Impact of local sea surface temperature anomaly over the western North Pacific on extreme East Asian summer monsoon

In this study, the anomalous characteristics of observed large-scale synoptic fields in the extreme East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) years are analyzed, and the impact of the local sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly over the western North Pacific (WNP) on the extreme EASM is investigated through sensitivity experiments of 28?years EASM simulations to the local SST over the WNP. The observation analysis reveals that the extreme EASM is influenced more by anomalous large-scale atmospheric features such as monsoon circulations and the western North Pacific subtropical high than the local SST anomaly over the WNP. However, the results of the sensitivity experiments show that the local SST anomaly has an implicit impact on the extreme EASM. The patterns of differences in precipitation between the experiment forced by observed SST in each year and the experiment forced by climatological SST over the WNP are opposite to anomaly patterns of observed precipitation in the extreme EASM years. This is because the SST anomaly over the WNP plays a role in reducing precipitation anomaly by changing surface latent heat flux and monsoon circulations. In particular, the local SST anomaly over the WNP decreases anomalies of large-scale circulations, i.e., the local Hadley and the Walker circulations. Thus, the local SST anomaly over the WNP plays a role in decreasing the interannual variability of the EASM.     

A modeling study of the influence of initial soil moisture on summer precipitation during the East Asian summer monsoon

The state-of-the-art WRF model is used to investigate the impact of the antecedent soil moisture on subsequent summer precipitation during the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) period. The control experiment with realistic soil moisture condition can well reproduce the seasonal pattern from low- to high- atmosphere, as well as the spatial distribution of precipitation belt in East China. Compared with the control experiment, the sensitivity experiment in which the initial soil moisture is reduced generates more precipitation along the East China Sea, and less rainfall over both Central and South China. This suggests that the effect of initial soil moisture on monsoonal precipitation in East China is regionally dependent. The influence on precipitation is mostly attributed to the change in precipitation from mid July to late August. The initial soil moisture condition plays a role in changing the seasonal pattern and atmospheric circulation due to the weak heating and geopotential gradient, leading to a reduction in southeasterly flow and moisture flux from South China Sea. The changes between DRY and CTL runs result in reduced southerly wind over the ocean (south of ˜25 °N) and enhanced northerly wind over the land (north of ∼25 °N). The temperature and associated circulation changes due to drier initial soil moisture anomaly result in reduced southerly winds over East China, and therefore a weakened EASM system. The averaged moisture flux decreases significantly over Central China but increases along the East China Sea. In addition, the drier soil moisture perturbation exerts an effect on suppressing (enhancing) vertical velocity over Central China (along the East China Sea), thus leading to more (less) cloud water and rain water. Therefore, the influence of soil moisture exerts an opposite impact on surface precipitation between these two regions, with more and less accumulation rainfall in Central China and along the East China Sea, respectively.     

Surface pressure and summer monsoon rainfall over India

The relationship between the all-India summer monsoon rainfall and surface pressure over the Indian region has been examined to obtain a useful predictor for the monsoon rainfall. The data series of all-India monsoon rainfall and the mean pressures of three seasons before and after the monsoon season as well as the winter-to-spring pressure tendency (MAM-DJF) at 100 stations for the period 1951-1980 have been used in the analysis. The all-India monsoon rainfall is negatively correlated with the pressure of the spring (MAM) season preceding the monsoon and winter-to-spring seasonal difference as pressure tendency (MAM-DJF), at almost all the stations in India, and significantly with the pressures over central and northwestern regions. The average mean sea level pressure of six stations (Jodhpur, Ahmedabed, Bombay, Indore, Sagar and Akola) in the Western Central Indian (WCI) region showed highly significant (at 1% level) and consistent CCs of -0.63 for MAM and -0.56 for MAM-DJF for the period 1951–1980. Thus, the pre-monsoon seasonal pressure anomalies over WCI could provide a useful parameter for the long-range forecasting scheme of the Indian monsoon rainfall.     

