Heat center of the western Pacific warm pool

A heat center (HC) of the western Pacific warm pool (WPWP) is defined, its variability is examined, and a possible mechanism is discussed. Analysis and calculation of a temperature dataset from 1945-2006 show that the mean position of the HC during this period was near 0.4°S/169.0°E, at 38.0 m depth. From a time series of the HC, remarkable seasonal variability was found, mainly in the meridional and vertical directions. Interannual variabilities were dominant in the zonal and vertical directions. In addition, semiannual variation in the HC depth was discovered. The longitude of the HC varies with ENSO events, and its latitude is weakly related to ENSO on time scales shorter than a decade. The variation of the HC longitude leads the Nio-3 index by about 3-4 months, and its depth lags the index for approximately 3 months. It is concluded that the HC depth results from a combination of its longitudinal and latitudinal variations. Low-pass-filtered time series reveal that the HC has moved eastward since the mid 1980s.     

Low-frequency coupled atmosphere-ocean variability in the southern Indian Ocean

The low-frequency atmosphere-ocean coupled variability of the southern Indian Ocean(SIO) was investigated using observation data over 1958-2010.These data were obtained from ECMWF for sea level pressure(SLP) and wind,from NCEP/NCAR for heat fluxes,and from the Hadley Center for SST.To obtain the coupled air-sea variability,we performed SVD analyses on SST and SLP.The primary coupled mode represents 43% of the total square covariance and is featured by weak westerly winds along 45-30 S.This weakened subtropical anticyclone forces fluctuations in a well-known subtropical dipole structure in the SST via wind-induced processes.The SST changes in response to atmosphere forcing and is predictable with a lead-time of 1-2 months.Atmosphere-ocean coupling of this mode is strongest during the austral summer.Its principle component is characterized by mixed interannual and interdecadal fluctuations.There is a strong relationship between the first mode and Antarctic Oscillation(AAO).The AAO can influence the coupled processes in the SIO by modulating the subtropical high.The second mode,accounting for 30% of the total square covariance,represents a 25-year period interdecadal oscillation in the strength of the subtropical anticyclone that is accompanied by fluctuations of a monopole structure in the SST along the 35-25 S band.It is caused by subsidence of the atmosphere.The present study also shows that physical processes of both local thermodynamic and ocean circulation in the SIO have a crucial role in the formation of the atmosphere-ocean covariability.     

THE CLIMATIC JUMP OF THE WESTERN PACIFIC WARM POOL AND ITS CLIMATIC EFFECTS

1INTRODUCTIONTropicalwesternPacificOceanisanareathathasthehighestoceantemperatureacrosstheglobe.Asmostofthewarmwaterconcentratesintheregion,itisknownasthe搘esternPacificwarmpool?Asshowninsomestudies[1-5],thegeneralcirculationandshort-termclimaticchangeswillbeseriouslyaffectedifthermodynamicconditionchangesinthewaters,whichthenhaveanimportantroletoplayintheonsetofanyENSOepisodes.Therehasnotbeenanyunifieddefinitionoftheindexforthewarmpool.FollowingthecriterionofWyrtki[4],however,theareae…     

黄海南部及东海北部夏季若干水文特征

本文就近几年作者在黄海南部和东海北部进行调查研究(夏季)的主要成果予以阐述,结论为:(1)南黄海底层冷水可进一步划分为三个次级水团;(2)潮混合对黄海冷水团边界和黄海温跃层等有重要影响,它还形成海面的陆架锋;(3)夏季南黄海上层存在着闭合的密度环流,而黄海沿岸流性质上属锋面强流,济州岛西南存在着气旋式海水运动;(4)黄海暖流不再深入黄海冷水团内部,但其内部可能存在着方向相反的一对弱环流;(5)长江口海区存在着可能是因台湾暖流逆坡行进产生的上升流现象。     

西太平洋暖池热含量与南海夏季风强度的关系

为了进一步明确西太平洋暖池热含量对南海夏季风强度的影响,利用1948~2012年日本气象厅(japan meteorological agency,JMA)逐月的海温资料、Hadley中心的海表面温度(Sea Surface Temperature,SST)资料以及NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,分析比较了南海夏季风强度与热带太平洋上层海洋热含量和SST的关系;探讨了海洋热含量影响南海夏季风强度的机制。结果表明:(1)相比于西太暖池SST,西太暖池上层海洋热含量是南海夏季风强度更好的预测因子;(2)前期冬春季的西太平洋暖池热含量与南海夏季风强度呈现显著的正相关,尤其在3月,二者相关系数最大;当暖池热含量偏高(低)时,西太平洋副热带高压偏弱(强),赤道印度洋出现异常反气旋(气旋),印度洋上空的Walker环流分支偏强(弱),南海越赤道气流增强(减弱),最终使得南海夏季风强度偏强(弱)。     

