Sub-seasonal Prediction of the South China Sea Summer Monsoon Onset in the NCEP Climate Forecast System Version 2

This study depicts the sub-seasonal prediction of the South China Sea summer monsoon onset(SCSSMO) and investigates the associated oceanic and atmospheric processes, utilizing the hindcasts of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction(NCEP) Climate Forecast System version 2(CFSv2). Typically, the SCSSMO is accompanied by an eastward retreat of the western North Pacific subtropical high(WNPSH), development of the cross-equatorial flow, and an increase in the east-west sea surface temperat...     

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.     

Analysis of Basic Features of the Onset of the Asian Summer Monsoon

In this paper,a relatively systematic climatological research on the onset of the Asian tropical summer monsoon(ATSM)was carried out.Based on a unified index of the ATSM onset,the advance of the whole ATSM was newly made and then the view that the ATSM firstly breaks out over the tropical eastern Indian Ocean and the middle and southern Indo-China Peninsula was further documented,which was in the 26th pentad(about May 10),then over the South China Sea(SCS)in the 28th pentad.It seems that the ATSM onset over the two regions belongs to the different stages of the same monsoon system.Then,the onset mechanism of ATSM was further investigated by the comprehensive analysis on the land-sea thermodynamic contrast,intraseasonal oscillation,and so on,and the several key factors which influence the ATSM onset were put forward.Based on these results,a possible climatological schematic map that the ATSM firstly breaks out over the tropical eastern Indian Ocean,the Indo-China Peninsula,and the SCS was also presented, namely seasonal evolution of the atmospheric circulation was the background of the monsoon onset;the enhancement and northward advance of the convections,the sensible heating and latent heating over the Indo-China Peninsula and its neighboring areas,the dramatic deepening of the India-Burma trough,and the westerly warm advection over the eastern Tibetan Plateau were the major driving forces of the summer monsoon onset,which made the meridional gradient of the temperature firstly reverse over this region and ascending motion develop.Then the tropical monsoon and precipitation rapidly developed and enhanced. The phase-lock of the 30-60-day and 10-20-day low frequency oscillations originated from different sources was another triggering factor for the summer monsoon onset.It was just the common effect of these factors that induced the ATSM earliest onset over this region.     

贝加尔湖南侧大陆高压与东亚夏季风和中国夏季气候的关系

利用NCEP/NCAR再分析逐日500 hPa高度场资料,尝试对夏季亚洲中纬度出现的大陆高压（脊）进行统计分析。结果表明：50 a夏季大陆高压以维持日数在3 d及以上的占绝大多数;大陆高压存在较明显的年代际变化,其中在贝加尔湖南侧（35～55°N,90～105°E）区域的大陆高压自20世纪70年代末期以来异常偏多,尤其在7和8月。这正与气候突变后我国北方干旱的频繁发生相对应,说明大陆高压的异常活动与中国的气候年代际异常有密切的关系。运用NCEP/NCAR再分析月平均高度、势函数、风场和我国160站月降水、气温资料,分析了贝加尔湖南侧大陆高压与东亚夏季风环流和我国夏季气候的关系。结果表明：大陆高压正异常年,东亚Hadley环流偏强,导致贝加尔湖南侧发生异常偏强的下沉运动,在我国东部的低层存在北风异常;高低纬环流相互作用削弱了东亚夏季风,与其相联系的季风水汽输送减弱,造成我国夏季长江以北大部分地区水汽通量散度正异常,华北大部降水偏少,长江流域降水偏多,中国北方地区气温偏高。     

Comparison of the Structure and Evolution of Intraseasonal Oscillations Before and After Onset of the Asian Summer Monsoon

High-resolution satellite-derived data and NCEP-NCAR reanalysis data are used to investigate intraseasonal oscillations （ISO） over the tropical Indian Ocean.A composite evolution of the ISO life cycle is constructed,including the initiation,development,and propagation of rainfall anomalies over the tropical Indian Ocean.The characteristics of ISO over the tropical Indian Ocean are profoundly different before and after the onset of the Indian summer monsoon.Positive precipitation anomalies before monsoon onset appear one phase earlier than those after monsoon onset.Before monsoon onset,precipitation anomalies associated with ISO first initiate in the western tropical Indian Ocean and then propagate eastward along the equator.After monsoon onset,convective anomalies propagate northward over the Indian summer monsoon region after an initial eastward propagation over the equatorial Indian Ocean.Surface wind convergence and air-sea interaction play critical roles in initiating each new cycle of ISO convection.     

