Equilibrium climate response of the East Asian summer monsoon to forcing of anthropogenic aerosol species

We used an online aerosol–climate model to study the equilibrium climate response of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) to increases in anthropogenic emissions of sulfate, organic carbon, and black carbon aerosols from 1850 to 2000. Our results show that each of these aerosol species has a different effect on the EASM as a result of changes in the local sea–land thermal contrast and atmospheric circulation. The increased emission of sulfate aerosol leads to a decrease in the thermal contrast between the land and ocean, a southward shift of the East Asian subtropical jet, and significant northerly wind anomalies at 850 hPa over eastern China and the ambient oceans, markedly dampening the EASM. An increase in organic carbon aerosol results in pronounced surface cooling and the formation of an anomalous anticyclone over the oceans north of 30°N. These effects cause a slight increase in the sea–land thermal contrast and southerly flow anomalies to the west of the anticyclonic center, strengthening the northern EASM. An increase in organic carbon emission decreases the sea–land thermal contrast over southern China, which weakens the southern EASM. The response of the summer 850-hPa winds and rainfall over the East Asian monsoon region to an increase in black carbon emission is generally consistent with the response to an increase in organic carbon. The increase in black carbon emission leads to a strengthening of the northern EASM north of 35°N and a slight weakening of the southern EASM south of 35°N. The simulated response of the EASM to the increase in black carbon emission is unchanged when the emission of black carbon is scaled up by five times its year 2000 levels, although the intensities of the response is enhanced. The increase in sulfate emission primarily weakens the EASM, whereas the increases in black carbon and organic carbon emissions mitigate weakening of the northern EASM.     

A shift of the NAO and increasing storm track activity over Europe due to anthropogenic greenhouse gas forcing

 In accordance with a number of other general circulation model experiments, the coupled atmosphere-ocean-GCM ECHAM4+OPYC3 simulates increasing upper air storm track activity over the east Atlantic and Western Europe with rising greenhouse gas forcing. This paper addresses the question to what extent this change is attributable to the variable north Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), which is closely related to the intensity of the Atlantic storm track’s extension into Europe. The NAO index, which is based on sea level pressure fluctuations over the north Atlantic in the 300-y control run of this model, only shows a moderate increase within the 240-y scenario run, so that its long-term trend does not exceed the variability of the control climate before the end of the simulation. In contrast, the steadily growing storm track activity over northwestern Europe already surpasses the standard deviation defined from the control run after about 160 y. This effect is associated with a change of the NAO pattern. A determination of the centres of action for subsequent 10-y periods based on empirical orthogonal functions shows a systematic northeastward shift of the NAO’s northern variability centre from a position close to the east coast of Greenland, where it is also located in the control run, to the Norwegian Sea. Received: 10 September / Accepted: 15 January 1999     

Processes shaping the spatial pattern and seasonality of the surface air temperature response to anthropogenic forcing

In the period 1960–2010, the land surface air temperature (SAT) warmed more rapidly over some regions relative to the global mean. Using a set of time-slice experiments, we highlight how different physical processes shape the regional pattern of SAT warming. The results indicate an essential role of anthropogenic forcing in regional SAT changes from the 1970s to 2000s, and show that both surface–atmosphere interactions and large-scale atmospheric circulation changes can shape regional responses to forcing. Single forcing experiments show that an increase in greenhouse gases can lead to regional changes in land surface warming in winter (DJF) due to snow-albedo feedbacks, and in summer (JJA) due to soil-moisture and cloud feedbacks. Changes in anthropogenic aerosol and precursor (AA) emissions induce large spatial variations in SAT, characterized by warming over western Europe, Eurasia, and Alaska. In western Europe, SAT warming is stronger in JJA than in DJF due to substantial increases in clear sky shortwave radiation over Europe, associated with decreases in local AA emissions since the 1980s. In Alaska, the amplified SAT warming in DJF is due to increased downward longwave radiation, which is related to increased water vapor and cloud cover. In this case, although the model was able to capture the regional pattern of SAT change, and the associated local processes, it did not simulate all processes and anomalies correctly. For the Alaskan warming, the model is seen to achieve the correct regional response in the context of a wider North Pacific anomaly that is not consistent with observations. This demonstrates the importance of model evaluation that goes beyond the target variable in detection and attribution studies.     

