Interannual variations of surface winds over China marginal seas

In a study of surface monsoon winds over the China marginal seas, Sun et al. (2012) use singular value decomposition method to identify regional dominant modes and analyze their interdecadal variability. This paper continues to evaluate the interannual variability of each dominant mode and its relation to various atmospheric, oceanic and land factors. The findings include: 1) The intensity of the winter monsoon over the East China Sea is highly correlated with the Siberian High intensity and anti-correlated with the latitudinal position of the Aleutian Low as well as the rainfall in eastern China, Korean Peninsula and Japan; 2) The western Pacific subtropical high is significantly correlated with the summer monsoon intensity over the East China Sea and anti-correlated with the summer monsoon over the South China Sea; 3) The winter monsoon in a broad zonal belt through the Luzon Strait is dominated by the ENSO signal, strengthening in the La Ni a phase and weakening in the El Ni o phase. This inverse relation exhibits interdecadal shift with a period of weak correlation in the 1980s; 4) Analysis of tidal records validates the interdecadal weakening of the East Asian summer monsoon and reveals an atmospheric bridge that conveys the ENSO signal into the South China Sea via the winter monsoon.     

Definition of the South China Sea summer monsoon onset

We analyze statistically different definitions of the South China Sea summer monsoon (SCSSM) onset are to establish a SCSSM onset time series that is more recognizable by a majority of indicators. With the acknowledged index, we determine a key area (105°E–112.5°E, 7.5°N–12.5°N) and define the zonal wind component in this key area as a new SCSSM onset index, using daily mean reanalysis data of the National Center for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research. The atmospheric circulations before and after the onset of the SCSSM determined using the index defined in this paper are preliminarily studied. Results show that the Somalia cross-equatorial flow is enhanced, the strongest westerly wind in the tropical Indian Ocean shifts northward, the cyclone couple in the Bay of Bengal and the Southern Hemisphere weaken and move eastward, convection over the South China Sea increases, and the subtropical high retreats from the South China Sea after the outbreak of the SCSSM. By analyzing the atmospheric circulation, it is found that in 1984 and 1999, the SCSSM broke out in pentads 29 and 23, respectively, which is consistent with the onset times determined using our index.     

Interpretation of sea surface wind interannual vector EOFs over the China seas

Using interpolation and averaging methods, we analyzed the sea surface wind data obtained from December 1992 to November 2008 by the scatterometers ERS-1, ERS-2, and QuikSCAT in the area of 2°N–39 °N, 105°E–130°E, and we reported the monthly mean distributions of the sea surface wind field. A vector empirical orthogonal function (VEOF) method was employed to study the data and three temporal and spatial patterns were obtained. The first interannual VEOF accounts for 26% of the interannual variance and displays the interannual variability of the East Asian monsoon. The second interannual VEOF accounts for 21% of the variance and reflects the response of China sea winds to El Niño events. The temporal mode of VEOF-2 is in good agreement with the curve of the Niño 3.4 index with a four-month lag. The spatial mode of VEOF-2 indicates that four months after an El Niño event, the southwesterly anomalous winds over the northern South China Sea, the East China Sea, the Yellow Sea, and the Bohai Sea can weaken the prevailing winds in winter, and can strengthen the prevailing winds in summer. The third interannual VEOF accounts for 10% of the variance and also reflects the influence of the ENSO events to China Sea winds. The temporal mode of VEOF-3 is similar to the curve of the Southern Oscillation Index. The spatial mode of VEOF-3 shows that the northeasterly anomalous winds over the South China Sea and the southern part of the East China Sea can weaken the prevailing winds, and southwesterly anomalous winds over the northern part of the East China Sea, the Yellow Sea, and the Bohai Sea can strengthen the prevailing winds when El Niño occurs in winter. If El Niño happens in summer, the reverse is true.     

