Atmospheric and Coupled Model Intercomparison in Terms of Amplitude Phase Characteristics of Surface Air Temperature Annual Cycle

A model intercomparison in terms of surface air temperature annual cycle ampitude-phase characteristics(SAT AC APC)is performed. The models included in the intercomparison belong to two groups:five atmospheric models with prescribed sea surface temperature and sea ice cover and four coupled models forced by the atmospheric abundances of anthropogenic consituents (in total six coupled model simulations). Over land, the models, simulating higher than observed time averaged SAT,also tend to simulate smaller than observed amplitude of its annual and semiannual harmonics and (outside the Tropics laterthan-observed spring and autumn moments. The models with larger(smaller) time averaged amplitudes of annual and semiannual harmonics also tend to simulate larger(smaller)interannual standard deviations. Over the oceans, the coupled models with larger interannual standard deviations of annual mean SAT tend to simulate larger interannual standard deviations of both annual and semiannual SAT harmonics amplitudes. Most model errors are located in the belts 60°-70°N and 60°-70°S and over Antarctica. These errors are larger for those coupled models which do not employ dynamical modules for sea ice.No systematic differences are found in the simulated time averaged fields of the surface air temperature annual cycle characteristics for atmospheric models on one hand and for the coupled models on the other. But the coupled models generally simulate interannual variability of SAT AC APC better than the atmospheric models (which tend to underestimate it). For the coupled models, the results are not very sensitive to the choice of the particular scenario of anthropogenic forcing.There is a strong linear positive relationship between the model simulated time averaged semiannual SAT harmonics amplitude and interannual standard deviation of annual mean SAT.It is stronger over the tropical oceans and is weaker in the extratropics. In the tropical oceanic areas, it is stronger for the coupled than for the atmospheric models.     

Delayed Atmospheric Temperature Response to ENSO SST： Role of High SST and the Western Pacific

Tropical zonally symmetric atmospheric warming occurs during ENSO’s warm phase, and lags the equa- torial east Pacific sea surface temperatures (SSTs) by 3–4 months. The role of the Indian and Atlantic oceans on the atmospheric delayed response has been pointed out by earlier studies. For 1951–2004, a regression analysis based on the observed SST data shows the western Pacific has a similarly important role as the Indian and Atlantic. Nevertheless, there is time mismatch of around 1–2 months between the zon...     

A Monthly Atmospheric Circulation Classification and Its Relationship with Climate in Harbin

In this study,the classification scheme developed by Jenkinson and Collison (1977) based on a typing scheme of Lamb (1950) is applied to obtain circulation types from the mean sea-level pressure on a monthly basis.Monthly mean sea-level pressure data from 1951 to 2002 are used to derive six circulation indices and to provide a circulation catalogue with 27 circulation types.Five major types (N,NW,C,CSW,and SW) which occurred most frequently are analyzed to reveal their relationships with the temperature of Harbin on various time scales.Stepwise multiple regression is used to reconstruct temperature anomaly.The monthly mean rainfall of all types occurring and the composite maps of three major types (C,CSW,and SW) relevant to Harbin's precipitation are studied. The results show that the dominant types in winter are types N and NW.types C,CSW,and SW occur frequently in summer.Types N and NW favor a negative temperature anomaly and correspond to less rainfall,while types C,CSW,and SW often induce a positive temperature anomaly and correspond to more rainfall.Moreover,a successful statistical model can be established with only one of the six indices and large-scale mean temperature.Using the model,77.3% of the total variance in the temperature anomaly between 1951 and 2002 can be reconstructed.Type C has a close relationship with total rainfall and type C precipitation plays a major role in determining the total rainfall of Harbin in recent years.This classification scheme is a statistical downscaling model and its relationships with temperature and precipitation can be used to forecast regional climate.     

