The South Pacific Convergence Zone in CMIP5 simulations of historical and future climate

The South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) is evaluated in historical simulations from 26 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) models, and compared with previous generation CMIP3 models. A subset of 24 CMIP5 models are able to simulate a distinct SPCZ in the December to February (DJF) austral summer, although the position of the SPCZ in these models is too zonal compared with observations. The spatial pattern of SPCZ precipitation is improved in CMIP5 models relative to CMIP3 models, although the spurious double ITCZ precipitation band in the eastern Pacific is intensified in many CMIP5 models. All CMIP5 models examined capture some interannual variability of SPCZ latitude, and 19 models simulate a realistic correlation with El Niño–Southern Oscillation. In simulations of the twenty-first century under the RCP8.5 emission scenario, no consistent shift in the mean position of the DJF SPCZ is identified. Several models simulate significant shifts northward, and a similar number of models simulate significant southward shifts. The majority of CMIP5 models simulate an increase in mean DJF SPCZ precipitation, and there is an intensification of the eastern Pacific double ITCZ precipitation band in many models. Most models simulate regions of increased precipitation in the western part of the SPCZ and near the equator, and regions of decreased precipitation at the eastern edge of the SPCZ. Decomposition of SPCZ precipitation changes into dynamic and thermodynamic components reveals predominantly increased precipitation due to thermodynamic changes, while dynamic changes lead to regions of both positive and negative precipitation anomalies.     

South Asian summer monsoon precipitation variability: Coupled climate model simulations and projections under IPCC AR4

Summary South Asian summer monsoon precipitation and its variability are examined from the outputs of the coupled climate models assessed as part of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment. Out of the 22 models examined, 19 are able to capture the maximum rainfall during the summer monsoon period (June through September) with varying amplitude. While two models are unable to reproduce the annual cycle well, one model is unable to simulate the summer monsoon season. The simulated inter-annual variability from the 19 models is examined with respect to the mean precipitation, coefficient of variation, long-term trends and the biennial tendency. The model simulated mean precipitation varies from 500 mm to 900 mm and coefficient of variation from 3 to 13%. While seven models exhibit long-term trends, eight are able to simulate the biennial nature of the monsoon rainfall. Six models, which generate the most realistic 20th century monsoon climate over south Asia, are selected to examine future projections under the doubling CO₂ scenario. Projections reveal a significant increase in mean monsoon precipitation of 8% and a possible extension of the monsoon period based on the multi-model ensemble technique. Extreme excess and deficient monsoons are projected to intensify. The projected increase in precipitation could be attributed to the projected intensification of the heat low over northwest India, the trough of low pressure over the Indo-Gangetic plains, and the land–ocean pressure gradient during the establishment phase of the monsoon. The intensification of these pressure systems could be attributed to the decline in winter/spring snowfall. Furthermore, a decrease of winter snowfall over western Eurasia is also projected along with an increase of winter snowfall over Siberia/eastern Eurasia. This projected dipole snow configuration during winter could imply changes in mid-latitude circulation conducive to subsequent summer monsoon precipitation activity. An increase in precipitable water of 12–16% is projected over major parts of India. A maximum increase of about 20–24% is found over the Arabian Peninsula, adjoining regions of Pakistan, northwest India and Nepal. Although the projected summer monsoon circulation appears to weaken, the projected anomalous flow over the Bay of Bengal (Arabian Sea) will support oceanic moisture convergence towards the southern parts of India and Sri Lanka (northwest India and adjoining regions). The ENSO-Monsoon relationship is also projected to weaken.     

IPCC AR6报告解读：极端天气气候事件变化

与IPCC第五次评估报告（AR5）相比,在第六次评估报告（AR6）评估中,观测的极端天气气候事件变化证据,特别是归因于人为影响的证据加强。人类活动造成的气候变化已影响到全球每个区域的许多极端天气气候事件。随着未来全球变暖进一步加剧,预估极端热事件、强降水、农业生态干旱的强度和频次以及强台风（飓风）比例等将增加,越罕见的极端天气气候事件,其发生频率的增长百分比越大。这些结论再次凸显了应对气候变化和极端天气气候事件的必要性和紧迫性。     

Simulated changes in the atmospheric water balance over South Asia in the eight IPCC AR4 coupled climate models

