Is there a stratospheric radiative feedback in global warming simulations?

The radiative impacts of the stratosphere in global warming simulations are investigated using abrupt CO₂ quadrupling experiments of the Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5), with a focus on stratospheric temperature and water vapor. It is found that the stratospheric temperature change has a robust bullhorn-like zonal-mean pattern due to a strengthening of the stratospheric overturning circulation. This temperature change modifies the zonal mean top-of-the-atmosphere energy balance, but the compensation of the regional effects leads to an insignificant global-mean radiative feedback (?0.02 ± 0.04 W m^?2 K^?1). The stratospheric water vapor concentration generally increases, which leads to a weak positive global-mean radiative feedback (0.02 ± 0.01 W m^?2 K^?1). The stratospheric moistening is related to mixing of elevated upper-tropospheric humidity, and, to a lesser extent, to change in tropical tropopause temperature. Our results indicate that the strength of the stratospheric water vapor feedback is noticeably larger in high-top models than in low-top ones. The results here indicate that although its radiative impact as a forcing adjustment is significant, the stratosphere makes a minor contribution to the overall climate feedback in CMIP5 models.     

Recent Progresses in Comparative Planetology——Summary of the Session of Comparative Planetology at the 3rd Conference of Earth System Sciences

Comparative planetology is an interdisciplinary science between Earth sciences and astronomy. It studies physical, chemical and dynamical properties of planets and satellites and their surface characteristics, interior structures and chemistry, magnetic field, climate and possible existence of life. Although the study of comparative planetary science is at its infancy stage in China, it is very encouraging to see that 25 papers were received by the session, which is much more than what we expected. It indicates that more and more scientists are interested in this research field. These papers can be classified into three categories: solar planets, extra-solar planets, and moon explorations. Scientists from both China and oversea reported their recent results.     

Poleward expansion of the hadley circulation in CMIP5 simulations

Observational analyses have demonstrated that the Hadley circulation has expanded poleward in recent decades. Important issues are what caused the widening of the Hadley circulation and whether the observed widening is related to anthropogenic forcing. In the present study, we use currently available simulations of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase-5 (CMIP5) to analyze changes in the width of the Hadley circulation. It is found that CMIP5 historical simulations with greenhouse gas (GHG) forcing generate a total widening of ～0.15o0.06o in latitude (10 yr)-1 for the period 1979--2005, and the widening in CMIP5 historical simulations with all forcings is ～0.17o0.06o per decade. Similar to that in CMIP3, the simulated poleward expansion in CMIP5 is much weaker than the observational reanalyses. In CMIP5 projection simulations for the 21st century, magnitudes of widening of the Hadley circulation increase with radiative forcing. For the extreme projected radiative forcing of RCP8.5, the total annual-mean widening of the Hadley circulation is ～0.27o0.04o(10 yr)-1 in the 21st century. Although CMIP5 underestimates observed poleward expansion of the Hadley circulation, the results of this study suggest that the observed trends in the width of the Hadley circulation are caused by anthropogenic forcing and that increasing GHGs play an important role in the observed poleward expansion of the Hadley circulation, in addition to other forcings emphasized in previous studies.     

木星大气探测综述

我国计划在2030年发射木星探测飞船,相关工程技术、科学目标论证的前期准备工作已经开始。为了更好地规划我国木星探测的科学目标,我们在本文系统地总结了美欧在过去几十年所进行的历次木星探测项目及其大气探测成果。到目前为止,已成功发射的有关木星的探测飞船共有9次,其中7次为飞越探测（飞船在飞越木星时顺带进行了木星的探测）,另外2次为专门探测（专门为了探测木星而发射的飞船）,分别为伽利略号和朱诺号飞船。这些飞船携带了大量的探测仪器,对木星大气的动力、物理和化学性质,磁层、电离层和内部结构等进行了综合探测。我们在本文中将主要集中在木星大气探测方面,对7次飞越探测做简要的介绍,对两次专门的探测进行详细介绍,并对一部分尚未解决的科学问题进行简单讨论。     

Screening white spot syndrome virus (WSSV)-resistant molecular markers from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fenneropenaeus chinensis</Emphasis>

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV)-resistant molecular markers were screened from the selectively bred new variety ‘Huanghai No. 2’ of Fenneropenaeus chinensis using unlabeled-probe high-resolution melting (HRM) technique. After the artificial infection with WSSV, the first 96 dead shrimps and the last 96 surviving shrimps were collected, representing WSSV-susceptible and -resistant populations, respectively. The genotypes at well-developed 39 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) loci were obtained. As revealed in the Chi-square test, 3 SNPs, genotype A/A of contig C364-89AT, genotype A/A of C2635-527CA and genotype C/T of contig C12355-592CT, were positively correlated with disease-resistance traits. Other 2 SNPs, genotype G/G of contig C283-145AG and genotype C/C of contig C12355-592CT, were negatively correlated. Moreover, analysis with BlastX program for disease-resistant SNPs indicated that 3 contigs, Contig283, Contig364 and Contig12355, matched to the functional genes of effector caspase of Penaeus monodon, peptide transporter family 1-like protein, and 40S ribosomal protein S2 of Perca flavescens with high sequence similarity. The results will be helpful to provide theoretical and technical supports for molecular marker-assisted selective breeding of F. chinensis.     

