Classification of climates and climatic regionalization of the West-Siberian plain

We examine some issues related to a classification of climates. A climatic regionalization has been carried out, and a brief characteristic given to the identified types of climate. It has been found that the relationship of the sums of mean daily ground air temperatures above 10 °C and the dryness index show a clearly pronounced zonal distribution. The combination of sums of mean daily air temperatures below ?10 °C and the depth of snow in the northern part of the plain is characterized by a horizontal distribution, and only in the middle and southern parts of the plain do these indices acquire zonal regularities. An analysis is made of the long-term dynamics of air temperature to reveal that some climate warming during 1981–2010 was mainly caused by a rise in winter air temperature.     

Influence of the atmospheric circulation on ice-thermal processes on Baikal during 1950–2010

A study is made of the influence of the large-scale atmospheric circulation, described by the indices of Northern Hemisphere Teleconnection Patterns, on air temperature and ice-thermal characteristics of Lake Baikal for the time interval 1950–2010. Multiple linear regression equations have been obtained to account for 46–47% of the air temperature changes during the winter, spring and autumn seasons, and for 18% during the summer season. The main contribution to air temperature change for separate seasons (except in the summertime) and ice-thermal characteristics is made by the fluctuations of the AO and NAO indices characterizing the west-east transport of air masses, and of the SCAND and Sh indices of the mechanisms blocking this transport.     

Climate states and variability of Arctic ice and water dynamics during 1946–1997

Recently observed changes in the Arctic have highlighted the need for a better understanding of Arctic dynamics. This research addresses that need and is also motivated by the recent finding of two regimes of Arctic ice - ocean wind-driven circulation. In this paper, we demonstrate that during 1946-1997 the Arctic environmental parameters have oscillated with a period of 10-15 years. Our results reveal significant differences among atmosphere, ice, and ocean processes during the anticyclonic and cyclonic regimes in the Arctic Ocean and its marginal seas. The oscillating behaviour of the Arctic Ocean we call the Arctic Ocean Oscillation (AOO). Based on existing data and results of numerical experiments, we conclude that during the anticyclonic circulation regime the prevailing processes lead to increases in atmospheric pressure, in ice concentration and ice thickness, river runoff, and surface water salinity - as well as to decreases in air temperature, wind speed, number of storms, precipitation, permafrost temperatures, coastal sea level, and surface water temperature. During the cyclonic circulation regime the prevailing processes lead to increased air and water temperatures, wind speed, number of storms,open water periods, and to decreases in ice thickness and ice concentration, river runoff, atmospheric pressure, and water salinity. The two-climate regime theory may help answer questions related to observed decadal variability of the Arctic Ocean and to reconcile the different conclusions among scientists who have analysed Arctic data obtained during different climate states.     

1960~2015年中国天山南、北坡与山区极端气温时空变化特征

基于中国天山地区35个气象站点1960~2015年逐日最高、最低气温实测资料,应用Mann-Kendall趋势检验分析法, 空间分析法等研究了极端气温的时空变化特征,并探讨了气温指数的环流背景因素。结果表明：① 近56 a来,年平均最高、最低气温均呈上升趋势,而日较差呈下降趋势; 暖指数和日最低(高)气温极小值均呈上升趋势,而其他冷指数呈减小趋势;从季节变化看,除暖昼、暖夜之外,大部分气温指数的冬季变暖幅度均明显高于夏季。② 空间分布上,天山山区年平均最低气温和日较差以及大部分冷指数的变暖幅度大于南北坡,而暖指数则表现为南坡大于北坡和山区。③ 高温和低温指数变化幅度表现出明显不对称性变化,年平均最低温的变暖幅度明显大于年平均最高温,冷指数变暖幅度大于暖指数,夜指数变暖幅度显著大于昼指数。④ 天山地区年平均最高(低)气温和极端气温冷指数受环流指数北极涛动(AO)、北大西洋涛动(NAO)和厄尔尼诺-南方涛动(ENSO)的影响较大,而北太平洋涛动(NPO)、东亚夏季风(EASMI)、南亚夏季风(SASMI)和南海夏季风(SCSMI)是暖指数变化的重要因素。     

