Determination of onset date of the South China Sea summer monsoon in 2006 using large-scale circulations

Since the South China Sea (SCS) summer monsoon (SCSSM) is pronouncedly featured by abruptly intensified southwesterly and obviously increased precipitation over the SCS,the lower-tropospheric winds and/or convection intensities are widely used to determine the SCSSM onset.The methods can be used successfully in most of the years but not in 2006.Due to the intrusion of Typhoon Chanchu(0601)that year,the usual method of determining SCSSM onset date by utilizing the SCS regional indices is less capable of pinpointing the real onset date.In order to solve the problem,larger-scale situations have to be taken into account.Zonal and meridional circulations would be better to determine the break-out date of SCSSM in 2006.The result indicates that its onset date is May 16.Moreover,similar onset dates for other years can be obtained using various methods,implying that large-scale zonal and meridional circulations can be used as an alternative method for determining the SCSSM onset date.     

南海夏季风爆发的动力过程研究

利用1958—1997年的NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,以南海季风爆发日为临界日期,计算了40年合成的季风爆发前月平均带状基流;在该基流上,计算了球面正压涡度方程中Rossby波的稳定性;并用谱函数展开法定义和计算了发展型波包的演变。结果显示：南海夏季风爆发前气候平均场上有球面Rossby波的正压不稳定,该不稳定主要由南半球的西风急流所激发,且不稳定扰动的最大振幅均出现在南半球西风急流以南。球面Rossby波发展型波包的最大振幅随时间会由两个半球的中高纬度向低纬扩展,虽然不能越过赤道,却激发了热带地区的积云对流,积云对流的爆发并向季风区传播,加速了大气环流的调整,其结果造成了南海夏季风的爆发。可见,南海夏季风的爆发虽是局地现象,但其爆发原因却是全球性的。     

中南半岛与南海热力差异对南海季风爆发的影响

利用1958-1998年NCEP/NCAR再分析资料和1975-1998年OLR资料,分析了中南半岛与南海热力差异的季节和年际变化特征,以及这种热力差异对南海季风爆发的影响.结果表明,中南半岛与南海热力差异存在明显的季节变化,从第3候歼始,感热加热的作用使中南半岛地表温度高于南海并一直持续到第25候,之后,中南半岛与南海热力差异发生逆转,这种逆转是由于第22-23候出现在中南半岛的对流及降水造成中南半岛地表温度降低所致.进一步研究指出,中南半岛与南海热力差异的上述季节变化特征还表现出最著的年际差异,这种年际差异对南海季风的爆发有着重要影响.首先,上述热力差异的逆转是南海季风爆发的一个必要条件:1958-1998年,逆转时间均早于(或等于)南海季风爆发时间;其次,中南半岛地表温度高于南海的持续时间与南海季风爆发日期之间呈显著正相关,即中南半岛地表温度高于南海的时间越早、转为低于南海的时间越迟,则南海季风爆发越迟.     

南海夏季风爆发期间的波包传播特征

利用2004年和1998年强弱南海夏季风年的逐日位势高度场资料,从能量传播的角度诊断分析了南海夏季风爆发期间的波包传播特征及其与季风爆发的联系.结果表明(1)孟加拉湾是南海季风爆发的关键区域.(2)南海季风爆发前,南海地区的波包值有明显的突变,可能体现了季风爆发的爆发性特征.(3)1998弱夏季风年波包值相对较小,传播较慢;2004强夏季风年波包值相对较大,传播迅速.(4)南海夏季风爆发前,对流层整层的波包值都随时间增加,爆发前一天低层和高层的波包值有相同的变化,夏季风爆发之后,低层波包值与高层的波包值有反相的变化.     