Persistent Heavy Rainfall over South China During May-August：Subseasonal Anomalies of Circulation and Sea Surface Temperature

This study investigates the relationship between subseasonal variations of the circulation and sea surface temperature（SST） over the South China–East Asian coastal region（EACR） in association with the persistent heavy rainfall（PHR） events over South China during May–August through statistical analysis. Based on the intensity threshold and duration criterion of the daily rainfall, a total of 63 May–June（MJ） and 59July–August（JA） PHR events are selected over South China from 1979 to 2011. The lower-level circulation anomalies on subseasonal timescale exhibit an anomalous cyclone over South China and an anomalous anticyclone shaped like a tongue over the South China Sea（SCS） during the PHR events for MJ group.The anomalous cyclone over South China in MJ originates from low-value systems in the mid-high latitudes before the rainfall. The anomalous anticyclone over the SCS is due to the westward extension of the western Pacific subtropical high（WPSH） and the southeastward propagation of the anomalous anticyclone from South China before the rainfall. For JA group, the lower-level anomalous circulation pattern is similar to that for MJ over the South China–EACR, but with di？erent features of propagation. The subseasonal anomalous anticyclone is also related to the westward stretch of the WPSH, while the anomalous cyclone is traced back to the weak anomalous cyclone over the Philippine Sea several days before the rainfall events.Positive SST anomaly（SSTA） is observed over the SCS and the Philippine Sea during the MJ PHR events on the subseasonal timescale. It is closely linked with the variation of local anomalous anticyclone. In contrast, negative SSTA occupies the South China coastal region for the JA PHR events, and it is driven by the anomalous cyclone which propagates northwestward from the Philippine Sea. The subseasonal positive（negative） SSTAs are generated via the local processes of above（below）-normal incident solar radiation and below（above）-normal latent heat fluxes. The possible role of the subseasonal SSTA in the local convective instability is also analyzed in this study.     

The Dynamical Influence of Land－Sea Contrast and Sea Surface Temperature on Intraseasonal Oscillation in Tropical Atmosphere

An equatorial β-plane model which includes realistic non-uniform land-sea contrast and the underlying surface temperature distribution is used to simulate the 30-60 day oscillation (LFO) processes in tropical atmosphere, with emphasis on its longitude-dependent evolution and convective seesaw between Indian and the western Pacific oceans.The model simulated the twice-amplification of the disturbances over Indian and the western Pacific oceans while they are travelling eastward. It reproduced the dipole structure caused by the out-of-phase oscillation of the active centres in these two areas and the periodical transition between the phases of LFO. It is suggested that the convective seesaw is the result of interaction of the internal dynamics of tropical atmosphere with the zonally non-uniform thermal forcing from underlying surface. The convective activities are suppressed over Indonesia mari-time continents whilst they are favoured over the Indian Ocean and western Pacific warm waters, so there formed two active oscillation centres. The feedback of convection with large-scale flow slows down the propagation of disturb-ances when they are intensifying over these two areas, therefore they manifest a kind of quasi-stationary component to favor the ‘dipole’ structure. Whereas the disturbances weaken and speed up over the eastern Pacific cold water re-gion due to the interaction of sensible heating and evaporation with perturbational wind. Therefore the two major centers just show out-of-phase oscillation during onecycle around the latitudinal beltBy introducing the SST anomalies in El Ni?o and La Ni?a years into the surface temperature, we also show that they have significant influence on LFO processes. In an anomalously warm year, the LFO disturbances dissipate more slowly over the central-eastern Pacific region and can travel farther eastward; whilst in an anomalously cold year, the opposite is true.     

