Impact of the Pacific–Japan Teleconnection Pattern on July Sea Fog over the Northwestern Pacific: Interannual Variations and Global Warming Effect

The northwestern Pacific(NWP) is a fog-prone area, especially the ocean east of the Kuril Islands. The present study analyzes how the Pacific–Japan(PJ) teleconnection pattern influences July sea fog in the fog-prone area using independent datasets. The covariation between the PJ index and sea fog frequency(SFF) index in July indicates a close correlation, with a coefficient of 0.62 exceeding the 99% confidence level. Composite analysis based on the PJ index, a case study, and model analysis based on GFDL-ESM2 M, show that in high PJ index years the convection over the east of the Philippines strengthens and then triggers a Rossby wave, which propagates northward to maintain an anticyclonic anomaly in the midlatitudes,indicating a northeastward shift of the NWP subtropical high. The anticyclonic anomaly facilitates the formation of relatively stable atmospheric stratification or even an inversion layer in the lower level of the troposphere, and strengthens the horizontal southerly moisture transportation from the tropical–subtropical oceans to the fog-prone area. On the other hand, a greater meridional SST gradient over the cold flank of the Kuroshio Extension, due to ocean downwelling, is produced by the anticyclonic wind stress anomaly. Both of these two aspects are favorable for the warm and humid air to cool, condense, and form fog droplets, when air masses cross the SST front. The opposite circumstances occur in low PJ index years, which are not conducive to the formation of sea fog. Finally, a multi-model ensemble mean projection reveals a prominent downward trend of the PJ index after the 2030 s, implying a possible decline of the SFF in this period.     

Trends of Regional Precipitation and Their Control Mechanisms during 1979–2013

Trends in precipitation are critical to water resources. Considerable uncertainty remains concerning the trends of regional precipitation in response to global warming and their controlling mechanisms. Here, we use an interannual difference method to derive trends of regional precipitation from GPCP(Global Precipitation Climatology Project) data and MERRA(ModernEra Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications) reanalysis in the near-global domain of 60?S–60?N during a major global warming period of 1979–2013. We find that trends of regional annual precipitation are primarily driven by changes in the top 30% heavy precipitation events, which in turn are controlled by changes in precipitable water in response to global warming, i.e., by thermodynamic processes. Significant drying trends are found in most parts of the U.S. and eastern Canada,the Middle East, and eastern South America, while significant increases in precipitation occur in northern Australia, southern Africa, western India and western China. In addition, as the climate warms there are extensive enhancements and expansions of the three major tropical precipitation centers–the Maritime Continent, Central America, and tropical Africa–leading to the observed widening of Hadley cells and a significant strengthening of the global hydrological cycle.     

中国东部7类暴雨异常环流型

近年来的研究发现,瞬变扰动天气图上的扰动场天气系统对区域暴雨的落区指示能力强于传统天气图上的总场天气系统。为供预报员在业务预报中参考,本文划分1998年发生在中国东部地区的41日次区域暴雨为7类扰动场天气系统。与区域暴雨相联系的7类异常环流型分别是:华南切变线、华南涡旋、华南倒槽、长江切变线与槽、沿江涡旋、华北涡旋和东北涡旋。无论是在对流层的垂直剖面上,还是在850 hPa水平分布上,扰动天气图上位势高度低值和风扰动辐合处并配合大的水汽扰动对应有区域暴雨,而传统天气图上的低值系统和高水汽区与暴雨之间存在位置上的偏移。由此建议,用实况大气变量和中期数值模式产品绘制扰动天气图有助于预报员确定区域暴雨落区。     

