Influence of ENSO and the South Atlantic Ocean on climate predictability over Southeastern South America

We perform a systematic study of the predictability of surface air temperature and precipitation in Southeastern South America (SESA) using ensembles of AGCM simulations, focusing on the role of the South Atlantic and its interaction with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). It is found that the interannual predictability of climate over SESA is strongly tied to ENSO showing high predictability during the seasons and periods when there is ENSO influence. The most robust ENSO signal during the whole period of study (1949–2006) is during spring when warm events tend to increase the precipitation over Southeastern South America. Moreover, the predictability shows large inter-decadal changes: for the period 1949–1977, the surface temperature shows high predictability during late fall and early winter. On the other hand, for the period 1978–2006, the temperature shows (low) predictability only during winter, while the precipitation shows not only high predictability in spring but also in fall. Furthermore, it is found that the Atlantic does not directly affect the climate over SESA. However, the experiments where air–sea coupling is allowed in the south Atlantic suggest that this ocean can act as a moderator of the ENSO influence. During warm ENSO events the ocean off Brazil and Uruguay tends to warm up through changes in the atmospheric heat fluxes, altering the atmospheric anomalies and the predictability of climate over SESA. The main effect of the air–sea coupling is to strengthen the surface temperature anomalies over SESA; changes in precipitation are more subtle. We further found that the thermodynamic coupling can increase or decrease the predictability. For example, the air–sea coupling significantly increases the skill of the model in simulating the surface air temperature anomalies for most seasons during period 1949–1977, but tends to decrease the skill in late fall during period 1978–2006. This decrease in skill during late fall in 1978–2006 is found to be due to a wrong simulation of the remote ENSO signal that is further intensified by the local air–sea coupling in the south Atlantic. Thus, our results suggest that climate models used for seasonal prediction should simulate correctly not only the remote ENSO signal, but also the local air–sea thermodynamic coupling.     

Performance of a multi-RCM ensemble for South Eastern South America

The ability of four regional climate models to reproduce the present-day South American climate is examined with emphasis on La Plata Basin. Models were integrated for the period 1991–2000 with initial and lateral boundary conditions from ERA-40 Reanalysis. The ensemble sea level pressure, maximum and minimum temperatures and precipitation are evaluated in terms of seasonal means and extreme indices based on a percentile approach. Dispersion among the individual models and uncertainties when comparing the ensemble mean with different climatologies are also discussed. The ensemble mean is warmer than the observations in South Eastern South America (SESA), especially for minimum winter temperatures with errors increasing in magnitude towards the tails of the distributions. The ensemble mean reproduces the broad spatial pattern of precipitation, but overestimates the convective precipitation in the tropics and the orographic precipitation along the Andes and over the Brazilian Highlands, and underestimates the precipitation near the monsoon core region. The models overestimate the number of wet days and underestimate the daily intensity of rainfall for both seasons suggesting a premature triggering of convection. The skill of models to simulate the intensity of convective precipitation in summer in SESA and the variability associated with heavy precipitation events (the upper quartile daily precipitation) is far from satisfactory. Owing to the sparseness of the observing network, ensemble and observations uncertainties in seasonal means are comparable for some regions and seasons.     

Summer precipitation variability over Southeastern South America in a global warming scenario

December–January–February (DJF) rainfall variability in southeastern South America (SESA) is studied in 18 coupled general circulation models from the WCRP/CMIP3 dataset, for present climate and the SRES-A1B climate change scenario. The analysis is made in terms of properties of the first leading pattern of rainfall variability in the region, characterized by a dipole-like structure with centers of action in the SESA and South Atlantic Convergence Zone (SACZ) regions. The study was performed to address two issues: how rainfall variability in SESA would change in a future climate and how much of that change explains the projected increasing trends in the summer mean rainfall in SESA identified in previous works. Positive (negative) dipole events were identified as those DJF seasons with above (below) normal rainfall in SESA and below (above) normal rainfall in the SACZ region. Results obtained from the multi-model ensemble confirm that future rainfall variability in SESA has a strong projection on the changes of seasonal dipole pattern activity, associated with an increase of the frequency of the positive phase. In addition, the frequency increase of positive dipole phase in the twenty first century seems to be associated with an increase of both frequency and intensity of positive SST anomalies in the equatorial Pacific, and with a Rossby wave train-like anomaly pattern linking that ocean basin to South America, which regionally induces favorable conditions for moisture transport convergence and rainfall increase in SESA.     

