北半球夏季副热带西风急流变异及其对东亚夏季风气候异常的影响

探讨了东亚地区副热带西风急流(EAJS)位置的年际 变化特征、影响及其可能机制. EAJS南北变动的影响主要集中在亚澳季风区和气候平均的北 半球副热带西风急流轴的南北两侧,这与SOI或ENSO相联系的大气环流响应很不相同,后者的 影响主要表现在中、东太平洋上. 北半球副热带西风急流存在着两个显著不同的模态,其中 一个模态反映的是亚太尤其是东亚地区的西风急流的南北变异,另一个模态出现在150°E～1 20°W的中、东太平洋上. 它们分别联系着不同的太平洋海温异常分布,但都能对夏季200hPa 南亚高压的强度产生影响,尤其是南亚高压的东部,从而可以对我国东部夏季旱涝灾害的形成 产生作用.     

风场标准化季节变率的显著性及其表征季风的合理性

从理论上探讨风场标准化季节变率的显著性,揭示出它的临界值与季风区定义的内在联系,从而说明用它表征季风区的合理性．据此,利用１９５８～１９９７年ＮＥＣＰ／ＮＣＡＲ再分析资料,分析了风场的显著季节变率的空间结构,证实在垂直方向上大气环流季节变化显著的斜压性,发现热带地区东西半球显著季节变率的反对称分布特征,并指出季风与副热带高压、极夜急流、西风通道等重要系统有密切关系。     

东亚副热带高空急流区中尺度扰动分布特征及可能机理

东亚副热带高空急流强度变化和天气气候密切相关,本文利用WRF模式输出的高时空分辨率模拟资料研究了东亚副热带高空急流区的中尺度扰动特征,并结合动力学理论,揭示了急流区中尺度扰动产生的可能机制.研究表明,急流轴南侧更容易出现水平尺度为几十公里的高频扰动,这些扰动的时空分布具有波动特征.对高空急流区中出现中尺度扰动区域的拉格朗日Rossby数、Richardson数以及绝对涡度的计算发现,高空急流轴南侧中尺度扰动出现的物理机制与非地转平衡流的不稳定发展有关,并且高空急流强度的大尺度整体变化与急流区中尺度扰动变化的累积效应有关.因此,开展高空急流强度变化规律研究不能忽视其内部中尺度动力过程的作用.     

副热带急流强度和赤道QBO对平流层突然增温的影响

使用一个全球原始方程半谱模式模拟了副热带急流强度和赤道准两年振荡（ＱＢＯ）对平流层突然增温（ＳＳＷ）的影响．结果指出：副热带急流强度对ＳＳＷ有明显影响，副热带急流越强，ＳＳＷ发展越快，极区最大增温区的高度越低；赤道ＱＢＯ不同相位零风线的南北位移对ＳＳＷ没有明显影响；ＱＢＯ东风相位时副热带急流更强，而ＱＢＯ西风相位时副热带急流较弱的观测事实，可能是大的中冬ＳＳＷ更容易发生在ＱＢＯ东风相位的主要原因．     

海温异常对西太平洋副热带高压脊面演变影响的机制研究

根据欧洲中期数值预报中心提供的大气环流资料和NOAA提供的海温资料, 应用改进的低阶谱模式方法研究了海温异常对西太平洋副热带高压脊面演变影响的物理机制. 结果表明, 在El Niño型海温强迫下, 大气环流内部动力过程中的大尺度波波和波流相互作用较弱. 随着外部热源强迫从冬季型向夏季型推进, 西太平洋副热带高压脊面北进不明显, 使得夏季西太平洋副热带高压脊面相对偏南. 在La Niña型海温强迫下, 大气环流内部动力过程中的大尺度波波和波流相互作用明显. 随着外源强迫从冬季型向夏季型转变, 西太平洋副热带高压脊面将随之向北移动19个纬度左右, 使得夏季西太平洋副热带高压脊面偏北; 且北移到达一定纬度后, 西太平洋副热带高压脊面表现出较为显著的30~60 d季节内南北振荡, 振幅在4°~7°之间.不同海温异常型所导致的大气内部动力过程差异是造成西太平洋副热带高压脊面年际变化的重要原因之一.     