LINKAGE BETWEEN INDIAN OCEAN DIPOLE AND TWO TYPES OF El NI?O AND ITS POSSIBLE MECHANISMS

After compositing three representative ENSO indices,El Nio events have been divided into an eastern pattern(EP) and a central pattern(CP).By using EOF,correlation and composite analysis,the relationship and possible mechanisms between Indian Ocean Dipole(IOD) and two types of El Nio were investigated.IOD events,originating from Indo-Pacific scale air-sea interaction,are composed of two modes,which are associated with EP and CP El Ni o respectively.The IOD mode related to EP El Nio events(named as IOD1) is strongest at the depth of 50 to 150 m along the equatorial Indian Ocean.Besides,it shows a quasi-symmetric distribution,stronger in the south of the Equator.The IOD mode associated with CP El Nio(named as IOD2) has strongest signal in tropical southern Indian Ocean surface.In terms of mechanisms,before EP El Nio peaks,anomalous Walker circulation produces strong anomalous easterlies in equatorial Indian Ocean,resulting in upwelling in the east,decreasing sea temperature there;a couple of anomalous anticyclones(stronger in the south) form off the Equator where warm water accumulates,and thus the IOD1 occurs.When CP El Nio develops,anomalous Walker circulation is weaker and shifts its center to the west,therefore anomalous easterlies in equatorial Indian Ocean is less strong.Besides,the anticyclone south of Sumatra strengthens,and the southerlies east of it bring cold water from higher latitudes and northerlies west of it bring warm water from lower latitudes to the 15° to 25°S zone.Meanwhile,there exists strong divergence in the east and convergence in the west part of tropical southern Indian Ocean,making sea temperature fall and rise separately.Therefore,IOD2 lies farther south.     

南京市灰霾天气的长时间变化特征及其气候原因探讨

以南京市1954—2012年的逐日气象数据分析南京市灰霾天的长时间变化规律并从气候角度探讨其变化原因。南京市的霾日数近60 a来呈现明显上升趋势,从20世纪50年代的40 d/a已增加至21世纪的230 d/a左右,气象行业标准界定的霾日与人工观测的霾日长期变化趋势一致,前者在南京市具有较好的适用性。南京市雾霾混合日呈现出先增加后下降的趋势,其对应的相对湿度在不断降低,这可能是雾霾日向霾日转换,雾霾日数降低而霾日数增多的关键因素。南京地区能见度不断降低,近30 a里约下降8.4 km,霾日数与能见度相关系数高达-0.91,随着能见度的降低,灰霾天数几乎线性增加。南京地区的年平均相对湿度在1985年以后大幅降低,已从约80%下降至68%左右,湿度与霾日的相关系数为-0.72,随着湿度的降低,霾日呈上升趋势。南京年平均温度1985年后明显上升,升高了1.8℃,其中冬季上升幅度最大,夏季上升幅度最小;年均温度与霾日数呈现出明显正相关,和相对湿度呈现明显负相关,温度的升高将造成相对湿度的降低,进而造成霾日增多。南京的年平均风速1978年后不断降低,到20世纪末约降低1.5 m/s,风速与霾日呈现出显著的负相关,随着平均风速的降低,霾日数不断增多。在全球变暖的大气候背景下,南京市霾的长时间变化受到各种气候因子的影响,能见度、相对湿度、温度和风速都是重要的影响因素。     

西北太平洋海洋净初级生产力与柔鱼资源量变动关系的研究

海洋初级生产力在海洋生态中扮演重要角色,其变化影响了海洋渔业的潜在产量。本文根据2004-2013年中国鱿钓组提供的西北太平洋柔鱼(Ommastrephes bartramii)捕捞数据和海洋遥感净初级生产力数据,研究了柔鱼冬春生西部群体资源量变动与净初级生产力的关系。结果发现,柔鱼渔场范围内净初级生产力在经度方向上呈明显的季节性变化,冬春季低,夏秋季高。捕捞月份7-11月对应的适宜净初级生产力范围分别为500~700 mg/(m2·d)(以碳计),500~800 mg/(m2·d),500~1000 mg/(m2·d),500~800 mg/(m2·d)和300~500 mg/(m2·d),最适净初级生产力分别为700 mg/(m2·d),600 mg/(m2·d),700 mg/(m2·d),600 mg/(m2·d)和400 mg/(m2·d)。7-11各月最适净初级生产力平均纬度与捕捞努力量纬度重心呈显著正相关关系(P<0.05),说明了捕捞努力量位置在渔场中不是随机分布,可能受最适净初级生产力的纬度分布的影响。柔鱼年间资源丰度与各年3月份净初级生产力以及7-11月份平均净初级生产力大小显著正相关(P<0.05)。推测每年柔鱼资源量大小可能是由3月份产卵场海域和7-11月捕捞月份渔场净初级生产力水平交互作用的结果。研究表明,异常环境条件(厄尔尼诺和拉尼娜事件)对柔鱼产卵场和渔场的净初级生产力具有显著影响,但调控机制不同。     