The modeled atmospheric and oceanic response to the South China Sea SST anomaly

The sensitivity of the global atmospheric and oceanic response to sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) throughout the South China Sea (SCS) is investigated using the Fast Ocean-Atmosphere Model (FOAM). Forced by a warming SST, the experiment explicitly demonstrates that the responses of surface air temperature (SAT) and SST exhibit positive anomalous center over SCS and negative anomalous center over the Northern Pacific Ocean (NPO). The atmospheric response to the warm SST anomalies is characterized by a barotropical anomaly in middle-latitude, leading to a weak subtropical high in summer and a weak Aleutian low in winter. Accordingly, Indian monsoon and eastern Asian monsoon strengthen in summer but weaken in winter as a result of wind convergence owing to the warm SST. It is worth noting that the abnormal signals propagate poleward and eastward away in the form of Rossby Waves from the forcing region, which induces high pressure anomaly. Owing to action of the wind-driven circulation, an anomalous anti-cyclonic circulation is induced with a primary southward current in the upper ocean. An obvious cooling appears over the North Pacific, which can be explained by anomalous meridional cold advection and mixing as shown in the analysises of heat budget and other factors that affect SST.     

Interdecadal variations of surface winds over China marginal seas

Long term variability in the surface winds over the marginal seas of China is examined with a dominant-mode singular value decomposition method. Both interannual and interdecadal patterns are found to be seasonally and spatially dependent, with reanalyses and satellite remote sensing data yielding highly consistent results. The study reveals that summer monsoon winds over the East China Sea experienced an interdecadal weakening in the late 1960s and began a persistent recovery in 2005. The study also shows gradual weakening of the winter monsoon in the southern South China Sea by more than 2m/s since the 1960s, with corroboration from coastal climate stations in Borneo. This phenomenon has not been reported in previous monsoon studies.     

Comparison of remote sensing data with in-situ wind observation during the development of the South China Sea monsoon

Wind measurements derived from QuikSCAT data were compared with those measured by anemometer on Yongxing Island in the South China Sea (SCS) for the period from April 2008 to November 2009. The comparison confirms that QuikSCAT estimates of wind speed and direction are generally accurate, except for the extremes of high wind speeds (>13.8m/s) and very low wind speeds (<1.5m/s) where direction is poorly predicted. In-situ observations show that the summer monsoon in the northern SCS starts between May 6 and June 1. From March 13, 2010 to August 31, 2010, comparisons of sea surface temperature (SST) and rainfall from AMSR-E with data from a buoy located at Xisha Islands, as well as wind measurements derived from ASCAT and observations from an automatic weather station show that QuikSCAT, ASCAT and AMSR-E data are good enough for research. It is feasible to optimize the usage of remote-sensing data if validated with in-situ measurements. Remarkable changes were observed in wind, barometric pressure, humidity, outgoing longwave radiation (OLR), air temperature, rainfall and SST during the monsoon onset. The eastward shift of western Pacific subtropical high and the southward movement of continental cold front preceded the monsoon onset in SCS. The starting dates of SCS summer monsoon indicated that the southwest monsoon starts in the Indochinese Peninsula and forms an eastward zonal belt, and then the belt bifurcates in the SCS, with one part moving northeastward into the tropical western North Pacific, and another southward into western Kalimantan. This largely determined the pattern of the SCS summer monsoon. Wavelet analysis of zonal wind and OLR at Xisha showed that intra-seasonal variability played an important role in the summer. This work improves the accuracy of the amplitude of intra-seasonal and synoptic variation obtained from remote-sensed data.     

An Alternative Index for the Onset of the Summer Monsoon over the South China Sea

1　Introduction　TheindicesfortheAsianmonsoonhavebeenstud iedinmanyworks .Recently ,thechoiceofpropermonsoonindiceshasreceivedexceptionalattentionandraisedcontroversy (WebsterandYang ,1 992 ;Goswa mietal.,1 999;Goswami,2 0 0 0 ;Wang ,2 0 0 0 ) .Us ingzona…     