Weakening of Indian summer monsoon in recent decades

The analysis of 43 years of NCEP-NCAR reanalysis data and station observations reveals the connections between tropospheric temperature variations and the weakening of the Indian summer monsoon circulation. The Indian summer monsoon variation is strongly linked to tropospheric temperature over East Asia, showing significant positive correlations of mean tropospheric temperature with all-Indian summer rainfall and the monsoon circulation intensity. The result shows that Indian summer monsoon circulation underwent two weakening processes in recent decades. The first occurred in circa the mid-1960s, and the other occurred in circa the late 1970s. The finding indicates that the mean tropospheric temperature may play a crucial role in the weakening of the Indian summer monsoon intensity via changing land-sea thermal contrast. The role of the tropospheric temperature contrast between East Asia and the tropical area from the eastern Indian Ocean to the tropical western Pacific is to weaken the Indian summer monsoon circulation.     

Subseasonal variability during the South China Sea summer monsoon onset

Analysis of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI) data for the period 1998–2007 reveals large subseasonal fluctuations in sea surface temperature (SST) of the South China Sea during the summer monsoon onset. These subseasonal SST changes are closely related to surface heat flux anomalies induced by surface wind and cloud changes in association with the summer monsoon onset. The SST changes feed back on the atmosphere by modifying the atmospheric instability. The results suggest that the South China Sea summer monsoon onset involves ocean–atmosphere coupling on subseasonal timescales. While the SST response to surface heat flux changes is quick and dramatic, the time lag between the SST anomalies and the atmospheric convection response varies largely from year to year. The spatial–temporal evolution of subseasonal anomalies indicates that the subseasonal variability affecting the South China Sea summer monsoon onset starts over the equatorial western Pacific, propagates northward to the Philippine Sea, and then moves westward to the South China Sea. The propagation of these subseasonal anomalies is related to the ocean–atmosphere interaction, involving the wind-evaporation and cloud-radiation effects on SST as well as SST impacts on lower-level convergence over the equatorial western Pacific and atmospheric instability over the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea.     

Effects of the Thermal Contrast Between Indo-China Peninsula and South China Sea on the SCS Monsoon Onset

The seasonal and interannual variations of the thermal contrast between Indo-China Peninsula (ICP)and South China Sea (SCS) were analyzed using the pentad mean NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data during 1958-1998 and the pentad mean outgoing long-wave radiation (OLR) data during 1975{1998, along with the effects of such a thermal contrast on the SCS monsoon onset (SCSMO). It is shown that there exists significant seasonal evolution for such a thermal contrast. The surface temperature of ICP is higher than that of SCS from pentad 3 to pentad 25 due to the sensible heating of the ICP. After pentad 25, such a thermal gradient reverses due to the temperature decrease resulted from the convection and rainfall over the ICP from pentad 22 to pentad 23. Furthermore, the above seasonal evolution of the discussed thermal contrast also demonstrates a remarkable interannual change which plays an important role in the SCSMO.On one hand, the reversion happens prior to (or simultaneously with) the SCSMO each year during 1958-1998, thus becoming a precondition for the SCSMO. On the other hand, the earlier (later) the date when the surface temperature of ICP becomes higher (lower) than that of the SCS, the later the SCSMO.     

2013年5月华南强降水与中国南海夏季风爆发

利用2013年"华南季风强降水外场试验与研究"的外场试验数据、美国NCEP FNL资料和卫星云顶黑体辐射温度资料,对2013年5月7—17日华南地区出现的两次强降水过程(7—12日和14—17日)中的高低空环流以及相关气象要素场的变化进行了对比分析。中国南海夏季风于5月第3候建立,两次过程分处于夏季风爆发前后。通过对比影响两次强降水过程的主要环流系统如南亚高压、高空副热带西风急流、500 hPa环流型、水汽来源等,指出影响两次强降水过程大尺度环流场之间的显著区别,说明南海季风爆发前后大尺度环流场对暴雨影响的典型差异。7—12日过程主要受北方锋面影响和南方暖湿气流辐合作用,导致华南地区出现南北两条雨带。14—17日过程则由于季风爆发后强的暖湿空气活动致使华南地区对流活跃,从而形成一条位于广东北部的雨带,此次过程强降水比第1次过程集中且对流性更强。两次降水过程的内在物理机制是一个准平衡态的热力适应过程,由于第2次过程降水更强,导致热源作用明显增强,动力向热力的适应过程也更显著。利用探空资料揭示出两次过程暖区暴雨大气热力和动力条件存在显著区别,7—12日南海季风爆发前的暖区暴雨主要受低层强垂直风切变导致的大气斜压不稳定影响;14—17日南海季风爆发后的暖区暴雨主要受高低空急流的强耦合作用影响。     