A study on drought features of the Indian summer monsoon 2002

In this paper, a diagnostic study is carried out with global analysis data sets to determine how the large scale atmospheric circulation affecting the anomalous drought of the Indian summer monsoon 2002. The daily analysis obtained from National Centre for Environmental Prediction/National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR) for the month of July is used to investigate the mean circulation characteristics and the large scale energetics over the Indian monsoon domain. Examination of rainfall revealed that the summer monsoon (JJAS) rainfall of 2002 over India is 22% below normal in which the large deficit of 56% below normal rainfall in July. The recent past drought during summer season of 2004 and 2009 are 12 and 23%, respectively, below normal rainfall. The large deficit of rainfall in 2009 is from the June month with 48% below normal rainfall, where as 2004 drought contributed from July (19%) and August (24%). Another significant facet of the rainfall in July 2002 is lowest ever recorded in the past 138 years (1871–2008). The circulation features illustrated weak low level westerly wind at 850 hPa (Somali Jet) in July during large deficit rainfall years of 1987 and 2002 with a reduction of about 30% when compared with the excess and normal rainfall years of 1988 and 2003. Also, tropical easterly jet at 150 hPa reduced by 15% during the deficit rainfall year of 2002 against the excess rainfall year of 1988. Both the jet streams are responsible for low level convergence and upper level divergence leading to build up moisture and convective activity to sustain the strength of the monsoon circulation. These changes are well reflected in reduction of tropospheric moisture profile considerably. It is found that the maximum number of west pacific cyclonic system during July 2002 is also influenced for large deficit rainfall over India. The dynamic, thermodynamic and energetic clearly show the monsoon break type situation over India in the month of July 2002 resulting less convective activity and the reduction of moisture. The large diabatic heating, flux convergence of heat and moisture over south east equatorial Indian Ocean are also responsible for drought situation in July 2002 over the Indian region.     

有关东亚夏季风北边缘的定义及其特征

采用欧洲中心(ECMWF)44年冉分析(ERA40)日总可降水量(TPW)资料,用标准化可降水量指数(NPWI)定义了夏季风北边缘,并进一步研究了亚洲夏季风北边缘的气候特征及其年际、年代际变化特征.结果表明,用标准化町降水量指数定义的夏季风北边缘在哑洲可以确定出印度夏季风系统和东亚夏季风系统;就夏季风北边缘的平均位置而言,其在100°E以西沿青藏高原南侧呈东一西走向,年际变化极小;在100°E以东呈东北-西南走向,从青藏高原东侧北上经西北地区东部、华北地区北部、东北地区西部延伸到东北亚地区,并存在明显的年际、年代际变化.     

The Convective Boundary Layer over the Deccan Plateau,India during the summer monsoon

The thermodynamic structure of the Convective Boundary Layer (CBL) over the Deccan Plateau, India has been investigated using aerological data during the summer monsoon seasons of 1980 and 1981. Conserved-variable analysis and the saturation-point approach, which were used in this study, suggest that the top of the CBL varied between 700–600 mb during the monsoon. The air above the top of the CBL during a weak monsoon was estimated to have subsided for 4 days with a subsidence rate of 30 mb day^-1.     

气溶胶影响亚洲夏季风机理的数值研究

利用NCEP/NCAR （National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research）2001-2010年再分析资料,检验了全球气候系统模式CESM中大气模块CAM （Community Atmosphere Model）对亚洲夏季风和大气热源的模拟能力。结果显示,模式可以再现亚洲夏季风和大气热源的主要特征。通过敏感试验探讨人为气溶胶影响亚洲夏季风的机理,分析、讨论了气溶胶引起的非均匀加热的变化对辐散风和无辐散风强度的影响,在机理上解释了亚洲夏季风减弱的原因。结果表明,人为气溶胶浓度的升高使东亚夏季风强度在中国东南地区、中南半岛北部和印度半岛北部减弱。而中国东南部季风的减弱促使中国内陆降水减少,沿海降水增多。进一步分析人为气溶胶浓度升高的作用发现,其改变了大气热源的分布,造成阿拉伯海、孟加拉湾和中国南海大气热源增强,中国东部地区和中南半岛大气热源减弱,其中气溶胶通过影响凝结潜热来改变大气热源,主要是对对流过程的影响。此外,大气热源分布的变化改变了季风区的热力结构,使中国东南地区、中南半岛北部的加热减弱,从而减少了全位能的产生,使得全位能向辐散风的转换减小,辐散风减弱;同时,中国东南部、中南半岛北部季风由于辐散风向无辐散风转换的减弱,无辐散风减弱,最终导致了夏季风强度的减弱。而且,人为气溶胶对亚洲夏季风的影响主要通过大气热力和动力过程的响应产生作用。     

