hPa GPH during a 19-year training period. The cross-validated forecasts suggest that this downscaling scheme may have a potential to improve the forecast skill of the precipitation anomaly in the South China Sea, western North Pacific and the East Asia Pacific regions, wh     

Definition and Features of the North Edge of the East Asian Summer Monsoon

By using daily total precipitable water(TPW) amount from the ECMWF reanalysis(ERA-44a) data in 1958-2001,the north edge of the Asian sub-tropical summer monsoon is defined by a normalized precipitable water index(NPWI),and its climatology and interannual/interdecadal variability are examined.The results show that two monsoon systems(the Indian and East Asian monsoon systems) can be identified in terms of monsoon edge defined by the NPWI over Asia.The mean north edge goes in the west-east direction along ...     

Predictable and Unpredictable Components of the Summer East Asia–Pacific Teleconnection Pattern

The East Asia–Pacific(EAP) teleconnection pattern is the dominant mode of circulation variability during boreal summer over the western North Pacific and East Asia, extending from the tropics to high latitudes. However, much of this pattern is absent in multi-model ensemble mean forecasts, characterized by very weak circulation anomalies in the mid and high latitudes. This study focuses on the absence of the EAP pattern in the extratropics, using state-of-the-art coupled seasonal forecast systems. The results indicate that the extratropical circulation is much less predictable, and lies in the large spread among different ensemble members, implying a large contribution from atmospheric internal variability. However,the tropical–mid-latitude teleconnections are also relatively weaker in models than observations, which also contributes to the failure of prediction of the extratropical circulation. Further results indicate that the extratropical EAP pattern varies closely with the anomalous surface temperatures in eastern Russia, which also show low predictability. This unpredictable circulation–surface temperature connection associated with the EAP pattern can also modulate the East Asian rainband.     

ASIAN-PACIFIC OSCILLATION IN AUTUMN AND ITS RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE SUBTROPICAL MONSOON IN EAST ASIA

Based on the 1961-2010 NCEP/NCAR reanalysis, this work uses empirical orthogonal function(EOF) and composite analysis to study the distributions of zonal land-sea thermal contrast between Asia and the Pacific during transitions from the summer monsoon to the winter monsoon in East Asian subtropics, and investigates the interannual variations of the thermal contrast and their relationships with circulation systems over the East Asian subtropics. The findings are as follows. 1) In autumn, the interannual variations of the temperature deviation in the middle and upper troposphere show significant east-west out-of-phase teleconnection over Asia and the central and eastern Pacific, i.e. the Asian-Pacific Oscillation, or APO. 2) While not as significant as in summer with regard to coverage and intensity, the APO shows interannual variations in autumn that well depicts the change in the intensity of the subtropical monsoon. In the high(low) APO year, the current subtropical summer monsoon is strong(weak) and the winter monsoon is weak(strong) in East Asia as derived from the general circulation and wind field of the East Asian-Pacific region.     

Decadal variation of summer rainfall in the yangtzehuaihe river valley and its relationship to atmospheric circulation anomalies over east asia and western north pacific

Decadal variations of summer rainfall during 1951 through 1990 are analyzed by using summer rainfall data of 160 stations in China. Four major patterns of decadal variations are identified. The decadal variations of summer rainfall showed northward shift in the eastern China from South China through the Yangtze-Huaihe River to North China. Summer rainfall in the Yangtze-Huaihe River valley underwent two obvious decadal transitions during the 40 years: one from rainy period to drought period in the end of the 1950’s, the other from drought period to rainy period in the late 1970’s. Correspondingly, the atmospheric circulation over East Asia through the western North Pacific showed two similar obvious transitions. The East Asian/ Pacific (EAP) pattern switched from high index to low index in the end of the 1950’s and from low index to high index in the late 1970’s, respectively. Hence, summer rainfall in the Yangtze-Huaihe River valley is closely associated with the EAP pattern not only in the interannual variation but also in the decadal variation.     

An East Asian Subtropical Summer Monsoon Index Defined by Moist Potential Vorticity

Based on consideration of both thermodynamic and kinetic features of the subtropical summer monsoon in East Asia,a new index is defined by the moist potential vorticity (MPV) for this monsoon.Variation features of the subtropical summer monsoon over 60 years are analyzed using National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research (USA) data from 1948 to 2007.Results show that the new index can well reflect the seasonal,interannual,and interdecadal variations of the East Asian subtropical summer monsoon.Correlation analysis of the new index and precipitation data from 160 stations in China shows that in high-index years,the summer monsoon is strong,and more rain falls in eastern North China,southwestern China,and along the coast of South China and less rain falls in the Yangtze-Huaihe R.basin.In low-index years,the opposite occurs.Lastly,the new index is compared with four established monsoon indices.The new index is found to have an advantage in representing summer rainfall in the Yangtze-Huaihe R.basin.     