Validation of Sea Level Data in the East Asian Marginal Seas： Comparison between TOPEX／POSEIDON Altimeter and In-Situ Tide Gauges

In an effort to assess the reliability of satellite altimeter systems, the authors conduct a comparative analysis of sea level data that were collected from the TOPEX/POSEIDON (T/P) altimeter and 10 tide gauges (TG) near the satellite passing ground tracks. The analysis is made using datasets collected from marginal sea regions surrounding the Korean Peninsula at T/P cycles of 2 to 230, which correspond to October 1992 to December 1998. Proper treatment of tidal errors is a very critical step in data processing because the study area has very strong tide. When the T/P data are processed, the procedures of Park and Gamberoni (1995) are adapted to reduce errors associated with the tide. When the T/P data are processed in this way, the alias periods of M2, $2, and K1 constituents are found to be 62.1, 58.7, and 173 days repectively. The compatibility of the T/P and TG datasets are examined at various filtering periods.The results indicate that the low-frequency signals of the T/P data can be interpreted more safely with longer filtering periods (such as up to the maximum selected value of 200 days). When RMS errors for the 200-day low-pass filter period are compared with all 10 tidal stations, the values span the range of 2.8 to 6.7 cm. The results of a correlation analysis for this filtering period also show a strong agreement between the T/P and TG datasets across all stations investigated (e.g., p-values consistently less than 0.001). Hence according to the analysis, the conclusion is made that the analysis of surface sea level using satellite altimeter data can be made safely with reasonably extended filtering periods such as 200 days.     

Atmospheric and Coupled Model Intercomparison in Terms of Amplitude—Phase Characteristics of Surface Air Temperature Annual Cycle

1. Introduction In spite of the progress achieved in global climatemodelling during the last few decades, the models stillshow considerable errors even for the surface air tem-perature ?eld (Covey et al., 2000; IPCC, 2001; Lam-bert and Boer, 2001). As i…     

Atmospheric Circulation Patterns over East Asia and Their Connection with Summer Precipitation and Surface Air Temperature in Eastern China during 1961–2013

Based on the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data and Chinese observational data during 1961–2013, atmospheric circulation patterns over East Asia in summer and their connection with precipitation and surface air temperature in eastern China as well as associated external forcing are investigated. Three patterns of the atmospheric circulation are identified, all with quasi-barotropic structures: (1) the East Asia/Pacific (EAP) pattern, (2) the Baikal Lake/Okhotsk Sea (BLOS) pattern, and (3) the eastern China/northern Okhotsk Sea (ECNOS) pattern. The positive EAP pattern significantly increases precipitation over the Yangtze River valley and favors cooling north of the Yangtze River and warming south of the Yangtze River in summer. The warm sea surface temperature anomalies over the tropical Indian Ocean suppress convection over the northwestern subtropical Pacific through the Ekman divergence induced by a Kelvin wave and excite the EAP pattern. The positive BLOS pattern is associated with below-average precipitation south of the Yangtze River and robust cooling over northeastern China. This pattern is triggered by anomalous spring sea ice concentration in the northern Barents Sea. The anomalous sea ice concentration contributes to a Rossby wave activity flux originating from the Greenland Sea, which propagates eastward to North Pacific. The positive ECNOS pattern leads to below-average precipitation and significant warming over northeastern China in summer. The reduced soil moisture associated with the earlier spring snowmelt enhances surface warming over Mongolia and northeastern China and the later spring snowmelt leads to surface cooling over Far East in summer, both of which are responsible for the formation of the ECNOS pattern.     

Elevational Dependence of Air Temperature Variability and Trends in British Columbia's Cariboo Mountains, 1950–2010

Pristine mountain environments are more sensitive to climate change than other land surfaces. Climatic variations in mountainous terrain are still poorly understood. Previous studies revealed inconsistent findings on the elevational dependence of warming in the mountains. In this study, the trends and elevational dependence of air temperature in the Cariboo Mountains Region (CMR) of British Columbia are explored using a surface air temperature dataset with a spatial resolution of five arc minutes over the 1950–2010 period. A Mann-Kendall test is performed for evaluation of trends and their significance. In recent decades the CMR has been warming at a faster rate than regional and global warming. The minimum air temperature trend shows significant amplified warming at higher elevations. The snow–albedo feedback and changes in cloud cover over the CMR may possibly be the major physical mechanisms responsible for these trends. The implications of such changes on the endangered mountain caribou and water resources of the area are also discussed.     