A diagnostic study of the Arctic Ocean winter density-driven circulation in 1973–79

Diagnostic computations of density-driven circulation for seven winters from 1973 through 1979 were carried out. The only forcing was provided by observed temperature and salinity data collected during onsite Russian winter surveys in 1973–79. Computed circulations from 1973 through 1978 were close to the mean circulation obtained earlier by averaging observed 1973–79 temperature and salinity (Polyakov & Timokhov 1994). The computed 1979 density-driven circulation flowed counter-clockwise to the north of the Laptev Sea. This circulation pattern was caused by an anomalous salinity distribution associated with changes in the atmospheric circulation regime in 1979. Prevailing offshore winds blew fresh water from the Laptev and East Siberian shelves toward Fram Strait. Fresh water was exchanged for saltier intermediate water that upwelled to the surface along the slope. The observed surface salinity anomalies at the continental slope of the Laptev Sea in 1979 increased by several salinity units. One may speculate that the same process may have caused the observed salinification of the Eurasian Basin in the 1990s.     

中国北方地区四季的时空演变特征

利用中国北方地区及周边58个气象站点1960~2009年的逐日气温资料,结合气候趋势系数和GIS平台,以5 d滑动平均温度作为划分依据,对中国北方地区近50 a来四季的开始时间、长度以及积温的时空变化特征进行分析。结果表明,北方地区四季演变呈一定的径向、纬向和海陆分布规律,且由于地理隔离,存在不连续的高值或低值中心,但整体上呈现以下特征:春夏起始日期提前,秋季推迟,冬季整体变化不大;多数地区春季、秋季和冬季变短,夏季变长,严冬比例减小;多数地区春季温度降低,夏季、秋季和冬季温度升高,严冬平均温度升高。     

Temperature variation and its driving forces over the Antarctic coastal regions in the past 250 years

By comparing the oxygen isotopic temperatures recorded by many shallow ice cores from the coastal regions of Antarctica, this paper presents the special characteristics of the temperature variations over the Antarctic coastal regions in the past 50 years, 150 years and 250 years. In the past 50 years, the isotopic temperatures recorded in the ice cores over different sites on the Antarctic coastal regions differ greatly. For instance, although increasing isotopic temperatures have been reported for many sites studied, many sites show decreasing trends, the regional regularity in temperature variations is still insignificant. In the past 150 years, the isotopic temperature trends in the coastal regions of Antarctica show an alternate-distributing pattern. In the past 250 years, all the ice cores from the coastal regions of Antarctica have recorded the so-called Little Ice Age (LIA). The above-mentioned spatial characteristics of the temperature variations over the Antarctic coastal regions are likely to reflect the impacts of the unique Southern Hemisphere atmospheric circulation, the Antarctic Circumpolar Wave (ACW) and the special terrain (such as the large drainage basins) on the coastal regions of Antarctica. Furthermore, the impacting intensity of the unique Southern Hemisphere atmospheric circulation, the Antarctic Circumpolar Wave and the special terrain differs in terms of the temporal scale of the temperature change.     

Temperature variation and its driving forces over the Antarctic coastal regions in the past 250 years

