气候系统模式FGOALS-s1.1对热带降水年循环模态的模拟

文中评估了中国科学院大气物理研究所大气科学和地球流体力学数值模拟国家重点实验室(LASG/IAP)新一代耦合气候模式Fgoals_s1.1对热带降水年循环模态的模拟能力。通过与观测表层海温(SST)强迫的大气模式SAMIL试验结果比较,分析了海气耦合过程对年循环模态模拟效果的影响。结果表明Fgoals_s1.1能合理再现热带地区降水年循环模态的基本特征。Fgoals_s1.1模拟出了年平均降水场中的主要降水中心,但模拟的赤道和南太平洋降水偏多,而北太平洋降水则偏少。Fgoals_s1.1的季风模态降水呈现与观测一致的关于赤道反对称的特征,其模拟偏差大部分来自大气分量,尤其是在赤道外。Fgoals_s1.1的主要缺陷在于它对春秋非对称模态模拟能力低于单独大气模式,这主要是由于耦合模式模拟的SST距平的年循环位相与观测相反。SST纬向梯度的位相偏差使得太平洋沃克环流和印度洋的反沃克环流在春季强于秋季,最终导致模拟的春秋非对称模态的偏差。Fgoals_s1.1模拟的季风区范围接近观测,存在的问题在于模拟的西北太平洋季风区、东亚季风区都偏小。本文结果表明,大气模式偏差仅是Fgoals_s1.1在降水年循环模态模拟上的偏差的部分来源,改进模式模拟的SST,特别是赤道地区SST季节循环,是今后Fgoals_s1.1发展过程中急需解决的问题。     

积云参数化方案对热带降水年循环模态模拟的影响

本文利用中国科学院大气物理研究所大气科学和地球流体力学数值模拟国家重点实验室( LASG)发展的大气环流模式(SAMIL),采用Zhang-McFarlane (ZM)和Tiedtke (TDK)两种积云对流参数化方案,讨论了积云对流参数化方案对热带降水年循环模态模拟的影响.结果表明,两种积云对流参数化方案均能合理再现...     

The tropical intraseasonal oscillation in SAMIL coupled and uncoupled general circulation models

Simulations of tropical intraseasonal oscillation(TISO) in SAMIL,the Spectral Atmospheric Model from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics(IAP) State Key Laboratory of Numerical Modeling for Atmospheric Sciences and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics(LASG) coupled and uncoupled general circulation models were comprehensively evaluated in this study.Compared to the uncoupled model,the atmosphere-ocean coupled model improved the TISO simulation in the following aspects:(1) the spectral intensity for the 30-80-day peak eastward periods was more realistic;(2) the eastward propagation signals over western Pacific were stronger;and(3) the variance distribution and stronger signals of Kelvin waves and mixed Rossby gravity waves were more realistic.Better performance in the coupled run was assumed to be associated with a better mean state and a more realistic relationship between precipitation and SST.In both the coupled and uncoupled runs,the unrealistic simulation of the eastward propagation over the equatorial Indian Ocean might have been associated with the biases of the precipitation mean state over the Indian Ocean,and the unrealistic split of maximum TISO precipitation variance over the Pacific might have corresponded to the exaggeration of the double Intertropical Convergence Zone(ITCZ) structure in precipitation mean state.However,whether a better mean state leads to better TISO activity remains questionable.Notably,the northward propagation over the Indian Ocean during summer was not improved in the mean lead-lag correlation analysis,but case studies have shown some strong cases to yield remarkably realistic northward propagation in coupled runs.     

