Physical Mechanism of the Impacts of the Tropical Atlantic Sea Surface Temperature on the Decadal Change of the Summer North Atlantic Oscillation

In this study,physical mechanism of the impacts of the tropical Atlantic sea surface temperature(SST)on decadal change of the summer North Atlantic Oscillation(SNAO)was explored using an atmospheric general circulation model(AGCM)developed at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics(ICTP).The simulation results indicate that the decadal warming of the SST over the tropical Atlantic after the late 1970s could have significantly enhanced the convection over the region.This enhanced convection would have strengthened the local meridional circulation over the Eastern Atlantic-North Africa-Western Europe region,exciting a meridional teleconnection.This teleconnection might have brought the signal of the tropical Atlantic SST to the Extratropics,consequently activating the variability of the eastern part of the SNAO southern center,which led to an eastward shift of the SNAO southern center around the late 1970s.Such physical processes are highly consistent with the previous observations.     

Enhancement of the summer North Atlantic Oscillation influence on Northern Hemisphere air temperature

This study investigates the relationship between the summer North Atlantic Oscillation (SNAO) and the simultaneous Northern Hemisphere (NH) land surface air temperature (SAT) by using the Climate Research Unit (CRU) data. The results show that the SNAO is related to NH land SAT, but this linkage has varied on decadal timescales over the last 52 years, with a strong connection appearing after the late 1970s, but a weak connection before. The mechanism governing the relationship between the SNAO and NH land SAT is discussed based on the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data. The results indicate that such a variable relationship may result from changes of the SNAO mode around the late 1970s. The SNAO pattern was centered mainly over the North Atlantic before the late 1970s, and thus had a weak influence on the NH land SAT. But after the late 1970s, the SNAO pattern shifted eastward and its southern center was enhanced in magnitude and extent, which transported the SNAO signal to the North Atlantic surrounding continents and even to central East Asia via an upper level wave train along the Asian jet.     

Changes of interannual NAO variability in response to greenhouse gases forcing

Observations show that there was change in interannual North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) variability in the mid-1970s. This change was characterized by an eastward shift of the NAO action centres, a poleward shift of zonal wind anomalies and a downstream extension of climate anomalies associated with the NAO. The NAO interannual variability for the period after the mid-1970s has an annular mode structure that penetrates deeply into the stratosphere, indicating a strengthened relationship between the NAO and the Arctic Oscillation (AO) and strengthened stratosphere-troposphere coupling. In this study we have investigated possible causes of these changes in the NAO by carrying out experiments with an atmospheric GCM. The model is forced either by doubling CO₂, or increasing sea surface temperatures (SST), or both. In the case of SST forcing the SST anomaly is derived from a coupled model simulation forced by increasing CO₂. Results indicate that SST and CO₂ change both force a poleward and eastward shift in the pattern of interannual NAO variability and the associated poleward shift of zonal wind anomalies, similar to the observations. The effect of SST change can be understood in terms of mean changes in the troposphere. The direct effect of CO₂ change, in contrast, can not be understood in terms of mean changes in the troposphere. However, there is a significant response in the stratosphere, characterized by a strengthened climatological polar vortex with strongly enhanced interannual variability. In this case, the NAO interannual variability has a strong link with the variability over the North Pacific, as in the annular AO pattern, and is also strongly related to the stratospheric vortex, indicating strengthened stratosphere-troposphere coupling. The similarity of changes in many characteristics of NAO interannual variability between the model response to doubling CO₂ and those in observations in the mid-1970s implies that the increase of greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere, and the resulting changes in the stratosphere, might have played an important role in the multidecadal change of interannual NAO variability and its associated climate anomalies during the late twentieth century. The weak change in mean westerlies in the troposphere in response to CO₂ change implies that enhanced and eastward extended mid-latitude westerlies in the troposphere might not be a necessary condition for the poleward and eastward shift of the NAO action centres in the mid-1970s.     