Interannual variability of the convective activities associated with the east asian summer monsoon obtained from tbb variability

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东亚-北太平洋偶极型气压场及其与东亚季风年际变化的关系

利用美国NCEP/NCAR的月平均再分析资料,研究东亚-太平洋地区地面气压的耦合模态与东亚副热带季风异常的关系,结果表明:在亚洲大陆和北半球太平洋之间气压场的偶极子模态主要反映了东亚地区东西向气压梯度的异常.从20世纪60年代到70年代中期,东亚-太平洋的这种偶极子表现为蒙古地区气压偏低和太平洋地区气压偏高的特征,而从20世纪70年代后期到90年代,则表现为蒙古地区气压偏高和太平洋地区气压偏低的特征.在偶极子指数值较高的年份,冬季(或夏季)蒙古高压(或蒙古低压)和太平洋阿留申低压(或太平洋副热带高压)较强     

东亚夏季风指数的年际变化与东亚大气环流

文中从夏季东亚热带、副热带环流系统特点出发 ,定义了能较好表征东亚夏季风环流年际变化的特征指数 ,并分析了东亚夏季风指数的年际变化与东亚大气环流及夏季中国东部降水的关系。文中定义的东亚夏季风指数既反映了夏季东亚大气环流风场的变化特征 ,也较好地反映了夏季中国东部降水的年际变化特征。此外 ,还探讨了东亚夏季风指数变化的先兆信号     

东亚季风系统的动力过程和准定常行星波活动的研究进展

本文系统地回顾了近几年来关于东亚季风系统的动力过程与机理方面的研究,特别是关于东亚季风系统年际和年代际变异与准定常行星波活动关系的研究。最近的许多研究表明东亚夏季风系统变异的动力过程主要与东亚／太平洋型(即EAP型)遥相关有关,利用EAP型遥相关理论不仅可以说明东亚夏季风系统各成员之间内在联系的机理,而且可以揭示热带西太平洋热力和菲律宾周围对流活动影响东亚夏季风系统季节内、年际变化及其异常的经向三极子结构的动力过程;除了EAP型遥相关外,研究还表明北半球夏季从北非到东亚的对流层上层经向风异常存在一个沿急流传播的遥相关型,它对东亚夏季风系统异常的经向三极子型分布也有重要影响。并且,最近关于东亚冬季风变异与行星波活动的关系已做出许多研究,并获得很大进展。这些研究表明:北半球冬季准定常行星波传播波导在年际和年代际变化上存在着反相振荡特征,即若“极地波导”加强,则“低纬波导”将减弱,反之亦然;准定常行星波两支波导的反相振荡与北半球环状模(NAM)的年际和年代际振荡有紧密联系,而NAM的变化通过行星波活动的异常可以导致东亚冬季风的年际和年代际变化;此外,准定常行星波活动的年际变化与东亚冬季风异常之间的关系明显地受热带平流层纬向风准两年周期振荡(QBO)的调制,进一步的研究还提出了可能的机理。最后本文还指出:2005～2007年冬季东亚冬季风的异常不仅与西伯利亚高压和阿留申低压的变异有关,而且与极涡的演变和准定常行星波活动密切相关。     

季风指数及其年际变化I·环流强度指数

季风环流可以分解为经向环流和纬向环流。使用NCEP和ECMWF再分析资料,计算亚洲季风区的经向动量环流和纬向动量环流强度的季节内和年际变化,结果表明:对于南亚夏季风和东南亚-西太平洋夏季风,其各自的经向环流和纬向环流的季节内变化和年际变化存在着相当的联系,尤其东南亚-西太平洋夏季风。但南亚夏季风的经向环流和纬向环流的年际变化在不同月份有着不同的关系。对于东亚夏季风,经向环流和纬向环流变化之间的相关在季节内尺度上是线性独立的,而在年际尺度上存在一定的联系。作者指出:这种大尺度上的联系是通过科里奥利力发生作用,并且受热源调节的。同时局地的对流和辐射相互作用则在某种程度上削弱这种联系,导致在不同月份相关程度有所不同。从各季风系统的经向环流之间或纬向环流之间的线性相关看,南亚夏季风,东亚夏季风和东南亚-西太平洋夏季风是相互独立的系统。计算表明,Webster-Yang和Wang-Fan分别提出的南亚夏季风指数在描述纬向环流年际变化上较好,而在经向上勉强令人满意。Wang-Fan提出的描述东南亚-西太平洋夏季风指数,则较好地表示了该区域的经向和纬向环流的年际变化。Goswami提出的季风Hadley环流指数,以及郭其蕴、施能等提出的东亚夏季风指数则较好地描述了相应区域的经向环流圈年际变化,却无法描述相应的纬向环流圈的年际变化。通过计算还表明,NCEP再分析资料和ECMWF再分析资料在1968年以前的南亚季风区和东亚季风区存在着较大的差异。用NCEP再分析资料计算东亚季风区和南亚季风区经向动量环流圈的变率在20世纪60年代较ECMWF的偏大。用NCEP再分析资料计算施能等定义的东亚季风区指数,也较使用ECMWF再分析资料、UCAR的DS010.1及CRU的北半球海平面气压资料计算的偏大。     