A recipe for simulating the interannual variability of the Asian summer monsoon and its relation with ENSO

This study investigates how accurately the interannual variability over the Indian Ocean basin and the relationship between the Indian summer monsoon and the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) can be simulated by different modelling strategies. With a hierarchy of models, from an atmospherical general circulation model (AGCM) forced by observed SST, to a coupled model with the ocean component limited to the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans, the role of heat fluxes and of interactive coupling is analyzed. Whenever sea surface temperature anomalies in the Indian basin are created by the coupled model, the inverse relationship between the ENSO index and the Indian summer monsoon rainfall is recovered, and it is preserved if the atmospherical model is forced by the SSTs created by the coupled model. If the ocean model domain is limited to the Indian Ocean, changes in the Walker circulation over the Pacific during El-Niño years induce a decrease of rainfall over the Indian subcontinent. However, the observed correlation between ENSO and the Indian Ocean zonal mode (IOZM) is not properly modelled and the two indices are not significantly correlated, independently on season. Whenever the ocean domain extends to the Pacific, and ENSO can impact both the atmospheric circulation and the ocean subsurface in the equatorial Eastern Indian Ocean, modelled precipitation patterns associated both to ENSO and to the IOZM closely resemble the observations.     

气候系统模式FGOALS_gl模拟的赤道太平洋年际变率

本文分析了中国科学院大气物理研究所大气科学和地球流体力学数值模拟国家重点实验室 (LASG/IAP) 发展的气候系统模式FGOALS_gl对赤道太平洋年际变率的模拟能力。结果表明, FGOALS_gl可以较好地模拟出赤道太平洋SST异常年际变率的主要特征, 但模拟的ENSO事件振幅偏大, 且变率周期过于规则。耦合模式模拟的气候平均风应力在热带地区比ERA40再分析资料的风应力强度偏弱30%左右, 由此引起的海洋平均态的变化, 是造成模拟的ENSO振幅偏强的主要原因。FGOALS_gl模拟的ENSO峰值多出现在春季或夏季, 原因可归之于模式模拟的SST季节循环偏差。耦合模式可以合理再现ENSO演变过程, 但观测中SST异常的东传特征在模式中没有得到再现, 这与模拟的ENSO发展模态表现为单一的 “SST模态” 有关。模拟的ENSO位相转换机制与 “充电—放电” 概念模型相符合, 赤道太平洋热含量的变化是维持ENSO振荡的机制。在ENSO暖位相时期, 赤道中东太平洋与印度洋—西太平洋暖池区的海平面气压距平型表现为南方涛动型 (SO型), 200 hPa位势高度分布表现为太平洋—北美遥相关型 (PNA型)。     

Possible role of warm SST bias in the simulation of boreal summer monsoon in SINTEX-F2 coupled model

Reasonably realistic climatology of atmospheric and oceanic parameters over the Asian monsoon region is a pre-requisite for models used for monsoon studies. The biases in representing these features lead to problems in representing the strength and variability of Indian summer monsoon (ISM). This study attempts to unravel the ability of a state-of-the-art coupled model, SINTEX-F2, in simulating these characteristics of ISM. The coupled model reproduces the precipitation and circulation climatology reasonably well. However, the mean ISM is weaker than observed, as evident from various monsoon indices. A wavenumber–frequency spectrum analysis reveals that the model intraseasonal oscillations are also weaker-than-observed. One possible reason for the weaker-than-observed ISM arises from the warm bias, over the tropical oceans, especially over the equatorial western Indian Ocean, inherent in the model. This warm bias is not only confined to the surface layers, but also extends through most of the troposphere. As a result of this warm bias, the coupled model has too weak meridional tropospheric temperature gradient to drive a realistic monsoon circulation. This in turn leads to a weakening of the moisture gradient as well as the vertical shear of easterlies required for sustained northward propagation of rain band, resulting in weak monsoon circulation. It is also noted that the recently documented interaction between the interannual and intraseasonal variabilities of ISM through very long breaks (VLBs) is poor in the model. This seems to be related to the inability of the model in simulating the eastward propagating Madden–Julian oscillation during VLBs.     