Phase transition of the Pacific decadal oscillation and decadal variation of the East Asian summer monsoon in the 20th century

This paper focuses on the relationship between the phase transition of the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) and decadal variation of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) in the twentieth century. The first transition occurred in the 1940s, with an enhanced SST in the North Pacific and reduced SST in the tropical eastern Pacific and South Indian Ocean. In agreement with these SST changes, a higher SLP was found in most parts of the Pacific, while a lower SLP was found in the North Pacific and most parts of the Indian Ocean. In this case, the EASM was largely enhanced with a southerly anomaly in the lower troposphere along the east coast of China. Correspondingly, there was less rainfall in the Yangtze River valley and more rainfall in northern and southern China. An opposite change was found when the PDO reversed its phase in the late 1970s. In the tropical Indian Ocean and western Pacific, however, the SST was enhanced in both the 1940s and 1970s. As a result, the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) tended to extend westward with a larger magnitude in the 1970s. The major features were reasonably reproduced by an atmospheric general circulation model (IAP AGCM4.0) prescribed with observed SST and sea ice. On the other hand, the westward extension of the WPSH was exaggerated in the 1970s, while it was underestimated in the 1940s. Besides, the spatial pattern of the simulated summer rainfall in eastern China tended to shift southward compared with the observation.     

北半球冬季阿留申低压－冰岛低压相关关系的年代际变化及其模拟

使用多种长期观测和再分析资料,分析了北半球冬季阿留申低压和冰岛低压相关关系的年代际变化。结果表明,两低压存在显著的负相关关系,使北太平洋和北大西洋海平面气压形成跷跷板式的变化(Aleutian Low-Icelandic Low Seesaw,AIS)。此外,AIS还存在显著的年代际变化,在1935~1949年和1980年后较为显著,其余时期并不显著。对1980年代的年代际转变分析表明,太平洋年代际振荡(Pacific Decadal Oscillation,PDO)在1970年代末的位相转变是AIS这次年代际转变的主要原因。PDO由负位相转变为正位相,使全球大部分大洋海表温度升高,而北太平洋海表温度降低,两低压显著变深,低压南部西风增强,从而通过Rossby波的频散效应使两低压强度形成显著负相关。1930年代中期的年代际转变与此类似,但强度较弱。同时,年代际背景的变化也影响到两低压的年际变化。在给定海表温度和海冰分布的驱动下,大气环流模式IAP AGCM4能基本模拟出AIS年代际转变的过程和机理,但仍存在一些偏差。     

近百年来ENSO 强度的变化特征

利用美国NOAA 提供的月平均海表温度资料和英国Hadley 中心提供的全球逐月海温格点资料,研究了1900-2015 年间厄尔尼诺- 南方涛动现象（ENSO）的强度变化。结果发现,1900-2015 年中ENSO 事件强度发生了明显变化：20 世纪初期至50 年代ENSO 强度为近百年来最弱时期,而从50 年代以后其强度显著增强,特别是70 年代至90 年代末期ENSO 强度达到近百年来最强,但在2000 年以后其强度又有所减弱。进一步分析表明,在20 世纪20-50 年代的强度偏弱期,ENSO 空间型的南北宽度为近百年来最窄,伴随着最大海温异常中心位置偏西;相比之下,在20 世纪70年代以来的强度偏强期,ENSO 空间型的南北宽度达到最宽,对应着最大海温异常中心位置偏东,而2000 年以后的情形有向相反方向发展的趋势。     

Caribbean Sea rainfall variability during the rainy season and relationship to the equatorial Pacific and tropical Atlantic SST