Interannual and Interdecadal Variability of Winter Precipitation over China in Relation to Global Sea Level Pressure Anomalies

Based on the method of rotated principal component (RPC) analysis and wavelet transforms, the win-ter precipitation from 36 stations over China for the period 1881-1993 is examined. The results show thatthe three leading space-time modes correspond, in sequence, to winter rainfall anomalies over the reaches ofthe Yangtze River, the bend of the Yellow River, and the northeastern region of China. The three modes ex-hibit interannual oscillations with quasi-biennial and 8-year periods as well as interdecadal oscillationswith 16- and 32-year periods. The interannual oscillation (＜ 10 years) occurs in phase over the differentareas, and its maximum amplitude migrates northward considerably with prominent interdecadal variations.However, the interdecadal oscillations (10-32 years) are out of phase over the different regions, and theamplitude variations have the characteristics of stationary waves.The rainfall anomalies appear to be closely re lated to the anti-phase changes of mean sea-level pres-sure (SLP) over the Asian mainland and the North Pacific. When the SLP rises over the North Pacific anddecreases over the Asian mainland, the precipitation over East China increases noticeably. The linkage be-tween the rainfall over China and the SLP anomalies apparently results from the strength of the East Asianwinter monsoon and its associated temperature and moisture advection.     

海温强迫下的东亚夏季大气环流潜在可预报性特征

利用大气环流模式NCARCAM3,进行22a（1979—2000年）、每年8个初值的集合试验,并采用方差分析方法,研究了观测海温强迫下东亚夏季大气环流的潜在可预报性。结果表明,夏季东亚地区海平面气压场的潜在可预报性总体偏低,在中国区域呈东南高、西北低的分布特征;850hPa纬向风场、对流层500～200hPa平均温度场和500hPa位势高度场在低纬度地区的潜在可预报性明显高于中高纬度地区。500hPa位势高度场的潜在可预报性较高,东亚大部分地区大于0.5,尤其华南地区大于0.7。夏季东亚500hPa位势高度场的潜在可预报性具有明显的年际变化特征,并与夏季南海海温异常关系密切。与正常年份相比,在夏季南海海温偏暖或者偏冷年,东亚500hPa位势高度场的潜在可预报性较高     

中国冬季气温月际变化特征及其对大气环流异常的响应

基于1951—2014年中国160站月气温和NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,利用季节的经验正交函数分解（S-EOF）等方法,研究了中国冬季气温月际变化的时、空演变特征及其对大气环流异常的响应。结果表明,中国冬季气温在月尺度上常常出现前、后冬相反甚至冷暖交替的现象。中国冬季气温月际变化存在3个主模态:全冬一致型、前后反相型和冷暖交替型。当西伯利亚高压冬季一致偏强（偏弱）时,冬季一致冷（暖）;当海陆热力差异由强变弱、西伯利亚高压强度由强变弱,东亚西风急流比较稳定,强度偏强,位置由南向北移动时,冬季前冷后暖;当大气环流发生突变,尤其是海平面气压场和500 hPa位势高度场上大气活动中心的频繁调整,西伯利亚高压强度在月时间尺度上强弱交替时,冬季气温呈冷—暖—冷交替变化。      

Effects of meridional sea surface temperature changes on stratospheric temperature and circulation

Using a state-of-the-art chemistry-climate model,we analyzed the atmospheric responses to increases in sea surface temperature （SST）.The results showed that increases in SST and the SST meridional gradient could intensify the subtropical westerly jets and significantly weaken the northern polar vortex.In the model runs,global uniform SST increases produced a more significant impact on the southern stratosphere than the northern stratosphere,while SST gradient increases produced a more significant impact on the northern stratosphere.The asymmetric responses of the northern and southern polar stratosphere to SST meridional gradient changes were found to be mainly due to different wave properties and transmissions in the northern and southern atmosphere.Although SST increases may give rise to stronger waves,the results showed that the effect of SST increases on the vertical propagation of tropospheric waves into the stratosphere will vary with height and latitude and be sensitive to SST meridional gradient changes.Both uniform and non-uniform SST increases accelerated the large-scale Brewer-Dobson circulation （BDC）,but the gradient increases of SST between 60°S and 60°N resulted in younger mean age-of-air in the stratosphere and a larger increase in tropical upwelling,with a much higher tropopause than from a global uniform 1.0 K SST increase.     