Sensitivity of the southern annular mode to greenhouse gas emission scenarios

The leading mode of southern hemisphere (SH) climatic variability, the southern annular mode (SAM), has recently seen a shift towards its positive phase due to stratospheric ozone depletion and increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations. Here we examine how sensitive the SAM (defined as the leading empirical orthogonal function of SH sea level pressure anomalies) is to future GHG concentrations. We determine its likely evolution for three intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) special report on emission scenarios (SRES) for austral summer and winter, using a multi-model ensemble of IPCC fourth assessment report models which resolve stratospheric ozone recovery. During the period of summer ozone recovery (2000–2050), the SAM index exhibits weakly negative, statistically insignificant trends due to stratospheric ozone recovery which offsets the positive forcing imposed by increasing GHG concentrations. Thereafter, positive SAM index trends occur with magnitudes that show sensitivity to the SRES scenario utilised, and thus future GHG emissions. Trends are determined to be strongest for SRES A2, followed by A1B and B1, respectively. The winter SAM maintains a similar dependency upon GHG as summer, but over the entire twenty-first century and to a greater extent. We also examine the influence of ozone recovery by comparing results to models that exclude stratospheric ozone recovery. Projections are shown to be statistically different from the aforementioned results, highlighting the importance of ozone recovery in governing SAM-evolution. We therefore demonstrate that the future SAM will depend both upon GHG emissions and stratospheric ozone recovery.     

The South Atlantic dipole and variations in the characteristics of the South American Monsoon in the WCRP-CMIP3 multi-model simulations

This study investigates relationships between Atlantic sea surface temperature (SST) and the variability of the characteristics of the South American Monsoon System (SAMS), such as the onset dates and total precipitation over central eastern Brazil. The observed onset and total summer monsoon precipitation are estimated for the period 1979?C2007. SST patterns are obtained from the Empirical Orthogonal Function. It is shown that variations in SST on interannual timescales over the South Atlantic Ocean play an important role in the total summer monsoon precipitation. Negative (positive) SST anomalies over the topical South Atlantic along with positive (negative) SST anomalies over the extratropical South Atlantic are associated with early (late) onsets and wet (dry) summers over southeastern Brazil and late (early) onset and dry (wet) summers over northeastern Brazil. Simulations from Phase 3 of the World Climate Research Programme Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP-3) are assessed for the 20th century climate scenario (1971?C2000). Most CMIP3 coupled models reproduce the main modes of variability of the South Atlantic Ocean. GFDL2.0 and MIROC-M are the models that best represent the SST variability over the South Atlantic. On the other hand, these models do not succeed in representing the relationship between SST and SAMS variability.     

基于DART +WACCM模式搭建的平流层同化、天气预报和气候预测模型研究

本论文基于WACCM（Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model）模式最新版本WACCM6和DART（Data Assimilation Research TestBed）同化工具最新版本Manhattan,开发了中高层大气温度、臭氧和水汽卫星资料的同化接口,搭建了一个包含完整平流层过程的数值同化、天气预报和短期气候预测模型（此后简称模型）;本模型对2020年3～4月平流层大气变化进行了同化观测资料的模拟,并以同化试验输出的分析场作为初值,对5～6月的平流层大气进行了0～30天天气尺度预报以及31～60天短期气候尺度预测的回报试验。结果表明:本模型能较好地重现2020年3、4月北极平流层出现的大规模臭氧损耗事件随时间的演变特征,模拟结果和Microwave Limb Sounder（MLS）卫星观测结果很接近;而未进行同化的模拟试验,虽然可以模拟出北极臭氧损耗现象,但是模拟的臭氧损耗规模相比MLS卫星观测结果要低很多;利用同化试验4月末输出的分析场作为初值,预报的5月北极平流层臭氧体积混合比变化与MLS卫星观测值的差值小于0.5,预测的6月北极平流层臭氧变化只在10～30 hPa之间的区域,与观测之间的差异达到了1 ppm（ppm=10?6）。本模型不但改善了北极平流层化学成分变化的模拟,也显著地提升了北极平流层温度和环流的模拟。本模型同化模拟的3～4月、预报预测的5～6月北极平流层温度和纬向风变化与Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 （MERRA2）再分析资料结果具有很好的一致性,仅在北极平流层顶部,预报预测的温度和纬向风分别与再分析资料之间的均方根误差（RMSE）约为3 K和4 m s?1。未进行同化的试验模拟的3～4月、预报预测的5～6月北极平流层的温度和纬向风与MERRA2再分析资料之间的RMSE在大部分区域都达到6 K及5 m s?1以上。从全球范围来看,本模型对平流层中低层模拟性能改善最为显著,其预报预测结果与观测值之间的差异,比未进行同化试验的结果,减少了50%以上。     