东亚季风区石笋δ18O解译:基于夏季风与夏季风降雨的思考

近些年,对于东亚季风区石笋δ18O的气候环境指示意义的争论较多,主要在东亚季风区石笋δ18O代表夏季和风强度、夏季风降水还是水汽源变化。基于中国东部华北地区降水与长江中下游地区降水反相变化和长江中下游地区降水与菲律宾海降水反相变化(遥相关),从年际-年代际到千年-轨道尺度对石笋δ18O与夏季风降水、厄尔尼诺-南方涛动(ENSO)的相互关系进行了探讨分析。通过对比石笋δ18O记录与华北和梅雨区降水,发现石笋δ18O偏负对应华北降水增加,梅雨区降水减少;石笋δ18O偏正对应华北降水减少,梅雨区降水增加。这种对应关系不仅存在年际-年代际尺度,而且在千年-轨道尺度同样存在,石笋δ18O不仅反映夏季风强弱变化,同时与中国东部区域降水关系是明确对应的。通过降水的空间相互关系,发现ENSO活动主要通过影响中国东部降水的空间分布格局而作用于石笋δ18O。La Ni?a态导致南海及菲律宾海对流加强,西太副高位置偏北,长江中下游地区梅雨期缩短,华北夏季降水增加,东亚季风区石笋δ18O偏负。El Ni?o态,南海和菲律宾海对流受到抑制,西太副高位置南移,长江中下游地区梅雨期延长,华北夏季降水减少,东亚季风区石笋δ18O偏正。另外,水汽源分析发现,菲律宾海水汽输送对东亚季风区降水及降水δ18O贡献相对较小。因此,综合分析认为,东亚季风区石笋δ18O主要反映了亚洲夏季风的强弱变化。      

Diagnosis of seasonal variations of tropical cyclogenesis over the South China Sea using a genesis potential index

This study examines the seasonal variations of tropical cyclogenesis over the South China Sea (SCS) using a genesis potential (GP) index developed by Emanuel and Nolan. How different environmental factors (including low-level vorticity, mid-level relative humidity, vertical wind shear, and potential intensity) contribute to these variations is investigated. Composite anomalies of the GP index are produced for the summer and winter monsoons separately. These composites replicate the observed seasonal variations of the observed frequency and location of tropical cyclogenesis over the SCS. The degree of contribution by each factor in different regions is determined quantitatively by producing composites of modified indices in which only one of the contributing factors varies, with the others set to climatology. Over the northern SCS, potential intensity makes the largest contributions to the seasonal variations in tropical cyclogenesis. Over the southern SCS, the low-level relative vorticity plays the primary role in the seasonal modulation of tropical cyclone (TC) genesis frequency, and the vertical wind shear plays the secondary role. Thermodynamic factors play more important roles for the seasonal variations in tropical cyclogenesis over the northern SCS, while dynamic factors are more important in the seasonal modulation of TC genesis frequency over the southern SCS.     

Spatial-temporal variations of dominant drought/flood modes and the associated atmospheric circulation and ocean events in rainy season over the east of China