This paper evaluates the performance of eight state-of-art IPCC-AR4 coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation models in their representation of regional characteristics of atmospheric water balance over South Asia. The results presented here are the regional climate change scenarios of atmospheric water balance components, precipitation, moisture convergence and evaporation (P, C and E) up to the end of the twenty-second century based on IPCC AR4 modelling experiments conducted for (A1B) future greenhouse gas emission scenario. The AOGCMs, despite their relatively coarse resolution, have shown a reasonable skill in depicting the hydrological cycle over the South Asian region. However, considerable biases do exist with reference to the observed atmospheric water balance and also inter-model differences. The monsoon rainfall and atmospheric water balance changes under A1B scenario are discussed in detail. Spatial patterns of rainfall change projections indicate maximum increase over northwest India in most of the models, but changes in the atmospheric water balance are generally widespread over South Asia. While the scenarios presented in this study are indicative of the expected range of rainfall and water balance changes, it must be noted that the quantitative estimates still have large uncertainties associated with them.     

Multi-model projections of twenty-first century North Pacific winter wave climate under the IPCC A2 scenario

A dynamical wave model implemented over the North Pacific Ocean was forced with winds from three coupled global climate models (CGCMs) run under a medium-to-high scenario for greenhouse gas emissions through the twenty-first century. The results are analyzed with respect to changes in upper quantiles of significant wave height (90th and 99th percentile H_S) during boreal winter. The three CGCMs produce surprisingly similar patterns of change in winter wave climate during the century, with waves becoming 10–15 % smaller over the lower mid-latitudes of the North Pacific, particularly in the central and western ocean. These decreases are closely associated with decreasing windspeeds along the southern flank of the main core of the westerlies. At higher latitudes, 99th percentile wave heights generally increase, though the patterns of change are less uniform than at lower latitudes. The increased wave heights at high latitudes appear to be due a variety of wind-related factors including both increased windspeeds and changes in the structure of the wind field, these varying from model to model. For one of the CGCMs, a commonly used statistical approach for estimating seasonal quantiles of H_S on the basis of seasonal mean sea level pressure (SLP) is used to develop a regression model from 60 years of twentieth century data as a training set, and then applied using twenty-first century SLP data. The statistical model reproduces the general pattern of decreasing twenty-first century wave heights south of ~40 N, but underestimates the magnitude of the changes by ~50–70 %, reflecting relatively weak coupling between sea level pressure and wave heights in the CGCM data and loss of variability in the statistically projected wave heights.     

IPCC AR4模式中夏季西太平洋副高南北位置特征的模拟

利用IPCCAR4中8个气候系统模式的环流、对流和降水资料,结合实际的观测及再分析资料,从年际尺度上比较分析了这些气候系统模式对夏季西太平洋副热带高压南北位置、暖池对流和江淮降水关系的模拟能力,结果表明在西太平洋副热带高压随纬度分布的模拟中,经向分辨率高的模式存在一定的优势。在夏季西太平洋副热带高压的南北位置、暖池对流和江淮降水关系的模拟上,GFDL-CM2.1能合理地表征三者之间的关系;在影响东亚夏季风年际变化的东亚太平洋遥相关型的模拟上,GFDL-CM2.1和ECHAM5_MPI/OM能够较好地模拟出其特征,其中前者模拟结果要明显好于后者。同时利用GFDL-CM2.1在SRES A1B情景下的试验结果,EAP(East Asia/Pacific)指数与中国东部降水的变化关系得出,随着大气中二氧化碳浓度增加,在21世纪前期,江淮偏旱的概率较高;21世纪后期,江淮降水可能偏多。     