The economics of atmosphere monitoring systems: Theory and applications

In recent years there has been increasing concern with the possibility that man's terrestrial economic activities of production, distribution, and consumption contribute pollutants to the environment in sufficient quantities to upset naturally existing chemical equilibria in the atmosphere. Such inadvertent anthropogenic phenomena have become associated with possible changes in climate (temperature, precipitation, and ultraviolet radiation) whose long term consequences may be serious, if not disastrous. Among other societal reactions to this problem, proposals for various environment monitoring systems have been proffered. Such systems, often envisioned as satellite-based, are costly and their benefits often appear largely intangible. In this research we develop a general methodology for identifying and estimating the economic benefits of environment monitoring systems, and we apply the methodology to the cases of stratospheric ozone depletion and aerosol accumulation. The research synthesizes numerous recent efforts in atmospheric chemistry, climatology, engineering, policy analysis, and primarily economic cost benefit analysis. We find that over a broad range of alternative assumptions and parameter choices, the present value of the economic benefits of an ozone/aerosol monitoring system in the range of $0.5 to $2,0 billion. Somewhat surprisingly, the higher values are associated with the smaller deleterious ozone/aerosol atmospheric trends. This work was partially supported by contract NASI-14351 with NASA's Langley Research Center.     

Impact of stratospheric variability on tropospheric climate change

An improved stratospheric representation has been included in simulations with the Hadley Centre HadGEM1 coupled ocean atmosphere model with natural and anthropogenic forcings for the period 1979–2003. An improved stratospheric ozone dataset is employed that includes natural variations in ozone as well as the usual anthropogenic trends. In addition, in a second set of simulations the quasi biennial oscillation (QBO) of stratospheric equatorial zonal wind is also imposed using a relaxation towards ERA-40 zonal wind values. The resulting impact on tropospheric variability and trends is described. We show that the modelled cooling rate at the tropopause is enhanced by the improved ozone dataset and this improvement is even more marked when the QBO is also included. The same applies to warming trends in the upper tropical troposphere which are slightly reduced. Our stratospheric improvements produce a significant increase of internal variability but no change in the positive trend of annual mean global mean near-surface temperature. Warming rates are increased significantly over a large portion of the Arctic Ocean. The improved stratospheric representation, especially the QBO relaxation, causes a substantial reduction in near-surface temperature and precipitation response to the El Chichón eruption, especially in the tropical region. The winter increase in the phase of the northern annular mode observed in the aftermath of the two major recent volcanic eruptions is partly captured, especially after the El Chichón eruption. The positive trend in the southern annular mode (SAM) is increased and becomes statistically significant which demonstrates that the observed increase in the SAM is largely subject to internal variability in the stratosphere. The possible inclusion in simulations for future assessments of full ozone chemistry and a gravity wave scheme to internally generate a QBO is discussed.     

