Current Progresses in Study of Impacts of the Tibetan Plateau on Asian Summer Climate

The current progresses in the study of impacts of the Tibetan Plateau on Asian summer climate in the last decade are reviewed. By analyzing evolution of the transitional zone between westerly to the north and easterly to the south (WEB), it is shown that due to the strong heating over the Tibetan Plateau in spring, the overturning in the prevailing wind direction from easterly in winter to westerly in summer occurs firstly over the eastern Bay of Bengal (BOB), accompanied with vigorous convective precipitation to its east. The area between eastern BOB and western Indo-China Peninsula thus becomes the area with the earliest onset of Asian monsoon, which may be referred as BOB monsoon in short. It is shown that the summertime circulations triggered by the thermal forcing of the Iranian Plateau and the Tibetan Plateau are embedded in phase with the continental-scale circulation forced by the diabatic heating over the Eurasian Continent. As a result, the East Asian summer monsoon is intensified and the drought climate over the western and central Asian areas is enhanced. Together with perturbations triggered by the Tibetan Plateau, the above scenarios and the associated heating have important influences on the climate patterns over Asia. Furthermore, the characteristics of the Tibetan mode of the summertime South Asian high are compared with those of Iranian mode. Results demonstrate that corresponding to each of the bimodality of the South Asian high, the rainfall anomaly distributions over Asia exhibit different patterns.     

青藏高原影响亚洲夏季气候研究的最新进展

文中回顾了近 10a来吴国雄等在青藏高原影响亚洲夏季气候研究方面的最新进展。通过分析东西风交界面的演变证明 ,由于青藏高原的春季加热 ,亚洲季风区对流层低层冬季盛行偏东风转变为夏季偏西南风最早发生在孟加拉湾东部 ,与其相伴随的激烈对流降水出现在其东面。因此孟加拉湾东部至中印半岛西部是亚洲季风最早爆发的地区。同时也指出盛夏伊朗高原和青藏高原加热所激发的同相环流嵌套在欧亚大陆尺度的热力环流中 ,从而加强了东亚的夏季风 ,加剧了中西亚的干旱 ;并通过其所激发的波动对夏季东亚的气候格局产生重要影响。文中还比较了夏季南亚高压的伊朗模态和青藏模态性质的异同及其对亚洲夏季降水异常分布的不同影响。     

Role of the Tibetan Plateau thermal forcing in the summer climate patterns over subtropical Asia

The mechanism of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) thermal forcing in influencing the summer climate patterns over subtropical Asia is investigated by means of NCEP/NCAR reanalysis diagnosis. Results show that since the TP is a huge elevated heating source with the strongest heating in the surface layers in summer, the thermal adaptation results in a shallow cyclonic circulation near the surface and a deep anticyclonic circulation above it. According to the steady barotropic vorticity equation for large scales, airflow must converge in the lower layers and diverge in the higher layers over the eastern side of the TP. However, the western side of the TP is characterized by a reversed structure, i.e., divergence in lower layers but convergence in higher layers. Hence, pumping and sucking processes bring in upward and downward movement over the east and west sides of the TP, respectively. Such a circulation is embedded in the large-scale circulation that is forced by the Eurasian continental heating. Because the TP together with Iran Plateau are located at the central and eastern parts of the continent, and, because the orography-induced circulation is in phase with the continental scale circulation, the role of the TP thermal forcing is to intensify the East Asian monsoon to its east and the dry and hot desert climate in mid-Asia to its west. The summertime thermal forcing of the Rockies and Andes can generate similar circulations along the two subtopics as the TP does since they are located near the western coasts. But, the lower troposphere poleward flow that is induced by orographic thermal forcing does not coincide with the poleward flows over the eastern coastal region that is induced by continental heating and the monsoon rainfall in North and South America is not as strong as in East Asia. However, the equatorward flow and the associated subsidence induced by the two mountain ranges along the western coasts of both North and South America are in phase with those induced by continental heating. These contribute to the formation of the stable low stratus clouds and strong long-wave radiative cooling over the eastern subtropical Pacific regions just off the western coast of the continent.     

