Overview of the South China sea monsoon experiment

The present paper gives an overview of the key project “ South China Sea Monsoon Experiment(SCSMEX)” operated by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China during the period of 1996-2001. The SCSMEX is a joint atmospheric and oceanic field experiment which aims to better understandthe onset, maintenance, and variability of the summer monsoon over the South China Sea (SCS). It is a large-scale international effort with many participating countries and regions cooperatively involved in this experiment. With the field observation in May-August 1998, a large amount of meteorological and oceanic data was acquired, which provides excellent datasets for the study of the SCS monsoon and the East Asian monsoon and their interaction with the ocean. The preliminary research achievements are as follows. (1) The earliest onset of the Asian monsoon over the SCS and Indo-China Peninsula has been well documented. From the viewpoint of the synoptic process, its onset is closely related to the early rapid development of a twin cyclone to the east of Sri Lanka. The conceptual model of the SCS monsoon onset in 1998 was put forward. The 50-year time series of the SCS monsoon onset date was also made. (2) Two major modes, namely the 30-60-day and 10-20-day oscillations were ascertained. The influences of the abnormal SCS monsoon on the precipitation over eastern China and its modes were identified. A strong(weak) monsoon over the SCS usually leads to less (more) precipitation over the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River basin, and more (less) precipitation in North China. (3) During the monsoon onset over the SCS, a wide variety of organized mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) were observed by a Doppler radar array deployed over the northern SCS. The relationship between large-scale circulations and MCSs during the monsoon onset process in 1998 was clearly revealed. It was suggested that there is a kind of positive feedback mechanism between large-scale circulations and MCSs. (4) The SST over the SCS during the early period influences the timing of the monsoon onset date and the monsoon‘s intensity. During the monsoon onset, the ocean undergoes a process of energy release through air-sea interaction. During the break phase of the SCS monsoon, the ocean demonstrates the process of energy re-accumulation. Obvious differences in the air-sea turbulent flux exchange between the southern and northern parts of the SCS due to different characteristic features of the atmosphere and sea structure were observed in those regions.(5) The verification of impact of intensive observations on the predictive performance is made by the use of regional models. The air-sea coupled regional climate model (CRCM) was also developed under the SCSMEX Project . The simulation of the oceanic circulation in 1998 produced with the model was well compared with the observations.     

Atmospheric circulation characteristics associated with the onset of Asian summer monsoon

The onset of the Asian summer monsoon has been a focus in the monsoon study for many years. In this paper, we study the variability and predictability of the Asian summer monsoon onset and demonstrate that this onset is associated with specific atmospheric circulation characteristics. The outbreak of the Asian summer monsoon is found to occur first over the southwestern part of the South China Sea (SCS) and the Malay Peninsula region, and the monsoon onset is closely related to intra-seasonal oscillations in the lower atmosphere. These intra-seasonal oscillations consist of two low-frequency vortex pairs, one located to the east of the Philippines and the other over the tropical eastern Indian Ocean. Prior to the Asian summer monsoon onset, a strong low-frequency westerly emerges over the equatorial Indian Ocean and the low-frequency vortex pair develops symmetrically along the equator. The formation and evolution of these low-frequency vortices are important and serve as a good indicator for the Asian summer monsoon onset. The relationship between the northward jumps of the westerly jet over East Asia and the Asian summer monsoon onset over SCS is investigated. It is shown that the northward jump of the westerly jet occurs twice during the transition from winter to summer and these jumps are closely related to the summer monsoon development. The first northward jump (from 25–28N to around 30N) occurs on 8 May on average, about 7 days ahead of the summer monsoon onset over the SCS. It is found that the reverse of meridional temperature gradient in the upper-middle troposphere (500–200 hPa) and the enhancement and northward movement of the subtropical jet in the Southern Hemispheric subtropics are responsible for the first northward jump of the westerly jet.     

Moisture Transport in the Asian Summer Monsoon Region and Its Relationship with Summer Precipitation in China

The characteristics of moisture transport over the Asian summer monsoon region and its relationship with summer precipitation in China are examined by a variety of statistical methods using the NCEP/NC AR reanalysis data for 1948-2005.The results show that:1) The zonal-mean moisture transport in the Asian monsoon region is unique because of monsoon activities.The Asian summer monsoon region is a dominant moisture sink during summer.Both the Indian and East Asian monsoon areas have their convergence cente...     