An Assessment on the Performance of IPCC AR4 Climate Models in Simulating Interdecadal Variations of the East Asian Summer Monsoon

Observations from several data centers together with a categorization method are used to evaluate the IPCC AR4 （Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Fourth Assessment Report） climate models＇ performance in simulating the interdecadal variations of summer precipitation and monsoon circulation in East Asia. Out of 19 models under examination, 9 models can relatively well reproduce the 1979-1999 mean June-July-August （JJA） precipitation in East Asia, but only 3 models （Category-1 models） can capture the interdecadal variation of precipitation in East Asia. These 3 models are： GFDL-CM2.0, MIROC3.2 （hires）, and MIROC3.2 （medres）, among which the GFDL-CM2.0 gives the best performance. The reason for the poor performance of most models in simulating the East Asian summer monsoon interdecadal variation lies in that the key dynamic and thermal-dynamic mechanisms behind the East Asian monsoon change are missed by the models, e.g., the large-scale tropospheric cooling and drying over East Asia. In contrast, the Category-1 models relatively well reproduce the variations in vertical velocity and water vapor over East Asia and thus show a better agreement with observations in simulating the pattern of ＂wet south and dry north＂ in China in the past 20 years.
It is assessed that a single model＇s performance in simulating a particular variable has great impacts on the ensemble results. More realistic outputs can be obtained when the multi-model ensemble is carried out using a suite of well-performing models for a specific variable, rather than using all available models. This indicates that although a multi-model ensemble is in general better than a single model, the best ensemble mean cannot be achieved without looking into each member model＇s performance.     

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.     

温室气体对亚洲夏季风影响的数值研究

利用NCEP/NCAR再分析资料检验全球气候模式CAM5.1模拟亚洲夏季风的能力,CAM5.1模式能够较好再现亚洲夏季风的基本特征。通过工业革命前（1850年）、工业革命后（2000年）温室气体排放情景的敏感性试验探讨近现代温室气体增加对亚洲夏季风的影响机制。结果显示：温室气体增加导致亚洲大部分区域地面气温增加,印度半岛中部、中南半岛和中国东部地区夏季风增强,印度半岛中部及北部、中南半岛中北部和中国东部地区夏季降水增加。分析大气能量收支和转换发现,温室气体增加通过增强大气对流凝结潜热释放的方式加强大气热源;夏季陆地为暖区,不均匀加热引起全位能增加,从而增强全位能向辐散风动能的转换和辐散风动能向无辐散风动能的转换,最终导致这些区域夏季风增强。其中,对流凝结潜热增加是温室气体增加造成大气稳定度降低、对流活动加强、对流云厚度加大、对流降水增加的结果;同时,对流降水增加是总降水增加的主要原因。     

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.     