夏季青藏高原加热和北半球环流年际变化的相关分析

利用 195 8～ 1997年NCEP/NCAR再分析数据集中加热率和环流资料 ,采用相关分析和对比分析相结合的方法 ,诊断和分析了夏季青藏高原的非绝热加热与北半球环流系统的年际变化的联系。分析结果表明 :夏季青藏高原的加热强 (弱 )的年份 ,高原及邻近地区的上升运动、下层辐合及上层辐散均增强 (减弱 ) ,使高原加热对周边地区低层暖湿空气的抽吸效应和对高层大气向周边地区的排放作用加强 (减弱 )。从而影响着高原和周边地区的环流以及亚洲季风区大尺度环流系统。而且高原的加热强迫能够激发产生一支沿亚欧大陆东部海岸向东北方向传播的Rossby波列 ,其频散效应可影响到更远的东太平洋以至北美地区的大气环流     

Recent Progress in the Impact of the Tibetan Plateau on Climate in China

Studies of the impacts of the Tibetan Plateau （TP） on climate in China in the last four years are reviewed. It is reported that temperature and precipitation over the TP have increased during recent decades. From satellite data analysis, it is demonstrated that most of the precipitation over the TP is from deep convection clouds. Moreover, the huge TP mechanical forcing and extraordinary elevated thermal forcing impose remarkable impacts upon local circulation and global climate. In winter and spring, stream flow is deflected by a large obstacle and appears as an asymmetric dipole, making East Asia much colder than mid Asia in winter and forming persistent rainfall in late winter and early spring over South China. In late spring, TP heating contributes to the establishment and intensification of the South Asian high and the abrupt seasonal transition of the surrounding circulations. In summer, TP heating in conjunction with the TP air pump cause the deviating stream field to resemble a cyclonic spiral, converging towards and rising over the TP. Therefore, the prominent Asian monsoon climate over East Asia and the dry climate over mid Asia in summer are forced by both TP local forcing and Eurasian continental forcing.
Due to the longer memory of snow and soil moisture, the TP thermal status both in summer and in late winter and spring can influence the variation of Eastern Asian summer rainfall. A combined index using both snow cover over the TP and the ENSO index in winter shows a better seasonal forecast.
On the other hand, strong sensible heating over the Tibetan Plateau in spring contributes significantly to anchor the earliest Asian monsoon being over the eastern Bay of Bengal （BOB） and the western Indochina peninsula. Qualitative prediction of the BOB monsoon onset was attempted by using the sign of meridional temperature gradient in March in the upper troposphere, or at 400 hPa over the TP. It is also demonstrated by a numerical experiment and theoretical study that the heating over the TP lea     

青藏高原增暖对东亚夏季风的影响——大气环流模式数值模拟研究

20世纪50年代以来,随着全球海表面温度年代际变化和全球变暖现象的出现,东亚夏季风降水和环流场也出现相应的年代际变化。是什么原因引起这个长期的变化趋势？研究表明青藏高原增暖可能是导致东亚夏季风年代际变化的重要因子之一。为了能够更好地理解青藏高原地表状况对下游东亚季风的影响,作者使用德国马普气象研究所大气环流模式（ECHAM）进行一系列数值试验。在两组敏感性试验中,通过改变高原上的地表反照率从而达到改变地表温度的目的。数值试验结果表明:青藏高原增暖有助于增强对流层上层的南亚高压、高原北侧西风急流和高原南侧东风急流以及印度低空西南季风;与此同时,东亚地区低层西南气流水汽输送增强。高原增暖后降水场的变化表现为:印度西北部季风降水增加,长江中下游以及朝鲜半岛梅雨降水增多;在太平洋副热带高压控制下的西北太平洋地区和孟加拉湾东北部,季风降水减少。对数值模拟结果的初步诊断分析表明:在感热加热和对流引起的潜热加热相互作用下,南亚高压强度加强,东亚夏季低层西南季风增大、梅雨锋降水增强,高原东部对流层上层的副热带气旋性环流增加,以及对流层低层的西太平洋副热带高压增强。另外,在青藏高原增暖的背景下,孟加拉湾地区季风降水减弱。本项研究有助于更好地理解东亚夏季风年代际变化特征和未来气候变化趋势。     