By comparing the oxygen isotopic temperatures recorded by many shallow ice cores from the coastal regions of Antarctica, this paper presents the special characteristics of the temperature variations over the Antarctic coastal regions in the past 50 years, 150 years and 250 years. In the past 50 years, the isotopic temperatures recorded in the ice cores over different sites on the Antarctic coastal regions differ greatly. For instance, although increasing isotopic temperatures have been reported for many sites studied, many sites show decreasing trends, the regional regularity in temperature variations is still insignificant. In the past 150 years, the isotopic temperature trends in the coastal regions of Antarctica show an alternate-distributing pattern. In the past 250 years, all the ice cores from the coastal regions of Antarctica have recorded the so-called Little Ice Age (LIA). The above-mentioned spatial characteristics of the temperature variations over the Antarctic coastal regions are likely to reflect the impacts of the unique Southern Hemisphere atmospheric circulation, the Antarctic Circumpolar Wave (ACW) and the special terrain (such as the large drainage basins) on the coastal regions of Antarctica. Furthermore, the impacting intensity of the unique Southern Hemisphere atmospheric circulation, the Antarctic Circumpolar Wave and the special terrain differs in terms of the temporal scale of the temperature change.     

北极涛动异常对西北地区东部沙尘暴频次的影响

利用西北地区东部沙尘暴日数资料、北极涛动指数资料、东亚高低空大气环流形势场资料,分析了沙尘暴日数与北极涛动的关系,进而研究了北极涛动异常年东亚大气环流分布特征,探讨了北极涛动影响西北地区东部沙尘暴的可能途径。结果表明：西北地区东部沙尘暴频次呈波动减少之势,20世纪80年代中期发生气候突变;北极涛动指数与西北地区东部沙尘暴频次显著负相关,二者年际、年代际变化都有较好的应关系,北极涛动正位相年,西北地区东部沙尘暴偏少,反之亦然。究其原因：北极涛动异常对东亚冬季风强度、东亚高低空气压场、风场分布形势有重要影响：北极涛动正位相年,东亚冬季风、蒙古高压均偏弱;500 hPa高度场上,春季西风带纬向环流占优势,极涡面积偏小,强度偏弱,贝加尔湖阻塞高压异常强盛,蒙古国及我国华北和西北地区位于贝加尔湖阻塞高压底部的暖区里,地面至高空西北风偏弱;在这种形势下,整个中高纬度冷空气势力较弱,活动次数偏少,不利于大风、寒潮天气的发生,因此沙尘暴频次也偏少。而北极涛动负位相年基本相反。     

Long-term air temperature variability on the Crimean Peninsula

A comparison is made of the calculated values of solar radiation incident on the upper atmospheric boundary with the measured values of surface temperature on the territory of the Crimean Peninsula. It is shown that the long-term temperature regime on the territory of the Crimean Peninsula is characterized by a stability. It is determined that the stability of the long-term regime of mean annual surface air temperatures is associated with the characteristics of the latitudinal distribution of solar radiation incident on the upper atmospheric boundary. The incident solar radiation increases in the regions of heat sources and decreases in the regions of heat sink. Stability of long-term mean annual values of surface air temperature is associated with the location of the Crimea on the boundary of the regions of heat sources and sinks. The study revealed the chronological structure of long-term changes in surface air temperature. The anomaly in the long-term surface air temperature variability is characterized by short-duration variations. An analysis is made of the chronological structure of interannual variability in surface air temperature on the territory of the peninsula. The dominant interannual and 2–3-year periodicities in the temperature regime variations are correlated with variations in incident solar radiation. In 62.7% of cases, the sign of interannual variability in surface air temperature corresponds to the sign of interannual variability in incident solar radiation. Thus it is shown that a small tendency in the long-term surface air temperature variability on the territory of the Crimean Peninsula, and the characteristics of its variations are determined largely by the specific character of the input and distribution of solar radiation incident on the upper atmospheric boundary.     

