The Subsurface and Surface Indian Ocean Dipoles and Their Association with ENSO in CMIP6 models

This study assesses the reproducibility of 31 historical simulations from 1850 to 2014 in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6(CMIP6) for the subsurface(Sub-IOD) and surface Indian Ocean Dipole(IOD) and their association with El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation(ENSO). Most CMIP6 models can reproduce the leading east-west dipole oscillation mode of heat content anomalies in the tropical Indian Ocean(TIO) but largely overestimate the amplitude and the dominant period of the Sub-IOD. Associat...     

Interdecadal correlation of solar activity with Tibetan Plateau snow depth and winter atmospheric circulation in East Asia

Studies on the impact of solar activity on climate system are very important in understanding global climate change. Previous studies in this field were mostly focus on temperature, wind and geopotential height. In this paper, interdecadal correlations of solar activity with Winter Snow Depth Index (WSDI) over the Tibetan Plateau, Arctic Oscillation Index (AOI) and the East Asian Winter Monsoon Index (EAWMI) are detected respectively by using Solar Radio Flux (SRF), Total Solar Irradiance (TSI) and Solar Sunspot Number (SSN) data and statistical methods. Arctic Oscillation and East Asian winter monsoon are typical modes of the East Asian atmospheric circulation. Research results show that on interdecadal time scale over 11-year solar cycle, the sun modulated changes of winter snow depth over the Tibetan Plateau and East Asian atmospheric circulation. At the fourth lag year, the correlation coefficient of SRF and snow depth is 0.8013 at 0.05 significance level by Monte-Carlo test method. Our study also shows that winter snow depth over the Tibetan Plateau has significant lead and lag correlations with Arctic Oscillation and the East Asian winter monsoon on long time scale. With more snow in winter, the phase of Arctic Oscillation is positive, and East Asian winter monsoon is weak, while with less snow, the parameters are reversed. An example is the winter of 2012/2013, with decreased Tibetan Plateau snow, phase of Arctic Oscillation was negative, and East Asian winter monsoon was strong.     

ENSO对韶关市1951~2013年降雨侵蚀力影响研究

选取1951~2013年韶关市分月降雨量数据,采用月降雨侵蚀力模型计算降雨侵蚀力,分析ENSO（厄尔尼诺-南方涛动）对韶关市降雨侵蚀力的影响。研究表明：① 韶关市降雨侵蚀力年际变化和年内变化较大,总体呈现波动上升趋势;② 降雨侵蚀力与赤道太平洋SST距平值呈现极显著相关,降雨侵蚀力随SST距平值增加呈现先增加后递减的趋势。ENSO冷暖事件发生时降雨侵蚀力较小,在其它土壤侵蚀因素不变的条件下,此时期的土壤侵蚀相对较轻;③ 降雨侵蚀力与SOI存在显著相关,降雨侵蚀力随着SOI增加而减小;④ 降雨侵蚀力与MEI呈现极显著的正相关关系。     

印度洋地区MJO对流生成动力学机制的研究进展

Madden-Julian Oscillation （MJO）是热带大气在季节内时间尺度上的主要变化特征,MJO对流的活动对全球很多地区的天气和气候系统都有重要的影响,因此MJO是大气科学重要的前沿课题之一.MJO对流的生成过程是MJO研究中公认的最薄弱的环节,文中从MJO的研究背景出发,对MJO对流生成的有关研究工作及其进展进行了回顾与总结,主要包括MJO对流生成的前期信号、MJO对流的数值模拟、MJO对流生成的动力学机制.最后对MJO对流生成研究中还有待解决的问题进行了分析与讨论.     