春季青藏高原热力异常与前冬大气环流的关系

利用1948-2010年NCEP／NCAR春季逐日再分析资料,采用倒算法计算了青藏高原地区大气热量源汇的值,分析了春季青藏高原地区大气热源的气候变化特征及春季高原热力异常与前冬大气环流的关系。结果表明：春季青藏高原东部和西部为大气热源变化的活跃区域;春季青藏高原东部和西部大气热源变化表现出反相关的关系;东亚冬季风的强弱对春季青藏高原热源的异常有一定的影响。     

青藏高原大气水分循环特征

青藏高原对亚洲季风环流的形成有重要作用,同时作为"世界屋脊"拥有丰富的冰川、积雪、河流、湖泊和地下蓄水层。青藏高原特殊大地形动力和热力作用深刻地影响着亚洲与全球大气水分循环,也对全球气候与环境产生深远的影响。基于青藏高原在亚洲夏季风系统大气水分循环过程的重要地位,从青藏高原对全球大气水分循环重要作用的视角,综述了青藏高原大气水分循环过程中青藏高原局地热力对流、高原的"阶梯式"水汽流爬升"第二类条件不稳定(CISK)"物理模型、青藏高原视热源结构影响及多尺度水汽汇流通道、海洋-青藏高原"水汽源-汇"结构、青藏高原跨半球垂直环流圈水分循环结构、青藏高原大气水分循环综合模型等的相关研究进展,剖析了青藏高原大气水分循环综合模型的研究背景,探讨了青藏高原特殊大地形热力驱动机制及其云水效应,描述出与青藏高原热力驱动的亚洲区域和跨半球垂直环流圈水分循环结构,揭示了青藏高原热力强迫与海洋-大气-陆地水文过程特殊的相互反馈作用。青藏高原发源的亚洲河流水系是为人口众多的亚洲区域供给生活、农业和工业用水的重要水资源之一。因此,认识在全球变暖背景下青藏高原的水分循环及其对水资源变化影响至关重要,仍需深入地探讨青藏高原大气水分循环机制及其全球影响效应。     

Interannual Influences of the Surface Potential Vorticity Forcing over the Tibetan Plateau on East Asian Summer Rainfall

The influences of interannual surface potential vorticity forcing over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) on East Asian summer rainfall (EASR) and upper-level circulation are explored in this study. The results show that the interannual EASR and associated circulations are closely related to the surface potential vorticity negative uniform leading mode (PVNUM) over the TP. When the PVNUM is in the positive phase, more rainfall occurs in the Yangtze River valley, South Korea, Japan, and part of northern China, less rainfall occurs in southern China, and vice versa. A possible mechanism by which PVNUM affects EASR is proposed. Unstable air induced by the positive phase of PVNUM could stimulate significant upward motion and a lower-level anomalous cyclone over the TP. As a result, a dipole heating mode with anomalous cooling over the southwestern TP and anomalous heating over the southeastern TP is generated. Sensitivity experiment results regarding this dipole heating mode indicate that anomalous cooling over the southwestern TP leads to local and northeastern Asian negative height anomalies, while anomalous heating over the southeastern TP leads to local positive height anomalies. These results greatly resemble the realistic circulation pattern associated with EASR. Further analysis indicates that the anomalous water vapor transport associated with this anomalous circulation pattern is responsible for the anomalous EASR. Consequently, changes in surface potential vorticity forcing over the TP can induce changes in EASR.     

Factors favorable to frequent extreme precipitation in the upper Yangtze River Valley

Extreme precipitation events in the upper Yangtze River Valley (YRV) have recently become an increasingly important focus in China because they often cause droughts and floods. Unfortunately, little is known about the climate processes responsible for these events. This paper investigates factors favorable to frequent extreme precipitation events in the upper YRV. Our results reveal that a weakened South China Sea summer monsoon trough, intensified Eurasian-Pacific blocking highs, an intensified South Asian High, a southward subtropical westerly jet and an intensified Western North Pacific Subtropical High (WNPSH) increase atmospheric instability and enhance the convergence of moisture over the upper YRV, which result in more extreme precipitation events. The snow depth over the eastern Tibetan Plateau (TP) in winter and sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) over three key regions in summer are important external forcing factors in the atmospheric circulation anomalies. Deep snow on the Tibetan Plateau in winter can weaken the subsequent East Asian summer monsoon circulation above by increasing the soil moisture content in summer and weakening the land–sea thermal contrast over East Asia. The positive SSTA in the western North Pacific may affect southwestward extension of the WNPSH and the blocking high over northeastern Asia by arousing the East Asian-Pacific pattern. The positive SSTA in the North Atlantic can affect extreme precipitation event frequency in the upper YRV via a wave train pattern along the westerly jet between the North Atlantic and East Asia. A tripolar pattern from west to east over the Indian Ocean can strengthen moisture transport by enhancing Somali cross-equatorial flow.     