Pre-monsoon surface pressure and summer monsoon rainfall over India

Summary The relationship between the surface air pressure field during the pre-monsoon months and the Indian summer monsoon rainfall is analysed using climate data from 105 stations situated in Eurasia between 0°–60° N and 20°–100° E. Moreover, grid-point data for the whole northern hemisphere are used. Pressure during April over an area around 50° N and 35° E is found to show a significant negative correlation with the subsequent monsoon rainfall. During May the pressure over a large part of the study area south of 40° N shows a significant correlation with its highest value in the heat low region over Pakistan. It is assumed that monitoring of pressure variations over this region may be useful in predicting monsoon rainfall, particularly the rainfall during the first half of the season. Certain limitations of the climate data in this region are also discussed.With 5 Figures     

东亚夏季风异常活动的空间多模态特征

利用ERA40再分析资料,采用相关、合成、自然正交函数展开（EOF分析）等方法,探讨了东亚地区夏季风活动的多空间模态特征及其与大气环流异常的可能联系。结果表明：1）东亚夏季风活动存在3种差异明显的典型空间模态。第一模态反映了夏季风活动在我国东部沿海及以东洋面与其以西地区的反相变化,主要体现了夏季风活动主体位置的东西变动;第二模态反映了自我国华南,经长江中下游、山东半岛、渤海湾至我国东北及朝鲜半岛一带夏季风活动的一致性变化,体现了东亚夏季风活动的整体强弱;第三模态主要反映了夏季风活动在中国以东洋面、朝鲜半岛、东北亚一带与我国华南地区的反相变化,主要体现了夏季风活动主体位置的南北移动。2）东亚夏季风活动的多空间模态对应的大气环流异常存在显著差异。东亚夏季风第一空间模态与亚洲南部区域以及鄂霍次克海上空的SLP呈负相关,而与北极极区、贝加尔湖地区及日本以东洋面的SLP呈正相关;而与同期500hPa高度场的相关分布主要表现为自极地经鄂霍次克海至日本以东洋面的“＋-＋”的波列分布特征。第二模态与SLP和500hPa高度场的相关分布具有非常相似的空间分布形势,均表现为东北、朝鲜半岛、日本海一带与菲律宾洋面、鄂霍次克海地区的反位相分布,自低纬向高纬呈现“＋-＋”的波列分布特征。第三模态与SLP和500hPa高度场的相关分布,主要表现为菲律宾附近洋面、日本及以东洋面、贝加尔湖到亚洲北部的负正相间的分布形势。     

Adjoint sensitivity analyses on the anomalous circulation features in East Asian summer monsoon

The concept of optimal sensitivity perturbation (OSP) is developed based on adjoint sensitivity analysis theory. The persistent anomalous features in East Asian summer monsoon system, including the Ural blocking, the Okhotsk Sea dipole blocking and the variations of subtropical high are analyzed and the OSP for each of them evaluated. The results provide us with some new insight into the most significant influential factors for these features. It also demon-strates the great potential for further applications of this method in diagnostics of atmospheric processes     

Global structure of the Madden-Julian Oscillations during two recent contrasting summer monsoon seasons over India

Summary The global nature of the Madden-Julian Oscillations (MJOs) have been investigated by applying a frequency filter to daily data for the summer monsoon months (June to September) during two contrasting years—1987, a deficient monsoon year and 1988, an excess monsoon year. Several meteorological parameters at five levels in the troposphere have been examined. Regions with large amplitude of these oscillations are isolated for each year. The results indicate that the global spatial distribution of these oscillations is more in a deficient year than in an excess year, in particular over the Indian subcontinent and the EI Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) regions. The principal modes of variability during these two years have been investigated through Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOFs). The first two eigenmodes of 850 hPa zonal wind explain nearly 50% of the variance. The dipole type of structure between the Indian and the Pacific region is more apparent in 1987 than in 1988. Time-longitude cross sections of the filtered zonal wind over the equatorial regions clearly show that eastward propagation is detected in 1987, but is virtually absent in 1988. It is also seen that the 30–60 day filtered winds are stronger during the monsoon of 1987 than in 1988.     

ENERGY BALANCE IN 40－50 DAY PERIODIC OSCILLATION OVER THE ASIAN SUMMER MONSOON REGION DURING THE 1979 SUMMER

Based on calculations of data from FGGE Level III b, a discussion is made of the energy balance in the 40－50 day periodic oscillation over the Asian monsoon region during the 1979 summer. It is found that the main source of 40－50 day periodic perturbation is the monsoon region extending from central South Asia to Southeast Asia. In the upper layer over the North Pacific subtropical area (10－20oN, 150oE－150oW) pres-sure work turns into kinetic energy that maintains 40－50 day periodic perturbation associated with the variation in position and intensity of the mid-Pacific trough. The mean energy budget in the three-dimensional space (0－30oE, 30oE－150oW, 100－1000 hPa) indicates that the 40－50 day periodic perturbation transports kinetic energy to a seasonal mean and a transient perturbation wind field.     