ENSO冷暖位相影响东亚冬季风与东亚夏季风联系的非对称性

东亚冬季风（East Asian Winter Monsoon,简称EAWM）和东亚夏季风（East Asian Summer Monsoon,简称EASM）作为东亚季风系统的两个组成部分,他们之间存在显著的转换关系。前人的研究表明EAWM与次年EASM的转换关系只有在ENSO事件发生时才显著,然而这些研究都是基于ENSO对大气环流的影响是对称的这一假设下进行的。本文的研究表明EAWM和次年EASM的转换关系在ENSO冷暖事件中存在着明显的不对称性。通过将EAWM分为与ENSO有关的部分（EAWM_EN）和与ENSO无关的部分（EAWM_RES）,我们发现在强EAWM_EN年（即La Ni?a年）,在西北太平洋会存在一个从冬季维持到次年夏季的气旋性环流异常（the anomalous western North Pacific Cyclone,WNPC）,从而造成EASM偏弱;而在弱EAWM_EN年（即El Ni?o年时）,在西北太平洋会存在一个从冬季维持到次年夏季的反气旋性环流异常（the anomalous western North Pacific anticyclone,WNPAC）,从而引起次年EASM偏强。比较而言,WNPAC的位置比WNPC的位置偏南,且强度更强,因而在El Ni?o年能够引起次年EASM更大幅度的增强。造成这一不对称联系的主要原因是热带太平洋和印度洋异常海温的演变差异。在强EAWM_EN年,热带太平洋的负海温异常衰减地较慢,使得在次年夏季仍然维持着显著的负异常海温;相反,在弱EAWM_EN年,热带太平洋的正海温异常衰减地较快,以至于在次年夏季的异常海温信号已经基本消失,但此时印度洋却有着显著的暖海温异常。海温演变的差异进一步造成了大气环流的差异,从而导致EAWM与次年EASM联系的不对称性。     

El Ni?o和La Ni?a事件对东亚冬、夏季风循环的影响

通过合成的El NiNo和La NiNa的分析发现,一般一个El Nino或La Nina事件大致可以分成爆发前的冬季、发展期的夏季、盛期时的冬季和衰亡期的夏季四个阶段.在此基础上利用NCEP再分析环流资料和中国降水资料分析了东亚冬、夏季风对E1 Nino和LaNina的响应,结果发现,E1 Nino和La Nina事件显著地影响了东亚冬、夏季风的循环.E1Nino爆发前的冬季在东亚地区往往有异常强的北风;El Nino发展期的夏季,西太平洋副热带高压偏弱,同时影响我国的西南气流偏弱,从而江淮地区和南方沿海地区多雨,长江中游和华北地区少雨;E1 Nino盛期的冬季东亚地区则出现异常的南风;而E1 Nino衰亡期的夏季,西太平洋副热带高压偏强,同时影响我国的西南气流偏强,从而江淮地区少雨,华北、东北以及洞庭湖、鄱阳湖地区多雨.La Nina对东亚冬、夏季风循环的影响则与El Nino大致相反,但它的影响不如El ino的影响显著.对强、弱东亚冬季风后的夏季中国降水异常的分析则表明,正是由于与El Nino或La Nina事件有关的海温异常对东亚冬、夏季风循环的影响才导致了东亚冬季风与随后的夏季风存在着紧密的联系;当冬季风异常不是由与ElNiNino或La Nina事件有关的海温异常所引起时,两者之间就缺少显著的联系.     

东亚副热带西风急流位置变化与亚洲夏季风爆发的关系

利用1961～2000年的NCEP/NCAR候平均再分析资料,初步探讨了季节转换期间东亚副热带西风急流南北和东西向位置变化与亚洲季风爆发之间的联系。结果表明,亚洲夏季风爆发伴随着东亚副热带西风急流轴线的北跳和急流中心西移,急流轴北跳至35°N以北的青藏高原上空,南支西风急流消失,亚洲季风环流形势建立。南海季风爆发早年,低纬的东风向北推进的时间早,到达的纬度偏北,中纬的西风急流强度偏弱,季风爆发晚年则相反。同时,南海夏季风爆发早年,青藏高原上空急流核出现较早,西太平洋上空急流核减弱较快,急流中心“西移”较早。而在南海夏季风爆发晚年,西太平洋上空的急流核减弱较迟,青藏高原上空急流核形成偏晚,急流中心“西移”较迟。此外,急流中心东西向位置和强度变化与江淮流域梅雨的开始和结束也有密切关系。     

