Tree ring-based winter temperature reconstruction for Changting, Fujian, subtropical region of Southeast China, since 1850: linkages to the Pacific Ocean

Until recently, there have been very few tree-ring studies in southeast China due largely to the scarcity of old trees and the complexity of relationships between tree growth and climate in subtropical regions of China. Recent studies on the conifers in southeast China revealed that tree ring-based climate reconstructions are feasible. Here, we describe a reconstruction (AD 1850–2009) of November–February maximum temperatures for Changting, Fujian, southeast China based on tree ring width data of Pinus massiniana which considerably extends the available climatic information. Calibration and verification statistics for the period 1956–2009 show a high level of skill and account for a significant portion of the observed variance (32.9%) irrespective of which period is used to develop or verify the regression model. Split sample validation supports our use of a reconstruction model based on the full period of reliable observational data (1956–2009). Warm periods occurred during 1854–1859, 1868–1880, 1885–1899, 1906–1914, 1920–1943, 1964–1975 and 1994–present; while the periods of AD 1850–1853, 1860–1867, 1881–1884, 1900–1907, 1915–1919, 1944–1963 and 1976–1993 were relatively cold. The climate correlation analyses with gridded temperature dataset and SST revealed that our season temperature reconstruction contains the strong large-scale climate signals. Our results suggest that some warm winters of Changting are coincident with El Ni?o events over the past 150?years. In addition, several severely cold winters coincide with major volcanic eruptions.     

以树轮宽度重建秦岭中段分水岭地区1-7月平均气温

根据秦岭中段分水岭地区秦岭落叶松树轮宽度指标,建立了该地区1814-2003年的树轮标准化年表。分析表明,该地标准化年表与当年1-7月平均气温显著相关。在此基础上设计转换方程,利用多元回归技术重建了秦岭中段分水岭地区的1-7月平均气温,重建序列的方差解释量为41.2% (F=15.062, p＜0.0001),重建序列显示在过去190 a中气温较低的时段主要有1814-1850年和1876-1889年;偏暖期主要有1851-1875年和1890-1933年;而1934-1990年这一时期气温变化幅度较小,气温相对比较稳定;1990年之后升温明显。     

Multiproxy summer and winter surface air temperature field reconstructions for southern South America covering the past centuries

We statistically reconstruct austral summer (winter) surface air temperature fields back to ad 900 (1706) using 22 (20) annually resolved predictors from natural and human archives from southern South America (SSA). This represents the first regional-scale climate field reconstruction for parts of the Southern Hemisphere at this high temporal resolution. We apply three different reconstruction techniques: multivariate principal component regression, composite plus scaling, and regularized expectation maximization. There is generally good agreement between the results of the three methods on interannual and decadal timescales. The field reconstructions allow us to describe differences and similarities in the temperature evolution of different sub-regions of SSA. The reconstructed SSA mean summer temperatures between 900 and 1350 are mostly above the 1901?C1995 climatology. After 1350, we reconstruct a sharp transition to colder conditions, which last until approximately 1700. The summers in the eighteenth century are relatively warm with a subsequent cold relapse peaking around 1850. In the twentieth century, summer temperatures reach conditions similar to earlier warm periods. The winter temperatures in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were mostly below the twentieth century average. The uncertainties of our reconstructions are generally largest in the eastern lowlands of SSA, where the coverage with proxy data is poorest. Verifications with independent summer temperature proxies and instrumental measurements suggest that the interannual and multi-decadal variations of SSA temperatures are well captured by our reconstructions. This new dataset can be used for data/model comparison and data assimilation as well as for detection and attribution studies at sub-continental scales.     