印度洋冬季风异常海气环流耦合模态分析

本文对印度洋冬季风异常海气环流耦合主要模态做了分析和讨论,得到以下结果:第一模态海面和低空大气环流的异常主要发生在东印度洋海域上空,而上层大洋环流的异常则主要反映了印度洋冬季风环流的异常,并主要体现在西向赤道暖流和东向赤道逆流上。第二模态的大气环流相应异常主要发生在孟加拉湾、阿拉伯海和赤道印度洋上空,而上层大洋环流异常除与第一模态类似外,还包括索马里暖流的明显异常。第一、二模态分别是印度洋冬季风的偏东、偏西模态,也是其主、次模态;均有约4年的年际变化,还分别有约18、22年的年代际变化;该主、次模态分别在1976年及1976、1986年有突变发生;这样印度洋冬季风有约4年的年际变化,并在1976年出现明显突变。该主、次模态的年代际变化周期也是冬季北太平洋海气联合复EOF分解第二、第一模态的年代际变化周期,这反映两大洋之间有密切联系,这是因冬季蒙古西伯利亚高压是南亚、东亚冬季风的共同源头,对两大洋的大气环流异常都有明显影响。南亚冬季风偏强时印度洋的Hadley环流和赤道辐合带上的对流均偏强,反之亦然;且该冬季风的主、次模态都如此;这也反映了南亚冬季风大气环流异常与冬季热带大气环流异常之间的耦合关系。当该主、次模态发生正、负异常变化时,近表层热带印度洋海温异常分别呈现横贯大洋的南北向跷跷板变化以及大洋东、西向的跷跷板变化;但前者是主要的。印度洋冬季风对印度洋偶极子起着抑制作用,这是该偶极子在冬季最弱的原因。在热带印度洋,大气低空垂直运动下沉、上升区域都分别大致位于该大洋近表层的下沉、上升运动区域之上,这构成了海气相互作用的负反馈机制,并有助于南亚冬季风、Hadley环流、赤道辐合带以及印度洋中冬季风环流的维持和稳定。     

耦合模式FGOALS_s模拟的东亚夏季风

本文评估了中国科学院大气物理研究所大气科学和地球流体力学数值模拟国家重点实验室的海气耦合模式FGOALS_s对东亚夏季风的模拟能力, 并通过与观测海温强迫下单独大气模式SAMIL试验结果的比较, 分析了海气耦合过程对模式性能的影响。结果表明, FGOALS_s基本能够模拟出东亚夏季风系统的气候态分布及其演变过程, 但也存在明显偏差, 主要表现为模拟的温度场在对流层中上层一致性偏冷, 导致模式中环流系统强度偏弱; 而温度经向梯度模拟的不足, 直接影响到东亚副热带西风急流的模拟。通过与观测海温强迫下SAMIL模拟结果的对比发现, SAMIL模拟的温度场、 环流场以及风场较之耦合模式结果更接近观测, 但也存在与FGOALS_s类似的模式偏差。因此, 大气模式固有的偏差对耦合模式的模拟偏差有重要影响。分析发现, 对于西太平洋降水的模拟而言, 耦合模式结果更加合理, 表明海气相互作用过程对模式性能有重要影响。本文的结果表明, 大气模式自身的误差是导致耦合模式误差的主要原因。通过更新云－辐射模块改进大气模式模拟的温度场, 应是FGOALS_s后续发展的首要工作。     

The Vertical Structures of Atmospheric Temperature Anomalies Associated with El Nio Simulated by the LASG/IAP AGCM： Sensitivity to Convection Schemes

The vertical structures of atmospheric temperature anomalies associated with El Nio are simulated with a spectrum atmospheric general circulation model developed by LASG/IAP (SAMIL). Sensitivity of the model’s response to convection scheme is discussed. Two convection schemes, i.e., the revised Zhang and Macfarlane (RZM) and Tiedtke (TDK) convection schemes, are employed in two sets of AMIP-type (Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project) SAMIL simulations, respectively. Despite some deficiencies in the up...     