The Role of Land-sea Distribution and Orography in the Asian Monsoon. Part Ⅱ:Orography

The role of various mountains in the Asian monsoon system is investigated by AGCM simulations with different mountains.The comparison of the simulation with Asian mountains(MAsia run)with the simulation without mountains(NM run)reveals that the presence of the Asian mountains results in a stronger South Asian summer monsoon(SASM),characterized by enhanced lower-tropospheric westerly winds,uppertropospheric easterly winds,and stronger water vapor convergence.In East Asia,the southerly winds and water vapor convergence are significantly strengthened in association with the intensified zonal pressure gradient between the East Asian continent and the Pacific Ocean.Both the dynamical and thermodynamic forcing of the Tibetan Plateau play important role in strengthening the Asian summer monsoon.In winter,the presence of Asian mountains significantly strengthens the continental high,which leads to a stronger Asian winter monsoon.The presence of African-Arabian mountains helps to intensify the exchange of mass between the Southern Hemisphere and Northern Hemisphere by strengthening the cross equatorial flows in the lower and upper troposphere over East Africa. Asian mountains also play a crucial role in the seasonal evolution of Asian monsoons.In comparison with the NM run,the earlier onset and later withdrawal of lower-tropospheric westerly winds can be found over South Asia in the MAsia run,indicating a longer SASM period.The African-Arabian mountains also moderately contribute to the seasonal variation of the South Asian monsoon.In East Asia,the clear southto-north march of the southerly winds and subtropical rainfall starts to occur in early summer when the effects of Asian mountains are considered.     

Evaluation of East Asian Summer Climate Prediction from the CESM Large-Ensemble Initialized Decadal Prediction Project

Based on surface air temperature and precipitation observation data and NCEP/NCAR atmospheric reanalysis data,this study evaluates the prediction of East Asian summer climate during 1959–2016 undertaken by the CESM (Community Earth System Model) large-ensemble initialized decadal prediction (CESM-DPLE) project. The results demonstrate that CESM-DPLE can reasonably capture the basic features of the East Asian summer climate and associated main atmospheric circulation patterns. In general, the prediction skill is quite high for surface air temperature,but less so for precipitation, on the interannual timescale. CESM-DPLE reproduces the anomalies of mid-and highlatitude atmospheric circulation and the East Asian monsoon and climate reasonably well, all of which are attributed to the teleconnection wave train driven by the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO). A transition into the warm phase of the AMO after the late 1990s decreased the geopotential height and enhanced the strength of the monsoon in East Asia via the teleconnection wave train during summer, leading to excessive precipitation and warming over East Asia. Altogether, CESM-DPLE is capable of predicting the summer temperature in East Asia on the interannual timescale, as well as the interdecadal variations of East Asian summer climate associated with the transition of AMO phases in the late 1990s, albeit with certain inadequacies remaining. The CESM-DPLE project provides an important resource for investigating and predicting the East Asian climate on the interannual and decadal timescales.     

An Analysis of the Characteristics of Monsoon Onset over the Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea in 2010

Based on NCEP/NCAR daily reanalysis and the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission data, the background atmospheric circulation and the characteristics of meteorological elements during the period of the Bay of Bengal monsoon (BOBM) and the South China Sea (SCS) monsoon (SCSM) in 2010 are studied. The impacts of the BOBM onset on the SCSM onset and the relationship between the two monsoons are also analyzed. The two main results are as follows. (1) The BOBM onset obviously occurs earlier than the SCSM onset in 2010, which is a typical onset process of the Asian monsoon. During the BOBM’s onset, northward jump, and eastward expansion, convective precipitation and southwest winds occurred over the SCS, which resulted in the onset of the SCSM. (2) The relationship among strong convection, heavy rainfall, and vertical circulation configuration is obtained during the monsoon onsets over the BOB and SCS, and it is concluded that the South Asian High plays an important role in this period.     

Variations of the summer Somali and Australia cross-equatorial flows and the implications for the Asian summer monsoon

The temporal variations during 1948-2010 and vertical structures of the summer Somali and Australia cross-equatorial flows(CEFs) and the implications for the Asian summer monsoon were explored in this study.The strongest southerly and northerly CEFs exist at 925 hPa and 150 hPa level,respectively.The low-level Somali(LLS) CEFs were significantly connected with the rainfall in most regions of India(especially the monsoon regions),except in a small area in southwest India.In comparison to the climatology,the lowlevel Australia(LLA) CEFs exhibited stronger variations at interannual time scale and are more closely connected to the East Asian summer monsoon circulation than to the LLS CEFs.The East Asian summer monsoon circulation anomalies related to stronger LLA CEFs were associated with less water vapor content and less rainfall in the region between the middle Yellow River and Yangtze River and with more water vapor and more rainfall in southern China.The sea-surface temperature anomalies east of Australia related to summer LLA CEFs emerge in spring and persist into summer,with implications for the seasonal prediction of summer rainfall in East Asia.The connection between the LLA CEFs and East Asian summer monsoon rainfall may be partly due to its linkage with El Nino-Southern Oscillation.In addition,both the LLA and LLS CEFs exhibited interdecadal shifts in the late 1970s and the late 1990s,consistent with the phase shifts of Pacific Decadal Oscillation(PDO).     

