Simulations of the Indian summer monsoon using a nested regional climate model: domain size experiments

Seasonal simulations of the Indian summer monsoon using a 50-km regional climate model (RCM) are described. Results from three versions of the RCM distinguished by different domain sizes are compared against those of the driving global general circulation model (AGCM). Precipitation over land is 20% larger in the RCMs due to stronger vertical motions arising from finer horizontal resolution. The resulting increase in condensational heating helps to intensify the monsoon trough relative to the AGCM. The RCM precipitation distributions show a strong orographically forced mesoscale component (similar in each version). This component is not present in the AGCM. The RCMs produce two qualitatively realistic intraseasonal oscillations (ISOs) associated respectively with monsoon depressions which propagate northwestward from the Bay of Bengal and repeated northward migrations of the regional tropical convergence zone. The RCM simulations are relatively insensitive to domain size in several respects: (1) the mean bias relative to the AGCM is similar for all three domains; (2) the variability simulated by the RCM is strongly correlated with that of the driving AGCM on both daily and seasonal time scales, even for the largest domain; (3) the mesoscale features and ISOs are not damped by the relative proximity of the lateral boundaries in the version with the smallest domain. Results (1) and (2) contrast strongly with a previous study for Europe carried out with the same model, probably due to inherent differences between mid-latitude and tropical dynamics.     

High resolution simulation of the South Asian monsoon using a variable resolution global climate model

This study examines the feasibility of using a variable resolution global general circulation model (GCM), with telescopic zooming and enhanced resolution (~35 km) over South Asia, to better understand regional aspects of the South Asian monsoon rainfall distribution and the interactions between monsoon circulation and precipitation. For this purpose, two sets of ten member realizations are produced with and without zooming using the LMDZ (Laboratoire Meteorologie Dynamique and Z stands for zoom) GCM. The simulations without zoom correspond to a uniform 1° × 1° grid with the same total number of grid points as in the zoom version. So the grid of the zoomed simulations is finer inside the region of interest but coarser outside. The use of these finer and coarser resolution ensemble members allows us to examine the impact of resolution on the overall quality of the simulated regional monsoon fields. It is found that the monsoon simulation with high-resolution zooming greatly improves the representation of the southwesterly monsoon flow and the heavy precipitation along the narrow orography of the Western Ghats, the northeastern mountain slopes and northern Bay of Bengal (BOB). A realistic Monsoon Trough (MT) is also noticed in the zoomed simulation, together with remarkable improvements in representing the associated precipitation and circulation features, as well as the large-scale organization of meso-scale convective systems over the MT region. Additionally, a more reasonable simulation of the monsoon synoptic disturbances (lows and disturbances) along the MT is noted in the high-resolution zoomed simulation. On the other hand, the no-zoom version has limitations in capturing the depressions and their movement, so that the MT zone is relatively dry in this case. Overall, the results from this work demonstrate the usefulness of the high-resolution variable resolution LMDZ model in realistically capturing the interactions among the monsoon large-scale dynamics, the synoptic systems and the meso-scale convective systems, which are essential elements of the South Asian monsoon system.     

Modelling the Asian summer monsoon using CCAM

A ten-year mean (1989–1998) climatology of the Asian summer monsoon is studied using the CSIRO Conformal-Cubic Atmospheric Model (CCAM) to downscale NCEP reanalyses. The aim of the current study is to validate the model results against previous work on this topic, in order to identify model strengths and weaknesses in simulating the Asian summer monsoon. The model results are compared with available observations and are presented in two parts. In the first part, the mean summer rainfall, maximum and minimum temperatures and winds are compared with the observations. The second part focuses on validation of the monsoon onset. The model captures the mean characteristics such as the cross-equatorial flow of low-level winds over the Indian Ocean and near the Somali coast, rainfall patterns, onset indices, northward movements, active-break and revival periods.     

A study on the role of land-atmosphere coupling on the south Asian monsoon climate variability using a regional climate model

The spatial and temporal trends of 11 (7) temperature (precipitation) extreme indices are examined for the Loess Plateau Region (LPR) and its southeast and northwest sub-regions based on daily observations at 214 meteorological stations. Results show widespread significant warming trends for all the temperature extremes except for the diurnal temperature range (DTR) and the lowest daily maximum temperature in each year (TXn) during 1961–2010. When regionally averaged, a significant warming trend is detected for all the indices except for DTR and TXn in the past 50 years. Compared with the entire LPR, a significant warming trend is detected for all the indices except for DTR and TXn over the southeast sub-region of LPR; while it is observed for all the indices over the northwest. The trends for these indices are generally stronger in the northwest than in the southeast in the past 50 years. In contrast, for precipitation indices, only a small percentage of areas show significant drying or wetting trends and, when regionally averaged, none of them displays significant trends during the past 50 years. On the sub-regional scale, however, a larger percentage of areas show significant drying trends for precipitation indices generally over the southeast relative to the entire LPR, and noticeably, the sub-regional average heavy precipitation (R10mm) and wet day precipitation (PRCPTOT) display significant decreasing trends during the past 50 years; whereas only a slightly larger percentage of areas show significant wetting trends for these indices over the northwest compared with the entire LPR, and when sub-regionally averaged, none of the indices have significant trends during the past 50 years.     