Summertime atmospheric teleconnection pattern associated with a warming over the eastern Tibetan Plateau

By using a surface air temperature index (SATI) averaged over the eastern Tibetan Plateau (TP), investigation is conducted on the short-term climate variation associated with the interannual air warming (or cooling) over the TP in each summer month. Evidence suggests that the SATI is associated with a consistent teleconnection pattern extending from the TP to central-western Asia and southeastern Europe. Associated rainfall changes include, for a warming case, a drought in northern India in May and June, and a stronger mei-yu front in June. The latter is due to an intensified upper-level northeasterly in eastern China and a wetter and warmer condition over the eastern TP. In the East Asian regions, the time-space distributions of the correlation patterns between SATI and rainfall are more complex and exhibit large differences from month to month. Some studies have revealed a close relationship between the anomalous heating over the TP and the rainfall anomaly along the Yangtze River valley appearing in the summer on a seasonal mean time-scale, whereas in the present study, this relationship only appears in June and the signal's significance becomes weaker after the long-term trend in the data was excluded. Close correlations between SATI and the convection activity and SST also occur in the western Pacific in July and August: A zonally-elongated warm tone in the SST in the northwestern Pacific seems to be a passive response of the associated circulation related to a warm SATI. The SATI-associated teleconnection pattern provides a scenario consistently linking the broad summer rainfall anomalies in Europe, central-western Asia, India, and East Asia.     

Diversity of the Coupling Wheels in the East Asian Summer Monsoon on the Interannual Time Scale: Challenge of Summer Rainfall Forecasting in China

Two types of three-dimensional circulation of the East Asian summer monsoon(EASM) act as the coupling wheels determining the seasonal rainfall anomalies in China during 1979–2015. The first coupling mode features the interaction between the Mongolian cyclone over North Asia and the South Asian high(SAH) anomalies over the Tibetan Plateau at 200 hPa. The second mode presents the coupling between the anomalous low-level western Pacific anticyclone and upperlevel SAH via the meridional flow over Southeast Asia. These two modes are responsible for the summer rainfall anomalies over China in 24 and 7 out of 37 years, respectively. However, the dominant SST anomalies in the tropical Pacific, the Indian Ocean, and the North Atlantic Ocean fail to account for the first coupling wheel's interannual variability, illustrating the challenges in forecasting summer rainfall over China.     

Progress in Research of Stratosphere-Troposphere Interactions： Application of Isentropic Potential Vorticity Dynamics and the Effects of the Tibetan Plateau

This paper reviews recent progress in understanding isentropic potential vorticity （PV） dynamics during interactions between the stratosphere and troposphere, including the spatial and temporal propagation of circulation anomalies associated with the winter polar vortex oscillation and the mechanisms of stratosphere- troposphere coupling in the global mass circulation framework. The origins and mechanisms of interannual variability in the stratospheric circulation are also reviewed. Particular attention is paid to the role of the Tibetan Plateau as a PV source （via its thermal forcing） in the global and East Asian atmospheric circulation. Diagnosis of meridional isentropic PV advection over tile Tibetan Plateau and East Asia indicates that the distributions of potential temperature and PV over the east flank of the Tibetan Plateau and East Asia favor a downward and southward isentropic transport of high PV from the stratosphere to the troposphere. This transport manifests the possible influence of the Tibetan Plateau on the dynamic coupling between the stratosphere and troposphere during summer, and may provide a new framework for understanding the climatic effects of the Tibetan Plateau.     