Asian summer monsoon prediction in ECMWF System 4 and NCEP CFSv2 retrospective seasonal forecasts

The seasonal prediction skill of the Asian summer monsoon is assessed using retrospective predictions (1982–2009) from the ECMWF System 4 (SYS4) and NCEP CFS version 2 (CFSv2) seasonal prediction systems. In both SYS4 and CFSv2, a cold bias of sea-surface temperature (SST) is found over the equatorial Pacific, North Atlantic, Indian Oceans and over a broad region in the Southern Hemisphere relative to observations. In contrast, a warm bias is found over the northern part of North Pacific and North Atlantic. Excessive precipitation is found along the ITCZ, equatorial Atlantic, equatorial Indian Ocean and the maritime continent. The southwest monsoon flow and the Somali Jet are stronger in SYS4, while the south-easterly trade winds over the tropical Indian Ocean, the Somali Jet and the subtropical northwestern Pacific high are weaker in CFSv2 relative to the reanalysis. In both systems, the prediction of SST, precipitation and low-level zonal wind has greatest skill in the tropical belt, especially over the central and eastern Pacific where the influence of El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is dominant. Both modeling systems capture the global monsoon and the large-scale monsoon wind variability well, while at the same time performing poorly in simulating monsoon precipitation. The Asian monsoon prediction skill increases with the ENSO amplitude, although the models simulate an overly strong impact of ENSO on the monsoon. Overall, the monsoon predictive skill is lower than the ENSO skill in both modeling systems but both systems show greater predictive skill compared to persistence.     

热带太平洋印度洋海温异常对亚洲夏季风影响的数值研究

利用L9R15气候谱模式，就热带太平洋－印度洋夏季海温异常对亚洲夏季风的影响进行了数值研究。结果表明，夏季热带太平洋和印度洋海温正异常时，不仅能造成热带地区大气环流和降水的同时性响应，还能导致东亚夏季风和南亚夏季风的一致减弱，两者的影响是同号的，但并不是两者单独影响的线性叠加，由此给出了亚洲夏季风与热带太平洋－印度洋海气系统的同期关系。     

SAMIL大气环流模式海面湍流通量参数化方案研究

将中国科学院大气物理研究所大气科学和地球流体力学数值模拟国家重点实验室发展的大气环流谱模式SAMIL_R42L26 2.08中的海气通量参数化方案——Louis方案, 与新发展的一种新型近海层湍流通量参数化方案——LGLC方案进行比较和分析。离线测试结果表明, LGLC方案计算的通量结果与观测数据具有更好的一致性, 且由于其区分热力粗糙度和动力粗糙度, 使得对热量通量的计算更加准确。在线测试则证明, 引入LGLC方案的SAMIL模式对洋面风应力、 感热通量、 潜热通量和降水率的模拟能力有了进一步的提高, 尤其对北半球夏季印度季风和南海季风区的降水改善明显。     

热带印度洋偶极子模态的不对称性及其成因的数值研究

热带印度洋偶极子 (Indian Ocean Dipole) 是印度洋海域内海洋和大气环流年际变化的主要特征模态之一, 在热带海气耦合系统中起到非常重要的作用。同热带太平洋的ENSO现象类似, 热带印度洋偶极子也呈现出显著的不对称性。本文利用中国科学院大气物理研究所发展的全球海洋环流模式, 在观测风应力距平的强迫下, 评估了模式对热带印度洋季节变化、 热带印度洋偶极子 (IOD) 模态及其不对称性的模拟能力, 并且通过数值试验分析了IOD模态不对称性特征及其对气候平均态的影响。对照观测资料, 模式较好地再现了热带印度洋SST在季风驱动下的季节变化特征。在年际时间尺度上, 模式不仅能够再现IOD指数的变化趋势, 而且可以成功模拟出IOD模态的空间分布特征, 即表层和次表层海温在西印度洋表现为正异常, 在东印度洋表现为负异常。可见, 对于热带印度洋而言, IOD模态主要是对风应力异常的响应。热带印度洋海温与Niño3.4指数的相关性分析表明, 模式能够模拟出超前热带太平洋ENSO现象2～4个月时海温的偶极子型分布, 但是不能模拟出滞后ENSO现象2个月左右的全海盆增暖模态, 可能是因为模式试验中没有考虑热通量年际异常的强迫。同时, 模式模拟的IOD模态具有同观测结果相类似的不对称性, 进一步的敏感性试验表明风应力的不对称性对偶极子指数的不对称性贡献较小, 次表层及以下海温的不对称性可能主要受到海洋内部非线性动力过程的影响。通过数值试验, 本文还发现热带印度洋海温的不对称性对气候平均态会有影响, 而这种不对称性长期积累后, 会导致上层热带印度洋温度层结趋于稳定状态。     