平衡态和瞬变气候对人类活动强迫的响应

海陆气耦合模式,是用来定量描述过去气候变化的成因和预报未来气候变化的唯一数学工具。由于大气反馈过程的差异,特别是云辐射反馈的差异,这些模式对外强迫的平衡态响应有相当大的差异。然而,参加政府间气候变化专门委员会（Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change,IPCC）第4次评估报告（Assessment Report,AR4）的所有耦合模式,对20世纪气候的模拟结果均非常相似。本文研究了这种相似性的产生原因及启示。结果表明,若大气反馈越大,则气候对外强迫的响应时滞越长、与深海的热交换越多、模式中海洋涌升流的影响越大。这3种同样重要的物理机制共同作用,降低了瞬变气候变化对模式差异的敏感性;然而,在较长的时间尺度上,模式间大气反馈过程差异将在多个方面显现出来     

亚洲夏季风对强外辐射强迫变化的响应

该文通过改变太阳常数,利用NCAR气候系统模式CSM1.4研究了亚洲夏季风对强外辐射强迫变化的响应。结果表明:随太阳常数增加,局地增温幅度变化很大,中高纬地区比低纬地区增暖幅度强,这在太阳常数增加较大的试验中表现尤为明显;随太阳常数增大越大,大气温度升高越高,对流层有强烈增温,对流层高层更为显著;随太阳常数增大,亚洲夏季风系统的响应越强,太平洋副热带高压和南亚高压强度增强明显,并且太阳常数增加越大,高压强度越强,但形式有所不同,500 hPa太阳常数增加2.5%高压强度随纬度增高增强幅度变小,太阳常数增加10%和25%高压强度随纬度增高增强幅度变大。100 hPa太阳常数增加2.5%和10%高压强度随纬度增高增强幅度变小,太阳常数增加25%高压强度随纬度增高增强幅度变大。     

Simulated precipitation response to SST forcing and potential predictability in the region of the South Atlantic convergence zone

The sensitivity of the precipitation response in the South Atlantic convergence zone (SACZ) to sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly is investigated by an inter-model comparison study of ensembles of multidecadal integrations of two atmospheric general circulation models (AGCMs)—version 1 of the NASA Seasonal-to-Interannual Prediction Project (NSIPP-1) model, and the NCAR community climate model (CCM3) version 3.6.6. Despite the different physical parameterizations, the two models consistently show an SST-forced signal located mainly over the oceanic portion of the SACZ. The signal has interannual-to-decadal timescales, and consists of a shift and strengthening of the SACZ toward anomalous warm waters. A potential predictability analysis reveals that the maximum predictable variance is about 50% of the total SACZ variance over the ocean, but the signal attenuates rapidly toward the South American continent. This result implies that the land portion of the SACZ is primarily dominated by the internal variability, thereby having a limited potential predictability at seasonal timescales.     

South Asian high and Asian-Pacific-American climate teleconnection

Growing evidence indicates that the Asian monsoon plays an important role in affecting the weather and climate outside of Asia. However, this active role of the monsoon has not been demonstrated as thoroughly as has the variability of the monsoon caused by various impacting factors such as sea surface temperature and land surface. This study investigates the relationship between the Asian monsoon and the climate anomalies in the Asian-Pacific-American （APA） sector. A hypothesis is tested that the variability of the upper-tropospheric South Asian high （SAH）, which is closely associated with the overall heating of the large-scale Asian monsoon, is linked to changes in the subtropical western Pacific high （SWPH）, the midPacific trough, and the Mexican high. The changes in these circulation systems cause variability in surface temperature and precipitation in the APA region. A stronger SAH is accompanied by a stronger and more extensive SWPH. The enlargement of the SWPH weakens the mid-Pacific trough. As a result, the southern portion of the Mexican high becomes stronger. These changes are associated with changes in atmospheric teleconnections, precipitation, and surface temperature throughout the APA region. When the SAH is stronger, precipitation increases in southern Asia, decreases over the Pacific Ocean, and increases over the Central America. Precipitation also increases over Australia and central Africa and decreases in the Mediterranean region. While the signals in surface temperature are weak over the tropical land portion, they are apparent in the mid latitudes and over the eastern Pacific Ocean.     

全球和亚洲人为气溶胶影响东亚气候的数值模拟研究

利用海气耦合的全球气候模式CSIRO-Mk3.6分析比较了全球和亚洲人为气溶胶对东亚各季节气候的不同影响。结果表明,全球和亚洲外人为气溶胶使得东亚地区年平均地表温度分别下降0.9℃和0.55℃。亚洲区域气溶胶强迫决定了东亚近地面降温的时空分布特征,而亚洲区域外气溶胶进一步增强了我国北方夏季的近地面降温。各个季节对流层中上层的降温主要受区域外气溶胶的影响,并引起东亚高空急流强度和位置的变化,造成夏季和秋季明显的经向环流异常。同时,亚洲气溶胶影响各季节东亚低层环流场的响应,使得东亚陆地降水减少,而区域外气溶胶则主要影响冬季中高纬度和夏、秋季南海地区的低层风场。总体上,亚洲区域内、外人为气溶胶会增强我国冬、夏季风低层环流,并共同决定南海地区的降水变化。     

Modeling the time-dependent response of the Asian summer monsoon to obliquity forcing in a coupled GCM: a PHASEMAP sensitivity experiment