在\

利用NCEP/FNL 1°×1°再分析资料、地面观测资料、高空探测资料和西南低涡年鉴,通过分析2012—2017年不同涡源西南低涡的活动情况,对九龙涡、盆地涡、小金涡生成时间最多月份的各低涡生成前与生成时的风场、其它物理特性合成场进行合成分析与对比分析,得出了环境风场、冷暖空气与锋生作用对九龙涡、盆地涡与小金涡生成的影响。结果表明：（1）3—6月是西南涡生成与移出涡源的多发时段,西南涡中以九龙涡为主,盆地涡次之,小金涡易移出涡源。（2）九龙涡、小金涡的生成与偏南气流流入各自涡区的开口地形有关,但小金涡流入的气流比九龙涡强,盆地涡生成与切变线有关。（3）九龙涡、小金涡的生成还受高原背风坡地面加热与西南气流影响,与暖平流区内有正的非热成风涡度有关,但九龙涡所处的暖平流区范围比小金涡的大,强度远不如小金涡,盆地涡的生成与涡区内有斜压性增强有关。（4）九龙涡、小金涡、盆地涡的生成与各自涡区内锋生强度增强有关,但各自影响锋生作用的因素不同,小金涡的生成主要受非绝热变化过程影响的锋生作用,九龙涡的生成受非绝热变化过程影响为主,以及水平、垂直运动共同影响的锋生作用,盆地涡的生成受垂直运动影响为主,以及非绝热变化过程共同影响的锋生作用。

     

Risk and the South Asian monsoon

South Asia’s dependence on the monsoon has always been a source of economic uncertainty. This paper examines the history of ways of thinking about the monsoon and risk, focusing on India. The science of meteorology, and a growing interest in ways to mitigate monsoon risk, developed in response to major famines. Piecemeal interventions, including a series of canals and small dams, began India’s hydraulic transformation. By the middle of the twentieth century, massive hydraulic engineering emerged as the dominant solution to controlling the monsoon’s risks. Large dams account for the largest share of government expenditure in independent India, but since the 1960s, intensive and mostly unregulated groundwater exploitation has played a greater role in meeting irrigation needs. The expansion in India’s irrigated area and an expansion in food production. But this has come at a cost: millions have been displaced by dam construction; groundwater exploitation has reached unsustainable levels, and has had an effect on regional climate.     

Seasonal scale variability of the East Asian winter monsoon and the development of a two-dimensional monsoon index

This study investigates the seasonal scale variability of the East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM), which is distinguished from the seasonal cycle with temporal variation throughout winter. Winters lasting 120 days (Nov. 17–Mar. 16) for a period of 64 years from the NCEP daily reanalysis data set are used to study the seasonal scale variability of the EAWM. Cyclostationary empirical orthogonal function (CSEOF) analysis is adopted to decompose the variability of the EAWM. The second CSEOF mode of 850-hPa temperature exhibits a seasonal scale variation, the physical mechanism of which is explained in terms of physically consistent variations of temperature, geopotential height, sea level pressure, wind, and surface heat fluxes. The seasonal-scale EAWM exhibits a weak subseasonal and a strong interannual variability and has gradually weakened during the 64 years. In a weak EAWM phase, the land-sea contrast of sea level pressure declines in East Asia. Consistent with this change, low-level winds decrease and warm thermal advection increases over the eastern part of mid-latitude East Asia. Latent and sensible heat fluxes are reduced significantly over the marginal seas in East Asia. However, during a strong EAWM phase, the physical conditions in East Asia reverse. A large fraction of the variability of the EAWM is explained by the seasonal cycle and the seasonal scale variation. A two-dimensional EAWM index was developed to explain these two distinct components of the EAWM variability. The new index appears to be suitable for measuring both the subseasonal and the interannual variability of the EAWM.     