On the location and orientation of the South Pacific Convergence Zone

Three semi-permanent cloud bands exist in the Southern Hemisphere extending southeastward from the equator, through the tropics, and into the subtropics. The most prominent of these features occurs in the South Pacific and is referred to as the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ). Similar bands, with less intensity, exist in the South Indian and Atlantic oceans. We attempt to explain the physical mechanisms that promote the diagonal orientation of the SPCZ and the processes that determine the timescales of its variability. It is argued that the slowly varying sea surface temperature patterns produce upper tropospheric wind fields that vary substantially in longitude. Regions where 200?hPa zonal winds decrease with longitude (i.e., negative zonal stretching deformation, or $ {{\partial \overline{U} } \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{\partial \overline{U} } {\partial x}}} \right. \kern-0em} {\partial x}} < 0 $ ) reduce the group speed of the eastward propagating synoptic (3?C6?day period) Rossby waves and locally increase the wave energy density. Such a region of wave accumulation occurs in the vicinity of the SPCZ, thus providing a physical basis for the diagonal orientation and earlier observations that the zone acts as a ??graveyard?? of propagating synoptic disturbances. In essence, $ {{\partial \overline{U} } \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{\partial \overline{U} } {\partial x}}} \right. \kern-0em} {\partial x}} = 0 $ demarks the boundary of the graveyard while regions where $ {{\partial \overline{U} } \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{\partial \overline{U} } {\partial x}}} \right. \kern-0em} {\partial x}} < 0 $ denote the graveyard itself. Composites of the life cycles of synoptic waves confirm this hypothesis. From the graveyard hypothesis comes a more general theory accounting for the SPCZ??s spatial orientation and its longer term variability influenced by the El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), or alternatively, the changing background SST associated with different phases of ENSO.     

Evaluating IPCC AR4 cool-season precipitation simulations and projections for impacts assessment over North America

General circulation models (GCMs) have demonstrated success in simulating global climate, and they are critical tools for producing regional climate projections consistent with global changes in radiative forcing. GCM output is currently being used in a variety of ways for regional impacts projection. However, more work is required to assess model bias and evaluate whether assumptions about the independence of model projections and error are valid. This is particularly important where models do not display offsetting errors. Comparing simulated 300-hPa zonal winds and precipitation for the late 20th century with reanalysis and gridded precipitation data shows statistically significant and physically plausible associations between positive precipitation biases across all models and a marked increase in zonal wind speed around 30°N, as well as distortions in rain shadow patterns. Over the western United States, GCMs project drier conditions to the south and increasing precipitation to the north. There is a high degree of agreement between models, and many studies have made strong statements about implications for water resources and about ecosystem change on that basis. However, since one of the mechanisms driving changes in winter precipitation patterns appears to be associated with a source of error in simulating mean precipitation in the present, it suggests that greater caution should be used in interpreting impacts related to precipitation projections in this region and that standard assumptions underlying bias correction methods should be scrutinized.     

Response of the East Asian summer monsoon to doubled atmospheric CO2: Coupled climate model simulations and projections under IPCC AR4

Summary The East Asian (China, Korea and Japan) summer monsoon precipitation and its variability are examined from the outputs of the coupled climate models performing coordinated experiments leading to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report (IPCC AR4). Out of the 22 models examined, 14 reproduce the observed shape of the annual cycle well with peak during the boreal summer (June through August), but with varying magnitude. Three models simulate the maximum a month later and with lower magnitudes. Only one model considerably underestimates the magnitude of the annual cycle. The remaining 4 models show some deviations from the observed. Models are unable to simulate the minimum in July with peaks in June and August associated with northward shifts of the Meiyu-Changma-Baiu precipitation band. The realistic simulation of the annual cycle does not appear to depend on the model resolution. The inter-model variation is slightly larger during summer, implying larger diversity of the models in simulating summer monsoon precipitation. The spatial rainfall patterns are reasonably well simulated by most of the models, with several models able to simulate the precipitation associated with the Meiyu-Changma-Baiu frontal zone and that associated with the location of the subtropical high over the north Pacific. Simulated spatial distribution could be sensitive to model resolution as evidenced by two versions of MIROC3.2 model. The multi-model ensemble (MME) pattern reveals an underestimation of seasonal precipitation over the east coast of China, Korea-Japan peninsular and the adjoining oceanic regions. This may be related with the mass-flux based scheme employed for convective parameterization by majority of the models. Further the inter-model variation of precipitation is about 2 times stronger south of 30° N, than north of this latitude, indicating larger diversity of the coupled models in simulating low latitude precipitation. The simulated inter-annual variability is estimated by computing the mean summer monsoon seasonal rainfall and the coefficient of variability (CV). In general the mean observed seasonal precipitation of 542 mm and CV of 6.7% is very well simulated by most of the models. Except for one model mean seasonal precipitation varies from 400 to 650 mm. However the CV varies from 2 to 9%. Future projections under the radiative forcing of doubled CO₂ scenario are examined for individual models and by the MME technique. Changes in mean precipitation and variability are tested by the t-test and F-ratio respectively to evaluate their statistical significance. The changes in mean precipitation vary from −0.6% (CNRM-CM3) to about 14% (ECHO-G; UKMO-HadCM3). The MME technique reveals an increase varying from 5 to 10%, with an average of 7.8% (greater than the observed CV of 6.7%) over the East Asian region. However the increases are significant over the Korea-Japan peninsula and the adjoining north China region only. The increases may be attributed to the projected intensification of the subtropical high, Meiyu-Changma-Baiu frontal zone and the associated influx of moist air from the Pacific inland. The projected changes in the amount of precipitation are directly proportional to the projected changes in the strength of the subtropical high. Further the MME suggests a possible increase in the length of the summer monsoon precipitation period from late spring through early autumn. The changes in precipitation could be stabilized by controlling the CO₂ emissions.     