东亚夏季风指数的分类及物理特征分析

利用1961—2010年NCEP再分析资料,分析了较有代表性的16个东亚夏季风指数,讨论了不同季风指数反映的环流及降水之间的异同,探讨了不同季风指数与东亚夏季风不同空间模态之间的可能关联。结果表明,东亚夏季风指数大致分为两类:1)第一类季风指数存在明显的年代际变化,反映了东亚夏季风强弱的整体一致型变化,与东亚夏季风环流第一模态具有很好的对应关系。高指数年,整个东亚区域夏季风活动整体偏强;贝加尔湖地区为深厚气旋性环流控制,副高位置略偏北;华北、东北地区降水显著偏多,长江流域及其以南降水偏少,降水异常型与我国夏季偶极型季风降水相似,这类指数对我国华北地区降水有较好的指示作用。2)第二类季风指数具有明显的年际变化特征,反映的是东亚夏季风强弱的南北反相变化,与东亚夏季风环流第二模态相对应。高指数年,我国东南地区夏季风偏弱,东北部夏季风偏强;西北太平洋为深厚的气旋性距平环流控制,副高偏北,该分布型与东亚—太平洋(EAP)遥相关十分相似;我国东北、内蒙古地区,华南地区降水增多,长江流域降水显著减少,降水异常型与我国夏季三极型季风降水异常型相似,这类指数对我国长江流域降水有较好的指示作用。     

The Summer Monsoon Onset over the Tropical Eastern Indian Ocean： The Earliest Onset Process of the Asian Summer Monsoon

The onset process of the tropical eastern Indian Ocean (TEIO) summer monsoon (TEIOSM) and its relationship with the cross-equatorial flows are investigated via climatological analysis. Climatologically, results indicate that the earliest onset process of the Asian summer monsoon occurs over the TEIO at pentad 22 (April 15–20). Unlike the abrupt onset of the South China Sea (SCS) summer monsoon, the TEIOSM onset process displays a stepwise advance. Moreover, a close relationship between the TEIOSM development and the northward push of the cross-equatorial flows over 80–90E is revealed. A difference vorticity center, together with the counterpart over the southern Indian Ocean, constitutes a pair of difference cyclonic vortices, which strengthens the southwesterly wind over the TEIO and the northerly wind to the west of the Indian Peninsula from the end of March to late May. Therefore, the occurrence of the southwesterly wind over the TEIO is earlier than its counterpart over the tropical western Indian Ocean, and the cross-equatorial flows emerge firstly over the TEIO rather than over the Somali area. The former increases in intensity during its northward propagation, which provides a precondition for the TEIOSM onset and its northward advance.     

Impact of MJO on the intraseasonal variation of summer monsoon rainfall over India