Ocean-atmosphere dynamics changes associated with prominent ocean surface turbulent heat fluxes trends during 1958–2013

Three prominent features of ocean surface turbulent heat fluxes (THF) trends during 1958–2013 are identified based on the Objectively Analyzed air-sea Fluxes (OAFlux) data set. The associated ocean-atmosphere dynamics changes are further investigated based on the National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR) reanalysis. First, the THF are enhanced over the mid-latitude expansions of the subtropical western boundary currents (WBCs). An intensified oceanic heat transport, forced by stronger near-surface zonal wind, is likely to be the cause of such THF tendency. Second, the THF are reduced over the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean, which is primarily caused by the decreasing near-surface wind speed and sea surface temperature (SST), associated with a local coupled ocean-atmosphere cooling mode. Finally, the THF are reduced over the northern tropical Atlantic Ocean, which is attributed to the decreasing air-sea humidity and temperature differences as a result of the convergence of near-surface air and the divergence of ocean currents (upwelling).     

Record Arctic Ozone Loss in Spring 2020 is Likely Caused by North Pacific Warm Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies

Record ozone loss was observed in the Arctic stratosphere in spring 2020. This study aims to determine what caused the extreme Arctic ozone loss. Observations and simulation results are examined in order to show that the extreme Arctic ozone loss was likely caused by record-high sea surface temperatures(SSTs) in the North Pacific. It is found that the record Arctic ozone loss was associated with the extremely cold and persistent stratospheric polar vortex over February–April, and the extremely cold vortex was a result of anomalously weak planetary wave activity. Further analysis reveals that the weak wave activity can be traced to anomalously warm SSTs in the North Pacific. Both observations and simulations show that warm SST anomalies in the North Pacific could have caused the weakening of wavenumber-1 wave activity, colder Arctic vortex, and lower Arctic ozone. These results suggest that for the present-day level of ozone-depleting substances, severe Arctic ozone loss could form again, as long as certain dynamic conditions are satisfied.     

Quantifying the energetic feedbacks in ENSO

Climate Dynamics - Energetic feedbacks play important roles during the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Here we conduct a thorough analysis of the radiative and non-radiative vertical...     

2013和2012年夏季格陵兰岛冰盖表面融化对比及可能的影响机理分析

本文重点分析了2013年夏季格陵兰冰盖表面的融化特征, 并将2013年与2012年融化极值年的异常进行对比, 探讨二者之间存在的动力和热力差异及其对冰盖表面融化的影响和机制。结果表明:2013年夏季格陵兰冰盖表面最大融化范围仅为44%, 远小于2012年的97%, 持续的时间也比2012年短20天左右, 平均的融化面积和持续时间都接近气候平均态。2013年夏季大气环流异常与2012年近乎完全相反, 格陵兰及附近海域为低压异常, 500 hPa位势高度场为负异常, 大气环流和2012年相比更具有纬向型。格陵兰岛的北部和南部出现气旋异常, 有利于输送北极的冷空气到格陵兰岛, 不仅降低了夏季格陵兰冰盖表面的平均温度, 而且也减少了格陵兰高温事件发生的频率。同时, 2013年夏季格陵兰表面向下的辐射通量异常分布大体上呈西南—东北走向, 不同于 2012年的南北分布。尽管从分布上看, 总的向下辐射通量以正的短波分量为主, 但是长短波分量相互抵消使得 2013年夏季总的向下辐射通量接近气候平均态, 这使得辐射对冰盖表面温度的影响不明显。大气环流的动力和表面辐射收支的热力共同作用导致2013年夏季格陵兰冰盖表面融化经历了相对缓和的一年。     

北极平流层冬季早期变暖的GCM模拟研究

观测表明北极平流层自20世纪70年代末以来在冬季早期 (11～12月) 存在变暖的趋势。为了验证该趋势是否是由于海面温度 (SST) 升高造成的, 我们使用观测的全球SST强迫一个全球大气环流模式 (AGCM)。集合模拟的结果表明, 在SST强迫下, 北极平流层呈现统计显著的变暖趋势, 极地对流层也有相对较弱的变暖趋势, 但统计显著性较低。通过对模拟的位势高度进行经验正交函数 (EOF) 分析, 我们发现北半球位势高度第一模态 (EOF1) 的空间结构非常类似于北极涛动 (AO) 或北半球环状模 (NAM), 其平流层主分量时间序列在冬季早期呈现统计显著的负趋势。与负的AO趋势相对应的是, 对流层高纬度和平流层中高纬度波动增强, 说明极区变暖是由于波动增强产生的极区绝热加热增强造成的。另外, 模拟的结果还表明北极平流层不仅在冬季早期出现变暖的趋势, 在冬季晚期 (2～3月) 北极平流层低层也出现弱的变暖趋势。SST强迫导致北极平流层冬季变暖不利于异相臭氧化学反应的发生, 这对极地平流层臭氧恢复有着重要意义。