Atmospheric circulation and the tropospheric ozone maximum over the tropical South Atlantic Ocean

Summary Ozone for a ten year period obtained from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) has been compared with velocity potential for the same period. It has been found that the global-scale circulation serves to modulate the ozone concentration over the tropical Atlantic Ocean. Examination of the low frequency modes reveal close correspondence between the two parameters, especially at the annual timescale. Descending motion over southern Africa reduces precipitation, thereby enhancing biomass burning and the subsequent release of trace gases and the possible photochemical production of ozone. Transport to the ozone maximum region over the tropical Atlantic Ocean occurs mainly from tropical Africa. Little evidence has been found on a climatological time-scale to support the theory of stratospheric infusion into the troposphere above the tropical Atlantic Ocean.     

未来百年夏季青藏高原臭氧变化趋势及可能机制

利用全大气气候通用模式(WACCM3)对政府间气候变化专门委员会排放情景特别报告中2001年到2099年A1B、A2、B1三种排放情景进行了模拟,分析了三种排放情景下青藏高原地区未来百年臭氧总量在夏季(6—8月)的变化趋势及引起该变化的可能机制。结果表明:在三种排放情景下未来百年夏季高原区臭氧总量均呈现增长趋势,其中A2情景下臭氧增长最快,B1情景下增长最慢,但相对于同纬度其他地区,高原区的臭氧总量增长较慢,即高原区臭氧谷加深。高原区高空污染物的减少以及局域Hadley环流的减弱是未来高原区臭氧总量增加的原因;而南亚高压的增强,以及与之相对应的辐散增强则可能是高原区臭氧谷继续加深的原因。     

On aspects of the concept of radiative forcing

 The concept of radiative forcing has been extensively used as an indicator of the potential importance of climate change mechanisms. It allows a first order estimate of the global-mean surface temperature change; and it is possible to compare forcings from different mechanisms, on the assumption that similar global-mean forcings produce similar global-mean surface temperature changes. This study illustrates two circumstances where simple models show that the conventional definition of radiative forcing needs refining. These problems arise mainly with the calculation of forcing due to stratospheric ozone depletion. The first part uses simple arguments to produce an alternative definition of radiative forcing, using a time-dependent stratospheric adjustment method, which can give different forcings from those calculated using the standard definition. A seasonally varying ozone depletion can produce a quite different seasonal evolution of forcing than fixed dynamical heating arguments would suggest. This is especially true of an idealised and extreme “Antarctic ozone hole” type scenario where a sudden loss of ozone is followed by a sudden recovery. However, for observed ozone changes the annually averaged forcing is usually within 5% of the forcing calculated using the fixed dynamical heating approximation. Another problem with the accepted view of radiative forcing arises from the definition of the tropopause considered in the second part of this study. For a correct radiative forcing estimate the “tropopause” needs to separate the atmosphere into regions with a purely radiative response and those with a radiative-convective response. From radiative-convective model results it is found that radiative equilibrium conditions persist for several kilometres below the tropopause (the tropopause being defined as where the lapse rate reaches 2 K km^-1). This region needs to be included in stratospheric adjustment calculations for an accurate calculation of forcing, as it is only the region between the surface and the top of the convection that can be considered as a single, forced, system. Including temperature changes in this region has a very large effect on stratospheric ozone forcing estimates, and can reduce the magnitude of the forcing by more than a factor of two. Although these experiments are performed using simple climate models, the results are of equal importance for the analysis of forcing-response relationships using general circulation models. Received: 25 October 1996/Accepted: 14 April 1997     

北半球平流层极涡崩溃早晚的环流特征及其对5月南亚降水的影响

本文采用1979—2014年NCEP/NCAR月平均再分析资料、CMAP和GPCP月平均降水资料,分析了北半球平流层极涡崩溃早晚的环流特征及其与南亚降水的关系。结果表明,北半球平流层极涡崩溃时间存在明显的年际变化特征。极涡崩溃偏早(偏晚)年,自3月开始异常信号从平流层向下传播,之后的4月,从平流层到对流层高层极区温度异常偏高(偏低),极涡异常偏弱(偏强),极夜急流异常偏弱(偏强)。结果还表明,5月南亚降水异常与平流层极涡崩溃时间的早晚存在显著相关,5月南亚降水异常与平流层极涡崩溃早晚年平流层异常信号的下传有关。当平流层极涡崩溃偏晚年,4月平流层极区表现为位势高度异常偏低,而中纬度则位势高度场异常偏高,并伴随位势高度异常场的向下传播,5月该位势高度异常场下传至阿拉伯海北部大陆上空对流层顶,形成有利于降水的环流场,导致南亚降水偏多。反之,则相反。     

