Continued post-bleaching decline and changed benthic community of a Kenyan coral reef

During the global coral bleaching event of 1997/1998 Kenyan reefs experienced between 50% and 90% coral mortality, with coral cover at Malindi being reduced from 35–45% (pre-bleaching) to 10–20%. Even before this event there was concern that these reefs were being impacted by increased sediment loads from the nearby Sabaki River. Here we report that since 1998 coral cover has declined yet further with, in 2004, means of 5.1% being recorded at North Reef (within the non-fished Malindi Marine National Park) and 2.3% on Leopard Reef (within the fished Marine Reserve). Prior to bleaching 55 coral genera were recorded from the area, currently we find only 23. Meanwhile algal cover, especially the calcareous green alga Halimeda, has increased, and on Leopard Reef is twice that on North Reef. Taken with the evidence of previous studies, these data suggest a combined impact of coral bleaching with sedimentation and fishing.     

1—3月北极涛动对北半球热带太平洋和大西洋对流活动的可能影响

利用1979—2008年日分辨率的向外长波辐射资料以及NCEP再分析资料,去除ENSO影响后,分析了1—3月北极涛动对热带太平洋和热带大西洋对流活动及降水的可能影响。结果表明北极涛动偏强(弱)时,热带太平洋和大西洋对流活动显著偏强(弱)。北半球热带大洋冬季平均向外长波辐射与北极涛动指数的相关系数存在两个显著负相关区:一个位于中太平洋区,大致包括13°—20°N、160°E—170°W;另外一个位于热带大西洋,显著区覆盖的范围大体包括5°—20°N、15°—70°W。这些区域的降水量也表现出显著的正相关。向外长波辐射、强对流面积指数、强对流强度指数、平均降水量等指标与北极涛动指数的相关均以冬季同期最高,随时间滞后相关迅速减弱。与此对应的对流层低层大气环流也有显著变化,850hPa风场的变化表现为热带太平洋有异常的气旋性环流,气旋中心区与显著强对流和降水异常区一致。而热带大西洋有显著的经向环流辐合和风切变,与异常对流和降水区吻合。海洋模式的模拟结果表明,与北极涛动有关联的海温分布,很大程度上与大气强迫有关,说明热带1—3月降水和对流活动与海温的关联较弱。北极涛动与热带太平洋、大西洋对流和降水活动之间主要是通过大气环流的变动产生联系的。     

北大西洋涛动位相转换的数值研究

借助一个非线性准地转正压模型,模拟了基本西风气流的强弱、不同空间分布的天气尺度扰动涡对北大西洋涛动(NAO)位相转换的作用,以及大尺度双波地形对其的影响.通过一系列的对比试验发现,适当弱的基本西风气流有利于下游系统西退使NAO由正(负)位相转换为负(正)位相;振幅强、活动范围大的天气尺度扰动波是NAO由负位相转换为正位...     

淮北地区2010年4月异常低温气候特征及成因分析

利用1961—2010年NCEP/NCAR再分析资料和4月淮北地区气温资料,用累积距平(CA)法、合成分析法对淮北地区气温的时空分布特征以及2010年4月淮北地区持续冷气候背景进行分析。文章分析了淮北地区4月冷、暖年的大气环流异常及要素场的空间分布特征。结果表明:淮北地区4月气温的年代际变化特征明显,在1990年前后发生了突变。贝加尔湖南部,100°E以东的华北地区中低层的冷空气活动与淮北地区4月气温高低存在很好的相关性,该地中低层冷空气强(弱),淮北地区4月气温低(高)。冷暖年,乌拉尔山暖脊、东亚大槽、西伯利亚高压等差异显著,说明以上是影响淮北地区4月气温异常的关键系统。另据分析,El Nino与淮北地区4月气温异常也具有很好的相关性。     

Possible Impact of the Summer North Atlantic Oscillation on Extreme Hot Events in China

This paper reveals that the summer North Atlantic Oscillation (SNAO) is closely related to the extreme hot event (EHE) variability in China during the period of 1979 2009, with a positive-phase (negative-phase) SNAO corresponding to less (more) EHEs in northern China. The summer circulation anomalies associated with the SNAO give further confirmation of the above relationship. In a positive-phase (negative-phase) SNAO year, there is an anomalous cyclone (anticyclone) over central East Asia, which can increase (decrease) the total cloud cover over this region. Such changes of the total cloud cover can then decrease (increase) the solar radiation reaching the surface, which is consequently unfavorable (favorable) to the formation of EHEs over northern China.     