The present study investigates the Caribbean Sea rainfall variability during the early and late rainy seasons and its association with sea surface temperature (SST) and air?Csea interaction based on observational estimates, the NCEP Climate Forecast System (CFS) and Global Forecast System (GFS) simulations, and the CFS retrospective forecasts. Analysis of the observational estimates indicates that air?Csea interaction is important over the Caribbean Sea, whereas the atmospheric forcing of SST dominates over the Gulf of Mexico. The CFS simulation captures the basic elements of this observed air?Csea relationship. The GFS simulation produces spurious SST forcing of the atmosphere over the Gulf of Mexico largely due to prescribing SST. The CFS forecasts capture the air?Csea relationship in the late rainy season (August?COctober), but cannot reproduce the SST forcing of atmosphere over the Caribbean Sea in the early rainy season (May?CJuly). An empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis indicates that the leading modes of percent anomalies of the rainy season precipitation have the largest loading in the southern Caribbean Sea in observations. The model simulations and forecasts skillfully reproduce the spatial pattern, but not the temporal evolution. The Caribbean Sea rainfall variability in the early rainy season is mainly due to the tropical North Atlantic (TNA) SST anomalies in observations, is contributed by both the TNA and eastern equatorial Pacific (EEP) SST anomalies in the CFS simulation, and has an overly large impact from the EEP SST anomalies in the GFS simulation and the CFS forecasts. The observed Caribbean Sea rainfall variability in the late rainy season has a leading impact from the EEP SST anomalies, with a secondary contribution from the TNA SST anomalies. In comparison, the model simulations and forecasts overestimate the impacts of the EEP SST anomalies due to an earlier development and longer duration of the El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation in the CFS compared to observations.     

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.     

我国华南4、5月份降水年代际变化的特征及其与中西太平洋海温的可能关系

利用1951～2005年华南4、5月份降水资料、NOAA海温资料以及NCEP再分析资料,对华南4、5月份降水年代际变化的特征、及其所对应的大尺度环流以及与中西太平洋海温的关系作了分析。结果表明,华南4、5月份降水均在1970年代初期发生显著的年代际转变,从之前的降水偏少转变为降水偏多。华南4月份降水与前一年7～11月份的中西太平洋海温、华南5月份降水与当年2～5月份的中西太平洋海温有显著的负相关。在4、5月份年代际降水偏少(多)时期,前期中西太平洋海温偏暖(冷);同期亚洲大陆南部及非洲大陆的海平面气压显著偏低(高),北太平洋海区海平面气压偏高(低);我国华南上空存在反气旋性(气旋性)环流异常,我国华南地区北边界存在显著的南(北)风异常,造成华南地区北边界异常水汽输出增强(减弱)。同时,我国大陆对流层中上层大气显著偏暖(冷),东亚高空急流显著偏北(南),副热带高压偏弱(强)偏东(西),向华南地区输送的水汽减少(增加),从而在华南地区形成异常的水汽辐散(辐合),最终导致华南地区4、5月份降水的减少(增加)。     

Modification of the southern African rainfall variability/ENSO relationship since the late 1960s

Analysis of 149 raingauge series (1946–1988) shows a weak positive correlation between late summer rainfalls (January–March) in tropical southern Africa and the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI). The correlation coefficients have been unstable since World War II. They were close to zero before 1970 and significant thereafter. Before 1970, southern African late summer rainfalls were more specifically correlated with regional patterns of sea surface temperature (SST), mainly over the southwestern Indian Ocean. After 1970, teleconnections with near global SST anomaly patterns, i.e. over the central Pacific and Indian oceans, dominate the regional connections. The increase in the sensitivity of the southern African rainfall to the global SO-related circulation anomalies is simultaneous with the correlation between SOI and more extensive SST anomalies, particularly over the southern Indian Ocean. This feature is part of longer term (decadal), global SST variability, as inferred from statistical analyses. Numerical experiments, using the Météo-France general circulation model ARPEGE-Climat, are performed to test the impact of the observed SST warming in the southern Indian and extratropical oceans during El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events on southern African rainfall. Simulated results show that ENSO events, which occurred in the relatively cold background of the pre-1970 period in the southern oceans, had a little effect on southern Africa climatic conditions and atmospheric circulation. By contrast, more recent ENSO events, with warmer SST over the southern oceans, lead to a climatic bipolar pattern between continental southern African and the western Indian Ocean, which is characterized by reduced (enhanced) deep convection and rainfall over the subcontinent (the western Indian Ocean). A weaker subtropical high-pressure belt in the southwestern Indian Ocean is also simulated, along with a reduced penetration of the moist southern Indian Ocean trade winds over the southern African plateau. These results are consistent with the strong droughts observed over all southern Africa during ENSO events since 1970.     