Some Aspects of the Characteristics of Monsoon Disturbances Using a Combined Barotropic－Baroclinic Model

ＳｏｍｅＡｓｐｅｃｔｓｏｆｔｈｅＣｈａｒａｃｔｅｒｉｓｔｉｃｓｏｆＭｏｎｓｏｏｎＤｉｓｔｕｒｂａｎｃｅｓＵｓｉｎｇａＣｏｍｂｉｎｅｄＢａｒｏｔｒｏｐｉｃ－ＢａｒｏｃｌｉｎｉｃＭｏｄｅｌ￥Ｎ．Ｒ．ＰａｒｉｊａａｎｄＳ．Ｋ．Ｄａｓｈ（ＣｅｎｔｒｅｆｏｒＡ...     

关于东亚副热带季风若干问题的讨论

利用NCEP/NCAR再分析格点资料、TRMM卫星降水资料、中国东部站点降水资料和CMAP降水资料,重点讨论了东亚副热带季风雨季的起始时间、建立特征及其和南海夏季风的关系,同时也讨论了东亚副热带季风的可能机制。结果表明：（1）东亚副热带季风雨季于3月底—4月初（第16—18候）在江南南部和华南北部首先开始,伴随着降水的开始是偏南风的增强和对流性降水的显著增加,华南前汛期开始。（2）东亚副热带季风雨季的建立早于热带季风雨季,在热带季风建立后两者的雨带、强西南风带、强垂直运动带、强低空水汽辐合带均是分离的,南海热带季风在其建立后,与东亚副热带季风发生相互作用,促使副热带季风雨带季节性北进,两者共同影响中国的旱涝。（3）3月中下旬,东亚大陆（包括青藏高原）上空大气由冷源转为热源,东亚大陆与西太平洋之间的纬向热力差异及其相应的温度和气压对比均发生反转。东亚大陆（包括青藏高原）的动力和热力作用究竟是否是东亚副热带季风雨带提前建立的机制值得进一步研究。文章最后讨论了有关东亚副热带季风的共识与分歧。     

通用地球系统模式对亚洲夏季风降水的模拟能力评估

通过与观测/再分析资料和参加第五次耦合模式比较计划(CMIP5)的模式模拟结果进行对比,评估了通用地球系统模式(CESM,1.0.3版本)对亚洲夏季风降水的模拟能力。结果表明:CESM能够合理地模拟出亚洲夏季风降水的气候平均态,但与其他CMIP5模式模拟结果类似,对中国东南地区降水模拟偏少,而对中国西部高原地区降水模拟偏多;CESM可以再现亚洲季风区降水冬弱夏强、雨带北进南退的季节变化特征,其模拟偏差具有区域性和季节性差异;从EOF分析结果来看,CESM能够模拟出亚洲夏季风降水的时空变化特征,且能较好地抓住亚洲夏季风降水与厄尔尼诺-南方涛动(El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation,简称ENSO)的相关关系。总的说来,CESM对亚洲夏季风降水的模拟是合理的,模拟水平与4个最好的CMIP5模式相当。     

Mechanism of ENSO influence on the South Asian monsoon rainfall in global model simulations

Theoretical and Applied Climatology - Coupled ocean atmosphere global climate models are increasingly being used for seasonal scale simulation of the South Asian monsoon. In these models, sea...     

东亚和南亚季风协同作用对西南地区夏季降水的影响

为探究东亚夏季风(EASM,East?Asian?summer?monsoon)和南亚夏季风(SASM,South?Asian?summer?monsoon)相互作用及其强弱变化对西南地区夏季降水的影响,利用1979—2019年西南地区161站逐日降水观测资料和ERA-5提供的1979—2019年全球再分析资料,通过对...     

Intercomparison of different physics schemes in the WRF model over the Asian summer monsoon region

WRF模式对包含西太平洋、东印度洋和中国大陆的大区域气候模拟能力的提高对东亚夏季风气候的预测非常重要。本文的研究目的是找出合理的物理方案组合来模拟中国大陆、东印度洋和西太平洋这一特大区域的降水和温度。通过模拟2008年夏季气候并与观测进行对比分析,主要比较了Mellor–Yamada–Janjic(MYJ)和Yonsei University(YSU)边界层方案、WSM3和WSM5微物理过程方案、Betts–Miller–Janjic(BMJ)和Tiedtke积云参数化方案对这一区域的气候模拟结果。研究表明:各种物理方案的组合对于温度空间分布的模拟与观测类似;边界层方案的选择对降水影响较大,MYJ方案比YSU方案对降水的模拟效果要好;积云方案Tiedtke对雨带分布,特别是赤道辐合带(ITCZ)降水模拟更加合理。     