Influence of soil moisture in eastern China on the East Asian summer monsoon

The sensitivity of the East Asian summer monsoon to soil moisture anomalies over China was investigated based on ensembles of seasonal simulations(March–September) using the NCEP GCM coupled with the Simplified Simple Biosphere Model(NCEP GCM/SSi B). After a control experiment with free-running soil moisture, two ensembles were performed in which the soil moisture over the vast region from the lower and middle reaches of the Yangtze River valley to North China(YRNC) was double and half that in the control, with the maximum less than the field capacity. The simulation results showed significant sensitivity of the East Asian summer monsoon to wet soil in YRNC. The wetter soil was associated with increased surface latent heat flux and reduced surface sensible heat flux. In turn, these changes resulted in a wetter and colder local land surface and reduced land–sea temperature gradients, corresponding to a weakened East Asian monsoon circulation in an anomalous anticyclone over southeastern China, and a strengthened East Asian trough southward over Northeast China. Consequently, less precipitation appeared over southeastern China and North China and more rainfall over Northeast China. The weakened monsoon circulation and strengthened East Asian trough was accompanied by the convergence of abnormal northerly and southerly flow over the Yangtze River valley, resulting in more rainfall in this region.In the drier soil experiments, less precipitation appeared over YRNC. The East Asian monsoon circulation seems to show little sensitivity to dry soil anomalies in NCEP GCM/SSi B.     

Longitudinal Heating Gradient: Another Possible Factor Influencing the Intensity of the Asian Summer Monsoon Circulation

The largest longitudinal heating gradients in the tropics exist between the African desert and Asian convective regions during summer once the South Asian monsoon is established. The heating gradients are anchored by the latent heat release and net radiative flux convergence over the monsoon region, and by the dominant net radiative flux divergence over the desert.An apparent relationship is found between the intensity of the Asian summer monsoon circulation and the longitudinal heating gradients mentioned, in addition to the latitudinal heating gradients cross the monsoon region. The monsoon circulation measured in terms of the zonal wind component is stronger when the longitudinal heating gradients are large, and vice versa. Thus, we claim that the longitudinal heating gradient may be another important factor which influences the intensity of the Asian summer monsoon circulation. There is little evidence that the interannual variability of the longitudinal heating gradients between Africa and Asia and     

Simulation of East Asian Summer Monsoon by Using an Improved AGCM

The IAP 2-L AGCM is modified by introducing a set of climatological surface albedo data into the model for substituting the model’s original surface albedo parameterization. The comparison between the observations and the simulation results by the modified model shows that the general features of the East Asian summer monsoon can be well reproduced by the modified IAP 2-L AGCM. Especially for the simulation of monsoon precipitation, the modi-fied model can well reproduce not only the monthly mean features of the summer monsoon rainfall over East Asia, but also the stepwise advance and retreat of the East Asian summer monsoon rainbelt. Analysis results demonstrate that the good simulation of the monsoon rainfall is closely related to the reasonable simulation of the large scale gen-eral circulation over East Asian region, such as the western Pacific subtropical high, Asian monsoon low and the low level flows. The good performance of the modified model in the rainfall simulation shows its great potential to serve as a useful tool for the prediction of summer drought / flood events over East Asia.     

南海季风试验与东亚夏季风

南海季风试验是一次国际性大气与海洋的联合试验 ,旨在更好地了解南海季风的爆发、维持与变化 ,以改进东亚和东南亚地区的季风预报。 1998年 5～ 8月进行的外场试验取得了圆满成功 ,获得了大量气象与海洋资料。不少国家对这些资料进行四维资料同化 ,并改进数值模拟和预报 ;同时也为东亚与南海地区季风的研究提供了必要的资料集。文中总结了中国科学家在这方面的主要研究成果 ,共包括 6个方面 :(1)南海夏季风的爆发过程与机理 ;(2 )南海季风爆发过程中对流与中尺度系统的发展及其与大尺度环流的相互作用 ;(3)低频振荡与遥相关作用 ;(4 )南海海 气通量的测量及其与季风活动的关系 ;(5 )夏季风时期南海海洋的热力结构、环流和中尺度涡旋及其与ENSO事件的关系 ;(6 )南海与东亚季风的数值模拟。     