伴随冬季北太平洋副热带海洋锋强度变化的大气扰动异常及对中纬度大气平均场的影响

中纬度海洋热力状况异常影响大气主要通过两种途径:非绝热加热的直接强迫作用和大气瞬变涡旋反馈的间接强迫作用,而后者的作用并没有被很好地认识.为了进一步理解间接强迫作用的物理机制,本文利用观测资料分析和区域大气模式模拟,研究了伴随冬季北太平洋副热带海洋锋强度变化的中纬度大气场异常,特别是对流层中高层不同频率的涡旋扰动活动的异常.实际观测和数值试验结果均表明,当北太平洋副热带海表面温度锋偏强时,其上空的中纬度大气经向温度梯度增强;对应此时的大气斜压性增强,且中纬度大气西风急流整层加速;然而增强的大气斜压性并不对应一致性增强的大气涡旋扰动活动.中纬度大气的涡旋扰动根据其生命周期,进一步划分为高频(2~7天)和低频(10~90天)涡旋扰动.研究结果表明偏强的北太平洋副热带海洋锋对应着增强的中纬度大气高频涡旋扰动和减弱的低频涡旋扰动;其中,中纬度大气高频扰动活动的增强,将有利于削弱中纬度大气经向温度梯度,从而减弱中纬度大气斜压性;而高频扰动对纬向风倾向项的正贡献,有利于中纬度急流中心北侧及下游区域的西风加速,形成中纬度西风相当正压结构的增强;大气低频扰动的减弱,对中纬度大气纬向风倾向项产生负贡献,不利于急流的纬向均匀化,而其热力强迫异常则有利于维持中纬度对流层中层大气的经向温度梯度.     

BCC_CSM1.1(m)模式对于夏季亚洲-太平洋涛动的模拟

亚洲-太平洋涛动是北半球夏季亚洲大陆和北太平洋副热带地区对流层中高层扰动温度场上大尺度的东西反相的遥相关现象,其异常变化与亚洲-太平洋地区夏季风气候有着密切的联系.基于欧洲中心的ERA-40再分析资料和国家气候中心BCC_CSM1.1（m）气候系统模式多年的数值模拟结果,本文主要评估了BCC_CSM1.1（m）模式对于夏季亚洲-太平洋涛动的空间分布、指数的时间演变及与其变化所对应的亚洲地区夏季环流异常等方面的模拟能力,结果表明：BCC_CSM1.1（m）模式能够较好地模拟出北半球夏季对流层中高层扰动温度在亚-太地区中纬度存在的西高东低"跷跷板"现象;模式能够模拟出夏季亚洲-太平洋涛动指数的年际变率,但是不能模拟出该指数在20世纪60-70年代明显下降的年代际趋势;模式还能较好地模拟出亚洲-太平洋涛动高低指数年亚洲-太平洋地区夏季环流的异常：指数偏高年份,南亚高压增强,高空西风急流带和热带东风急流均加强,索马里越赤道气流增强,南亚热带季风和东亚副热带季风均增强,东亚季风低压槽加强,西北太平洋副热带高压增强,南亚和东亚北部降水增加,菲律宾地区、中国长江流域-朝鲜半岛-日本一带地区降水减少,反之亦然.     

与东北冷涡相伴的高空急流诱发平流层重力波的数值模拟研究

使用中尺度数值模式WRF-ARW,针对2010年6月发生在中国东北地区一例伴随对流层高空西风急流(位于~9km高度)演变过程出现的平流层重力波活动特征开展了数值模拟.事件发生期间,对流层区域环流处在一个东北冷涡系统的控制之下.模拟结果再现了该东北冷涡的发展和维持过程,以及与之相伴的高空急流的特征.模拟结果揭示出在急流区域上空的平流层中存在显著重力波活动现象.分析结果显示,重力波活动与急流存在紧密联系,在水平方向上,重力波呈显著的二维结构,出现在急流出口区上部并逆背景流向西传播.功率谱分析结果表明盛行波动具有~700km水平尺度、9~12h时间尺度以及4~5km垂直波长.由于急流的存在,造成其与平流层中下部之间存在显著的水平风速垂直切变,与切变相伴的耗散使得上传的重力波动量通量数值随着高度升高而递减.同时,在18~20km高度间出现的西风-东风转换带极大地抑制了波动在垂直方向的传播,形成显著动量通量沉积效应.估算结果表明,在11~20km高度之间,这种效应的整体作用相当于对该层背景流施加强度为0.86m·s-1·day-1的动力阻曳.     

与东北冷涡相伴的高空急流诱发平流层重力波的数值模拟研究

使用中尺度数值模式WRF-ARW,针对2010年6月发生在中国东北地区一例伴随对流层高空西风急流（位于~9 km高度）演变过程出现的平流层重力波活动特征开展了数值模拟. 事件发生期间,对流层区域环流处在一个东北冷涡系统的控制之下. 模拟结果再现了该东北冷涡的发展和维持过程,以及与之相伴的高空急流的特征. 模拟结果揭示出在急流区域上空的平流层中存在显著重力波活动现象. 分析结果显示,重力波活动与急流存在紧密联系,在水平方向上,重力波呈显著的二维结构,出现在急流出口区上部并逆背景流向西传播. 功率谱分析结果表明盛行波动具有~700 km水平尺度、9~12 h时间尺度以及4~5 km垂直波长. 由于急流的存在,造成其与平流层中下部之间存在显著的水平风速垂直切变,与切变相伴的耗散使得上传的重力波动量通量数值随着高度升高而递减. 同时,在18~20 km高度间出现的西风-东风转换带极大地抑制了波动在垂直方向的传播,形成显著动量通量沉积效应. 估算结果表明,在11~20 km高度之间,这种效应的整体作用相当于对该层背景流施加强度为0.86 m·s^-1·day^-1的动力阻曳.     