2005年北极冰川首期GPS监测

2005年7月至8月,中国北极黄河站第二次科学考察期间,科考队员针对黄河站附近首次队踏勘选定的两条典型冰川(AustreLov啨nbreen和Pedersenbreen),开展了以监测冰川物质平衡和冰川运动为主要内容的研究课题。本文分析了利用差分GPS进行北极冰川运动监测的可行性和优越性;初步处理了首期GPS监测的数据,并进行了精度分析,得出了较为满意的结果;针对北极冰川特殊的地理环境,探讨了在北极冰川上进行GPS测量应该注意的问题。     

2012-2013年中国西南地区秋、冬、春季持续干旱的成因

利用多种资料从大尺度大气环流、水汽输送、热带海表温度、北极涛动、平流层极涡等方面分析了2012-2013年中国西南地区秋、冬、春季持续干旱的成因。结果表明, 西南水汽输送偏弱、高纬度地区南下冷空气路径偏东、冷暖空气难以在西南地区上空交汇, 是此次持续干旱的直接原因。这段时间西南地区大都受平直西风气流控制, 孟加拉湾和中南半岛地区位势高度较常年偏高, 不利于这些地区气旋性环流的发展;热带海表温度异常变化,特别是冬春季印度洋海表温度的持续偏高, 使得菲律宾地区上空低层反气旋异常环流增强。这些都导致了西南向水汽输送偏弱。此外, 北极涛动异常变化对西南地区的干旱也有重要影响, 北极涛动持续处于负位相, 不仅使南支槽减弱变浅, 西南水汽输送减少, 还导致贝加尔湖高压脊偏弱, 使北方南下冷空气主体偏东。冬季平流层极涡强度的变化在各个高度的位势高度场和位势涡度场上都有体现, 其变化对冷空气的强度及路径有明显影响。     

The role of declining Arctic sea ice in recent decreasing terrestrial Arctic snow depths

The dramatic decline in Arctic sea ice cover is anticipated to influence atmospheric temperatures and circulation patterns. These changes will affect the terrestrial climate beyond the boundary of the Arctic, consequently modulating terrestrial snow cover. Therefore, an improved understanding of the relationship between Arctic sea ice and snow depth over the terrestrial Arctic is warranted. We examined responses of snow depth to the declining Arctic sea ice extent in September, during the period of 1979–2006. The major reason for a focus on snow depth, rather than snow cover, is because its variability has a climatic memory that impacts hydrothermal processes during the following summer season. Analyses of combined data sets of satellite measurements of sea ice extent and snow depth, simulated by a land surface model (CHANGE), suggested that an anomalously larger snow depth over northeastern Siberia during autumn and winter was significantly correlated to the declining September Arctic sea ice extent, which has resulted in cooling temperatures, along with an increase in precipitation. Meanwhile, the reduction of Arctic sea ice has amplified warming temperatures in North America, which has readily offset the input of precipitation to snow cover, consequently further decreasing snow depth. However, a part of the Canadian Arctic recorded an increase in snow depth driven locally by the diminishing September Arctic sea ice extent. Decreasing snow depth at the hemispheric scale, outside the northernmost regions (i.e., northeastern Siberia and Canadian Arctic), indicated that Arctic amplification related to the diminishing Arctic sea ice has already impacted the terrestrial Arctic snow depth. The strong reduction in Arctic sea ice anticipated in the future also suggests a potential long-range impact on Arctic snow cover. Moreover, the snow depth during the early snow season tends to contribute to the warming of soil temperatures in the following summer, at least in the northernmost regions.     

Chemical composition of waters and the phytoplankton of the lakes within the delta of the Selenga river