To study the time-dependent response of the Asian summer monsoon to obliquity forcing, we analyze a 284,000-year long transient simulation produced by a fully coupled global climate model (GCM) using a new phase mapping (PHASEMAP) approach. Here we focus on understanding the phase response of monsoonal circulation to insolation forcing at the Earth-orbital obliquity band (41 Kyr). Our results show that the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) can be divided into two geographic regions: the North East Asian summer monsoon (NEASM) and the South East Asian summer monsoon (SEASM). The Indian summer monsoon (ISM) and the SEASM are in phase at the obliquity band, strengthened with an increase in obliquity from Obliquity minima (Omin) to Obliquity maxima (Omax). The NEASM is out of phase with the ISM and SEASM, weakened with an increase in obliquity from Omin to Omax. We hypothesize that the inverse phase between the NEASM and the ISM at the obliquity band results from an ISM–NEASM teleconnection linked to the formation mechanism of the Bonin High.     

The impact of changes in atmospheric and land surface physics on the thermohaline circulation response to anthropogenic forcing in HadCM2 and HadCM3

We have undertaken a comparative study of the mechanisms which drive the response of the Atlantic thermohaline circulation (THC) to a fourfold increase in CO₂ over 70 years with stabilisation thereafter in HadCM2 and HadCM3. In both models, the THC changes are driven by surface flux forcing, with advection (and diffusion in HadCM2) acting in the opposite sense to limit the circulation change. In both cases, heat fluxes are more important than those of freshwater. We find that different patterns of heat flux forcing in HadCM2 and HadCM3 are the prime determinants of the differing response in the two models. The increased northerly component to the near surface winds (associated with an increase in reflective low level cloud), leads to enhanced heat loss in the west-central North Atlantic, which in turn tends to steepen the steric gradient and strengthen the THC. By contrast, in HadCM3 the winds become more westerly rather than northerly, there is no dynamically-forced enhancement of surface heat loss, and the heat flux in the North Atlantic continues to be strongly positive, relative to the control, leading to a reduction in the meridional steric gradient, and a weaker overturning circulation. Differences in atmospheric response patterns appear to be caused by improvements to atmospheric and land surface physics, and suggest that the THC response in HadCM2 is less credible than in HadCM3.     

South Asian monsoon response to weakening of Atlantic meridional overturning circulation in a warming climate

Climate Dynamics - Observational records and climate model projections reveal a considerable decline in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). Changes in the AMOC can have a...     

南亚高压和西太副高位置与中国盛夏降水异常

用全国160站降水资料及ECMWF逐月再分析资料,采用合成分析方法,讨论了年际变化尺度上南亚高压与西太副高纬向位置异常与盛夏降水的关系。结果表明,当南亚高压与西太副高纬向异常重叠(分离)时,长江中下游流域存在异常上升(下沉)运动,江南的广大地区存在异常下沉(上升)运动。且当两个高压纬向异常重叠时,来自北印度洋及西太平洋的水汽,在长江中下游流域异常辐合,降水偏多。此时,江南地区水汽通量异常辐散,降水偏少。当两个高压纬向异常分离时,水汽主要来自北印度洋的西南风输送,长江流域降水偏少,江南地区降水偏多。     

The response of the South Asian Summer Monsoon circulation to intensified irrigation in global climate model simulations

Agricultural intensification in South Asia has resulted in the expansion and intensification of surface irrigation over the twentieth century. The resulting changes to the surface energy balance could affect the temperature contrasts between the South Asian land surface and the equatorial Indian Ocean, potentially altering the South Asian Summer Monsoon (SASM) circulation. Prior studies have noted apparent declines in the monsoon intensity over the twentieth century and have focused on how altered surface energy balances impact the SASM rainfall distribution. Here, we use the coupled Goddard Institute for Space Studies ModelE-R general circulation model to investigate the impact of intensifying irrigation on the large-scale SASM circulation over the twentieth century, including how the effect of irrigation compares to the impact of increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) forcing. We force our simulations with time-varying, historical estimates of irrigation, both alone and with twentieth century GHGs and other forcings. In the irrigation only experiment, irrigation rates correlate strongly with lower and upper level temperature contrasts between the Indian sub-continent and the Indian Ocean (Pearson’s r = ?0.66 and r = ?0.46, respectively), important quantities that control the strength of the SASM circulation. When GHG forcing is included, these correlations strengthen: r = ?0.72 and r = ?0.47 for lower and upper level temperature contrasts, respectively. Under irrigated conditions, the mean SASM intensity in the model decreases only slightly and insignificantly. However, in the simulation with irrigation and GHG forcing, inter-annual variability of the SASM circulation decreases by ~40 %, consistent with trends in the reanalysis products. This suggests that the inclusion of irrigation may be necessary to accurately simulate the historical trends and variability of the SASM system over the last 50 years. These findings suggest that intensifying irrigation, in concert with increased GHG forcing, is capable of reducing the variability of the simulated SASM circulation and altering the regional moisture transport by limiting the surface warming and reducing land–sea temperature gradients.