南海季风试验研究

介绍了"九五"国家攀登项目"南海季风试验"外场观测系统和主要结果.该试验是一次旨在了解南海季风爆发,维持和变化主要物理过程的大气与海洋联合试验,是由十几个国家与地区参加的一次大型国际合作项目.通过1998年5～8月的外场观测试验,取得了大量和多种大气与海洋的加密观测资料,为南海和东亚季风及其与海洋的相互作用研究提供了比较完善的资料集.目前研究正在深入阶段.作者只是对这个试验的一般情况作了说明.     

Relationship Between East Asian Winter Monsoon and Summer Monsoon

Using National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Centre for Atmospheric Research(NCEP/NCAR) reanalysis data and monthly Hadley Center sea surface temperature(SST) data,and selecting a representative East Asian winter monsoon(EAWM) index,this study investigated the relationship between EAWM and East Asian summer monsoon(EASM) using statistical analyses and numerical simulations.Some possible mechanisms regarding this relationship were also explored.Results indicate a close relationship between EAWM and EASM:a strong EAWM led to a strong EASM in the following summer,and a weak EAWM led to a weak EASM in the following summer.Anomalous EAWM has persistent impacts on the variation of SST in the tropical Indian Ocean and the South China Sea,and on the equatorial atmospheric thermal anomalies at both lower and upper levels.Through these impacts,the EAWM influences the land-sea thermal contrast in summer and the low-level atmospheric divergence and convergence over the Indo-Pacific region.It further affects the meridional monsoon circulation and other features of the EASM.Numerical simulations support the results of diagnostic analysis.The study provides useful information for predicting the EASM by analyzing the variations of preceding EAWM and tropical SST.     

Predictability of South China Sea Summer Monsoon Onset

Predicting monsoon onset is crucial for agriculture and socioeconomic planning in countries where millions rely on the timely arrival of monsoon rains for their livelihoods. In this study we demonstrate useful skill in predicting year-to-year variations in South China Sea summer monsoon onset at up to a three-month lead time using the GloSea5 seasonal forecasting system. The main source of predictability comes from skillful prediction of Pacific sea surface temperatures associated with El NiÑo and La NiÑa. The South China Sea summer monsoon onset is a known indicator of the broadscale seasonal transition that represents the first stage of the onset of the Asian summer monsoon as a whole. Subsequent development of rainfall across East Asia is influenced by subseasonal variability and synoptic events that reduce predictability, but interannual variability in the broadscale monsoon onset for East Asian summer monsoon still provides potentially useful information for users about possible delays or early occurrence of the onset of rainfall over East Asia.     

Impact of Ocean-Continent Distribution over Southern Asia on the Formation of Summer Monsoon

Using the CCM3/NCAR, a series of numerical experiments are designed to explore the effect of ocean-land interlaced distributions of Africa-Arabian Sea-India Peninsula-Bay of Bengal (BOB)-Indo-China Peninsula-South China Sea on the formation of the Asian summer monsoon circulation (ASMC). The results show that the thermal difference between African or Indian Subcontinent and nearby areas including the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, and part of BOB is the primary mechanism that maintains the Indian monsoon circulation. In the experiment getting rid of these two continents, the Indian monsoon system (IMS) members, i.e., the Somali cross-equatorial jet (40°E) and the southwesterly monsoon over the Arabian Sea and BOB, almost disappear. Moreover, the Hadley circulation weakens dominantly. It also proves that Africa has greater effect than Indian Subcontinent on the IMS. However, the existence of Indo-China Peninsula and Australia strengthens the East Asian monsoon system (EAMS). The thermal contrast between Indo-China Peninsula and SCS, Australia and western Pacific Ocean plays an important role in the formation of the tropical monsoon to the south of the EAMS. When the Indo-China Peninsula is masked in the experiment, the cross-equatorial flow (105°E and 125°E) vanishes, so does the southwesterly monsoon usually found over East Asia, and EAMS is enfeebled significantly. In addition, the impacts of these thermal contrasts on the distribution of the summer precipitation and surface temperature are investigated.     