Field observations showed that the characteristics of chemical composition of waters and the development of plankton algae in the lakes within the delta of the Selenga river are determined by their flowage. The most open Lake Nekipelovskoe communicates with the Selenga outlets throughout a year, and Lake Zavernyaikha only at the period of an open channel. Lake Semenovskoe and Lake Khlystov Zaton are located in the islands and are isolated from the outlets. According to composition of main ions, the lakes under investigation refer to the hydrocarbonate class, the calcium group. The sum of ions in the water of Lake Nekipelovskoe approaches the one in the Selenga (86?221 mg/dm³), and the highest sums of ions were recorded in the wintertime in the lakes isolated from the outlets (446?743 mg/dm³). The lakes of the delta are characterized by a high trophicity. The maximum concentrations of total phosphorus in Lake Nekipelovskoe and Lake Zavernyaikha were 68 and 122 μg mg/dm³, and in Lake Semenovskoe and Lake Khlystov Zaton ?0.8 and ?0.63 μg mg/dm³, respectively. The most intense development of algae is observed in Lake Zavernyaikha, which is due to the high population of Baikal endemics. Lake Zavernyaikha showed a close negative correlation between the concentration of NO ₃ ^? , mineral phosphorus and phytoplankton biomass; the correlation coefficient was ?0.8 and ?0.63, respectively. The lakes exhibited increased contents readily hydrolysable organic matter, and a decrease in dissolved oxygen concentration in winter; hydrogen sulfide was repeatedly recorded in Lake Khlystov Zaton. The water quality in the lakes during the springtime varies from “quite clean” to “weakly polluted”; at low-water periods, especially in winters, it can drop to the category of “exceedingly dirty”. The water quality of the Selenga can be influenced by the lakes during spring floods when material accumulated during the wintertime is transported to the river outlets and further to Lake Baikal.     

新疆塔城地区极端气温变化特征及其影响因子分析

利用塔城地区7个国家气象观测站1961—2018年逐日气温资料,选用国际通用的10个极端气温指数,分析塔城地区极端气温的时空变化特征及其影响因子.结果表明:(1)塔城地区极端气温指数暖化趋势明显,最低气温极低值以0.97℃·(10a)-1的倾向率显著升高,最高气温极高值以0.09℃·(10a)-1的倾向率不显著升高;冷...     

Current Trends in Climate Change in Yakutia

The spatial distribution patterns of climatic changes in Yakutia are considered. For 26 meteorological stations of Yakutia we calculated the linear trend coefficients of climatic characteristics: air temperature (mean annual, January and July temperatures) and the mean annual amount of atmospheric precipitation from 1966 to 2016. Maps of climate change trends were compiled from linear trend coefficients. A spatial analysis of the zonal (regional) peculiarities of the climate of Yakutia has been carried out. An increase in air temperature was established for the 50-year period under consideration. It was found that the annual values of the air temperature trend are positive and, on average, a characteristic trend change interval is 0.3 to 0.6 °C/10 yr. Most of the meteorological stations recorded trends of air temperature with maximum values in winter and minimum values in summer. It was determined that the values of the trends in annual precipitation show different directions, and positive trends occur on more than 70% of the territory of Yakutia. Their maximum corresponds to the mountain-taiga regions of Southern Yakutia. Negative trends in precipitation with values of up to–15 mm/10 yr. are observed in tundra landscapes. The findings show that different regions of Yakutia respond differently to climate change. The trend of an increase in mean annual temperature is largely due to the rise in temperatures during the winter months. The rise in air temperature in Yakutia may be part of global warming. Over the last 50 years there has been an increase in the amount of precipitation in Yakutia as a whole.     

Meltwater production in Antarctic blue-ice areas: sensitivity to changes in atmospheric forcing

In the near coastal regions of Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica, below-surface ice-melt in blue-ice areas has been observed. The low scattering coefficients of the large-grained blue-ice allow penetration of solar radiation, thus providing an energy source below the ice surface. The sub-surface meltwater is significant enough to show up on remote-sensing imagery in the form of ice-covered lakes. Adjacent snow-accumulation areas have much higher scattering coefficients and consequently limit solar radiation penetration in these regions. These snow and ice surfaces are generally below freezing, and little surface melting occurs. To assess the response of these melt features to changes in atmospheric forcings such as cloudiness, air temperature, and snow accumulation, a physically-based model of the coupled atmosphere, radiation, snow, and blue-ice system has been developed. The model consists of a heat transfer equation with a spectrally-dependent solar-radiation source term. The penetration of radiation into the snow and blue-ice depends on the surface albedo, and the snow and blue-ice grain size and density. Model simulations show that ice melt occurring in this area is sensitive to potential variations in atmospheric forcing. Under certain conditions more traditional surface melting occurs and, under other conditions, the existing melt processes can be shut down completely. In light of the sensitivity of this system to variations in atmospheric forcing, and the ability to view melt-related features using remote sensing, a tool exists to efficiently monitor variations in Antarctic coastal climate.     