北大西洋年际变率的海气耦合模式模拟II：热带太平洋强迫

利用一个全球海气耦合模式(BCM),结合观测资料,讨论了热带太平洋强迫对北大西洋年际气候变率的影响。研究表明,BCM能够相对合理地模拟赤道太平洋的年际变率模态及相应的海温距平型和大气遥相关型,尽管其准3年的振荡周期过于规则。来自数值模式和观测上的证据都表明,北大西洋冬季海温的主导性变率模态,即自北而南出现的“- -”的海温距平型,受到来自热带太平洋强迫的显著影响,其正位相与赤道中东太平洋冷事件相对应。换言之,赤道太平洋暖事件的发生,在太平洋-北美沿岸激发出PNA遥相关型,进而通过在北大西洋产生类似NAO负位相的气压距平型,削弱本来与NAO正位相直接联系的三核型海温距平。北大西洋三核型海温距平对热带太平洋强迫的响应,要滞后2—3个月的时间。     

Locally and remotely forced atmospheric circulation anomalies of Ningaloo Niño/Niña

A recently identified climate mode called Ningaloo Niño (Niña) is associated with positive (negative) sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies off the west coast of Australia and negative (positive) sea level pressure (SLP) anomalies in the overlying atmosphere. By conducting a series of numerical experiments with an atmospheric general circulation model, generation mechanisms of the atmospheric circulation anomalies accompanied by Ningaloo Niño/Niña are examined. Even when SST is allowed to vary interannually only in the eastern South Indian Ocean, negative (positive) SLP anomalies are formed off the west coast of Australia in Ningaloo Niño (Niña) years, supporting the existence of local ocean–atmosphere interaction. When the model is forced by SST anomalies outside of the eastern South Indian Ocean, negative (positive) SLP anomalies are also generated in Ningaloo Niño (Niña) years owing to a Matsuno–Gill type response to atmospheric convection anomalies in the tropical Pacific. It is found that the latter impact is stronger in the current atmospheric general circulation model. Regarding climatic impacts, it is shown that Ningaloo Niño (Niña) induces wet (dry) anomalies over the northwestern part of Australia even when SST anomalies outside of the eastern South Indian Ocean are excluded from the SST forcing.     

Interdecadal variability of the East Asian summer monsoon in an AGCM

It is well known that significant interdecadal variation of the East Asian summer monsoon （EASM） occurred around the end of the 1970s. Whether these variations can be attributed to the evolution of global sea surface temperature （SST） and sea ice concentration distribution is investigated with an atmospheric general circulation model （AGCM）. The model is forced with observed monthly global SST and sea ice evolution through 1958-1999. A total of four integrations starting from different initial conditions are carried out. It is found that only one of these reproduces the observed interdecadal changes of the EASM after the 1970s, including weakened low-level meridional wind, decreased surface air temperature and increased sea level pressure in central China, as well as the southwestward shift of the western Pacific subtropical high ridge and the strengthened 200-hPa westerlies. This discrepancy among these simulated results suggests that the interdecadal variation of the EASM cannot be accounted for by historical global SST and sea ice evolution. Thus, the possibility that the interdecadal timescale change of monsoon is a natural variability of the coupled climate system evolution cannot be excluded.     

