Potential impact of future climate change on crop yield in northeastern China

We evaluated the potential impact of future climate change on spring maize and single-crop rice in northeastern China(NEC) by employing climate and crop models. Based on historical data, diurnal temperature change exhibited a distinct negative relationship with maize yield, whereas minimum temperature correlated positively to rice yield. Corresponding to the evaluated climate change derived from coupled climate models included in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5(CMIP5) under the Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5 scenario(RCP4.5), the projected maize yield changes for three future periods [2010–39(period 1), 2040–69(period 2), and 2070–99(period 3)] relative to the mean yield in the baseline period(1976–2005) were 2.92%, 3.11% and 2.63%, respectively. By contrast, the evaluated rice yields showed slightly larger increases of 7.19%, 12.39%, and 14.83%, respectively. The uncertainties in the crop response are discussed by considering the uncertainties obtained from both the climate and the crop models. The range of impact of the uncertainty became markedly wider when integrating these two sources of uncertainty. The probabilistic assessments of the evaluated change showed maize yield to be relatively stable from period 1 to period 3, while the rice yield showed an increasing trend over time. The results presented in this paper suggest a tendency of the yields of maize and rice in NEC to increase(but with great uncertainty) against the background of global warming, which may offer some valuable guidance to government policymakers.     

Influence of positive and negative Indian Ocean Dipoles on ENSO via the Indonesian Throughflow: Results from sensitivity experiments

The role of the Indonesian Throughflow(ITF) in the influence of the Indian Ocean Dipole(IOD) on ENSO is investigated using version 2 of the Parallel Ocean Program(POP2) ocean general circulation model. We demonstrate the results through sensitivity experiments on both positive and negative IOD events from observations and coupled general circulation model simulations. By shutting down the atmospheric bridge while maintaining the tropical oceanic channel, the IOD forcing is shown to influence the ENSO event in the following year, and the role of the ITF is emphasized. During positive IOD events,negative sea surface height anomalies(SSHAs) occur in the eastern Indian Ocean, indicating the existence of upwelling.These upwelling anomalies pass through the Indonesian seas and enter the western tropical Pacific, resulting in cold anomalies there. These cold temperature anomalies further propagate to the eastern equatorial Pacific, and ultimately induce a La Nia-like mode in the following year. In contrast, during negative IOD events, positive SSHAs are established in the eastern Indian Ocean, leading to downwelling anomalies that can also propagate into the subsurface of the western Pacific Ocean and travel further eastward. These downwelling anomalies induce negative ITF transport anomalies, and an El Nio-like mode in the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean that persists into the following year. The effects of negative and positive IOD events on ENSO via the ITF are symmetric. Finally, we also estimate the contribution of IOD forcing in explaining the Pacific variability associated with ENSO via ITF.     

Recent advances in monsoon studies in China

This review provides a synopsis of the major progress that has been made in monsoon studies in China and to further bridge the gap between the Chinese and international meteorological community. It consists of seven major sections. After the introduction, the second section begins with the global monsoon systems and their seasonal variation, based on some new methods proposed in recent years. Besides, some major intraseasonal features of East Asian monsoon, including the onset of South China Sea summer monsoon are discussed. In the third section, we review the interactions between ENSO and the East Asian monsoon, focusing in particular on the results of Chinese meteorologists that indicate the influence of ENSO on the East Asian summer monsoon(EASM) is obviously different from that on the tropical monsoon. Besides the tropical Pacific,other ocean basins, such as the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean, are also important to the East Asian monsoon, and this topic is discussed in the fourth section. In the fifth section, we address the role of land surface processes in East Asian monsoon. For example, we describe work that has shown more snow cover in spring on the Tibetan Plateau is followed by a weakened EASM and more summer rainfall in the Yangtze River valleys. The sixth section focuses on the influence of atmospheric circulation in the Southern Hemisphere(SH) on EASM, demonstrating how the signal from the SH is likely to provide new clues for the seasonal forecasting of summer rainfall in China. Finally, in the seventh section, we concentrate on the interdecadal variations of EASM. In particular, we look at a significant interdecadal variation that occurred at the end of the 1970 s, and how our understanding of this feature could affect forecasting ability.     

An assessment of the predictability of the East Asian Subtropical Westerly Jet based on TIGGE data

The predictability of the position, spatial coverage and intensity of the East Asian subtropical westerly jet(EASWJ) in the summers of 2010 to 2012 was examined for ensemble prediction systems(EPSs) from four representative TIGGE centers,including the ECMWF, the NCEP, the CMA, and the JMA. Results showed that each EPS predicted all EASWJ properties well, while the levels of skill of all EPSs declined as the lead time extended. Overall, improvements from the control to the ensemble mean forecasts for predicting the EASWJ were apparent. For the deterministic forecasts of all EPSs, the prediction of the average axis was better than the prediction of the spatial coverage and intensity of the EASWJ. ECMWF performed best, with a lead of approximately 0.5–1 day in predictability over the second-best EPS for all EASWJ properties throughout the forecast range. For probabilistic forecasts, differences in skills among the different EPSs were more evident in the earlier part of the forecast for the EASWJ axis and spatial coverage, while they departed obviously throughout the forecast range for the intensity. ECMWF led JMA by about 0.5–1 day for the EASWJ axis, and by about 1–2 days for the spatial coverage and intensity at almost all lead times. The largest lead of ECMWF over the relatively worse EPSs, such as NCEP and CMA, was approximately 3–4 days for all EASWJ properties. In summary, ECMWF showed the highest level of skill for predicting the EASWJ, followed by JMA.     