平流层-对流层相互作用研究进展：等熵位涡理论的应用及青藏高原影响

系统介绍了近年来应用等熵位涡理论研究平流层-对流层动力相互作用所发现的一些新的事实和机理,包括平流层冬季极涡振荡过程中平流层、对流层环流异常的时空传播特征,以及等熵质量理论框架下的平流层-对流层动力耦合机理,还介绍了影响平流层环流年际尺度异常的因子及影响过程。回顾了夏季青藏高原的热力作用所激发的负位涡强迫源对东亚及全球大气环流的影响。并基于对夏季高原周边等熵位涡经向输送垂直分布的诊断进一步说明,夏季青藏高原的存在使高原东缘及东亚地区成为平流层和对流层物质交换的独特区域,探讨了夏季青藏高原影响平流层-对流层动力耦合的一种重要途径及其影响全球气候的重要意义。     

Variations of early autumn rainfall in the lee side of the Tibetan Plateau

The variability of climate in the lee side of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) often exhibits unique features. In this study, the authors investigate the variations of early autumn rainfall in the lee side of the TP (LSTP). The rainfall amount and number of rain days in LSTP increase from August to September. The center of heavy and torrential rains during September is located in LSTP as well. These unique features are attributed to later withdrawal of the East Asian summer monsoon in the middle and higher troposphere compared to the lower troposphere and stronger South Asian summer monsoon and thermal forcing of the TP. The September rainfall in LSTP experienced strong interdecadal fluctuation, with overall below normal rainfall from mid-1980s to late 2000s, while there was no apparent long-term trend in the August and October rainfall amount. The above normal September rainfall is associated with an anomalous anticyclone over the western North Pacific, a weaker-than-normal ridge around the Lake Baikal, a stronger-than-normal East Asian jet stream, and warmer air over the southeastern TP. The interdecadal decrease in rainfall in September may be caused by the central equatorial Pacific warming, which induces an anomalous cyclone over the western North Pacific. The September anomalous cyclone is stronger and more westward compared to that in August and October, and thus favors the below normal rainfall in LSTP.     

The Dynamic Plateau Monsoon Index and Its Association with General Circulation Anomalies

Based on monthly ECMWF reanalysis-Interim(ERA-Interim) reanalysis data,along with monthly precipitation and temperature data,the Dynamic Plateau Monsoon Index(DPMI) is defined.The results of a contrast analysis of the DPMI versus the Traditional Plateau Monsoon Index(TPMI) are described.The response of general circulation to northern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau summer monsoon anomalies and the correlation of the DPMI with general circulation anomalies are investigated.The results show that,the DPMI reflected meteorological elements better and depicted climate variation more accurately than the TPMI.In years when the plateau summer monsoon is strong,the low over the plateau and the trough near the eastern coast of Asia are deeper and higher than normal over South China.This correlation corresponds to two anomalous cyclones over the plateau and the eastern coast of Asia and an anomalous anticyclone in South China.The plateau and its adjacent regions are affected by anomalous southwesterly winds that transport more moisture to South China and cause more precipitation.The lower reaches of the Yangtze River appear to receive more precipitation by means of the strong westerly water vapor flow transported from the "large triangle affecting the region".In years when the plateau summer monsoon is weak,these are opposite.The plateau monsoon is closely related to the intensity and position of the South Asian high,and the existence of a teleconnection pattern in the mid-upper levels suggests a possible linkage of the East Asian monsoon and the Indian monsoon to the plateau summer monsoon.     

Diagnostic Comparison of Wintertime East Asian Subtropical Jet and Polar-Front Jet: Large-Scale Characteristics and Transient Eddy Activities