东亚冬季风的年代际变化及其与全球气候变化的可能联系

对近年来中外关于东亚冬季风(EAWM)年代际变化问题研究进展做了回顾和评述,主要包括以下3个方面内容:(1)东亚冬季风明显受到全球气候变化的影响,从20世纪50年代开始,中国冬季气温经历了一次冷期(从20世纪50年代延续到80年代初中期),一次暖期(从20世纪80年代初中后期延续到21世纪初)和近10-15年(约从1998年开始)出现的气候变暖趋缓期(也称气候变暖停顿期)。(2)东亚冬季风主要表现出强-弱-强3阶段的特征,即从1950年到1986/1987年,明显偏强;从1986/1987年冬季开始,东亚冬季风减弱;约2005年之后,东亚冬季风开始由弱转强。与东亚冬季风的年代际变化特征相对应,东亚冬季大气环流以及中国冬季气温和寒潮都表现出一致的年代际变化。(3)东亚冬季风的年代际变化与大气环流和太平洋海表温度(SST)的区域模态变化密切相关。当北半球环状模/北极涛动(NAM/AO)和太平洋年代际振荡(PDO)处于负(正)位相,东亚冬季风偏强(弱),中国冬季气温偏低(高)。此外,北大西洋年代尺度振荡(AMO)对东亚冬季风也有重要影响,在AMO负位相时,对应东亚冷期(强冬季风),正位相对应暖期(弱冬季风)。因而海洋的年代际变化是造成东亚冬季风气候脉动的主要自然原因,而全球气候变暖对东亚冬季风强度的减弱也有明显影响。     

Interdecadal Variability of the East Asian Winter Monsoon and Its Possible Links to Global Climate Change

This paper presents a concise summary of the studies on interdecadal variability of the East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM) from three main perspectives. (1) The EAWM has been significantly affected by global climate change. Winter temperature in China has experienced three stages of variations from the beginning of the 1950s: a cold period (from the beginning of the 1950s to the early or mid 1980s), a warm period (from the early or mid 1980s to the early 2000s), and a hiatus period in recent 10 years (starting from 1998). The strength of the EAWM has also varied in three stages: a stronger winter monsoon period (1950 to 1986/87), a weaker period (1986/87 to 2004/05), and a strengthening period (from 2005). (2) Corresponding to the interdecadal variations of the EAWM, the East Asian atmospheric circulation, winter temperature of China, and the occurrence of cold waves over China have all exhibited coherent interdecadal variability. The upper-level zonal circulation was stronger, the mid-tropospheric trough over East Asia was deeper with stronger downdrafts behind the trough, and the Siberian high was stronger during the cold period than during the warm period. (3) The interdecadal variations of the EAWM seem closely related to major modes of variability in the atmospheric circulation and the Pacific sea surface temperature. When the Northern Hemisphere annular mode/Arctic Oscillation and the Pacific decadal oscillation were in negative (positive) phase, the EAWM was stronger (weaker), leading to colder (warmer) temperatures in China. In addition, the negative (positive) phase of the Atlantic multi decadal oscillation coincided with relatively cold (warm) temperatures and stronger (weaker) EAWMs. It is thus inferred that the interdecadal variations in the ocean may be one of the most important natural factors influencing long-term variability in the EAWM, although global warming may have also played a significant role in weakening the EAWM.     

Present-day climatology and projected changes of warm and cold days in the CNRM-CM3 global climate model

The impact of global warming on the warmest and coldest days of the annual cycle is explored according to an A2 scenario simulated by the CNRM-CM3 climate model in the framework of the IPCC AR4 intercomparison. Given the multi-model spread in IPCC projections, a validation strategy is proposed using the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis. Validation of the late twentieth century model climatology shows that warm and cold model events are slightly too long and infrequent. Although interannual trends in the warm (cold) day occurrence were positive (negative) only for six (three) of the nine considered sub-continental regions, simulated model trends are always positive (negative). This different behaviour suggests that simulated non-anthropogenic decadal variability is small relative to anthropogenic trends. Large-scale synoptic processes associated with European regional warm and cold peaks are also described and validated. Regional cold peaks are better reproduced than warm peaks, whose intensity accuracy is limited by other physical variables. Positive (negative) winter anomalies of sea and land surface temperature lead to summers with severe (weak) temperatures. These inter-annual anomalies are generated by a persistent pressure dipole over Europe. Regarding climate change, warm (cold) events will become more (less) frequent and longer (shorter). The number of warm days will largely rise and the number of cold days will dramatically decrease. The intensity of warm days will be particularly pronounced over Europe, given the projected summer drying in this region. However, according to the limited skill of the CNRM model, these results must be considered with caution.     