印度夏季风的爆发与中国长江流域梅雨的遥相关分析

利用印度和中国地区的降水资料及NCEP／NCAR再分析环流资料,通过相关分析和合成分析,详细讨论了印度夏季风的爆发与中国长江流域梅雨的遥相关关系．结果发现：印度西南部的克拉拉邦地区夏季风爆发后两周左右,中国长江流域梅雨开始．印度夏季风爆发后,形成从印度西海岸经孟加拉湾到达中国长江流域及日本南部地区的遥相关型,它在时间和空间上都不同于盛夏期间印度夏季风经青藏高原影响中国华北降水的遥相关型．前者可称为亚洲夏季风的“南支”遥相关型,主要发生在季风爆发初期;后者可称为“北支”遥相关型,主要形成于亚洲季风盛期．在“南支”遥相关型形成的过程中,亚洲季风环流发生了一系列重要变化,印度夏季风爆发、南亚高压北进、中层爆发性涡旋出现、低层热带西风带不断加强东传及西太平洋副高北跳东退．结果,在印度夏季风爆发后两周左右,高层南亚高压控制了整个亚洲地区,而在中低层,则形成一条从阿拉伯海经印度南部、孟加拉湾和南海,再沿西太平洋副热带高压的西边界到达中国长江流域及日本南部的强西风带;由于副热带急流的北跳,在东亚地区上空形成相互耦合的高、低空西风急流,而长江流域则正好位于高、低空急流之间,高空急流入口区右侧和低空急流左侧的上升运动区,因此触发了长江流域梅雨的发生．     

Tibetan anticyclone and tropical easterly jet

Summary During the summer monsoon the upper tropospheric subtropical anticyclone of Asia is centred over SE Tibet (when it is called the Tibetan anticyclone). Further, the equatorward outflow from this anticyclone gains easterly angular momentum and therefore it appears as an easterly jet stream over SE Asia south of 20N between 150 mb and 100 mb. On finding these current concepts questionable, this study offers an alternative explanation for the migration of the upper tropospheric anticyclone to the Tibetan Plateau and also for the development of the tropical easterly jet. In summer the Bay of Bengal is cold compared to its adjoining continental plains in the north. Therefore in the beginning of summer the lower levels of the anticyclone migrate from their winter position in the Bay of Bengal to the warm plains in the north. As they reach the plains by about June, the upper levels of the anticyclone above 150 mb extend north over the Tibetan Plateau irrespective of whether the Plateau is a warm source or cold source because the upper levels of the subtropical anticyclone have a characteristic poleward slope in all seasons. By about July, when the lower levels of the anticyclone migrate from the plains to still warmer areas in the north over the Plateau, the upper levels which are already over the Plateau continue to remain there throughout the season. The zonal component of the equatorward outflow from the Tibetan anticyclone computed from the law of conservation of angular momentum does not bear any comparison with the observed winds in the upper troposphere over India. On the other hand the winds computed from a thermal gradient show a reasonable agreement with the observed winds indicating thereby that the upper tropospheric high winds are thermally generated. These high winds have been found as a unique phenomenon distinct from a jet stream and therefore it is considered appropriate to call them Tropical Strong Easterlies (TSE) rather than as a tropical easterly jet stream. Some of the characteristic features of the TSE are discussed and they are ascribed to the peculiar temperature distribution in the atmosphere between 200 mb and 60 mb mainly brought about by the vertical motion associated with the summer monsoon.     