欧亚大陆夏季地表温度的气候特征及与大气环流的联系

采用1960—2010年NCEP/NCAR逐月再分析资料,利用经验正交函数(EOF)展开方法等,分析了欧亚大陆夏季地表温度变化特征及其与大气环流的关系。结果表明:欧亚大陆夏季地表温度的均方差在高纬度地区大于在低纬度地区。欧亚大陆夏季地表温度最主要的特征是全区一致变化,除了青藏高原东侧为降温趋势外,其他地区为变暖趋势,其中40~65°N增温明显;其次,高纬度地区表现出"-+-"变化特征。西风环流指数的变化与地表温度的增温密切相关,而EU指数与中高纬度地区地表温度异常的分布类型密切相关。根据欧亚大陆夏季地表温度的气候特征和时空变化特征,确定了5个关键区。各关键区指数都有增温趋势,但是变化特征不同。不同关键区指数的异常所对应的环流形势异常均不相同,与不同关键区地表温度密切联系的环流因子也不相同。     

中国北方暴雪的年代际变化及其与大气环流和北极海冰的联系

采用相关、回归等统计方法,对中国北方暴雪的年代际变化特征及其与大气环流和北极海冰的联系进行探讨。结果表明:中国北方冬季暴雪发生频次较高区域主要位于东北,在空间分布上呈现由西北向东南增加的态势,且存在明显的年代际变化特征:1965—1980年为东北暴雪少发期; 2002—2011年为东北暴雪多发期。分析表明:暴雪少发期,输送至东北的水汽较少;暴雪多发期,更多的水汽输送来自于西北太平洋,同时偏北气流引导的极地冷空气与偏南风引导的太平洋暖湿空气在东北地区汇合,提供暴雪频发的动力条件,造成东北暴雪出现年代际增多。此外,研究发现:前期秋季北极海冰的年代际减少与东北暴雪的年代际增加存在很好的相关性;秋季北极海冰异常偏少导致的大气环流异常主要表现为纬向西风减弱和NAO负位相,由此导致大气经向活动增强,利于极地冷空气向南入侵,且冷空气与暖湿空气在东北地区汇合,这是东北暴雪年代际增加的重要原因之一。     

华南春季降水的年代际变化及其与大气环流和海温的关系

利用1960—2010年中国降水资料、NCEP/NCAR再分析资料、NOAA提供的海表温度资料以及太平洋年代际振荡(Pacific Decadal Oscillation,PDO)指数,分析了华南春季降水的年代际变化特征及其与大气环流和海温的关系。结果表明:华南春季降水经历了偏少(1960—1971年)—偏多(1972—1992年)—次偏少(1993—2010年)三个阶段。第一阶段少雨期,500 hPa上西风气流较平直,不利于北方冷空气南下,华南地区的暖气团也不活跃,对应的水汽通量散度为异常辐散。第二阶段多雨期,500 hPa高度上,高原北部脊偏强,利于冷空气南下,与华南地区活跃的暖湿气团汇合,对应的水汽场上为水汽异常辐合。第三阶段少雨期,500 hPa西风气流上的槽脊系统偏强,利于北方强冷空气南下,孟加拉湾地区的南支槽填塞,南方暖湿空气向华南的输送减弱。华南春季降水与PDO指数存在正相关关系,从不同季节来看,在年代际时间尺度上,前期秋季的PDO指数与华南春季降水的正相关显著,PDO处于负位相时,华南春季降水偏少,反之亦然;从华南春季降水年代际变化的不同阶段来看,PDO指数与华南春季降水的正相关在1960—1971年少雨期较显著。     