基于海温异常的南海夏季风爆发的可预报性分析

定义了综合评估南海地区大气对海温异常等外强迫响应的指数,并以此作为中间变量提出了利用前期海温异常预报南海夏季风爆发早晚的方法,进一步分析了基于海温异常的南海夏季风爆发的可预报性。分析表明:基于前期海温的异常,对于以日为单位预报对象的定量的南海夏季风爆发日期来说,基本没有可预报性;而对于定性的南海夏季风爆发早晚的预测,则可预报性大为提高。其预报时效可以提前至前期秋季的11月份。     

菲律宾以西海域的高温暖水与南海夏季风爆发

为了揭示高温暖水在中国南海（文中简称南海）夏季风爆发中所起的作用,依据欧洲中期天气预报中心发布的第5代全球大气海洋再分析资料,发现气候平均意义下印度洋—太平洋暖池中30℃以上高温暖水会在5月出现移位：5月上旬高温暖水出现在孟加拉湾中部,而到下旬消退并移位到南海南部。通过分析局地天气尺度的海洋-大气相互作用过程,揭示了上述高温暖水月内移位的物理机制：在孟加拉湾夏季风爆发后,逐渐增强的潜热释放和减少的短波辐射会导致孟加拉湾高温暖水的面积逐渐缩小;与此同时,在副热带高压影响下,南海菲律宾岛西南高温暖水出现,并因其面积逐渐增大,并与泰国湾的高温暖水共同构成了南海南部的高温暖水。研究发现南海季风爆发几乎都出现在上述高温暖水移位之后,因此孟加拉湾中部和南海南部海表温度的差由正转负可以作为南海季风爆发的先兆。

     

Interannual variability in the onset of the South China Sea summer monsoon from 1997 to 2014

本文基于南海地区850 hPa风场,降水以及海温定义了南海夏季风爆发指数,将南海季风爆发过程分为季节转换和季风爆发两个过程来进行研究。对18年的观测分析发现,南海季风爆发可归纳为三种情况:第一种是季风正常爆发,随着季节转换结束后,西南季风和降水在南海地区有明显增强;第二种是间接性爆发,在季节转换结束后,西南季风和降水的建立不是特别明显;第三种是推迟爆发,在季节转换结束后,南海地区没有建立西南季风也没有降水产生。进一步研究发现,西太副高异常西伸是导致南海季风延迟爆发的重要因素之一。此外,大尺度环流背景ENSO的影响也对南海季风爆发时间的早晚有重要影响,但并不是唯一决定性因素,印度洋和亚洲大地形的局地热力差异变化是影响季风爆发的另一重要因素。     

The response of the East Asian summer monsoon to strong tropical volcanic eruptions

A 600-year integration performed with the Bergen Climate Model and National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research （NCEP/NCAR） reanalysis data were used to investigate the impact of strong tropical volcanic eruptions on the East Asian summer monsoon （EASM） and EASM rainfall.Both the simulation and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data show a weakening of the EASM in strong eruption years.The model simulation suggests that North and South China experience droughts and the Yangtze-Huaihe River Valley experiences floods during eruption years.In response to strong tropical volcanic eruptions,the meridional air temperature gradient in the upper troposphere is enhanced,which leads to a southward shift and an increase of the East Asian subtropical westerly jet stream （EASWJ）.At the same time,the land-sea thermal contrast between the Asian land mass and Northwest Pacific Ocean is weakened.The southward shift and increase of the EASWJ and reduction of the land-sea thermal contrast all contribute to a weakening of the EASM and EASM rainfall anomaly.     