Teleconnection between the Indian summer monsoon onset and the Meiyu over the Yangtze River Valley

Based on the Indian and Chinese precipitation data and the NCEP-NCAR reanalysis circulation data, the relationship between the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) onset and the Meiyu over the Yangtze River Valley has been discussed by the methods of correlation analysis and composite analysis. The results show that the date of ISM onset over Kerala in the southwestern coast of the Indian Peninsula is about two weeks earlier than the beginning of the Meiyu over the Yangtze River Valley. After the outbreak of ISM, the teleconnection mode sets up from the western coast of India via the Bay of Bengal (BOB) to the Yangtze River Valley and southern Japan. It is different both in time and space from the telecon- nection mode which is from the northwest of India via the Tibetan Plateau to northern China. The for- mer mode is defined as the "south" teleconnection of the Asian summer monsoon, forming in the pe- riod of ISM onset; while the latter mode is called the "north" teleconnection, mainly occurring in the Asian monsoon culminant period. During the process of the "south" teleconnection’s formation, the Asian monsoon circulation has experienced a series of important changes: ISM onset, the northward movement of the south Asia high (SAH), the onset vortex occurrence, the eastward extension of the stronger tropical westerly belt, and the northeastward jump of the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH), etc. Consequently, since ISM sets up over Kerala, the whole Asian continent is covered by the upper SAH after about two weeks, while in the mid- and lower troposphere, a strong wind belt forms from the Arabian Sea via the southern India, BOB and the South China Sea (SCS), then along the western flank of WPSH, to the Yangtze River Valley and southern Japan. With the northward moving of the subtropical jet streams, the upper westerly jet stream and the low level jet have been coupled ver- tically over east Asia, while the Yangtze River Valley happens to locate in the ascending motion area between the upper jet stream and the low level jet, i.e. right of the entrance of the upper jet stream and left of the low level jet. Such a structure of the vertical circulation can trigger the Meiyu onset over the Yangtze River Valley.     

Characteristics of inertia-gravity waves around jet stream from radiosonde observations in Wuhan (30.5°N, 114.4°E)

The 5 years’ radiosonde data obtained from January 2000 to December 2004 in Wuhan (30.5°N, 114.4°E) have been used for studying the behaviors of inertia-gravity waves in the vicinity of the jet stream. It is observed that the wave intensity has a similar seasonal variation with the jet stream intensity with a strong winter maximum and a summer minimum. Moreover, a similar inter-annual trend for both the wave intensity and jet stream intensity is also found. These results suggest that the jet stream may be the predominant source of the inertia-gravity waves in the troposphere and lower stratosphere over Wuhan in the period of the 5 years. It is noticed from 28 radiosonde profiles during wintertime that the energy of inertia-gravity waves exhibits upward and downward propagation respectively above and below the jet stream. This indicates that the source of the inertia-gravity waves is within the jet stream. In these cases, the twin waves below and above the jet stream usually hold similar amplitudes. The horizontal propagation of the twin waves also shows some interesting relationship.     

Atmospheric eddy anomalies associated with the wintertime North Pacific subtropical front strength and their influences on the seasonal-mean atmosphere

This study investigates transient eddy activity anomalies in the mid-latitude upper troposphere associated with intensity variability of the wintertime North Pacific subtropical front. Our results show that the meridional gradient of air temperature and baroclinic instability in the mid-latitude atmosphere become stronger as the subtropical front intensifies, and the mid-latitude westerly jet accelerates with barotropic structure. We further divide the mid-latitude atmospheric eddy activities into high-(2–7 days) and low-frequency(10–90 days) eddy activities according to their life periods. We find that, when the oceanic subtropical front intensifies, the high-frequency atmospheric eddy activity in the mid-latitudes strengthens while the low-frequency eddy activity weakens. The stronger high-frequency eddy activity tends to moderate the air temperature gradient and baroclinicity in the mid-latitudes. High-frequency eddy anomalies accelerate the westerly jet on the northern side and downstream of the westerly jet, and enhance the jet with equivalent barotropic structure. In contrast, the weaker low-frequency eddy activity has a negative contribution to zonal wind speed tendency and attenuates the zonal homogenization of the jet. The anomalous thermodynamic forcing of the low-frequency eddy activity helps maintain the meridional gradient of air temperature in the mid-troposphere.     

VHF Radar observations of a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in a subtropical jet stream

Abstract

In connection with the large dish at the Arccibo Observatory (Puerto Rico), the mobile SOUSY VHF Radar has been used to carry out velocity measurements in the troposphere with height and time resolutions of a few hundreds of meters and some tens of seconds, respectively. During the passage of a strong subtropical jet stream, vertical velocity oscillations have been observed at heights of maximum wind shear. The height and time variations of the velocity and the background wind profile deduced from radiosonde data indicate that a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI), with a period of 340s, a wavelength of 12 km and a velocity amplitude of about 1 ms^?1 was the source of the oscillations. Model calculations show good agreement with the observed quantities.     

A note on the necessary condition for baroclinic instability of monsoon zonal current

Analytic expressions are derived for the minimum easterly and westerly jet strengths necessary for baroclinic instability, in terms of their half-widths and location. For this purpose the necessary condition for an internal jet is utilized and the jets and static stability are represented by simple mathematical functions. Dependency of the minimum jet strengths to their half-width and location are discussed.