中国东部地区夏季降水和环流的年代际转型及其与PDO的联系

利用1951—2013年全国160个测站逐月降水资料、NCEP/NCAR月平均再分析资料和NOAA全球月平均海表温度等资料,分析了中国东部地区夏季降水的年代际转型及相关大气环流变化。研究结果表明,1970s中后期和1990s PDO两次位相转换给中国东部地区夏季降水带来显著的年代际变化,前者使得东亚夏季风进一步减弱,夏季雨带南退至长江中下游地区,后者使得东亚夏季风恢复增强,雨带北移至淮河流域。进一步研究发现,1990s PDO年代际突变导致东亚夏季大气环流场发生显著变化,贝加尔湖地区增暖导致向北的经向温度梯度增大以及副热带高压的东退北抬是导致1990s东部地区夏季降水年代际变化的可能原因。     

西太平洋暖池海温和山西盛夏降水关系研究

利用1961—2016年山西盛夏(7—8月)平均降水和同期NOAA重构海温资料,分析了山西盛夏降水分别与赤道中东太平洋海温和西太平洋暖池海温相关性的变化。结果表明:山西盛夏降水和赤道中东太平洋海温之间呈现稳定的显著负相关;和西太平洋暖池海温呈现正相关,并在20世纪70年代末到80年代初之后相关性加强,通过了0.05显著性检验。进一步分析表明,这种西太平洋暖池海温对20世纪80年代以来山西盛夏降水指示意义加强的事实,主要体现在赤道中东太平洋海温偏冷的背景下。西太平洋暖池海温异常通过影响与山西盛夏降水密切相关的大气环流、季风槽位置和东亚夏季风,导致山西盛夏降水异常。盛夏赤道中东太平洋海温偏冷时,西太平洋暖池海温偏暖(冷),通过遥相关引起中高纬度大气欧亚—太平洋型遥相关(EUP)和负太平洋—日本(PJ)波列,通过影响季风槽位置偏西偏北(偏东偏南),引起西太平洋副热带高压偏北(南)和季风指数偏小(大),导致山西盛夏降水偏多(少)。     

The influence of climate regime shift on ENSO

Observations indicated that for the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) there have been eastward displacements of the zonal wind stress (WS) anomalies and surface heat flux (short wave heat flux and latent heat flux) anomalies during El Niño episodes in the 1981–1995 regime relative to the earlier regime of 1961–1975 (without corresponding displacements during La Niña episodes). Our numerical experiments with the Zebiak–Cane coupled model generally reproduced such displacements when the model climatological fields were replaced by the observed climatologies [of sea surface temperature (SST), surface WS and surface wind atmospheric divergence] and simulated climatologies (of oceanic surface layer currents and associated upwelling) for the 1981–1995 regime. Sensitivity tests indicated that the background atmospheric state played a much more important role than the background ocean state in producing the displacements, which enhanced the asymmetry between El Niño and La Niña in the later regime. The later regime climatology state resulted in the eastward shifts in the ENSO system (WS and SST) only during El Niño, through the eastward shift of the atmosphere convergence heating rate in the coupled model. The ENSO period and ENSO predictability were also enhanced in the coupled model under the later regime climatology. That the change in the mean state of the tropical Pacific atmosphere and ocean after the mid 1970s could have produced the observed changes in ENSO properties is consistent with our findings.     

青藏高原和落基山脉对ENSO影响的比较研究

本文利用耦合气候模式研究了“有/无”青藏高原和落基山脉对厄尔尼诺—南方涛动（ENSO）的影响,并从温度变率方程的角度详细分析了ENSO变化的成因,结果表明:移除青藏高原或落基山脉均会造成ENSO变率增强;ENSO变率在无青藏高原试验中增强的幅度比在无落基山脉试验中更大。ENSO变率在地形敏感性试验中的变化与热带太平洋平均气候态的改变密切相关。移除青藏高原后热带太平洋信风减弱,大气对流中心东移,混合层变浅,温跃层变平,呈现出El Ni?o型海温分布,这些平均态的变化使海表风应力敏感性,Ekman抽吸敏感性以及温跃层敏感性幅度增强,最终导致ENSO振幅增大60%。然而,在移除落基山脉的情景下,热带太平洋信风变化更加复杂,大气对流中心稍有东移,混合层加深,温跃层变平,呈现出类La Ni?a型海温分布。这些变化增强了风应力敏感性和温跃层敏感性,最终导致ENSO振幅仅增大15%左右。本文研究表明,在地质时间尺度上青藏高原和落基山脉的抬升均抑制了ENSO变率。     