东亚夏季风的季节内振荡研究

利用动力学因子和热力学因子结合的方法,将东亚夏季风区的西南风与OLR进行了综合处理,构造成东亚季风指数(IM).研究结果表明,该指数既可很好地反映东亚季风区的风场、高度场的环流特征,又能较好地描述我国长江中下游地区夏季降水和气温的变化.通过功率谱和带通滤波结合的方法研究东亚夏季风中的季节内振荡,东亚夏季风区内低频振荡在夏季主要是以30～60天周期的振荡为主;东亚夏季风的季节内振荡在东亚沿海呈波列的形式,并表现为随时间向北传播的季风涌;由于该季节内振荡的波动,造成了东亚热带夏季风在东亚热带和副热带地区活动的反位相关系.     

Atmospheric Moisture Distribution and Transport over the Tibetan Plateau and the Impacts of the South Asian Summer Monsoon

In this study, by using the ECMWF ERA-Interim reanalysis data from 1979 to 2010, the spatial distribution and transport of total atmospheric moisture over the Tibetan Plateau（TP） are analyzed, together with the associated impacts of the South Asian summer monsoon（SASM）. Acting as a moisture sink in summer, the TP has a net moisture flux of 2.59× 107kg s 1during 1979–2010, with moisture supplies mainly from the southern boundary along the latitude belts over the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. The total atmospheric moisture over the TP exhibits significant diferences in both spatial distribution and transport between the monsoon active and break periods and between strong and weak monsoon years. Large positive（negative） moisture anomalies occur over the southwest edge of the TP and the Arabian Sea, mainly due to transport of easterly（westerly） anomalies during the monsoon active（break） period. For the whole TP region, the total moisture supply is more strengthened than the climatological mean during the monsoon active period, which is mainly contributed by the transport of moisture from the south edge of the TP. During the monsoon break period, however, the total moisture supply to the TP is slightly weakened. In addition, the TP moisture sink is also strengthened（weakened） in the strong（weak） monsoon years, mainly attributed by the moisture transport in the west-east directions. Our results suggest that the SASM has exerted great impacts on the total atmospheric moisture and its transport over the TP through adjusting the moisture spatial distribution.     

青藏高原地面热源对亚洲季风爆发的热力影响

利用多年NCEP/NCAR再分析全球逐候平均气象场资料和逐旬感热、潜热资料，对亚洲夏季风爆发期间青藏高原及其邻近地区地面加热场的特征进行分析。着重讨论了高原和邻近地区感热加热对亚洲夏季风爆发的影响，具体分析了高原感热加热对亚洲夏季风推进的影响机制，以及对热带低层西风气流的作用。结果发现，中纬度主原的感热加热所造成的经、纬向热力差异是导致亚洲夏季风爆发的原因。亚洲夏季风建立区域和时间的差异与高原感热加热的区域性有关。高原感热加热在南海夏季风爆发前后对南海地区低层西风所流所起的作用不同，在季风爆发前是加速低层西风，在季风爆发后起削弱西风气流的作用。对亚洲夏季风爆发早年和晚年的感热加热进行了对比分析，发现亚洲夏季风爆发时间的年际变化与热源的年际变化有关。     

东亚地区夏季风爆发过程

利用中国194站1961～1995年日降水资料及NCEP1979～1997年候格点降水资料,探讨了亚洲地区自春到夏的雨季开始分布。结果表明,东亚地区自春到夏存在副热带季风雨季开始和热带季风雨季开始。前者于4月初开始于华南北部和江南地区,随后向南和向西南扩展,于4月末扩展到华南沿海和中南半岛,这个雨带主要是冷空气和副热带高压西侧转向的SW风以及南亚地区冬春副热带南支西风槽中西风汇合而形成的,是副热带季风雨季开始。后者是南海热带季风爆发后使原来由江南移到华南沿岸的副热带季风雨带随副热带高压北进而北进,前汛期雨季进入盛期,江南出现第二次雨峰,形成梅雨期和江淮及华北雨季。同时,热带季风雨带也自东向西传播到达南亚地区而形成热带季风雨季。还讨论了1998年东亚地区夏季风爆发过程,指出南海夏季风爆发期的季风由副高北侧形成的新生气旋进入南海造成南海中部西风和南海越赤道气流转向的SW季风加强汇合而形成,因而是东亚季风系统中环流系统季节变化造成的,和印度季风无关。在南海季风爆发期阿拉伯海仍由副热带反气旋控制,南亚仍是上述副热带反气旋北侧NW风南下后转向的偏西副热带气流所控制,索马里低空急流仍未爆发,赤道西风并未影响南海。     