Consistent global responses of marine ecosystems to future climate change across the IPCC AR5 earth system models

Climate Dynamics - We analyze for the first time all 16 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 models with explicit marine ecological modules to identify the common mechanisms involved in...     

IPCC AR6报告解读：未来的全球气候——基于情景的预估和近期信息

依据IPCC第六次评估报告（AR6）第一工作组报告第四章的内容,对未来全球气候的预估结果进行解读。报告对21世纪全球表面气温、降水、大尺度环流和变率模态、冰冻圈和海洋圈的可能变化进行了系统评估,并对2100年以后的气候变化做了合理估计。评估指出全球平均表面气温将在未来20年内达到或超过1.5℃,平均降水也将增加,但随季节和区域而异,同时变率将增大。大尺度环流和变率模态受内部变率影响较大。到21世纪末,北冰洋可能出现无冰期;全球海洋会继续酸化,平均海平面将持续上升,百年内上升幅度依赖不同排放情景,都在2100年后继续升高。在最新的评估中采用多种约束方法,减小了预估不确定性的范围。AR6对于低排放情景以及“小概率高增暖情节”的关注为应对气候变化提供了更多、更完整的信息。综合报告的评估结果指出,未来需要进一步减小区域,特别是季风区气候预估的不确定性,并从科学研究和模式发展两方面加强我国气候预估能力的建设。     

IPCC AR4气候模式对东亚夏季风年代际变化的模拟性能评估

文中使用多种观测资料和分类的方法评估了IPCC AR4(政府间气候变化委员会第4次评估报告)气候模式(亦称Coupled Model Intercomparison Program 3, CMIP3)对东亚夏季风降水与环流年代际变化的模拟性能.结果表明,在评估的19个模式中,有9个模式可以较好地再现中国东部地区多年平均降水场,但仅有3个模式(第1类模式)可以较好地对东亚夏季风降水的年代际变化作出模拟,这3个模式是:GFDL-CM2.0、MIROC3.2(hires)和MIROC3.2(medres),其中模式GFDL-CM2.0具有最好的模拟性能.进一步的分析表明,大部分模式对东亚夏季风变化模拟能力的缺乏是因为这些模式没有抓住东亚夏季风降水变化的主要动力和热力学机制,即东亚地区在过去所出现的大范围对流层变冷和变干.而第1类模式由于较好地再现了东亚地区垂直速度场(动力学因子)和水汽场(热力学因子)的变化特征,因此较好地模拟出中国东部南涝北旱的气候变化特征.本文的评估清楚地表明,当选择不同模式进行集合时,模式对某一研究变量的模拟性能好坏极大地影响了集合的结果.当模拟性能较好的模式在一起进行集合时,所得到的结果更加接近于真实的观测结果.就特定的研究变量而言,这种集合更加优于将可得到的所有模式进行集合.这说明,虽然多模式集合一般优于单个模式的结果,但应考虑使参与集合的模式对所研究变量具有一定的模拟能力.     