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF INFLUENCE OF STRATOSPHERIC METHANE ON TROPICAL WATER VAPOR AND TEMPERATURE

Climatic c haracteristics of tropical stratospheric methane have been well researched using various satellite data, and numerical simulations have furtherly conducted using chemical climatic models, while the impact of tropica1 stratospheric methane oxidation on tropical distribution of water vapor is not paid enough attention in general circulation models. Parameterization of methane oxidation is taken into account to deal with the chemical moisturizing action due to the methane oxidation in this paper. Numerical simulation and analysis of the influence of stratospheric methane on the prediction of tropical stratospheric moisture and temperature fields using general circulation model is conducted using heavy storm cases including a heavy rain in South China and a typhoon caused tropical storm. The results show obvious impact of methane oxidation on the forecasting precipitation. It is demonstrated that the stratospheric water vapor in the tropic is significantly remedied by introducing of parameterization of methane oxidation. And prediction of stratospheric temperature is accordingly modified, especially in the lower stratosphere within 30°N. The verification of monthly mean of forecast anomaly correlation(ACC) and root mean square(RMS)errors over the tropics indicated that the impact of stratospheric methane is neutral as to the forecast of geopotential height, and positive to the forecast of temperature and winds over the tropics.     

CMIP3 projected changes in the annual cycle of the South American Monsoon

Nine models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project version 3 dataset are employed to examine projected changes in the South American Monsoon System annual cycle by comparing the 20th Century and SRES A2 scenarios. The following hypotheses are examined: (1) the warm season climate responses in the Southeast, Continental South Atlantic Convergence Zone (CSACZ) and Monsoon regions are related by regional circulation and moisture transport changes which, in turn, must be consistent with robust large-scale changes in the climate system, and (2) an increased threshold for convection in a warmer world may affect the timing of warm season rains. The present analysis reaffirms that the Southeast region is likely to experience increased precipitation through the warm season. Additional results exhibit more uncertainty due to large inter-model variance and disagreement in the A2 scenarios. Nevertheless several statistically significant results are found. In the Monsoon and to a lesser extent in the CSACZ region, the multi-model median suggests reduced precipitation during spring (Sep–Nov). These continental precipitation changes are accompanied by a southward shift of the maximum precipitation in the South Atlantic Convergence Zone. Changes in circulation include a poleward displaced South Atlantic Anticyclone (SAAC) and enhanced moisture transport associated with a strengthened northerly low level flow east of the Andes during spring. Moisture transport divergence calculations indicate unchanged divergence in the Monsoon region during spring and increased convergence in the Southeast throughout the warm season. The circulation and moisture transport changes suggest the increased precipitation in the Southeast during spring may be related to changes in the SALLJ and SAAC, which both enhance moisture transport to the Southeast. The seasonally dry Monsoon region is further affected by an increased threshold for convection in the warmer, more humid and stable climate of the 21st century, which combined with the circulation changes may weaken the onset of the rainy season. Although there is substantial variability among the models, and the results are represented by small changes compared with the multi-model variance, their statistical significance combined with their consistency with expected robust large scale changes provides a measure of confidence in otherwise tentative results. Further testing of the relationships presented here will be required to fully understand projected changes in the South American Monsoon.     