耦合模式FGOALS_s 模拟的亚澳季风年际变率及ENSO

本文评估了中国科学院大气物理研究所大气科学和地球流体力学数值模拟国家重点实验室 (LASG/IAP) 新一代耦合气候模式FGOALS_s对亚澳季风和ENSO的模拟。结果表明, FGOALS_s可以模拟出亚澳季风的主要气候态特征。FGOALS_s模拟的ENSO事件振幅为观测值的70%, 同时它合理再现了ENSO周期的非规则性。FGOALS_s可以定性模拟出ENSO的主要空间特征。当赤道东太平洋SST升高时, 印度洋和西太平洋海表面气压升高, 而东太平洋海表面气压降低。FGOALS_s的主要缺陷在于模拟的ENSO峰值多出现在春季和夏季。与ENSO振幅偏小相反, FGOALS_s模拟的亚澳季风年际变率振幅大于观测。但是观测中亚澳季风年际变率与ENSO暖位相的显著负相关关系, 在模式中没有得到合理再现, 原因部分可归之于耦合模式在ENSO锁相模拟上的缺陷。由于模式模拟的ENSO峰值出现在北半球春季和夏季, Walker环流异常下沉支移动到西北太平洋, 其激发出的异常反气旋位置较之观测要偏东, 导致印度季风降水和El Niño的负相关关系不显著; 在北半球冬季, 由于模式中的赤道东太平洋SST暖异常较弱, 亚澳季风响应也偏弱。此外, 由于赤道东太平洋SST异常向西伸展, 观测中位于澳洲季风区的辐散中心向西偏移, 最终导致模式中澳洲季风降水与ENSO的负相关同样不显著。     

Roles of Indian and Pacific Ocean air–sea coupling in tropical atmospheric variability

Sea surface temperature (SST) variations include negative feedbacks from the atmosphere, whereas SST anomalies are specified in stand-alone atmospheric general circulation simulations. Is the SST forced response the same as the coupled response? In this study, the importance of air–sea coupling in the Indian and Pacific Oceans for tropical atmospheric variability is investigated through numerical experiments with a coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model. The local and remote impacts of the Indian and Pacific Ocean coupling are obtained by comparing a coupled simulation with an experiment in which the SST forcing from the coupled simulation is specified in either the Indian or the Pacific Ocean. It is found that the Indian Ocean coupling is critical for atmospheric variability over the Pacific Ocean. Without the Indian Ocean coupling, the rainfall and SST variations are completely different throughout most of the Pacific Ocean basin. Without the Pacific Ocean coupling, part of the rainfall and SST variations in the Indian Ocean are reproduced in the forced run. In regions of large mean rainfall where the atmospheric negative feedback is strong, such as the North Indian Ocean and the western North Pacific in boreal summer, the atmospheric variability is significantly enhanced when air–sea coupling is replaced by specified SST forcing. This enhancement is due to the lack of the negative feedback in the forced SST simulation. In these regions, erroneous atmospheric anomalies could be induced by specified SST anomalies derived from the coupled model. The ENSO variability is reduced by about 20% when the Indian Ocean air–sea coupling is replaced by specified SST forcing. This change is attributed to the interfering roles of the Indian Ocean SST and Indian monsoon in western and central equatorial Pacific surface wind variations.     