By using Season-reliant Empirical Orthogonal Function (S-EOF) analysis, three dominant modes of the spatial-temporal evolution of the drought/flood patterns in the rainy season over the east of China are revealed for the period of 1960-2004. The first two leading modes occur during the turnabout phase of El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) decaying year, but the drought/flood patterns in the rainy season over the east of China are different due to the role of the Indian Ocean (IO). The first leading mode appears closely correlated with the ENSO events. In the decaying year of El Nino, the associated western North Pacific (WNP) anticyclone located over the Philippine Sea persists from the previous winter to the next early summer, transports warm and moist air toward the southern Yangtze River in China, and leads to wet conditions over this entire region. Therefore, the precipitation anomaly in summer exhibits a ’Southern Flood and Northern Drought’ pattern over East China. On the other hand, the basin-wide Indian Ocean sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) plays a crucial role in prolonging the impact of ENSO on the second mode during the ENSO decaying summer. The Indian Ocean basin mode (IOBM) warming persists through summer and unleashes its influence, which forces a Matsuno-Gill pattern in the upper troposphere. Over the subtropical western North Pacific, an anomalous anticyclone forms in the lower troposphere. The southerlies on the northwest flank of this anticyclone increase the moisture transport onto central China, leading to abundant rainfall over the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and Huaihe River valleys. The anomalous anticyclone causes dry conditions over South China and the South China Sea (SCS). The precipitation anomaly in summer exhibits a ’Northern Flood and Southern Drought’ pattern over East China. Therefore, besides the ENSO event the IOBM is an important factor to influence the drought/flood patterns in the rainy season over the east of China. The third mode is positively correlated with the tropical SSTA in the Indian Ocean from the spring of preceding year(-1) to the winter of following year(+1), but not related to the ENSO events. The positive SSTA in the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea persists from spring to autumn, leading to weak north-south and land-sea thermal contrasts, which may weaken the intensity of the East Asia summer monsoon. The weakened rainfall over the northern Indian monsoon region may link to the third spatial mode through the ’Silk Road’ teleconnection or a part of circumglobal teleconnection (CGT). The physical mechanisms that reveal these linkages remain elusive and invite further investigation.     

A numerical study of the South China Sea Warm Current during winter monsoon relaxation

Using a Finite-Volume Community Ocean Model, we investigated the dynamic mechanism of the South China Sea Warm Current(SCSWC) in the northern South China Sea(NSCS) during winter monsoon relaxation. The model reproduces the mean surface circulation of the NSCS during winter, while model-simulated subtidal currents generally capture its current pattern. The model shows that the current over the continental shelf is generally southwestward, under a strong winter monsoon condition, but a northeastward counter-wind current usually develops between 50-and 100-m isobaths, when the monsoon relaxes. Model experiments, focusing on the wind relaxation process, show that sea level is elevated in the northwestern South China Sea(SCS), related to the persistent northeasterly monsoon. Following wind relaxation, a high sea level band builds up along the mid-shelf, and a northeastward current develops, having an obvious vertical barotropic structure. Momentum balance analysis indicates that an along-shelf pressure gradient provides the initial driving force for the SCSWC during the first few days following wind relaxation. The SCSWC subsequently reaches a steady quasi-geostrophic balance in the cross-shelf direction, mainly linked to sea level adjustment over the shelf. Lagrangian particle tracking experiments show that both the southwestward coastal current and slope current contribute to the northeastward movement of the SCSWC during winter monsoon relaxation.     

Interdecadal variability of the South China Sea monsoon and its relationship with latent heat flux in the Pacific Ocean

We analyzed interdecadal variability of the South China Sea monsoon and its relationship with latent heat flux in the Pacific Ocean, using NCEP wind field and OAFlux heat flux datasets. Results indicate that South China Sea monsoon intensity had an obvious interdecadal variation with a decreasing trend. Variability of the monsoon was significantly correlated with latent heat flux in the Kuroshio area and tropical Pacific Ocean. Variability of latent heat flux in the Kuroshio area had an interdecadal increasing trend, while that in the tropical Pacific Ocean had an interdecadal decreasing trend. Latent heat flux variability in these two sea areas was used to establish a latent heat flux index, which had positive correlation with variability of the South China Sea monsoon. When the latent heat flux was 18 months ahead of the South China Sea monsoon, the correlation coefficient maximized at 0.58 (N=612), with a 99.9% significance level of 0.15. Thus, it is suggested that latent heat flux variability in the two areas contributes greatly to interdecadal variability of the South China Sea monsoon.     

Circulation patterns of summer monsoon corresponding to two kinds of indices over the South China Sea

The characteristics of circulation corresponding to two kinds of indices of summer monsoon onset over the South China Sea (SCS) have been discussed using the reanalysis data of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction-National Center for Atmospheric Research. It is found that there are two patterns of deep convection that occur at different locations and influence the summer monsoon onset over the SCS. One is over the Asia continent and the western Pacific corresponding to the southwesterly of summer monsoon prevailing over the northern and central part of the SCS, while the other is near the Philippines that affects the westerly summer monsoon as prevailing over the central and southern southern part of the SCS. Since these two kinds of convection affecting the summer monsoon onset do not always occur together, thus the summer monsoon onset time is different when determined by various indices.     