Recent and future sea surface temperature trends in tropical pacific warm pool and cold tongue regions

Using coral data, sea surface temperature (SST) reanalysis data, and Climate Model Intercomparison Project III (CMIP3) data, we analyze 20th-century and future warm pool and cold tongue SST trends. For the last 100?years, a broad La Nina-like SST trend, in which the warming trend of the warm pool SST is greater than that of the cold tongue SST, has appeared in reanalysis SST data sets, 20C scenario experiments of the CMIP3 data and less significantly in coral records. However, most Coupled General Circulation Models subjected to scenarios of future high greenhouse gas concentrations produce larger SST warming trends in cold tongues than in warm pools, resembling El Nino-like SST patterns. In other words, warmer tropical climate conditions correspond to stronger El Nino-like response. Heat budget analyses further verify that warmer tropical climates diminish the role of the ocean’s dynamic thermostat, which currently regulates cold tongue temperatures. Therefore, the thermodynamic thermostat, whose efficiency depends on the mean temperature, becomes the main regulator (particularly via evaporative cooling) of both warm pool and cold tongue temperatures in future warm climate conditions. Thus, the warming tendency of the cold tongue SST may lead that of the warm pool SST in near future.     

树轮记录的天山南坡阿克苏河流域2-3月平均气温

利用阿克苏气象站2-3月的平均气温与阿克苏河流域树轮标准化序列,可较好地重建该区域近378年2-3月的平均气温。重建时段具有明显的树木生理学意义,经过多方面验证,重建结果是可信的。对历史时期阿克苏河流域的平均气温进行了分析,发现阿克苏河流域过去378年的2-3月平均气温具有3.6,42和50.4年的准周期变化,平均气温重建序列在1719年和1827年前后发生突变;过去378年的2-3月平均气温大体经历了9低9高的变化阶段,其中1911-1922年是最冷的阶段,比平均值偏低1℃以上,而1640-1651年是最暖的阶段,比平均值偏高1℃以上。20世纪初-10年代中期气温持续下降,1915-1921年间平均气温维持在近百年来最低水平,其中平均最小值出现在1916年。20世纪20年代初-30年代末气温缓慢上升,40年代初—70年代初气温缓慢回落,70年代中后期到现在温度持续上升。     

近百年中国气候变暖趋势之再评估

基于均一化的气温观测序列集,1900年以来中国气温升高趋势1.3—1.7℃/（100 a）。这个已用于新近的中国国家气候变化评估报告的结果,远高于早期的评估结果（0.5—0.8℃/（100 a））。回顾了始于20世纪80年代的中国百年气温序列的研究,指出其中关键进展在于近年来研发了均一化的长期站点气温观测序列集。早年构建的中国气温序列中,20世纪40年代前异常偏高,除了战乱期间观测缺失严重及记录代表性问题外,主要是50年代前后很多台站迁址导致早期气温观测值系统性偏高所致,从而低估长期变暖趋势。40年代前后部分区域确实偏暖,但由于不同区域气温波动位相不一致,因而大范围平均序列中并不明显。这一事实可与近年发展的“北极暖-大陆冷”等气候变化动力学理论以及一些区域气温代用资料相印证。近几十年城市化对中国气温变化趋势之贡献大小尚存争议,但远非主导因素。      

Trends of Extreme Temperatures in Europe and China Based on Daily Observations

Ten of the longest daily temperature series presently available in Europe and China are analysed, focusing on changes in extremes since pre-industrial times. We consider extremes in both a relative (with respect to the time of year) and an absolute sense. To distinguish changes in extremes from changes affecting the main part of the temperature distribution, a percentile smaller than 10 (and/or larger than 90) is recommended for defining an extreme. Three periods of changes in temperature extremes are identified: decreasing warm extremes before the late 19th century; decreasing cold extremes since then and increasing warm extremes since the 1960s. The early decreases and recent increases of warm extremes dominate in summer, while the decrease of cold extremes for winter persists throughout the whole period. There were more frequent combined (warm plus cold) extremes during the 18th century and the recent warming period since 1961 at most of the ten stations, especially for summer. Since 1961, the annual frequency of cold extremes has decreased by about 7% per century with warm extremes increasing by more than 10% per century but with large spatial variability. Compared with recent annual mean warming of about 2–3 ° C/century, the coldest winter temperatures have increased atthree times this rate, causing a reduced within-season range and therefore less variable winters. Changes in the warmest summer temperatures since 1961 exhibit large spatial variability, with rates of change ranging from slightly negative to 6 ° C/century. More extensive station observations since 1961 indicate that the single site results are representative of larger regions, implying also that the extremes studied are the result of large-scale changes. Recent circulation changes in daily gridded pressure data, used as an indicator of wind speed changes, support the results by explaining some of the trends.     

