Eurasian Snow Cover Variability and Its Association with Summer Rainfall in China

This study investigates the statistical linkage between summer rainfall in China and the preceding spring Eurasian snow water equivalent (SWE), using the datasets of summer rainfall observations from 513 stations, satellite-observed snow water equivalent, and atmospheric circulation variables in the NCEP/NCAR re-analysis during the period from 1979 to 2004. The first two coupled modes are identified by using the singular value decomposition (SVD) method. The leading SVD mode of the spring SWE variability shows a coherent negative anomaly in most of Eurasia with the opposite anomaly in some small areas of the Tibetan Plateau and East Asia. The mode displays strong interannual variability, superposed on an interdecadal variation that occurred in the late 1980s, with persistent negative phases in 1979--1987 and frequent positive phases afterwards. When the leading mode is in its positive phase, it corresponds to less SWE in spring throughout most of Eurasia. Meanwhile, excessive SWE in some small areas of the Tibetan Plateau and East Asia, summer rainfall in South and Southeast China tends to be increased, whereas it would be decreased in the up-reaches of the Yellow River. In recent two decades, the decreased spring SWE in Eurasia may be one of reasons for severe droughts in North and Northeast China and much more significant rainfall events in South and Southeast China. The second SVD mode of the spring SWE variability shows opposite spatial variations in western and eastern Eurasia, while most of the Tibetan Plateau and East Asia are in phase. This mode significantly correlates with the succeeding summer rainfall in North and Northeast China, that is, less spring SWE in western Eurasia and excessive SWE in eastern Eurasia and the Tibetan Plateau tend to be associated with decreased summer rainfall in North and Northeast China.     

GPM双频降水测量雷达对降雪的探测能力分析

以双频降水测量雷达为主载荷的GPM卫星于2014年2月发射升空。由于轨道倾角以及仪器通道的设置,大大提升了对弱降水和降雪的探测能力。通过四次降雪个例,分析比较了双频降水测量雷达的三种扫描模式(Ku,KaMS和KaHs)对降雪探测能力的差异。结果表明:DPR相态产品和地面实际观测结果比较一致,固态降雪温度-0.5℃并且降雪发生时的风暴顶高度大多6 km。Ku波段雷达由于仪器灵敏度的大幅提高.对降雪的综合探测能力最强,而KaMs和KaHS也具有特定的作用。此外,为了保证衰减订正的精度,和非降雪部分的衰减相比,需要主要提高降雪衰减尤其是混合相态湿雪的衰减订正精度。     

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.     

Cross-calibration of brightness temperature obtained by FY-3B/MWRI using Aqua/AMSR-E data for snow depth retrieval in the Arctic

This study cross-calibrated the brightness temperatures observed in the Arctic by using the FY-3B/MWRI L1 and the Aqua/AMSR-E L2A. The monthly parameters of the cross-calibration were determined and evaluated using robust linear regression. The snow depth in case of seasonal ice was calculated by using parameters of the crosscalibration of data from the MWRI T_b. The correlation coefficients of the H/V polarization among all channels T_b of the two sensors were higher than 0.97. The parameters of the monthly cross-calibration were useful for the snow depth retrieval using the MWRI. Data from the MWRI T_b were cross-calibrated to the AMSR-E baseline.Biases in the data of the two sensors were optimized to approximately 0 K through the cross-calibration, the standard deviations decreased significantly in the range of 1.32 K to 2.57 K, and the correlation coefficients were as high as 99%. An analysis of the statistical distributions of the histograms before and after cross-calibration indicated that the FY-3B/MWRI T_b data had been well calibrated. Furthermore, the results of the cross-calibration were evaluated by data on the daily average T_b at 18.7 GHz, 23.8 GHz, and 36.5 GHz(V polarization), and at 89 GHz(H/V polarization), and were applied to the snow depths retrieval in the Arctic. The parameters of monthly cross-calibration were found to be effective in terms of correcting the daily average T_b. The results of the snow depths were compared with those of the calibrated MWRI and AMSR-E products. Biases of 0.18 cm to 0.38 cm were observed in the monthly snow depths, with the standard deviations ranging from 4.19 cm to 4.80 cm.     

南海北部底层沉积物捕获器中海雪和生物粪粒组成及来源探究

Sediment traps are an important tool for studying the source, composition and sedimentation processes of sinking particulate matter in the ocean. An in situ observational mooring(TJ-A-1) is located in the northern South China Sea(20.05°N, 117.42°E) at a water depth of 2 100 m and equipped with two sediment traps deployed at 500 m and 1 950 m. Samples were collected at 18-day intervals, and 20 samples were obtained at both depths from May 2014 to May 2015. Large amounts of fecal matter and marine snow were collected in the lower trap. The fluxes of marine snow and fecal pellets exhibited a fluctuating decrease between May 2014 and early August 2014 and then stabilized at a relatively low level. Scanning electron microscopy observations revealed that the main components of the marine snow and fecal pellets were diatoms, coccolithophores, radiolarians, and other debris, all of which are planktons mostly produced in photic zone. Used in conjunction with the particle collection range estimates from the lower trap and data on ocean surface chlorophyll, these marine snow and fecal pellets were related to the lateral transport of deep water and not vertical migrations from overlying water column. Moreover, the source area might be southwest of Taiwan.     