The link between interannual variation of the South China Sea summer monsoon onset and summer precipitation in Shandong Province

Relationship between the onset date of South China Sea (SCS) summer monsoon and the summer rainfall in Shandong Province was examined by comprehensive analysis to establish a conceptual model of the link. If the summer monsoon occurs earlier, the 500 hPa level would induce the teleconnection of Eurasian pattern in the summer (June-August), which indicates that the western Pacific subtropical high is displaced northward further than usual, the Siberian high is intensified and the Okhotsk low is deepened. Under such circumstance, Shandong, located in the west side of the subtropical high and in front of the mid-Siberia high, would be expected to have a wet summer because it is quite possible for cold and warm air to meet and interact with each other in Shandong. Statistical analysis revealed that the 500 hPa anomalies over Korea and Japan were sensitive to the SCS monsoon onset date and very important to precipitation in Shandong, and that the convective activities over the deep water basin in the SCS in 24-26 pentads significantly influenced the position of the ridge line of the western Pacific subtropical high. These findings yielded better understanding of the causative mechanisms involved in the precipitation generation, so that the knowledge gained can possibly be applied for long-lead forecast.     

Numerical simulation of the structure and variation of upwelling off the east coast of Hainan Island using QuikSCAT winds

The spatial structure and variation of the upwelling in the waters east and northeast of Hainan Island, China during 2000-2007 were investigated using a nested high-resolution Princeton Ocean Model (POM) forced by QuikSCAT winds. The model produced good simulations of the summer upwelling and the seasonal and annual variability. Strong upwelling occurs from mid-July to mid-August with a peak east of Hainan Island associated with the southwesterly monsoon in the South China Sea. Sensitivity experiments indicated that when the local wind stress controls the variability of the upwelling, the large-scale circulation significantly enhances the upwelling northeast of Hainan Island by inducing a local upwelling and transporting cold water northeast-ward along the island’s east coast. The joint effects of the local wind stress and large-scale circulation result in stronger upwelling northeast of Hainan Island. This implies that the annual variation of the upwelling northeast of Hainan Island is controlled not only by the local alongshore wind stress but also by the large-scale circulation. This result will help us investigate the decadal variation of the upwelling in this region in the future.     

The South China Sea throughflow: linkage with local monsoon system and impact on upper thermal structure of the ocean

The tendency of South China Sea throughflow (SCSTF) variation associated with the local monsoon system, and its impact on upper-layer thermal structure, are studied using the Simple Ocean Data Assimilation (SODA) dataset, combined with Ishii reanalysis data. Luzon Strait Transport (LST) is measured and used as an index for studying the SCSTF variation. Results show that LST had an increasing tendency over the last 50 years, mainly in summer and fall. The increasing tendency was 0.017 1 Sv/a in summer and 0.027 4 Sv/a in fall, as estimated by SODA, and 0.018 0Sv/a in summer and 0.018 9 Sv/a in fall, as estimated by "Island Rule" theory. LST increased by 0.53Sv in JJA (June-July-August) and 0.98Sv in SON (September-October-November) after climate shift, as inferred by SODA data. The average LST anomaly in JJA and SON is strongly related to the local monsoon system, especially to variability of the meridional wind stress anomaly after application of a 3-year running mean, with correlation coefficients 0.57 and 0.51, respectively. In addition to the basin-scale wind forcing, the local northeasterly wind stress anomaly in the SCS can push Pacific water entering the SCS more readily in JJA and SON after climate shift, and an SCSTF-associated cooling effect may favor subsurface cooling more frequently after climate shift.     