Mesoscale observations of surface fronts and low pressure centres in Canadian East Coast winter storms

The movements of surface cold and warm fronts and low pressure centres have been observed in several Atlantic Canada winter storms. Statistical aspects of the well-defined surface fronts (7 warm and 6 cold) are presented. Surface wind direction change was considered as the best indicator of the boundaries of the front; frontal zone widths ranged from 23 to 144 km. Average values of wind shifts were 107° for the cold fronts and 85° for warm fronts. Several case studies are presented, based primarily on surface MesoNet data (near Halifax, Nova Scotia and on Sable Island). In two of the cold fronts, there was a two-stage surface structure and rapid evolution as the front passed over the MesoNet. In some cases, both warm and cold, the wind shift and temperature change were coincident while in others they were not. In particular we observed that wind shifts often started 20–30 min ahead of the start of a temperature decrease in these cold frontal passages. A possible mechanism for this is discussed. We found little or no evidence of along-front structure in our data although other investigators have found considerable along-front variation on scales of 0(10 km). Observations of the passage of one low pressure centre are presented. In a second case, surface temperature changes indicated an apparent low pressure centre passage through the Sable Island MesoNet but closer inspection provides an alternative interpretation.     

南京56年来冬季气温变化特征

利用南京市1951年1月—2007年4月逐日气温观测资料, 分析讨论了南京56年冬季平均气温、极端最低气温、冷积温和低温日数的变化趋势和特征, 探讨了南京冬季气温的年代变化和冷冬、暖冬的分布。结果表明: 56年来南京冬季平均气温是明显上升的, 而极端低温和冷积温上升更为显著; 南京20世纪50年代和60年代为冬季低温期, 冷冬皆分布在80年代以前, 90年代以后没有冷冬, 多为暖冬, 近10年为两年一遇, 80年代以来南京冬季明显升温, 90年代以来的南京冬季出现了持续的偏暖异常。     

Holocene climate variability as derived from alkenone sea surface temperature and coupled ocean-atmosphere model experiments

Holocene climate modes are identified by the statistical analysis of reconstructed sea surface temperatures (SSTs) from the tropical and North Atlantic regions. The leading mode of Holocene SST variability in the tropical region indicates a rapid warming from the early to mid Holocene followed by a relatively weak warming during the late Holocene. The dominant mode of the North Atlantic region SST captures the transition from relatively warm (cold) conditions in the eastern North Atlantic and the western Mediterranean Sea (the northern Red Sea) to relatively cold (warm) conditions in these regions from the early to late Holocene. This pattern of Holocene SST variability resembles the signature of the Arctic Oscillation/North Atlantic Oscillation (AO/NAO). The second mode of both tropical and North Atlantic regions captures a warming towards the mid Holocene and a subsequent cooling. The dominant modes of Holocene SST variability emphasize enhanced variability around 2300 and 1000 years. The leading mode of the coupled tropical-North Atlantic Holocene SST variability shows that an increase of tropical SST is accompanied by a decrease of SST in the eastern North Atlantic. An analogy with the instrumental period as well as the analysis of a long-term integration of a coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation model suggest that the AO/NAO is one dominant mode of climate variability at millennial time scales.     

西北太平洋热带气旋移动路径的年际变化及其机理研究

利用JTWC的热带气旋资料、NCEP/NCAR再分析的风场资料以及Scripps海洋研究所的海温资料分析了西北太平洋热带气旋(TC)移动路径的年际变化及其机理。结果表明,西北太平洋TC移动路径有明显的年际变化并与西太平洋暖池热状态有很密切的关系。当西太平洋暖池处于暖状态,西北太平洋上空TC移动路径偏西,影响中国的台风个数偏多;相反,当西太平洋暖池处于冷状态,西北太平洋的TC移动路径偏东,影响日本的台风个数偏多,而影响中国的台风个数可能偏少。本研究以西太平洋暖池处于冷状态的2004年与西太平洋暖池处于暖状态的2006年的西北太平洋TC移动路径的差别进一步论证了这一分析结果并从动力理论方面分析了在西太平洋暖池不同热状态下,季风槽对赤道西传天气尺度的Rossby重力混合波转变成热带低压型波动(TD型波动)的影响,以此揭示西太平洋暖池的热状态对西北太平洋TC生成位置与移动路径年际变化的影响机理。分析结果表明,当西北太平洋暖池处于暖状态时,季风槽偏西,使得热带太平洋上空对流层低层Rossby重力混合波转变成TD型波动的位置也偏西,从而造成TC生成平均位置偏西,并易于出现西行路径;相反,当西太平洋暖池处于冷状态时,季风槽偏东,这造成了对流层低层Rossby重力混合波转变成TD型波动的区域,以及TC生成的平均位置都偏东,从而导致TC移动路径以东北转向为主。     