Pacific decadal oscillation and variability of the Indian summer monsoon rainfall

Recent studies have furnished evidence for interdecadal variability in the tropical Pacific Ocean. The importance of this phenomenon in causing persistent anomalies over different regions of the globe has drawn considerable attention in view of its relevance in climate assessment. Here, we examine multi-source climate records in order to identify possible signatures of this longer time scale variability on the Indian summer monsoon. The findings indicate a coherent inverse relationship between the inter-decadal fluctuations of Pacific Ocean sea surface temperature (SST) and the Indian monsoon rainfall during the last century. A warm (cold) phase of the Pacific interdecadal variability is characterized by a decrease (increase) in the monsoon rainfall and a corresponding increase (decrease) in the surface air temperature over the Indian subcontinent. This interdecadal relationship can also be confirmed from the teleconnection patterns evident from long-period sea level pressure (SLP) dataset. The SLP anomalies over South and Southeast Asia and the equatorial west Pacific are dynamically consistent in showing an out-of-phase pattern with the SLP anomalies over the tropical central-eastern Pacific. The remote influence of the Pacific interdecadal variability on the monsoon is shown to be associated with prominent signals in the tropical and southern Indian Ocean indicative of coherent inter-basin variability on decadal time scales. If indeed, the atmosphere–ocean coupling associated with the Pacific interdecadal variability is independent from that of the interannual El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), then the climate response should depend on the evolutionary characteristics of both the time scales. It is seen from our analysis that the Indian monsoon is more vulnerable to drought situations, when El Niño events occur during warm phases of the Pacific interdecadal variability. Conversely, wet monsoons are more likely to prevail, when La Niña events coincide during cold phases of the Pacific interdecadal variability.     

Changes in the interannual SST-forced signals on West African rainfall. AGCM intercomparison

Rainfall over West Africa shows strong interannual variability related to changes in Sea Surface Temperature (SST). Nevertheless, this relationship seem to be non-stationary. A particular turning point is the decade of the 1970s, which witnessed a number of changes in the climatic system, including the climate shift of the late 1970s. The first aim of this study is to explore the change in the interannual variability of West African rainfall after this shift. The analysis indicates that the dipolar features of the rainfall variability over this region, related to changes in the Atlantic SST, disappear after this period. Also, the Pacific SST variability has a higher correlation with Guinean rainfall in the recent period. The results suggest that the current relationship between the Atlantic and Pacific El Ni?o phenomena is the principal responsible for these changes. A fundamental goal of climate research is the development of models simulating a realistic current climate. For this reason, the second aim of this work is to test the performance of Atmospheric General Circulation models in simulating rainfall variability over West Africa. The models have been run with observed SSTs for the common period 1957?C1998 as part of an intercomparison exercise. The results show that the models are able to reproduce Guinean interannual variability, which is strongly related to SST variability in the Equatorial Atlantic. Nevertheless, problems in the simulation of the Sahelian interannual variability appear: not all models are able to reproduce the observed negative link between rainfall over the Sahel and El Ni?o-like anomalies in the Pacific, neither the positive correlation between Mediterranean SSTs and Sahelian rainfall.     

ENSO与南海SST关系的年代际变化

基于NOAA重建的海面温度（sea surface temperature, SST）资料和NCEP再分析大气资料,研究了ENSO（El Niño-Southern Oscillation）与南海SST关系的年代际变化。结果表明：ENSO影响南海SST的冬、夏季“双峰”现象发生了显著的年代际变化,即冬季的“峰值”自20世纪80年代显著减弱,而夏季的“峰值”稳定持续且在20世纪70年代之后增强;冬季“峰值”的减弱可能与冬季西北太平洋反气旋的年代际变化有关,夏季“峰值”的维持和增强可能与20世纪70年代之后印度洋SST“电容器”效应的增强有关。