热带太平洋与印度洋相互作用的年代际变化及其数值模拟

利用全球海表温度资料和NCEP／NCAR再分析资料,发现热带印度洋偶极子事件与热带太平洋ENSO事件存在相互作用,但其相互作用关系在1961年前后发生了明显的跃变。通过CCM3（community climate model version3）模式,研究了不同年代热带太平洋和热带印度洋SST（seasur—face temperature）变化对其上空大气环流影响的变化,结果表明：1961年后,热带印度洋发生正偶极子事件时,两大洋的垂直环流异常的耦合很强,热带太平洋上空大气环流对印度洋偶极子事件的响应,给太平洋暖事件的异常发展提供了有利条件;同样,热带太平洋暖事件通过对热带印度洋上空大气环流的影响,给印度洋偶极子的异常发展提供了有利条件。     

气候系统模式FGOALS模拟的南亚夏季风：偏差和原因分析

本文通过与观测和再分析资料的对比,评估了LASG/IAP发展的气候系统模式FGOALS的两个版本FGOALS-g2和FGOALS-s2对南亚夏季风的气候态和年际变率的模拟能力,并使用水汽收支方程诊断,研究了造成降水模拟偏差的原因。结果表明,两个模式夏季气候态降水均在陆地季风槽内偏少,印度半岛附近海域偏多,在降水年循环中表现为夏季北侧辐合带北推范围不足。FGOALS-g2中赤道印度洋"东西型"海温偏差导致模拟的东赤道印度洋海上辐合带偏弱,而FGOALS-s2中印度洋"南北型"海温偏差导致模拟的海上辐合带偏向西南。水汽收支分析表明,两个模式中气候态夏季风降水的模拟偏差主要来自于整层积分的水汽通量,尤其是垂直动力平流项的模拟偏差。一方面,夏季阿拉伯海和孟加拉湾的海温偏冷而赤道西印度洋海温偏暖,造成向印度半岛的水汽输送偏少;另一方面,对流层温度偏冷,冷中心位于印度半岛北部对流层上层,同时季风槽内总云量偏少,云长波辐射效应偏弱,对流层经向温度梯度偏弱以及大气湿静力稳定度偏强引起的下沉异常造成陆地季风槽内降水偏少。在年际变率上,观测中南亚夏季风环流和降水指数与Ni?o3.4指数存在负相关关系,但FGOALS两个版本模式均存在较大偏差。两个模式中与ENSO暖事件相关的沃克环流异常下沉支和对应的负降水异常西移至赤道以南的热带中西印度洋,沿赤道非对称的加热异常令两个模式中越赤道环流季风增强,导致印度半岛南部产生正降水异常。ENSO相关的沃克环流异常下沉支及其对应的负降水异常偏西与两个模式对热带南印度洋气候态降水的模拟偏差有关。研究结果表明,若要提高FGOALS两个版本模式对南亚夏季风气候态模拟技巧,需减小耦合模式对印度洋海温、对流层温度及云的模拟偏差;若要提高南亚夏季风和ENSO相关性模拟技巧需要提高模式对热带印度洋气候态降水以及与ENSO相关的环流异常的模拟能力。     

Simulation of Asian Monsoon Seasonal Variations with Climate Model R42L9／LASG

The seasonal variations of the Asian monsoon were explored by applying the atmospheric general circulation model R42L9 that was developed recently at the State Key Laboratory of Numerical Modeling for Atmospheric Sciences and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (LASG/IAP/CAS). The 20-yr (1979-1998) simulation was done using the prescribed 20-yr monthly SST and sea-ice data as required by Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP)Ⅱ in the model. The monthly precipitation and monsoon circulations were analyzed and compared with the observations to validate the model‘s performance in simulating the climatological mean and seasonal variations of the Asian monsoon. The results show that the model can capture the main features of the spatial distribution and the temporal evolution of precipitation in the Indian and East Asian monsoon areas. The model also reproduced the basic patterns of monsoon circulation. However, some biases exis tin this model. The simulation of the heating over the Tibetan Plateau in summer was too strong. The overestimated heating caused a stronger East Asian monsoon and a weaker Indian monsoon than the observations. In the circulation fields, the South Asia high was stronger and located over the Tibetan Plateau. The western Pacific subtropical high was extended westward, which is in accordance with the observational results when the heating over the Tibetan Plateau is stronger. Consequently, the simulated rainfall around this area and in northwest China was heavier than in observations, but in the Indian monsoon area and west Pacific the rainfall was somewhat deficient.     