Modulation of the Aleutian–Icelandic Low Seesaw and Its Surface Impacts by the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation

Early studies suggested that the Aleutian–Icelandic low seesaw(AIS) features multidecadal variation. In this study, the multidecadal modulation of the AIS and associated surface climate by the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation(AMO) during late winter(February–March) is explored with observational data. It is shown that, in the cold phase of the AMO(AMO|-),a clear AIS is established, while this is not the case in the warm phase of the AMO(AMO|+). The surface climate over Eurasia is significantly influenced by the AMO's modulation of the Aleutian low(AL). For example, the weak AL in AMO|-displays warmer surface temperatures over the entire Far East and along the Russian Arctic coast and into Northern Europe,but only over the Russian Far East in AMO|+. Similarly, precipitation decreases over central Europe with the weak AL in AMO|-, but decreases over northern Europe and increases over southern Europe in AMO|+.The mechanism underlying the influence of AMO|-on the AIS can be described as follows: AMO|-weakens the upward component of the Eliassen–Palm flux along the polar waveguide by reducing atmospheric blocking occurrence over the Euro–Atlantic sector, and hence drives an enhanced stratospheric polar vortex. With the intensified polar night jet, the wave trains originating over the central North Pacific can propagate horizontally through North America and extend into the North Atlantic, favoring an eastward-extended Pacific–North America–Atlantic pattern, and resulting in a significant AIS at the surface during late winter.     

An Asymmetric Spatiotemporal Connection between the Euro-Atlantic Blocking within the NAO Life Cycle and European Climates

This paper examines an asymmetric spatiotemporal connection and climatic impact between the winter atmospheric blocking activity in the Euro-Atlantic sector and the life cycle of the North Atlantic Oscillation(NAO) during the period 1950–2012. Results show that, for positive NAO(NAO+) events, the instantaneous blocking(IB) frequency exhibits an enhancement along the southwest–northeast(SW–NE) direction from the eastern Atlantic to northeastern Europe(SW–NE pattern, hereafter), which is particularly evident during the NAO+decaying stage. By contrast, for negative NAO(NAO-)events, the IB frequency exhibits a spatially asymmetric southeast–northwest(SE–NW) distribution from central Europe to the North Atlantic and Greenland(SE–NW pattern, hereafter). Moreover, for NAO-(NAO+) events, the most marked decrease(increase) in the surface air temperature(SAT) in winter over northern Europe is in the decaying stage. For NAO+events, the dominant positive temperature and precipitation anomalies exhibit the SW–NE-oriented distribution from western to northeastern Europe, which is parallel to the NAO+-related blocking frequency distribution. For NAO-events, the dominant negative temperature anomaly is in northern and central Europe, whereas the dominant positive precipitation anomaly is distributed over southern Europe along the SW–NE direction. In addition, the downward infrared radiation controlled by the NAO's circulation plays a crucial role in the SAT anomaly distribution. It is further shown that the NAO's phase can act as an asymmetric impact on the European climate through producing this asymmetric spatiotemporal connection with the Euro-Atlantic IB frequency.     

ENSO Frequency Asymmetry and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation in Observations and 19 CMIP5 Models

Using observational data and the pre-industrial simulations of 19 models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5(CMIP5), the El Ni o(EN) and La Ni a(LN) events in positive and negative Pacific Decadal Oscillation(PDO) phases are examined. In the observational data, with EN(LN) events the positive(negative) SST anomaly in the equatorial eastern Pacific is much stronger in positive(negative) PDO phases than in negative(positive) phases. Meanwhile,the models cannot reasonably reproduce this difference. Besides, the modulation of ENSO frequency asymmetry by the PDO is explored. Results show that, in the observational data, EN is 300% more(58% less) frequent than LN in positive(negative)PDO phases, which is significant at the 99% confidence level using the Monte Carlo test. Most of the CMIP5 models exhibit results that are consistent with the observational data.     