东南极中山站附近湖冰与固定冰热力学过程比较

2006年对东南极中山站附近湖冰和固定冰的热力学过程进行了系统观测.基于观测数据比较湖冰和固定冰热力学生消过程;分析湖冰和固定冰温度对气温变化的响应规律;计算不同深度层湖冰和固定冰的垂向热传导通量.结果表明:观测的湖泊和海岸区均在2月底至3月初形成连续冰层;湖冰9月底至10月初达到最大冰厚,早于固定冰1-2个月,湖冰最...     

Reconstructing air temperature at eleven remote alpine and arctic lakes in Europe from 1781 to 1997 AD

Pristine and sensitive environments, such as remote alpine and arctic lakes, are particularly susceptible to the effects of climate change. However, these remote environments do not have sufficiently long instrumental climate records to support studies on contemporary climate change. The issue of the scarcity of instrumental climate data at remote regions is addressed by reconstructing monthly mean air temperatures from 1781 to 1997 AD at eleven remote alpine and arctic lakes in Europe, as part of the MOuntain LAke Research (MOLAR) project. Stepwise multiple regression is applied to establish linear transfer functions of temperatures between each of eleven upland records and twenty homogenised long lowland records. Twelve monthly transfer functions are obtained for each lake. The skill of these transfer functions is found to range typically between 60 and 99%. The lower skill values generally correspond to winter months. The temperature reconstructions obtained using the transfer functions need to be corrected with vertical temperature gradients. Air-temperature lapse rates were obtained for each lake region by spatial interpolation of radiosonde air-temperature data (1990–1997). The resulting reconstructions at each lake were checked using air-temperature data (1996–1997) from automatic weather stations installed at the lakes during the MOLAR project. We estimate the typical reconstruction errors to be about 1.3 °C for low-sun months and about 0.98 °C for high-sun months. Trend analyses on the reconstructed annual mean air temperatures at the lakes show two distinct types of trends for the 19th and 20th centuries. During the period 1801–1900, the western European lakes show no significant trend whereas annual mean air temperatures at the eastern European lakes decrease significantly. The period 1901–1997 presents a warming trend at all but the Fennoscandian lakes. Our results are in good agreement with previous studies on the spatial distribution and magnitude of temperature change in Europe. Principal component analysis performed on the reconstructed annual mean air temperature reveals two different regimes of trends for the past two centuries. It also allows a regional clustering of the inter-annual variability of air temperature at the lakes to be identified.     

The dynamics of contemporary glaciers in the mountains of the south of East Siberia

An analysis is made of the glaciation status of the mountains in the south of East Siberia to reveal a number of characteristics of changes in glacier systems. It is determined that the mountain systems are all experiencing a deglaciation caused by global climatic changes, while the rates of degradation have increased considerably since the late 1980s. It is established that over the last several decades the rate of thawing of glaciers has decelerated according to data for the key sites in the Kodar, Baikal’skii, Barguzin. Munku-Sardyk and Eastern-Sayan mountain ranges, which is associated with a decrease in mean annual air temperatures in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013 after the maximum values in 1990, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2002 and 2007. The changes recorded in the amount of solid atmospheric precipitation do not produce any definite trends in all of the mountain systems analyzed. It is determined that, given a relatively small snow accumulation, the glaciers are fed by snow avalanches and persist due to accumulation of large reserves of cold throughout long and cold winters which impede an intense ablation and promote the sustenance of glaciation. It is pointed out that the thawing of glaciers (especially cirque glaciers) involves a decrease in their thickness, whereas their area changes little.