Impact of projected SST changes on summer rainfall in southeastern South America

Recent studies have shown that global warming and associated sea-surface temperature (SST) changes may trigger an important rainfall increase in southeastern South America (SESA) during the austral summer (December–January–February, DJF). The goal of this paper is to provide some insight into processes which may link global and SESA changes. For this purpose, a “two-way nesting” system coupling interactively the regional and global versions of the LMDZ4 atmospheric model is used to study the response to prescribed SST changes. The regional model is a variable-grid version of the global model, with a zoom focused over South America. An ensemble of simulations forced by distinct patterns of DJF SST changes has been carried out using a decomposition of full SST changes into their longitudinal and latitudinal components. The full SST changes are based on projections for the end of the twenty-first century from a multi-model ensemble of WCRP/CMIP3. Results confirm the presence of a major rainfall dipole structure, characterized by an increase in SESA and a decrease in the South Atlantic Convergence Zone region. Rainfall changes found in the WCRP/CMIP3 models are largely explained as a response of this dipole structure to the zonally-asymmetric (or longitudinal) component of SST changes. The rainfall response to the zonal-mean (or latitudinal) SST changes (including the global warming signal itself) shows an opposite contribution. The processes explaining the role of zonally-asymmetric SST changes involve remote effects of SST warming over the equatorial Indian and Pacific oceans inducing an atmospheric wave-train extended across the South Pacific into South America.     

Evaluation of an ensemble of regional climate model simulations over South America driven by the ERA-Interim reanalysis: model performance and uncertainties

The capability of a set of 7 coordinated regional climate model simulations performed in the framework of the CLARIS-LPB Project in reproducing the mean climate conditions over the South American continent has been evaluated. The model simulations were forced by the ERA-Interim reanalysis dataset for the period 1990–2008 on a grid resolution of 50 km, following the CORDEX protocol. The analysis was focused on evaluating the reliability of simulating mean precipitation and surface air temperature, which are the variables most commonly used for impact studies. Both the common features and the differences among individual models have been evaluated and compared against several observational datasets. In this study the ensemble bias and the degree of agreement among individual models have been quantified. The evaluation was focused on the seasonal means, the area-averaged annual cycles and the frequency distributions of monthly means over target sub-regions. Results show that the Regional Climate Model ensemble reproduces adequately well these features, with biases mostly within ±2 °C and ±20 % for temperature and precipitation, respectively. However, the multi-model ensemble depicts larger biases and larger uncertainty (as defined by the standard deviation of the models) over tropical regions compared with subtropical regions. Though some systematic biases were detected particularly over the La Plata Basin region, such as underestimation of rainfall during winter months and overestimation of temperature during summer months, every model shares a similar behavior and, consequently, the uncertainty in simulating current climate conditions is low. Every model is able to capture the variety in the shape of the frequency distribution for both temperature and precipitation along the South American continent. Differences among individual models and observations revealed the nature of individual model biases, showing either a shift in the distribution or an overestimation or underestimation of the range of variability.     

Projected changes in South Asian summer monsoon by multi-model global warming experiments

South Asian summer monsoon (June through September) rainfall simulation and its potential future changes are evaluated in a multi-model ensemble of global coupled climate models outputs under World Climate Research Program Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (WCRP CMIP3) dataset. The response of South Asian summer monsoon to a transient increase in future anthropogenic radiative forcing is investigated for two time slices, middle (2031–2050) and end of the twenty-first century (2081–2100), in the non-mitigated Special Report on Emission Scenarios B1, A1B and A2 .There is large inter-model variability in the simulation of spatial characteristics of seasonal monsoon precipitation. Ten out of the 25 models are able to simulate space–time characteristics of the South Asian monsoon precipitation reasonably well. The response of these selected ten models has been examined for projected changes in seasonal monsoon rainfall. The multi-model ensemble of these ten models projects a significant increase in monsoon precipitation with global warming. The substantial increase in precipitation is observed over western equatorial Indian Ocean and southern parts of India. However, the monsoon circulation weakens significantly under all the three climate change experiments. Possible mechanisms for the projected increase in precipitation and for precipitation–wind paradox have been discussed. The surface temperature over Asian landmass increases in pre-monsoon months due to global warming and heat low over northwest India intensifies. The dipole snow configuration over Eurasian continent strengthens in warmer atmosphere, which is conducive for the enhancement in precipitation over Indian landmass. No notable changes have been projected in the El Niño–Monsoon relationship, which is useful for predicting interannual variations of the monsoon.     