An Assessment of Improvements in Global Monsoon Precipitation Simulation in FGOALS-s2简

The performance of Version 2 of the Flexible Global Ocean-Atmosphere-Land System model （FGOALS-s2） in simulat ing global monsoon precipitation （GMP） was evaluated. Compared with FGOALS-sl, higher skill in simulating the annual modes of climatological tropical precipitation and interannual variations of GMP are seen in FGOALS-s2. The simulated domains of the northwestern Pacific monsoon （NWPM） and North American monsoon are smaller than in FGOALS-s 1. The main deficiency of FGOALS-s2 is that the NWPM has a weaker monsoon mode and stronger negatiw,＇ pattern in spring-fall asymmetric mode. The smaller NWPM domain in FGOALS-s2 is due to its simulated colder SST over the western Pacific warm pool. The relationship between ENSO and GMP is simulated reasonably by FGOALS-s2. However, the simulated precipitation anomaly over the South African monsoon region-South Indian Ocean during La Nina years is opposite to the observation. This results mainly from weaker warm SST anomaly over the maritime continent during La Nifia years, leading to stronger upper-troposphere （lower-troposphere） divergence （convergence） over the Indian Ocean, and artificial vertical as cent （descent） over the Southwest Indian Ocean （South African monsoon region）, inducing local excessive （deficient） rainfall. Comparison between the historical and pre-industrial simulations indicated that global land monsoon precipitation changes from 1901 to the 1970s were caused by internal variation of climate system. External forcing may have contributed to the increasing trend of the Australian monsoon since the 1980s. Finally, it shows that global warming could enhance GMR especially over the northern hemispheric ocean monsoon and southern hemispheric land monsoon.     

How are seasonal prediction skills related to models’ performance on mean state and annual cycle?

Given observed initial conditions, how well do coupled atmosphere–ocean models predict precipitation climatology with 1-month lead forecast? And how do the models’ biases in climatology in turn affect prediction of seasonal anomalies? We address these questions based on analysis of 1-month lead retrospective predictions for 21 years of 1981–2001 made by 13 state-of-the-art coupled climate models and their multi-model ensemble (MME). The evaluation of the precipitation climatology is based on a newly designed metrics that consists of the annual mean, the solstitial mode and equinoctial asymmetric mode of the annual cycle, and the rainy season characteristics. We find that the 1-month lead seasonal prediction made by the 13-model ensemble has skills that are much higher than those in individual model ensemble predictions and approached to those in the ERA-40 and NCEP-2 reanalysis in terms of both the precipitation climatology and seasonal anomalies. We also demonstrate that the skill for individual coupled models in predicting seasonal precipitation anomalies is positively correlated with its performances on prediction of the annual mean and annual cycle of precipitation. In addition, the seasonal prediction skill for the tropical SST anomalies, which are the major predictability source of monsoon precipitation in the current coupled models, is closely link to the models’ ability in simulating the SST mean state. Correction of the inherent bias in the mean state is critical for improving the long-lead seasonal prediction. Most individual coupled models reproduce realistically the long-term annual mean precipitation and the first annual cycle (solstitial mode), but they have difficulty in capturing the second annual (equinoctial asymmetric) mode faithfully, especially over the Indian Ocean (IO) and Western North Pacific (WNP) where the seasonal cycle in SST has significant biases. The coupled models replicate the monsoon rain domains very well except in the East Asian subtropical monsoon and the tropical WNP summer monsoon regions. The models also capture the gross features of the seasonal march of the rainy season including onset and withdraw of the Asian–Australian monsoon system over four major sub-domains, but striking deficiencies in the coupled model predictions are observed over the South China Sea and WNP region, where considerable biases exist in both the amplitude and phase of the annual cycle and the summer precipitation amount and its interannual variability are underestimated.