Diagnostic comparison of the East Asian subtropical jet (EASJ) and polar-front jet (EAPJ) in winter season is carried out by using the ERA-40 dataset. The large-scale circulation characteristics and synopticscale transient eddy activities (STEAs) associated with the EASJ and EAPJ are examined. The results show that the EASJ and EAPJ in the upper-level monthly mean data have no clear geographical border, while the distribution of the numbers of jet cores from the daily data exhibits a distinct boundary at the latitudes of the northern Tibetan Plateau. The two areas with large numbers of jet cores correspond to the EASJ and EAPJ regions. The analysis of STEAs over the East Asian region shows a spatial match of STEAs with the EASJ and EAPJ in winter: the strong EASJ is located within the weak southern branch of the STEA while the relatively weak EAPJ appears within the active northern branch of the STEA, indicating that the EAPJ is the jet coexisting with the STEA. Further analysis shows two anomalous modes of the winter EAPJ: the anomalous anticyclonic/cyclonic circulation and the weakened/strengthened local westerly wind. The large-scale circulation anomalies in the Northern Hemisphere related to the first mode are concentrated in the Eurasian mid to high latitudes, and are also influenced by the anomalous circulation in the upstream area. When the local westerly wind over the EAPJ region is weakened/strengthened, the westerly jet in the eastern part of the EASJ and that in the western Pacific region show opposite variations. The corresponding anomalous atmospheric circulation demonstrates the Eurasian (EU) pattern. The EAPJ anomalies are also closely linked with the STEA anomalies over East Asia. The anomalies in the northern branch of the STEA propagate as a wave train along its axis into the East Asian coastal waters, and then migrate eastward to the oceanic region. However, the ones near the southern branch are trapped over the eastern part of East Asia and its coastal waters at 200 hPa.     

青藏高原大气热源及其影响的研究进展

青藏高原及其热源效应对东亚以及全球的天气气候起着举足轻重的作用。青藏高原大气热源及其影响的相关研究有助于进一步加深对青藏高原大气热源及其影响的认识,提高高原地区天气系统发生发展的预报能力,提升高原地区降水的预报水平。本文较为系统地梳理了青藏高原大气热源的相关研究,涉及青藏高原大气热源的获取与特征,包括青藏高原大气热源的计算和青藏高原大气热源的时空分布及演变特征;青藏高原大气热源对季风、对降水的影响;青藏高原大气热源对天气系统的影响和作用,包括青藏高原大气热源对南亚高压、西太平洋副热带高压、高原低涡以及高原切变线的影响。在总结已有研究进展和成果的基础上,对今后青藏高原大气热源研究做出一定展望,提出值得进一步加强研究的方面。     

A Possible Impact of Cooling over the Tibetan Plateau on the Mid-Holocene East Asian Monsoon Climate

By using a 9-level global atmospheric general circulation model developed at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IAP9L-AGCM) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the authors investigated the response of the East Asian monsoon climate to changes both in orbital forcing and the snow and glaciers over the Tibetan Plateau at the mid-Holocene, about 6000 calendar years before the present (6 kyr BP). With the Earth’s orbital parameters appropriate for the mid-Holocene, the IAP9L-AGCM computed warmer and wetter conditions in boreal summer than for the present day. Under the precondition of continental snow and glacier cover existing over part of the Tibetan Plateau at the mid-Holocene, the authors examined the regional climate response to the Tibetan Plateau cooling. The simulations indicated that climate changes in South Asia and parts of central Asia as well as in East Asia are sensitive to the Tibetan Plateau cooling at the mid-Holocene, showing a significant decrease in precipitation in northern India, northern China and southern Mongolia and an increase in Southeast Asia during boreal summer. The latter seems to correspond to the weakening, southeastward shift of the Asian summer monsoon system resulting from reduced heat contrast between the Eurasian continent and the Pacific and Indian Oceans when a cooling over the Tibetan Plateau was imposed. The simulation results suggest that the snow and glacier environment over the Tibetan Plateau is an important factor for mid-Holocene climate change in the areas highly influenced by the Asian monsoon.     

Modeling impacts of vegetation in western China on the summer climate of northwestern China

Using the monthly NCEP-NCAR reanalysis dataset, the monthly temperature and precipitation at surface stations of China, and the MM5 model, we examine impacts of vegetation cover changes in western China on the interdecadal variability of the summer climate over northwestern China during the past 30 years. It is found that the summer atmospheric circulation, surface air temperature, and rainfall in the 1990s were different from those in the 1970s over northwestern China, with generally more rainfall and higher temperatures in the 1990s. Associated with these changes, an anomalous wave train appears in the lower troposphere at the midlatitudes of East Asia and the low-pressure system to the north of the Tibetan Plateau is weaker. Meanwhile, the South Asian high in the upper troposphere is also located more eastward. Numerical experiments show that change of vegetation cover in western China generally forces anomalous circulations and temperatures and rainfall over these regions. This consistency between the observations and simulations implies that the interdecadal variability of the summer climate over northwestern China between the 1990s and 1970s may result from a change of vegetation cover over western China.