The Earliest Onset Areas and Mechanism of the Tropical Asian Summer Monsoon

The multi-yearly averaged pentad meteorological fields at 850 hPa of the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis dada and the TBB fields of the Japan Meteorological Agency during 1980-1994 are analyzed. It is found that if the pentad is taken as the time unit of the monsoon onset, then the tropical Asian summer monsoon (TASM) onsets earliest, simultaneously and abruptly over the whole area in the Bay of Bengal (BOB), the Indo-China Peninsula (ICP), and the South China Sea (SCS), east of 90°E, in the 27th to 28th pentads of a year (Pentads 3 to 4 in May), while it onsets later in the India Peninsula (IP) and the Arabian Sea (AS), west of 90°E. The TASM bursts first at the south end of the IP in the 30th to 31st pentads near 10°N, and advances gradually northward to the whole area, by the end of June. Analysis of the possible mechanism depicts that the rapid changes of the surface sensible heat flux, air temperature, and pressure in spring and early summer in the middle to high latitudes of the East Asian continent between 100°E and 120癊are crucially responsible for the earliest onset of the TASM in the BOB to the SCS areas. It is their rapid changes that induce a continental depression to form and break through the high system of pressure originally located in the above continental areas. The low depression in turn introduces the southwesterly to come into the BOB to the SCS areas, east of 90°E, and thus makes the SCS summer monsoon (SCSSM) burst out earliest in Asia. In the IP to the AS areas, west of 90°E, the surface sensible heat flux almost does not experience obvious change during April and May, which makes the tropical Indian summer monsoon (TISM) onset later than the SCSSM by about a month. Therefore, it is concluded that the meridian of 90°E is the demarcation line between the South Asian summer monsoon (SASM, i.e., the TISM) and the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM, including the SCSSM). Besides, the temporal relations between the TASM onset and the seasonal variation of the South Asian high (SAH) are discussed, too, and it is found that there are good relations between the monsoon onset time and the SAH center positions. When the SAH center advances to north of 20°N, the SCSSM onsets, and to north of 25°N, the TISM onsets at its south end. Comparison between the onset time such determined and that with other methodologies shows fair consistency in the SCS area and some differences in the IP area.     

关于南海夏季风建立的大尺度特征及其机制的讨论

使用1998年南海季风试验期间高质量资料和NCEP/NCAR40年再分析资料分析了南海季风建立前后的大尺度环流特征和要素的突变及爆发过程。发现南亚高压迅速地从菲律宾以东移到中南半岛北部,印缅槽加强,赤道印度洋西风加强并向东向北迅速扩展和传播,以及相伴随的中低纬相互作用和西太平洋副高连续东撤是南海夏季风建立的大尺度特征,与此同时,亚洲低纬地区的南北温差和纬向风切变也发生相应的突变。数值实验结果指出,印度半岛地形的陆面加热作用在其东侧激发的气旋性环流对于印缅槽的加强有重要作用,并进而有利于南海夏季风先于印度夏季风爆发。     

论东亚夏季风的特征、驱动力与年代际变化

本文是以新的资料和研究结果对东亚夏季风的基本特征、驱动力和年代际变化所作的重新分析与评估。内容包括四个部分:（1）东亚夏季风的基本特征;（2）东亚夏季风的驱动力;（3）东亚夏季风的年代际变率与原因;（4）东亚夏季风与全球季风的关系。结果表明:东亚夏季风是亚洲夏季风的一个重要有机部分,主要由来源于热带的季风气流组成,并随季节由南向北呈阶段性推进,它是形成夏季东亚天气与气候的主要环流和降水系统。驱动夏季风的主要强迫有三部分:外部强迫、耦合强迫与内部变率,其中人类活动引起的外强迫（气候变暖、城市化、气溶胶增加等）是新出现的外强迫,它正不断改变着东亚夏季风的特征与演变趋势。海洋与陆面耦合强迫作为自然因子是引起东亚夏季风年际和年代际变化的主要原因,其中太平洋年代尺度振荡（PDO）与北大西洋多年代尺度振荡（AMO）的协同作用是造成东亚夏季风30~40年周期振荡的主要原因。1960年代以后,东亚夏季风经历了强—弱—强的年代际变化,相应的中国东部夏季降水型出现了“北多南少”向“南涝北旱”以及“北方渐增”的转变。最近的研究表明,上述东亚夏季风年代际变化与整个亚非夏季风系统的变化趋势是一致的。在本世纪主要受气候变暖的影响,夏季风雨带将持续北移,中国北方和西部地区出现持续性多雨的格局。最后本文指出,亚非夏季风系统相比于其他区域季风系统更适合全球季风的概念。