一种改进的TSI3563积分浊度误差校正方法

TSI3563型积分式浊度计是一种性能出色的气溶胶散射系数观测仪器,然而由于仪器设计所固有的限制,TSI3563型浊度计观测结果包含有角度截断和非朗伯体光源两项系统性误差,会使观测结果较真值偏小10%左右。因此,需要对TSI3563型浊度计的观测结果进行校正才能得到较为精确的散射系数观测值。该研究利用2009年华北平原HaChi气溶胶外场观测数据测试了现有校正方法,结果显示,传统的校正方法在我国华北平原这样的高气溶胶污染地区并不适用。为此,提出一种改进的校正方法,利用同时观测的PM₁和PM₁₀数据,在校正方案中加入超微米粒子体积比这一参量,对于不同体积比采用不同的校正函数。利用实际观测数据检验后发现,改进方法的校正效果相对于传统方法有很大改善。     

强对流天气监测预报预警技术进展

强对流天气预报业务包括监测、分析、预报、预警和检验等方面。对流初生识别、对流系统强度识别和对流天气类型识别等监测技术取得新进展,综合多源资料的监测技术已应用于中国气象局中央气象台业务。对流系统的触发、发展和维持机制等获得了新认识,我国不同类型强对流天气及其环境条件统计气候特征、分析规范及相应业务产品等为业务预报提供了必要基础和技术支撑。光流法、多尺度追踪技术以及应用模糊逻辑方法的临近预报技术等有明显进展,融合短时预报技术得到广泛应用,对流可分辨高分辨率数值 (集合) 预报及其后处理产品预报试验取得了显著成效,基于数值 (集合) 预报应用模糊逻辑方法的分类强对流天气短期预报技术为业务预报提供了技术支撑。强对流天气综合监测和多尺度自适应临近预报技术、多尺度分析技术以及融合短时预报技术、发展并应用模糊逻辑等方法的、基于高分辨率数值 (集合) 模式的区分不同强度等级和极端性的分类强对流天气精细化 (概率) 预报技术等是未来发展的主要方向。     

南阳市1960—2013年高温日数变化特征及原因分析

根据国家气象信息中心气象资料室1960—2013年南阳市地面气象月报表的观测资料,采用线性回归、简单相关系数法、M-K突变检验和Morlet小波分析等方法,研究了南阳市高温日数的变化特征,结果表明:1960—2013年南阳市共出现788次高温日;出现高温日数最多的是2013年,为37天;1987年无高温日。南阳市高温日数6月份最多,占高温天气发生总次数的36.7%;9月最少,占总次数的2.2%。从1960—2013年高温日的逐年分布情况可以看出,54 a间高温日数整体呈下降趋势,倾向率为-1.59天/10a。南阳市年高温日数在20世纪70年代的降低是一突变,具体是从1971年开始。由南阳高温日数小波系数实部图可见,高温日数存在多重时间周期尺度上的嵌套复杂结构现象,包含了多个不同尺度的周期变化,南阳年高温日数变化存在3个明显的周期振荡,分别是10~12 a、26~28 a和50~51 a的尺度。从小波方差图中可以看出,12 a、28 a、50 a存在峰值,其中尺度50 a峰值最高,能量最大;其次是尺度12 a的。高温日数较多年比高温日数较少年6—8月500 h Pa平均环流场副高西伸脊点更偏西;高温日数较多年500 h Pa平均环流场更为平直,以纬向环流为主,不利于冷空气南下,因此多晴热天气。高温日数较少年环流场上华北地区波动幅度更大,冷空气和降水天气过程较多。1960—2013年5—9月降水量呈增加趋势,这也相应地减少了高温天气。1960—2013年5—9月南阳市日照时数一直处于下降趋势,日照时数的下降也使高温日数减少。     

Discussion on the complete-form vorticity equation and slantwise vorticity development

The complete form of the vertical vorticity tendency equation (the complete-form vorticity equation) is derived from the Ertel potential vorticity equation to contain thermodynamic factors. In this study, a new complete-form vorticity equation, which has the same form as the original complete-form vorticity equation, is deduced from the absolute vorticity vector equation combined with the continuity equation and the expression of three-dimensional (3D) entropy gradient. By comparing the complete-form vorticity equation with the classical vertical vorticity equation, it is found that regardless of whether or not the isentropic surface is tilting, the two vorticity equations are in essence the same. The “baroclinic term” of the complete-form vorticity equation is exactly equal to the solenoidal term of the classical one, and there is a significant amount of cancellation between the two baroclinic items (the “slantwise term” and the horizontal vorticity change term) in the complete-form vorticity equation. In operational weather analysis, the tilt of the isentropic surface can be diagnosed according to the density of the isotherm on the upper-level isobaric map. For synoptic-scale motion, the vertical vorticity produced by the tilt of the isentropic surface is due to the contribution of atmospheric baroclinicity, which is measured by the solenoid. The 3D solenoid is parallel to the isentropic surface, so the more tilted the isentropic surface, the bigger the projection of the 3D solenoid in the vertical direction. The baroclinic contribution can be interpreted based on the PV thinking theory, but the relationship between the vorticity field and the potential vorticity field is not immediate.