IPCC global coupled model simulations of the South America monsoon system

This study examines the variability of the South America monsoon system (SAMS) over tropical South America (SA). The onset, end, and total rainfall during the summer monsoon are investigated using precipitation pentad estimates from the global precipitation climatology project (GPCP) 1979–2006. Likewise, the variability of SAMS characteristics is examined in ten Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) global coupled climate models in the twentieth century (1981–2000) and in a future scenario of global change (A1B) (2081–2100). It is shown that most IPCC models misrepresent the inter-tropical convergence zone and therefore do not capture the actual annual cycle of precipitation over the Amazon and northwest SA. Most models can correctly represent the spatiotemporal variability of the annual cycle of precipitation in central and eastern Brazil such as the correct phase of dry and wet seasons, onset dates, duration of rainy season and total accumulated precipitation during the summer monsoon for the twentieth century runs. Nevertheless, poor representation of the total monsoonal precipitation over the Amazon and northeast Brazil is observed in a large majority of the models. Overall, MIROC3.2-hires, MIROC3.2-medres and MRI-CGCM3.2.3 show the most realistic representation of SAMS’s characteristics such as onset, duration, total monsoonal precipitation, and its interannual variability. On the other hand, ECHAM5, GFDL-CM2.0 and GFDL-CM2.1 have the least realistic representation of the same characteristics. For the A1B scenario the most coherent feature observed in the IPCC models is a reduction in precipitation over central-eastern Brazil during the summer monsoon, comparatively with the present climate. The IPCC models do not indicate statistically significant changes in SAMS onset and demise dates for the same scenario.     

Intraseasonal variability in South America during the cold season

Intraseasonal (IS) variability in South America is analyzed during the cold season using 10–90 day bandpass filtered OLR anomalies (FOLR). IS variability explains a large percentage of variance with maximum values over Paraguay, northeastern Argentina, and southern Brazil. The leading pattern of FOLR, as isolated from an EOF analysis, (Cold Season IS pattern, CSIS), is characterized by a monopole centered over southeastern South America (SESA) with a northwest-southeast orientation. CSIS induces a large modulation on daily precipitation anomalies, especially on both wet spells and daily precipitation extremes, which are favored during positive (wet) CSIS phases. Large-Scale OLR anomalies over the tropical Indian and west Pacific Oceans associated with CSIS exhibit eastward propagation along tropical latitudes. In addition, circulation anomalies in the Southern Hemisphere reveal the presence of an anticyclonic anomaly over Antarctica with opposite-sign anomalies in middle latitudes 10 days before CSIS is maximum as well as evidence of Rossby wave-like patterns. Positive precipitation anomalies in SESA are favored during wet CSIS phases by the intensification of a cyclonic anomaly located further south, which is discernible over the southeastern Pacific for at least 14 days before CSIS peaks. The cyclonic anomaly evolution is accompanied by the intensification of an upstream anticyclonic anomaly, which remains quasi-stationary near the Antarctica Peninsula before the CSIS peak. We speculate that the stationary behavior of the anticyclonic center is favored by a hemispheric circulation anomaly pattern resembling that associated with a negative southern annular mode phase and a wavenumber 3–4 pattern at middle latitudes.     

平流层臭氧变化对对流层气候影响的研究进展

平流层对对流层的作用是准确评估、预测对流层气候变化的一个重要方面。其中平流层成分尤其是臭氧的变化,可以改变平流层乃至对流层的辐射平衡,从而影响平流层、对流层的热动力过程。本文从辐射、动力2个角度介绍了平流层臭氧影响对流层气候变化的若干研究进展。平流层臭氧可以通过长短波辐射的方式对对流层大气造成辐射强迫,利用大气化学气候模式可以定量计算平流层臭氧变化引起的辐射强迫,但是辐射强迫的估算受模式中辐射传输模块本身缺陷的影响存在不确定性。动力方面,平流层臭氧变化产生的辐射效应可以改变温度的垂直和经向梯度,造成波折射指数的变化,进而影响平流层甚至对流层内波的折射与反射,通过上对流层下平流层区域内的波—流相互作用,对对流层气候产生影响。另外,南极臭氧损耗可通过大气环状模影响冬春季中高纬度对流层的天气气候,但是其影响的强度大小以及物理机制仍需进一步的确认。值得注意的是,北极平流层臭氧的变化与北半球中高纬度气候变化之间的关系相比南半球要更加复杂,需要更为深入的研究。