北大西洋飓风频次与西半球的南极涛动的联系

To examine the zonal asymmetry of the Antarctic oscillation （AAO）, different portions of the AAO from June to October （JJASO） in the interannual variability of the Atlantic tropical hurricanes number （ATHN） are documented in this research. It follows that the AAO in the Western Hemisphere （AAOWH） is positively correlated with the ATHN, at 0.36 during the period of 1871-1998 and 0.42 during the period of 1949-98. After removing the linear regressions on the Southern Oscillation Index （SOI） in all time series, the above correlation coefficients are 0.25 and 0.30, respectively. The underlying mechanisms are studied through analyses of the atmospheric general circulation variability associated with the AAOWH. It turns out that the positive （negative） phase of JJASO AAOWH corresponds with several factors： decreased （increased） vertical zonal wind shear magnitude, low-level anomalous convergence （divergence）, high-level anomalous divergence （convergence）, and warmed （cooled） sea surface temperature in the tropical Atlantic. Therefore, the positive （negative） phase of JJASO AAOWH is favorable （unfavorable） to the tropical hurricane genesis.     

一个观察北极涛动与北大西洋涛动关系的典型个例

北极涛动与大西洋涛动是否属同一气候变率模态一直是北极涛动动力学研究方面的一个颇具争议的话题。文中通过对"0801南方雪灾"期间及其前后北极涛动与北大西洋涛动异常及产生原因进行个例分析,对两者之间的关系进行了讨论。首先使用交叉子波变换与子波相关方法分析了两者的相位关系。发现在30—60天时间尺度上北极涛动与北大西洋涛动相位相差90°或-90°。而在10 20天这一尺度上北极涛动与北大西洋涛动具有大致相同的相位。对北极涛动及北大西洋涛动形成的动力过程及其在拉尼娜背景下各自特点的分析表明,这种不同尺度上位相关系的差异来自于波-流相互作用动力学的局域性。众所周知,北极涛动的3个活动中心的形成与分别位于北大西洋、北太平洋和北极平流层的3个波流相互作用中心有关。而北大西洋涛动则主要与位于北大西洋的波-流相互作用中心有关。拉尼娜事件的出现通过影响太平洋急流及行星尺度的准定常波从而进一步强化了30-60天时间尺度上北极涛动与北大西洋涛动的这种差异。这主要是因为太平洋急流或准定常行星波在对流层中直接影响了位于该区域的北极涛动的活动中心。同时准定常行星波冬季向上传播至平流层并与平流层极涡相互作用从而也影响了北极涛动在北极的活动中心。而在10—20天时间尺度上的北极涛动与北大西洋涛动同步关系则说明它们都是北极涛动的另一活动中心即大西洋上同一波-流相互作用现象——天气波破碎的反映。基于上述分析.文中倾向于认同将北极涛动和北大西洋涛动区别考虑的观点。     

Increased Tibetan Plateau Snow Depth：An Indicator of the Connection between Enhanced Winter NAO and Late-Spring Tropospheric Cooling over East Asia

The authors present evidence to suggest that variations in the snow depth over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are connected with changes of North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) in winter (JFM). During the positive phase of NAO, the Asian subtropical westerly jet intensifies and the India-Myanmar trough deepens. Both of these processes enhance ascending motion over the TP. The intensified upward motion, together with strengthened southerlies upstream of the India-Myanmar trough, favors stronger snowfall over the TP, which is associated with East Asian tropospheric cooling in the subsequent late spring (April--May). Hence, the decadal increase of winter snow depth over the TP after the late 1970s is proposed to be an indicator of the connection between the enhanced winter NAO and late spring tropospheric cooling over East Asia.     

CAM3模式模拟厄尔尼诺事件对大气环流异常的影响

采用CAM3（Community Atmosphere Model Version3）模式中海气湍流通量参数化原方案和改进方案,利用观测海温驱动CAM3模式进行气候模拟,以分析模式对厄尔尼诺事件影响气候变化的模拟能力。结果表明,采用CAM3模式海气湍流通量参数化改进方案,模式能够更好地模拟出由厄尔尼诺事件引起的北太平洋和北美地区大气环流的变化,尤其是对厄尔尼诺年冬季阿留申低压强度和与PNA遥相关型有关的500hPa位势高度异常的模拟。     

Warming in the northwestern Indian Ocean associated with the El Niño event

This paper investigates possible warming effects of an E1 Nifio event on the sea surface temperature anomaly （SSTA） in the northwestern Indian Ocean. Most pure positive Indian Ocean dipole （IOD） events （without an E1 Nifio event co-occurring） have a maximum positive SSTA mainly in the central Indian Ocean south of the equator, while most co-occurrences with an E1 Nifio event exhibit a northwest-southeast typical dipole mode. It is therefore inferred that warming in the northwestern Indian Ocean is closely related to the E1 Nifio event. Based on the atmospheric bridge theory, warming in the northwestern Indian Ocean during co-occurring cases may be primarily caused by relatively less latent heat loss from the ocean due to reduced wind speed. The deepened thermocline also contributes to the warming along the east coast of Africa through the suppressed upwelling of the cold water. Therefore, the E1 Nifio event is suggested to have a modulating effect on the structure of the dipole mode in the tropical Indian Ocean.