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.     

2019年南海季风爆发异常偏早的机制分析

利用美国国家环境预报中心/国家大气研究中心(NCEP/NCAR)逐日再分析资料及美国国家海洋和大气管理局(NOAA)逐日向外长波辐射、海温距平等资料诊断分析2019年中国南海季风爆发异常偏早的机制.结果表明:(1)南海季风爆发于5月6日,青藏高原和中南半岛热源较常年弱,对季风爆发无明显影响.(2)中高纬度环流中期变化过...     

The role of MJO and mid-latitude fronts in the South China Sea summer monsoon onset

Previous studies have suggested that the South China Sea (SCS) summer monsoon onset is concurrent with the arrival of a 30–60-day northward-propagating trough. On the other hand, from a synoptic viewpoint, some studies pointed out that the arrival of a mid-latitude front may be the triggering mechanism of the SCSSM onset. This study attempts to link these two viewpoints and to investigate their relative role in inducing the SCSSM onset. Composites of low-level zonal winds, geopotential heights and temperatures during the 1991–1999 SCSSM onsets based on the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecast ERA-40 data indicate that both the Madden and Julian Oscillation (MJO)/Kelvin waves and mid-latitude trough are apparently involved in the onset. The MJO/Kelvin waves play a major role in inducing the large-scale easterly-westerly shift over the central SCS, while the effect of the acceleration of westerlies ahead of the mid-latitude trough is limited to the northern SCS only. Numerical experiments using a regional climate model further demonstrate that the MJO/Kelvin waves control the timing of the onset by changing the background meridional geopotential height gradient over the SCS. When the MJO is at its peak phase over the Maritime continent, it imposes a positive meridional geopotential height gradient over the SCS such that easterly winds are induced, which significantly reduces the strength of a mid-latitude trough. After the equatorial convection has dissipated, a Rossby-wave response is induced, leading to the formation of a northward-moving trough. When this trough moves northward, the meridional geopotential height gradient is reversed and westerly winds are induced. At the same time, if a mid-latitude trough arrives in south China, the westerlies associated with the mid-latitude trough will strengthen because of the background meridional geopotential height gradient, which gives the impression that both the northward-moving trough and mid-latitude trough are in phase and work together to induce the onset.     

孟加拉湾西南季风与南海热带季风季节内振荡特征的比较

采用美国国家环境预报中心的向外长波辐射和风场资料及日本气象厅的降水资料,用30-60d滤波后的夏季风指数在孟加拉湾和南海的区域平均值分别代表孟加拉湾西南季风和南海热带季风季节内振荡,对两支季风的季节内振荡特征进行比较分析,发现孟加拉湾西南季风的季节内振荡和南海热带季风的季节内振荡在夏季风期间(5-10月)都有约3次半的波动.夏季风期间,在阿拉伯海-西太平洋纬带上,夏季风的季节内振荡有4次从阿拉伯海的东传和3次从西太平洋的西传,其中7月后东传可直达西太平洋.孟加拉湾和南海在夏季风期间都有4次季节内振荡的经向传播,但孟加拉湾在约15°N以南为季节内振荡从热带东印度洋的北传,在约15°N以北则为副热带季风季节内振荡的南传;而在南海则是4次季节内振荡从热带的北传.在以孟加拉湾西南季风季节内振荡和南海热带季风季节内振荡分别划分的6个位相中,都存在1-3位相和4-6位相中低频对流、环流形势相反的特征,这是由热带东印度洋季节内振荡的东传和北传所致.热带印度洋季节内振荡沿西南-东北向经过约14d传到孟加拉湾,激发了孟加拉湾西南季风季节内振荡的东传,经过约6d到达南海,激发了南海热带季风季节内振荡的北传,经过约25d到达华南,形成热带印度洋季节内振荡向华南的经纬向接力传播(45d).孟加拉湾西南季风季节内振荡所影响的降水主要是在20°N以南的热带雨带随低频对流的东移而东移;而南海热带季风季节内振荡所影响的降水除了这种热带雨带随低频对流的东移外,还有在20°N以北的东亚副热带地区存在雨带随南海低频对流的北移而北移.     