The summer monsoon rainfall over India exhibits strong intraseasonal variability. Earlier studies have identified Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) as one of the most influencing factors of the intraseasonal variability of the monsoon rainfall. In this study, using India Meteorological Department (IMD) high resolution daily gridded rainfall data and Wheeler?CHendon MJO indices, the intra-seasonal variation of daily rainfall distribution over India associated with various Phases of eastward propagating MJO life cycle was examined to understand the mechanism linking the MJO to the intraseasonal variability. During MJO Phases of 1 and 2, formation of MJO associated positive convective anomaly over the equatorial Indian Ocean activated the oceanic tropical convergence zone (OTCZ) and the resultant changes in the monsoon circulation caused break monsoon type rainfall distribution. Associated with this, negative convective anomalies over monsoon trough zone region extended eastwards to date line indicating weaker than normal northern hemisphere inter tropical convergence zone (ITCZ). The positive convective anomalies over OTCZ and negative convective anomalies over ITCZ formed a dipole like pattern. Subsequently, as the MJO propagated eastwards to west equatorial Pacific through the maritime continent, a gradual northward shift of the OTCZ was observed and negative convective anomalies started appearing over equatorial Indian Ocean. During Phase 4, while the eastwards propagating MJO linked positive convective anomalies activated the eastern part of the ITCZ, the northward propagating OTCZ merged with monsoon trough (western part of the ITCZ) and induced positive convective anomalies over the region. During Phases 5 and 6, the dipole pattern in convective anomalies was reversed compared to that during Phases 1 and 2. This resulted active monsoon type rainfall distribution over India. During the subsequent Phases (7 and 8), the convective and lower tropospheric anomaly patterns were very similar to that during Phase 1 and 2 except for above normal convective anomalies over equatorial Indian Ocean. A general decrease in the rainfall was also observed over most parts of the country. The associated dry conditions extended up to northwest Pacific. Thus the impact of the MJO on the monsoon was not limited to the Indian region. The impact was rather felt over larger spatial scale extending up to Pacific. This study also revealed that the onset of break and active events over India and the duration of these events are strongly related to the Phase and strength of the MJO. The break events were relatively better associated with the strong MJO Phases than the active events. About 83% of the break events were found to be set in during the Phases 7, 8, 1 and 2 of MJO with maximum during Phase 1 (40%). On the other hand, about 70% of the active events were set in during the MJO Phases of 3 to 6 with maximum during Phase 4 (21%). The results of this study indicate an opportunity for using the real time information and skillful prediction of MJO Phases for the prediction of break and active conditions which are very crucial for agriculture decisions.     

Real-time multivariate indices for the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation over the Asian summer monsoon region

The boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (BSISO) of the Asian summer monsoon (ASM) is one of the most prominent sources of short-term climate variability in the global monsoon system. Compared with the related Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) it is more complex in nature, with prominent northward propagation and variability extending much further from the equator. In order to facilitate detection, monitoring and prediction of the BSISO we suggest two real-time indices: BSISO1 and BSISO2, based on multivariate empirical orthogonal function (MV-EOF) analysis of daily anomalies of outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and zonal wind at 850 hPa (U850) in the region 10°S–40°N, 40°–160°E, for the extended boreal summer (May–October) season over the 30-year period 1981–2010. BSISO1 is defined by the first two principal components (PCs) of the MV-EOF analysis, which together represent the canonical northward propagating variability that often occurs in conjunction with the eastward MJO with quasi-oscillating periods of 30–60 days. BSISO2 is defined by the third and fourth PCs, which together mainly capture the northward/northwestward propagating variability with periods of 10–30 days during primarily the pre-monsoon and monsoon-onset season. The BSISO1 circulation cells are more Rossby wave like with a northwest to southeast slope, whereas the circulation associated with BSISO2 is more elongated and front-like with a southwest to northeast slope. BSISO2 is shown to modulate the timing of the onset of Indian and South China Sea monsoons. Together, the two BSISO indices are capable of describing a large fraction of the total intraseasonal variability in the ASM region, and better represent the northward and northwestward propagation than the real-time multivariate MJO (RMM) index of Wheeler and Hendon.     

Signature of a southern hemisphere extratropical influence on the summer monsoon over India

The weakening relationship of El Nino with Indian summer monsoon reported in recent years is a major issue to be addressed. The altered relationships of Indian monsoon with various parameters excite to search for other dominant modes of variability that can influence the precipitation pattern. Since the Indian summer monsoon circulation originates in the oceanic region of the southern hemisphere, the present study investigates the association of southern extratropical influence on Indian summer monsoon using rainfall and reanalysis parameters. The effect of Southern Annular Mode (SAM) index during the month of June associated with the onset phase of Indian summer monsoon and that during July–August linked with the active phase of the monsoon were analysed separately for a period from 1951 to 2008. The extra-tropical influence over the monsoon is illustrated by using rainfall, specific humidity, vertical velocity, circulation and moisture transport. The June high SAM index enhances the lower level wind flow during the onset phase of monsoon over Indian sub-continent. The area of significant positive correlation between precipitation and SAM in June also shows enhancement in both ascending motion and specific humidity during the strong phase of June SAM. On the other hand, the June high SAM index adversely affects July–August monsoon over Indian subcontinent. The lower level wind flow weakens due to the high SAM. Enhancement of divergence and reduction in moisture transport results in the Indian monsoon region due to the activity of this high southern annular mode. The effect is more pronounced over the southwest region where the precipitation spell has high activity during the period. Significant correlation exists between SAM and ISMR, even after removing the effect of El Nino. It indicates that the signals of Indian summer monsoon characteristics can be envisaged to a certain extend using the June SAM index.