Interference of the East Asian Winter Monsoon in the Impact of ENSO on the East Asian Summer Monsoon in Decaying Phases简

The variability of the East Asian winter monsoon （EAWM） can be divided into an ENSO-related part （EAWMEN） and an ENSO-unrelated part （EAWMres）.The influence of EAWMres on the ENSO-East Asian summer monsoon （EASM） relationship in the decaying stages of ENSO is investigated in the present study.To achieve this,ENSO is divided into four groups based on the EAWMres：（1） weak EAWMres-E1Ni（n）o （WEAWMres-EN）; （2） strong EAWMres-E1Ni（n）o （SEAWMresEN）; （3） weak EAWMres-La Ni（n）a （WEAWMres-LN）; （4） strong EAWMres-La Ni（n）a （SEAWMres-LN）.Composite results demonstrate that the EAWMres may enhance the atmospheric responses over East Asia to ENSO for WEAWMres-EN and SEAWMres-LN.The corresponding low-level anticyclonic （cyclonic） anomalies over the western North Pacific （WNP） associated with El Ni（n）o （La Ni（n）a） tend to be strong.Importantly,this feature may persist into the following summer,causing abundant rainfall in northern China for WEAWMres-EN cases and in southwestern China for SEAWMres-LN cases.In contrast,for the SEAWMres-EN and WEAWMres-LN groups,the EAWMres tends to weaken the atmospheric circulation anomalies associated with E1 Ni（n）o or La Ni（n）a.In these cases,the anomalous WNP anticyclone or cyclone tend to be reduced and confined to lower latitudes,which results in deficient summer rainfall in northern China for SEAWMres-EN and in southwestern China for WEAWMres-LN.Further study suggests that anomalous EAWMres may have an effect on the extra-tropical sea surface temperature anomaly,which persists into the ensuing summer and may interfere with the influences of ENSO.     

一个新的东亚副热带夏季风指数的定义

利用1958—2014年夏季NCEP/NCAR大气环流资料和中国486站降水观测资料,通过多种统计诊断方法,从与夏季中国东部3类不同雨型分布相联系的东亚高低层风场变化特征出发,依据与雨带变化密切联系的高层200 hPa纬向风定义了一个新的东亚副热带夏季风指数。分析表明,该指数不仅能反映夏季东亚大气环流的变化特征,兼顾北方冷空气活动和南方东亚夏季风环流变化,同时还能反映夏季中国东部降水南北差异的年际特征。强东亚副热带夏季风指数年,高层中纬度西风急流位置偏北,低层西太平洋副热带高压偏强偏北,有利于冷空气活动位置偏北和东亚东部西南暖湿气流向北推进,中国东部多以Ⅰ类雨型为主;弱东亚副热带夏季风指数年的环流变化刚好相反,中国东部多以Ⅲ类雨型为主。与现有东亚夏季风指数的对比分析表明,该指数在反映中国东部南北区域降水变化的差异方面有很大改进。     

Simulation of monsoon boundary-layer processes using a regional scale nested grid model

A nested grid regional model with a high vertical resolution in the atmospheric boundary layer is used to simulate various atmospheric processes during an active monsoon period. A turbulence kinetic energy closure scheme is used to predict the boundary-layer structure. Model predictions indicate different structures of the boundary layer over land and oceans, as observed. Significant diurnal variation in boundary-layer structure and associated processes is predicted over land and negligible variations over oceans. The Somali jet over the Arabian Sea is well predicted. Location of the predicted monsoon depression and the associated rainfall are in good agreement with the observations. Also, predicted rainfall and its spatial distribution along the west coast of India are in good agreement with the observations.     

Simulations of the 14 July 1987 squall line using a fully compressible model

Abstract

Numerical simulations of the severe squall line of 14 July 1987 are discussed within the context of semi‐Lagrangian and semi‐implicit integrations. The fully compressible non‐hydrostatic Euler set of equations constitutes the basic dynamical framework of the numerical model. With elementary precipitation physics and with a generalized treatment of lateral boundary conditions, nested integrations simulate the observed structure of the squall line. The numerical solution and observations show a well organized precipitation system including a mesoscale fast‐propagating prefrontal squall line and a slow‐propagating system moving with the synoptic wave. The prefrontal squall line is seen to be a manifestation of the organization of an inertia‐gravity wave and has characteristics of a wave‐CISK mechanism. Owing to the interaction between the upper jet stream dynamics and moisture, the prefrontal perturbation is initiated locally and subsequently irradiates away from its point source. The high computational efficiency and the accuracy of the model emphasize its potential and demonstrate its value as an interesting tool for mesoscale modelling.