中南半岛地区热力特征对南海季风爆发的可能影响及机理

利用1998年5月1日－8月31日南海季风试验(SCSMX)产1980年1月－1995年12月NCEP／NCAR候平均再分析资料，分析1998年和多年平均情况下南海夏季风爆发期间中南半岛地区热力特征，揭示该地区热状况的异常与南海夏季风爆发之间的可能联系，从而讨论引起南海夏季风爆发的可能机制。结果发现，南海季风爆发前中南半岛附近地区存在较强的持续地面感知加热并具有显的低频振荡特征，低层大气在中南半岛地区出现较强的暖中心，由此导致局地强的水平温度梯度和位势高度梯度，有利于加强该地区的西南风。南海季风爆发前中南半岛地区低层出现较强的辐合风，高层出现较强的辐散风，这种低层强的辐合，高层强的辐射散配置有利于垂直运动的发展，降水的加强，进而触发南海季风的爆发。对多年平均资料的分析也证实了1998年南海季风爆发过程中所具有的特征，并进一步发现南海季风爆发前中南半岛地区850hPa温度是逐渐增加的，且增温幅度大于南海地区上空，由此加强了中南半岛与南海之间的温差。另外，比纬圈温度偏差和位势高度偏差的分析中发现，南海季风爆发期间南海和中南半岛地区的副高东撤与中南半岛地区的增温和孟加拉湾低槽的向东扩展有关。     

A climatological study on the role of the South China Sea monsoon onset in the development of the East Asian summer monsoon

The unique role of the South China Sea summer monsoon (SCSSM) onset process in the development of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) is demonstrated in this study. The SCSSM onset process is examined in terms of the vertical linkage between the Western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) and the South Asian high (SAH). A composite analysis is performed in order to adequately describe the vertical linkage in a synoptic timescale. The South China Sea (SCS) is a key region for the seasonal migrations of the WPSH and the SAH, with the former retreating northeastward, the latter advancing northwestward, and both taking place over the SCS during the SCSSM onset period. The SCSSM onset process is characterized by a significant change in the relative configuration of the ridge lines of the WPSH and the SAH. Just prior to the onset period, the ridge lines intersect vertically over the SCS, thus prohibiting convective activities. During the onset period, the ridge line intersection moves away from the SCS due to the retreating WPSH and the northward shift of the SAH ridge line. This coincides with the emergence of monsoonal convective activities over the SCS and the establishment of a moisture channel from the tropics, which in turn provides favorable conditions for the development of deep convective activity. The northeastward intrusion of the lower level southwesterlies and the moisture supplying channel are closely related to the development of a preexisting twin cyclone in the Bay of Bengal. The northeastward lower level southwesterlies form a monsoonal ascending motion in the SCS, which further merges upward into the northeasterlies to the south of the SAH ridge line. This is a signature of the establishment of the local Hadley circulation, which marks the beginning of the EASM. The frontal system is the most frequent attendant synoptic event during the SCSSM onset. From the viewpoint of synoptic process, the SCSSM undergoes a two-stage onset process which is characterized by the southward intrusion of the frontal system in the earlier stage and the outbreak of the tropical convection in the later stage. The frontal system may act as a trigger for the outbreak of the tropical convection in the later stage. The burst out of the monsoonal convection over the SCS is essential for the breakdown of the vertical intersection between the WPSH and the SAH therein.