东亚夏季风的年际到年代际变化及其与全球大气环流和海表温度的联系

The East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) underwent an interdecadal variation with interannual variations during the period from 1958 to 1997, its index tended to decline from a higher stage in the mid-1960＇s until it reached a lower stage after 1980＇s. Correlation analysis reveals that EASM is closely related with the global atmospheric circulation and sea surface temperature (SST). The differences between the weak and strong stage of EASM shows that, the summer monsoon circulation over East Asia and North Africa is sharply weakened, in the meantime, the westerlies in high latitudes and the trade--wind over the tropical ocean are also changed significantly. Over the most regions south of the northern subtropics, both air temperature in the lower troposphere and SST tended to rise compared with the strong stage of EASM. It is also revealed that the ocean-atmosphere interaction over the western Pacific and Indian Ocean plays a key role in interannual to interdecadal variation of EASM, most probably, the subtropical Indian Ocean is more important. On the other hand, the ENSO event is less related to EASM at least during the concerned period.     

中国华北地区冬季降水异常特征及其与大气环流和海温的关系

利用1951—2012年中国冬季160站降水资料、NCEP/NCAR再分析资料及NOAA海温资料,分析了中国华北地区冬季降水的异常变化特征及其与大气环流和海温的关系。结果表明:华北地区冬季降水主要呈现为全区一致变化的特征,且年际变率较大,具有2~4 a的年际变化周期。降水异常偏多(少)年,西伯利亚高压偏弱(强),阿留申低压偏弱(强),850 h Pa上华北地区盛行的西北风较弱(强),控制该地区的东亚冬季风偏弱(强),该地区有偏南(北)风距平,500 h Pa上东亚槽脊系统偏弱(强)。影响华北地区冬季降水的异常水汽主要来源于南海及其以东的西太平洋。前期夏季日本以东的西风漂流区、同期冬季近海的黄渤海区域的海温均与中国华北地区冬季降水存在显著的正相关关系。     

湖南雨凇与大气环流和海温因子的相关分析

雨凇是冬季影响湖南的一种主要气象灾害。对湖南雨凇与大气环流特征量、海温异常的相关性进行了分析。结果表明：亚洲区极涡面积和东亚槽位置对中国湖南雨凇天气影响极为重要。当欧亚纬向环流为低指数时,有利于中国湖南雨凇的形成;当东大西洋欧洲区阻塞高压面积指数为低指数和乌拉尔山区阻塞高压面积指数为高指数时,湖南多雨凇天气发生。冬季西太平洋副热带高压面积偏大、强度偏强、西脊点偏西不利于中国湖南雨凇发展。拉尼娜事件结束年同时为厄尔尼诺开始年的年份湖南雨凇最为严重,厄尔尼诺事件起始年湖南雨凇强度最轻。     

我国中部地区夏季干旱的多时间尺度特征及其环流、海温异常

基于CRU逐月降水和NCEP/NCAR再分析等资料,利用集合经验模态分解(Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition,EEMD)方法,分析1948—2016年中国中部地区夏季降水变化的多时间尺度特征及其对应的环流、海温异常,进而解释不同时期影响干旱发生的背景场有何不同。结果表明,中部地区夏季降水以年际变化为主,周期长度为3.8 a和6.9 a,年代际和多年代际变化的方差贡献不足20%。然而,各时间尺度降水变化对不同时期干旱事件的贡献存在较大差异,1960s、1970s,降水年际变化偏弱,相反地,多年代际变化正处于负位相的极小值期;1980s、1990s,多年代际变化位相转正;2000s初,年际变化明显增强。此外,通过分析不同时间尺度降水变化对应的环流、海温背景场,发现热带印度洋海温异常及其引起的西北太平洋副热带高压的变化、大西洋北部海温异常激发的纬向波列以及贝加尔湖地区的阻塞活动、1970s末PDO位相转变伴随的东亚夏季风突变是分别解释降水年际、年代际和多年代际变化的主要原因,进而揭示影响中部地区夏季干旱发生的关键因子及其相对重要性。