Present and future climates of the Greenland ice sheet according to the IPCC AR4 models

The atmosphere?Cocean general circulation models (AOGCMs) used for the IPCC 4th Assessment Report (IPCC AR4) are evaluated for the Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) current climate modelling. The most suited AOGCMs for Greenland climate simulation are then selected on the basis of comparison between the 1970?C1999 outputs of the Climate of the twentieth Century experiment (20C3M) and reanalyses (ECMWF, NCEP/NCAR). This comparison indicates that the representation quality of surface parameters such as temperature and precipitation are highly correlated to the atmospheric circulation (500?hPa geopotential height) and its interannual variability (North Atlantic oscillation). The outputs of the three most suitable AOGCMs for present-day climate simulation are then used to assess the changes estimated by three IPCC greenhouse gas emissions scenarios (SRES) over the GrIS for the 2070?C2099 period. Future atmospheric circulation changes are projected to dampen the zonal flow, enhance the meridional fluxes and therefore provide additional heat and moisture to the GrIS, increasing temperature over the whole ice sheet and precipitation over its northeastern area. We also show that the GrIS surface mass balance anomalies from the SRES A1B scenario amount to ?300?km³/year with respect to the 1970?C1999 period, leading to a global sea-level rise of 5?cm by the end of the 21st century. This work can help to select the boundaries conditions for AOGCMs-based downscaled future projections.     

IPCC AR6报告解读：人类活动对气候系统的影响

2021年8月9日,IPCC发布了第六次评估报告(AR6)第一工作组报告,报告第三章“人类活动对气候系统的影响”定量评估了人类活动对气候系统的影响程度以及气候模式对观测到的平均气候、气候变化和气候变率的模拟性能。报告基于气候系统的多个圈层变量的综合评估明确指出,毋庸置疑的是,自工业化以来人为影响已经使大气、海洋和陆地升温;支撑本次评估的国际耦合模式比较计划第六阶段（CMIP6）气候模式模拟的大多数大尺度气候指标的近期平均气候,相比前一次评估报告（AR5）中的CMIP5模式结果有所改进。报告在更广泛的领域和区域提供了更多证据表明气候系统中的人类活动影响,但受制于观测、模式与过程认知的不足,在大气、海洋、冰冻圈、生物圈及气候变率模态的多个指标变化中人为影响的贡献方面仍然存在不确定性甚至缺少研究。     

Hierarchical evaluation of IPCC AR4 coupled climate models with systematic consideration of model uncertainties

The capability of reproducing observed surface air temperature (SAT) changes for the twentieth century is assessed using 22 multi-models which contribute to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report. A Bayesian method is utilized for model evaluation by which model uncertainties are considered systematically. We provide a hierarchical analysis for global to sub-continental regions with two settings. First, regions of different size are evaluated separately at global, hemispheric, continental, and sub-continental scales. Second, the global SAT trend patterns are evaluated with gradual refinement of horizontal scales (higher dimensional analysis). Results show that models with natural plus anthropogenic forcing (MME_ALL) generally exhibit better skill than models with anthropogenic only forcing (MME_ANTH) at all spatial scales for different trend periods (entire twentieth century and its first and second halves). This confirms previous studies that suggest the important role of natural forcing. For the second half of the century, we found that MME_ANTH performs well compared to MME_ALL except for a few models with overestimated warming. This indicates not only major contributions of anthropogenic forcing over that period but also the applicability of both MMEs to observationally-constrained future predictions of climate changes. In addition, the skill-weighted averages with the Bayes factors [Bayesian model averaging (BMA)] show a general superiority over other error-based weighted averaging methods, suggesting a potential advantage of BMA for climate change predictions.     

IPCC WGI第4次评估报告引用文献概况

IPCC第一工作组(WGI)第四次评估报告(AR4)已于2007年2月2日公布(http://ipcc-wg1.ucar.edu/wg1/wg1-report.html)。我们对报告所引用的参考文献,主要针对论     

IPCC AR6报告关于气候变化适应措施的解读

适应举措对降低人类和生态系统的气候变化风险有着积极的影响。IPCC第六次评估报告（AR6）第二工作组（WGII）报告全面评估了适应的可行性和有效性,深入评估了适应局限性和不良适应。报告认为,个人、地方、区域和国家各级的适应行动都在增加,但是在做决策时需考虑不良适应的风险。报告从经济、技术、制度、社会、环境和地球物理这6个维度,对23个适应措施的可行性进行了评估;这些适应措施分布在陆地、海洋与生态系统,城乡与基础设施系统,能源系统以及跨部门等四大系统,其中,基于森林的适应、具有恢复力的电力系统、能源可靠性等适应措施具有高信度的高可行性。适应措施的可行性和有效性会随着气候变暖的增加而降低,需要采用多种措施来降低未来气候变化风险。