与夏季北太平洋副热带中尺度海洋涡旋相联系的海气关系

采用高分辨率卫星和再分析资料,利用涡旋探测技术、滤波和合成分析等方法,对夏季北太平洋副热带地区中尺度海洋涡旋与大气的耦合关系进行了分析。结果表明:在日时间尺度上,海洋涡旋的海表温度（Sea SurfaceTemperature,简称SST）与海表风速之间不仅存在同位相的正相关关系,还存在反位相的负相关关系,即在涡旋这种中尺度上既存在海洋对大气的强迫,也存在大气对海洋的强迫。海表风速与SST同位相时,对暖（冷）涡来说,向上（下）的净热通量增强,云和降水增多（减少）;其海水温度异常和海流旋度较强,暖（冷）涡较为深厚,一定程度上表明了海洋对大气的强迫。海表风速与SST反位相时,对暖（冷）涡而言,当其处在正（负）位势高度异常、中低层相对湿度较小（大）、气温较高（低）的大气配置下,海表风速较小（大）;同时向下（上）净热通量增强,云和降水减少（增多）;涡旋海水温度异常和海流旋度较弱,这种暖（冷）涡较为浅薄;表明晴空（阴雨）条件下有利于暖（冷）涡的维持,一定程度上反映了大气对海洋的强迫作用。     

东北地区春季气温异常环流背景分析

利用东北地区99个测站近40年(1960～2000年)的春季3～5月气温资料与同期全球范围的温度场、高度场、风场资料,分析了东北地区春季冷、暖年的大气环流异常及要素场的空间分布特征。结果表明：冷春年．东北地区处于高度场的负距平中心,中层以上高纬地区有阻高或暖脊维持;东亚大槽指数的高值年对应东北高温,而低值年则对应东北低温;冷、暖春年的温度场的垂直分布十分深厚,冷春年东北地区主要受偏北气流影响,从地面到对流层顶均处于温度负距平中心内,纬向风在东北地区呈正距平分布,西风带势力较强,暖春年则相反。     

The Use of Indices to Identify Changes in Climatic Extremes

Changes in the frequencies of extremes are investigated by a variety of methods using daily temperature data from the British Isles, and monthly 5° latitude × 5° longitude grid-box temperatures over the land and marine regions of the world. The 225 year long daily Central England Temperature record shows no significant increase in very warm days in recent years but there is a marked decrease in the frequency of very cold days. Thus the rise in temperature in the last two decades is principally associated with a reduction in very cold days. Temperatures on days with particular wind circulation or pressure pattern types over the British Isles show multidecadal variations. Analyses using monthly gridded temperature data around the world since 1951 indicate that the recent rise in global surface temperatures is accompanied both by reductions in the areas affected by extremely cool temperatures and by increases in the areas with extremely warm temperatures.     

近45a黄冈市气温和降水的变化与异常特征分析

利用线性倾向率、滑动平均、小波分析、异常分析等方法,对黄冈市45a来（1961～2005年）气温和降水变化事实进行诊断分析,着重分析气温和降水的年际变化、年代际变化等基本气候特征。结果表明,黄冈市年平均气温呈上升趋势,特别是自1980年代后期上升尤为明显,冬、春季增温对该市年平均气温贡献最大;平均气温变化阶段性明显;气温周期性变化明显,平均气温主要有4a和6a年际周期、13a和20a年代际周期;45a中没有出现异常偏冷年,异常偏暖年出现过1次（1998年）;年最高气温呈弱上升趋势,阶段性明显,冷暖交替变化;年最低气温呈明显上升趋势;年降水量呈增多趋势,1980年代为降水峰值期;降水量周期性变化明显,主要有6～7a年际周期、13a年代际周期;45a中降水异常偏多和异常偏少均未出现。