长江中下游持续性异常降水的天气学特征分析

针对长江中下游持续性降水的研究多为个例诊断,很少从合成的角度考虑,利用长江中下游地区89站的1961~2011年的逐日降水资料和NCEP/NCAR逐日再分析资料,采用数理统计和合成分析的方法,统计长江中下游地区夏季持续性降水事件,并合成分析了其环流特征。结果表明:1961~2011年,长江中下游地区夏季持续性异常降水事件发生了50次,主要集中在6月和7月,长江中下游地区持续性异常降水事件平均每2~3年发生一次。厄尔尼诺次年多有持续性异常降水发生;长江中下游地区持续性异常事件发生时,总伴有环流场的异常调整,低纬西太平洋副热带高压西伸,南北经向风在长江流域交汇,高层上,南亚高压东移,长江中下游地区出现强的辐散中心,为异常降水提供了重要条件。水汽来源主要是索马里越赤道气流途径暖湿的阿拉伯海,孟加拉湾和我国南海北部,进入长江中下游地区。     

Interannual wave climate variability in the Taiwan Strait and its relationship to ENSO events

This study investigated the interannual wave climate variability in the Taiwan Strait(TS) and its relationship to the El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation(ENSO) phenomenon using a high-resolution numerical wave model. The results showed the interannual variability of significant wave height(SWH) in the TS, which exhibits significant spatial and seasonal variations, is typically weaker than the seasonal variability. The standard deviation of the interannual SWH anomaly(SWHA) showed similar spatial variations in the TS throughout the year, being largest in the middle of the strait and decreasing shoreward, except in summer, when there was no local maximum in the middle of the TS. Further analyses proved the interannual wave climate variability in the TS is controlled predominantly by tropical cyclone activities in summer and by the northeasterly monsoon winds in winter. Furthermore, the interannual SWHA in the TS was found correlated highly negatively with the ENSO phenomenon. This relationship mainly derives from that during the northeasterly monsoon seasons. During the northeasterly monsoon seasons in El Ni?o(La Ni?a) years, the negative(positive) SWHA in the TS derives from weakened(strengthened) northeasterly monsoon winds induced by a lower-tropospheric anomalous anticyclone(cyclone) over the western Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea. During the southwesterly monsoon season in El Ni?o(La Ni?a) years, however, the SWH in the TS tends to increase(decrease) anomalously because of intensified(weakened) TC activities over the western North Pacific Ocean and adjacent seas.     

Trends of sea surface wind energy over the South China Sea

Studies on climate change typically consider temperature and precipitation over extended periods but less so the wind.We used the Cross-Calibrated Multi-Platform(CCMP)24-year wind field data set to investigate the trends of wind energy over the South China Sea during 1988-2011.The results reveal a clear trend of increase in wind power density for each of three base statistics(i.e.,mean,90 th percentile and 99 th percentile)in all seasons and for annual means.The trends of wind power density showed obvious temporal and spatial variations.The magnitude of the trends was greatest in winter,intermediate in spring,and smallest in summer and autumn.A greater trend of increase was found in the northern areas of the South China Sea than in southern parts.The magnitude of the annual and seasonal trends over the South China Sea was larger in extreme high events(i.e.,90~(th) and 99~(th) percentiles)compared to the mean conditions.Sea surface temperature showed a negative correlation with the variability of wind power density over the majority of the South China Sea in all seasons and annual means,except for winter(41.7%).     

Influence of the Convection over the South China Sea on the Summer Precipitation of Shandong Province

1　Introduction　ShandongProvince ,whichislocatedintheeastofChina ,consistspartlyofpeninsulaandpartlyofinlandwithatotalareaofabout 1 5 0 0 0 0km2 .Lyingfrom34°2 0′Nto 38°2 0′Nandfrom 1 1 4°4 0′Eto 1 2 2°4 0′E ,alltheareabelongstothemoderateregionandtothetypicalAsianmonsoonclimate .SoShandong’ssum merprecipitationaccountsforover 6 0 %oftheannualrainfall,andaccordinglyflood droughtdisastersmain lyoccurinsummer.Moreover,becauseitisgeographi callylocatedinthetransitionalareabetweenthe…