北极海冰及其与气象要素年际关系的年代际变化

利用Hadley海冰密集度资料和NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,分析了北极海冰融冰量及其与大气变量年际关系的年代际变化。结果表明,北极海冰存在显著的年代际变化,且有较强的区域性。东西伯利亚海和波弗特海海冰融冰量的平均值变大且方差增大,格陵兰岛以东洋面海冰融冰量的量值和变率均在减弱。对3个不同气候时段内北极海冰融冰量进行EOF分解,前两个模态均在3个气候时段发生显著的年代际变化,东西伯利亚海海冰融冰量的增加与EOF第一模态年代际变化相关,而EOF第二模态则明显造成了波弗特海海冰的年代际消融。并且,与之相应的大气环流也出现了明显的年代际变化,它们与AO/NAO的年际关系也存在年代际转折,融冰量第二模态与AO的年际关系更为紧密,1960—1990年第二模态与AO的相关系数仅为0.186,而1980—2010年相关系数已升高至0.367。整个北冰洋的海冰融冰量与AO的年际关系也出现了年代际增强,尤其是东西伯利亚地区海冰融冰量与AO的年际关系发生了年代际增强,1980—2010年两者相关达到了0.4以上。而波弗特海融冰量与AO相关系数变化较大,1960—1990年其的相关系数高达-0.488,1980年后却减少至0.161。然而AO却未发生明显的年代际变化。造成北极海冰融冰量及其与大气变量年际关系发生年代际变化的主要因子之一是波弗特高压,其年代际减弱使得极区向东西伯利亚海和波弗特海的海冰输送减弱,导致这两个区域海冰减少,使得AO与北极海冰的年际关系发生了年代际转折。     

Simulation by CMIP5 models of the atlantic multidecadal oscillation and its climate impacts

This study focuses on the climatic impacts of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) as a mode of internal variability. Given the difficulties involved in excluding the effects of external forcing from internal variation, i.e., owing to the short record length of instrumental observations and historical simulations, we assess and compare the AMO and its related climatic impacts both in observations and in the “Pre-industrial” experiments of models participating in CMIP5. First, we evaluate the skill of the 25 CMIP5 models’ “Historical” simulations in simulating the observational AMO, and find there is generally a considerable range of skill among them in this regard. Six of the models with higher skill relative to the other models are selected to investigate the AMO-related climate impacts, and it is found that their “Pre-industrial” simulations capture the essential features of the AMO. A positive AMO favors warmer surface temperature around the North Atlantic, and the Atlantic ITCZ shifts northward leading to more rainfall in the Sahel and less rainfall in Brazil. Furthermore, the results confirm the existence of a teleconnection between the AMO and East Asian surface temperature, as well as the late withdrawal of the Indian summer monsoon, during positive AMO phases. These connections could be mainly caused by internal climate variability. Opposite patterns are true for the negative phase of the AMO.     

Heterozoan carbonates from the equatorial rocky reefs of the Galápagos Archipelago

Strongly influenced by seasonal and interannual (i.e. El Niño‐Southern Oscillation) upwelling, the equatorial setting of the Galápagos Archipelago is divided into well‐defined temperature, nutrient and calcium carbonate saturation (Ω_aragonite) regions. To understand the relationship between oceanographic properties and sediment grain associations, grain size, carbonate content and components from sea floor surface samples were analysed, representing the main geographical regions of the Galápagos Archipelago. The shallow‐water rocky reefs of the Galápagos Archipelago are characterized by mixed carbonate–siliciclastic slightly gravelly sands. Despite minor differences in carbonate content, major differences exist in the distribution and composition of key carbonate producing biota. Halimeda is absent and benthic foraminifera occur in extremely low abundance. The western side of the Galápagos Archipelago is strongly influenced by nutrient‐rich, low‐Ω_aragonite, subtropical water, which generates a heterozoan carbonate biofacies in a tropical realm resembling cold‐water counterparts (i.e. serpulid, echinoderm, gastropod, barnacle and bryozoan‐rich facies). The Central East region is composed of a transitional‐heterozoan biofacies. Biofacies observed in the northern region have an increased occurrence of tropical corals, albeit with a minor overall contribution to the carbonate components. Although the temperature gradient would allow for a broader distribution of photozoan biofacies, the increased nutrient concentration and related reduced light penetration from the upwelled waters favour heterozoan carbonate factories, mimicking cool‐water, deeper or higher latitude environments. The recent sedimentary record of the Galápagos Archipelago presents a range of tropical heterozoan carbonate communities, responding to more than simply latitude or temperature but a much more complex mixture of physical, evolutionary and geological processes.