气候平均状况下亚洲夏季风的季节内演变过程

根据1979—1995年美国NOAA的向外长波辐射逐日资料,用功率谱分析和带通滤波方法,对气候平均状况下亚洲夏季风的季节内演变过程进行分析,归纳得到亚洲季风区各个子系统季节内变化的8个关键阶段。利用1979—1999年NCEP/NCAR的大气环流再分析资料及中国气象局降水资料CMAP,对每个关键阶段亚洲夏季风的环流和降水的时空演变特征进行分析,得到亚洲季风区环流和降水季节内变化的物理图像。研究表明,在不同的季节内演变阶段,亚洲夏季风各个子系统成员的环流系统的变化特征可以将亚洲夏季风系统的季节内演变过程较好地描述出来。     

高分辨率卫星实测资料揭示的近年亚洲热带夏季风爆发进程

利用高分辨率卫星观测资料,从气候态角度分析了亚洲热带夏季风爆发特征。研究表明,亚洲热带夏季风最先在中南半岛西部爆发,随后在整个中南半岛和孟加拉湾东部,然后扩大至孟加拉湾西部和南海。夏季风爆发后,与孟加拉湾和南海相比,中南半岛雨量增强形势不明显。第26—28候（即5月第2候—5月第4候）是亚洲热带夏季风的爆发阶段。整个爆发过程,低层风场的时空演变与对流降水相对应,海表温度场增温较海表风场提早约1候左右;华南地区以锋面降水为主,即副热带季风降水。采用对流降水和海表上空10 m风场分别代表夏季风降水和盛行风向的时空演变特征较常规资料更为准确、精细。     

南半球环流变化对东亚夏季风的影响

南半球环流是影响东亚夏季风季节内、季节到年际变化的重要因子之一.作者系统综述了南半球环流各系统包括连接两半球的越赤道气流、马斯克林高压和澳大利亚高压、南极涛动和南极海冰等对东亚夏季风环流和中国夏季降水的影响.特别是,近年来的研究揭示了南极涛动是影响东亚夏季风年际变化的强信号.当南极涛动偏强时,马斯克林高压和澳大利亚高压和相关的越赤道气流也趋于偏强.同时,西太平洋副热带高压偏西偏南,强度增强,长江流域降水偏多,其两侧降水偏少.这对中国夏季降水的预测有重要的应用价值.最后提出了一些相关的科学问题以供进一步研究.       

与EAWM相关的海陆气相互作用及亚洲夏季风

基于观测资料分析，本文讨论了与东亚冬季风（EAWM）异常活动相联系的海－陆－气系统的特征，指出它往往是随后亚洲夏季风异常的一个信号。我们分析并确定了一类重要的海气耦合模态，即EAWM。它所包含的海－气双向相互作用，使该模态的SSTA分布得以发展和持续。特别是在西太平洋和南海等关键地区，SSTA异常将从冬季维持到夏季。在强冬季风年，青藏高原积雪冬季在其东部出现负距平区，春季则延伸到高原西北部。SSTA及高原积雪分布，共同构成调制亚洲季风环流的重要因子，它将有助于1）随后南海季风和季风降水的增强；2）梅雨期西太平洋副高偏北，长江流域少雨；3）夏季我国东北和日本多雨；4）阿拉伯海和印度东北多雨，而印度西南部及孟加拉湾少雨。总之，强EAWM及相联的海气相互作用，一定程度上，预示着亚洲夏季风的活动特征。