Estimation of Sea Ice Thickness from SARAL/AltiKa in Drifting Orbit Phase

Abstract

Intra and inter-annual variations in the sea ice thickness are highly sensitive indicators of climatic variations undergoing in the earth’s atmosphere and oceans. This paper describes the method of estimating sea ice thickness using radar waveforms data acquired by SARAL/Altika mission during its drifting orbit phase from July 2016 onwards yielding spatially dense data coverage. Based on statistical analysis of return echoes, classification of the surface has been carried out in three different types, viz. floe, lead and mixed. Time delay correction methods were suitably selected and implemented to make corrections in altimetric range measurements and thereby freeboard. By assuming hydrostatic equilibrium, freeboard data were converted into sea ice thickness. Results show that sea ice thickness varies from 4 to 5?m near ice shelves and 1 to 2.5?m in the marginal sea ice regions. Freeboard and sea ice thickness estimates were also validated using NASA’s Operation Ice Bridge (OIB) datasets. Freeboard measurements show very high correlation (0.97) having RMSE of 0.13. Overestimation of approximately 1–2?m observed in the sea ice thickness, which could be attributed to distance between AltiKa footprint and OIB locations. Moreover, sensitivity analysis shows that snow depth and snow density over sea ice play crucial role in the estimation of sea ice thickness.     

IPCC AR4多模式对中国地区未来40 a雪水当量的预估

通过评估参加CMIP3计划的22 个GCM在20 世纪气候情景(20C3M)下中国地区雪水当量模拟能力的检验, 挑选出模拟能力较好的模式, 通过多模式集合方法, 对SEARS的模拟结果进行集合, 预估未来40 a雪水当量在中国地区的时空变化特征.结果表明: 在A1B情景下和B1情景下, 中国地区未来40 a雪水当量年际变化均呈减少趋势; 在A1B和B1情景下, 青藏高原地区、 华北平原地区、 长江中游地区及东北北部地区的雪水当量均呈减少趋势, 其中在昆仑山西段帕米尔高原地区减少最为显著, 其次为喜马拉雅山区和巴颜喀拉山东段地区.在中国北部的内蒙古高原地区、 云贵高原等部分地区的雪水当量则有所增加.总体上, A1B情景下比B1情景下雪水当量的减少更为明显. 2021-2050年雪水当量在青藏高原减少显著; 对于季节变化来说, 在秋冬季积雪的累积期, 雪水当量可能增加, 尤其在10-12月, 而在积雪消融的春夏季(2-6月)有所减少.     

REASONS FOR THE LATE ONSET AND ANOMALOUS SOUTHWARD PERSISTENCE OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA SUMMER MONSOON IN 2005

Features of atmospheric circulation and thermal structures are discussed using the NCAR/NCEP data to reveal the reasons for the late onset and anomalous southward persistence of the South China Sea Summer Monsoon (SCSSM) in 2005. The results show that three factors are crucial. First, a strong Arabian High overlaps with a high-latitude blocking high and channels strong cold air to southern Asia. Second, the Tibetan Plateau has a bigger snow cover than usual in spring and the melting of snow cools down the surface. Third, the Somali Jet breaks out at a much later date, being not conducive to convection over Indochina. The former two factors restrict atmospheric sensible heating over the Tibetan Plateau and nearby regions while the third one limits latent heating over Indochina. All of the factors slow down atmospheric warming and postpone the onset of SCSSM. Long after the onset of SCSSM, strong cold air over India advances the Southwest Monsoon northward slowly, resulting in weaker convection and latent heating over the Tibetan Plateau and nearby areas. The negative feedback conversely inhibits further northward movement of Southwest Monsoon.     

北极河流径流量变化及影响因子分析

利用最新的北极径流资料(R-arcticNET V3.0和Arctic RIMS),对进入北冰洋的4条主要河流的季节及年代际变化进行诊断分析。结果表明:入海径流在4-6月的大幅增加主要是由气温达到融点后积雪融化造成的,降水的作用次之。总的来说,欧亚区域在过去的70年里入海径流量是增加的,而北美区域在近30年里入海径流量是减小的,但注入北冰洋的径流总量是增大的。值得注意的是入海径流的年代际变化在不同季节增减趋势显著不同,夏季和秋季径流量减小,而其他两个季节径流量增大。进一步分析了影响入海径流变化的一些气候因子,结果表明:北大西洋涛动(北太平洋指数)与欧亚(北美)区域的冬、春季径流量存在正相关。春季气温与春季径流量呈正相关,而与夏季径流量呈负相关。降水与径流量基本上为同步正相关。春季积雪覆盖面积与春季径流量为负相关,而与夏季径流量为正相关,夏季积雪覆盖面积与夏季的径流量为正相关。