基于MTSAT卫星遥感的中国海及西北太平洋海域海表温度日增温研究

Hourly sea surface temperature(SST) observations from the geostationary satellite are increasingly used in studies of the diurnal warming of the surface oceans. The aim of this study is to derive the spatial and temporal distribution of diurnal warming in the China seas and northwestern Pacific Ocean from Multi-functional Transport Satellite(MTSAT) SST. The MTSAT SST is validated against drifting buoy measurements firstly. It shows mean biases is about –0.2°C and standard deviation is about 0.6°C comparable to other satellite SST accuracy. The results show that the tropics, mid-latitudes controlled by subtropical high and marginal seas are frequently affected by large diurnal warming. The Kuroshio and its extension regions are smaller compared with the surrounding regions. A clear seasonal signal, peaking at spring and summer can be seen from the long time series of diurnal warming in the domain in average. It may due to large insolation and low wind speed in spring and summer, while the winter being the opposite. Surface wind speed modulates the amplitude of the diurnal cycle by influencing the surface heat flux and by determining the momentum flux. For the shallow marginal seas, such as the East China Sea, turbidity would be another important factor promoting diurnal warming. It suggests the need for the diurnal variation to be considered in SST measurement, air-sea flux estimation and multiple sensors SST blending.     

Missing the boat: Critical threats to coral reefs are neglected at global scale

Coral reefs have experienced a global decline due to overfishing, pollution, and warming oceans that are becoming increasingly acidic. To help halt and reverse this decline, interventions should be aimed at those threats reef experts and managers identify as most severe. The survey included responses from 170 managers, representing organizations from 50 countries and territories, and found that respondents generally agreed on the two major threats: overfishing and coastal development. However, resource allocation did not match this consensus on major threats. In particular, while overfishing receives much attention, coastal development and its attendant pollution are largely neglected and underfunded. These results call for a re-examination of how resources are allocated in coral reef conservation, with more attention given to aligning how money is spent with what are perceived to be the primary threats.     

北极斯瓦尔巴特群岛及邻区天然气水合物分解对气候、海洋环境和生物的影响

天然气水合物是一种潜在的巨量能源,但其分解释放的甲烷可能对全球气候与海洋环境产生巨大影响。然而,人们目前对天然气水合物分解产生的环境和生物效应的了解还不够全面。北极地区的斯瓦尔巴特群岛及邻区的海底和冻土层中蕴含大量甲烷,对气候变化十分敏感,是人们研究天然气水合物对气候变化的响应机制和其分解对生态环境影响的绝佳场所。系统总结了斯瓦尔巴特群岛及邻区水合物分解的气候与环境效应,发现目前研究区水合物分解产生的甲烷进入大气的年际通量不大,对全球气候的影响可能有限;水合物分解对海底滑坡起到催化剂的作用,但不是首要因素;海底水合物分解释放的甲烷能打破原有的化学平衡、生产力分布规律与输送机制、生物耦合关系甚至不同栖息地间的连通性,进而影响底栖生物群落。这些认识对研究天然气水合物开采对生态环境可能造成的影响和采取相应防治措施具有一定的借鉴意义。     

东北多年冻土退化及环境效应研究现状与展望

东北多年冻土属中高纬度多年冻土,对气候变化非常敏感。数据模型模拟表明,21世纪东北多年冻土区气温会持续上升,显著的变暖将导致多年冻土退化。东北多年冻土呈现自南向北的区域性退化趋势,多年冻土区南部表现为南界的北移、融区的扩大和多年冻土的消失,而北部表现为多年冻土下限的上移、活动层厚度增大及地温升高等。多年冻土的退化会导致寒区生态环境的恶化,如兴安落叶松占绝对优势的天然林带锐减,林带北移,沼泽湿地萎缩等。随着多年冻土的迅速退缩和变薄,原多年冻土中蕴藏的碳将释放出来,对气候变化产生积极的正反馈,加速变暖,并影响全球碳循环。多年冻土退化导致其热状态失稳而造成寒区基础设施损坏,并且影响冻土微生物、碳循环、寒区生态和水文等,而它们是区域气候变化的重要因子,也将成为未来多年冻土研究的重点。而这些研究都需要长期的基础数据作支撑,因此需要进一步完善冻土参数监测网络,用模型厘清气候变化与多年冻土退化及其环境效应之间的关系。