东亚副热带西风急流位置异常对长江中下游夏季降水的影响

利用NCEP/NCAR 200 hPa月平均风场再分析资料,定义东亚大陆对流层上层不同经度上最大西风所在位置的平均纬度为东亚副热带西风急流轴线指数,该指数能准确反映东亚副热带西风急流位置的南北变化及其对长江中下游降水的影响,并能较好地体现东亚夏季风盛行期间对流层低层与高层的纬向风场变化特征。分析表明,该指数的时间变化具有与长江中下游夏季降水较一致的年代际变化及年际振荡特征。对东亚副热带西风急流位置异常年的大气环流差异分析表明,急流异常偏北时,南亚高压偏弱,位置偏北偏西,呈伊朗高压型;西太平洋副热带高压(下称西太副高)偏弱、位置偏东偏北;气流的辐合上升区北移至华北一带,而长江流域低层风场为辐散异常,上升气流较常年偏弱,降水偏少。急流异常偏南时,南亚高压偏强,位置偏南偏东,呈青藏高压型;西太副高偏强、位置偏西偏南;长江流域地区上空低层有较强辐合上升气流,高层有较强的气流辐散,对流旺盛,雨带在此维持,容易引发洪涝。     

有关南半球大气环流与东亚气候的关系研究的若干新进展

南半球大气环流是全球大气环流的重要组成部分,也是影响气候变化和亚洲季风系统的一个重要因素.中国气象学家很早就注意到南半球大气环流对东亚夏季风降水的影响.近年来,有关南半球气候变率的研究目前正受到世界气象学家越来越多的关注.南半球中高纬大气资料的丰富及南极涛动的确定,使得认识南半球高中纬环流的年际变动规律及其与东亚气候关系成为可能.本文主要介绍近年来有关南极涛动的年际变化与沙尘天气发生频次及东亚冬春季气候的关系,古气候资料揭示的南极涛动与华北降水的关系,以及南半球大气环流与长江中下游夏季降水的关系和南极涛动变率的可预测性等方面的研究进展.并对未来研究方向作了初步的展望.     

东亚副热带夏季风指数及其与降水的关系

文中利用1961~1999年NCEP/NCAR的月平均再分析资料和中国160站月降水资料,考虑蒙古中纬度地区和西太平洋副热带地区的大气环流特征定义了一个简单的东亚副热带夏季风指数,研究了该指数与夏季大气环流和中国降水变率的关系,并与其他季风指数进行了比较。结果表明:文中所定义的季风指数表现出明显的长期气候变化趋势,20世纪60~70年代以高指数为主,而80~90年代以低指数为主。该指数不仅能够较好地反映以蒙古为中心的东亚大陆热低压和西太平洋副热带高压的变化特征,还能够指示东亚副热带夏季风的强弱以及中国长江流域降水的异常变化。与西太平洋副热带高压相比,蒙古低气压变化对长江流域的雨带变动有更大影响。当该季风指数较低时,蒙古低压和西太平洋副热带高压偏弱,中国大陆对流层低层盛行异常北风,高层主要盛行异常西南风。而低层的异常北风表示了东亚中纬度地区较强的冷空气活动,这可以使长江流域梅雨锋区的辐合和上升运动加强,造成长江流域降水增加。     

Influence of soil moisture in eastern China on the East Asian summer monsoon

The sensitivity of the East Asian summer monsoon to soil moisture anomalies over China was investigated based on ensembles of seasonal simulations(March–September) using the NCEP GCM coupled with the Simplified Simple Biosphere Model(NCEP GCM/SSi B). After a control experiment with free-running soil moisture, two ensembles were performed in which the soil moisture over the vast region from the lower and middle reaches of the Yangtze River valley to North China(YRNC) was double and half that in the control, with the maximum less than the field capacity. The simulation results showed significant sensitivity of the East Asian summer monsoon to wet soil in YRNC. The wetter soil was associated with increased surface latent heat flux and reduced surface sensible heat flux. In turn, these changes resulted in a wetter and colder local land surface and reduced land–sea temperature gradients, corresponding to a weakened East Asian monsoon circulation in an anomalous anticyclone over southeastern China, and a strengthened East Asian trough southward over Northeast China. Consequently, less precipitation appeared over southeastern China and North China and more rainfall over Northeast China. The weakened monsoon circulation and strengthened East Asian trough was accompanied by the convergence of abnormal northerly and southerly flow over the Yangtze River valley, resulting in more rainfall in this region.In the drier soil experiments, less precipitation appeared over YRNC. The East Asian monsoon circulation seems to show little sensitivity to dry soil anomalies in NCEP GCM/SSi B.