青藏高原春季积雪在南海夏季风爆发过程中的作用

本文应用欧洲中期预报中心（ECMWF,European Centre for Medium\|Range Weather Forecasts—ERA\|40）资料和美国国家环境预测中心和国家大气研究中心(NCEP/NCAR, National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research)资料,研究了青藏高原雪深变化对南海夏季风爆发的影响和ENSO对青藏高原降雪的影响.结果表明：（1）ECMWF的雪深资料是可信的,可以用来研究青藏高原雪深变化对南海夏季风爆发的影响;（2）青藏高原的积雪异常影响到500 hPa以上的温度异常和印度洋与大陆间的气温对比,一方面使上层的南亚高压移动速度发生变化,另一方面也影响到低层大气的运动和东西向风异常,在青藏高原少雪年,东印度洋产生西风异常和一个气旋对,而在青藏高原多雪年,东印度洋产生东风异常和一个反气旋对;（3）ENSO与青藏高原春季积雪关系密切.东太平洋SST正异常时,东印度洋和南海气压偏高,从而导致该区海陆经向压强梯度增强和西风异常.另外,此时青藏高原北部气压偏高,北风偏强,副热带锋面增强,同时,印度洋的SST偏高,为青藏高原降雪提供了水汽保障,这些都有利于青藏高原的降雪.     

太平洋和印度洋在南海夏季风爆发年代际变化中的作用

利用1951～1998年多种大气和海洋资料,研究了太平洋和印度洋在南海夏季风爆发中的作用.结果表明,影响南海夏季风爆发早晚的因素存在着年代际变化:1951～1970年,印度洋起主要作用;1970～1998年西太平洋起主要作用.该年代际变化主要是1970年前后北极涛动(AO)的跃变以及西太平洋副高强度变化的结果.1951...     

UPWELLING AND SEDIMENTATION DYNAMICS Ⅲ：COINCIDENCE OF UPWELLING AREAS WITH MUD PATCHES IN NORTH HEMISPHERE SHELF SEAS

The determinant role of upwelling in fine sediment patches is examined from the view-points of physical process and biological process respectively. It is pointed out that physical and biologicalprocesses are usually coexistent and interact with each other during the sedimentation of suspended mat-ters. This study used available figures showing the circulation pattern and surface sediment distribution inthe whole China Seas, the Gulf of Maine, the Irish Sea and the North Sea, and additional data to verifythat wherever upwelling exists on the continental shelf, mud must occur; and that wherever dowrtwellingoccurs, coarse sediment substitutes for mud.     

Seasonality and causes of the Yellow Sea Warm Current

To study the seasonality and causes of the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC) in detail, rotated empirical orthogonal function (REOF) and extended associate pattern analysis are adopted with daily sea surface salinity (SSS), sea surface temperature (SST) and sea surface height (SSH) datasets covering 1126 days from American Navy Experimental Real-Time East Asian Seas Ocean Nowcast System in the present paper. Results show that in the Yellow and East China Seas, the YSWC is a mean barotropic flow as compensation of winter-monsoon-driven surface currents, which has been directly observed. When East Asia winter monsoon weakens, so do the meridional pressure gradient of the surface seawater and the YSWC, while the transversal pressure gradient changes rather slowly that results in the YSWC left turning. In addition, there is southward mean flow compensation of summer-monsoon-driven surface currents, which actually was also directly ob-served.     

THE WESTERN BOUNDARY CURRENT OF THE PACIFIC AND ITS ROLE IN THE CLIMATE

On the basis of the CTD data gathered by the-R / V Science I in each Oct. of 1986-1988 and the winter averaged temperature anomaly in southeast China, the interannual variability of the Western Boundary Current (WBC) is examined in terms of volume transport by inverse calculation and its role in the climate is studied by statistical method.The estimated transport is 50,20, and 33 x 106 m3 / s for the Kuroshio and 24,34, and 36 x 106 m3 / s for the Mindanao Current (MC)in October of 1986,1987, and 1988, respectively.The WBC is the biggest channel in the ocean for transporting heat poleward and plays an extremely important role in establishing and maintaining the global heat balance. Results showed that meridional heat transport by the Kuroshio northeast of Luzon apparently dominates coldness or warmness in winter in southeast China.Two phenomena observed in the western Pacific but not in the western Atlantic are the warm pool and the equatorward flowing MC which, together with the North Equatorial Counte