Flooding of the continental shelves as a contributor to deglacial CH4 rise

The transition from the last glacial and beginning of Bølling–Allerød and Pre‐Boreal periods in particular is marked by rapid increases in atmospheric methane (CH₄) concentrations. The CH₄ concentrations reached during these intervals, ～650–750 ppb, is twice that at the last glacial maximum and is not exceeded until the onset of industrialization at the end of the Holocene. Periods of rapid sea‐level rise as the Last Glacial Maximum ice sheets retreated and associated with ‘melt‐water pulses’ appear to coincide with the onset of elevated concentrations of CH₄, suggestive of a potential causative link. Here we identify and outline a mechanism involving the flooding of the continental shelves that were exposed and vegetated during the glacial sea‐level low stand and that can help account for some of these observations. Specifically, we hypothesize that waterlogging (and later, flooding) of large tracts of forest and savanna in the Tropics and Subtropics during the deglacial transition and early Holocene would have resulted in rapid anaerobic decomposition of standing biomass and emission of methane to the atmosphere. This novel mechanism, akin to the consequences of filling new hydroelectric reservoirs, provides a mechanistic explanation for the apparent synchronicity between rate of sea‐level rise and occurrence of elevated concentrations of ice core CH₄. However, shelf flooding and the creation of transient wetlands are unlikely to explain more than ～60 ppb of the increase in atmospheric CH₄ during the deglacial transition, requiring additional mechanisms to explain the bulk of the glacial to interglacial increase. Similarly, this mechanism has the potential also to play some role in the rapid changes in atmospheric methane associated with the Dansgaard–Oeschger cycles. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

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.     

华南暖区暴雨研究进展

华南前汛期暴雨预报一直是我国大气科学界的一个研究热点,特别是发生在锋前的暖区暴雨,由于其天气尺度斜压性强迫不明显,环境大气水汽含量丰富,热动力不稳定性强,边界层触发机制复杂,以及特殊的地形和海陆热力差异的外强迫作用,导致暴雨突发性强,地域性特征显著,也是困扰预报业务人员的难点问题。目前我国预报业务中使用的全球数值预报模式对暖区暴雨的预报能力十分有限,高分辨率中尺度数值模式的预报效果也不尽人意。该文回顾了近40年华南前汛期暴雨大部分研究成果,针对华南暖区暴雨的提出及典型背景场、暖区暴雨与低空急流的关系、暖区中尺度对流系统的形成及传播、暖区暴雨触发机制等独特的天气动力学特征进行了系统梳理与分析,并依据前人研究成果及中央气象台预报实践经验,总结提炼了3类华南暖区暴雨类型——边界层辐合线型、偏南风风速辐合型,以及强西南急流型的天气系统配置及触发因子。最后提出针对华南暖区暴雨需要进一步研究的科学问题。     

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.     

中国东部高空颠簸时空分布特征及其与热带中东太平洋海温的关系

本文利用1979～2014年NCEP-DOE日平均再分析资料和中国区域2375份航空器空中颠簸报告资料,研究中国东部区域高空颠簸的时空分布特征及其与热带中东太平洋海温异常（简称“海温异常”;空间范围:5°S～5°N,120°～170°W）的关系以及产生这种关系的可能原因。结果表明:中国东部地区高空颠簸与东亚副热带西风急流之间存在显著时空相关关系,其原因是高空纬向风引起的垂直风切变是构成高空颠簸时空分布的主导因素。中国东部夏季高空颠簸与海温异常存在正相关关系;冬季呈现南北两个正负相关区:以30°N为界,北部区域存在显著的负相关,南部区存在显著的正相关,在30°N急流轴附近区域无显著相关关系。海温异常影响中国高空颠簸时空分布的可能原因是海温变化引起对流层高层温度出现异常,进而影响温度的经向梯度,导致东亚副热带西风急流强度和位置出现异常（夏季,急流轴南侧出现西风异常;冬季,急流轴北侧出现东风异常,南侧出现西风异常）。高空纬向风的变化导致纬向风的垂直梯度和经向梯度出现异常,最终影响高空颠簸的时空分布特征。对流层高层温度的异常变化可能是由与热带海温异常相关的平流层水汽变化所引起。     

2012/2013年冬季中国气温异常成因分析

2012/2013年冬季,我国平均气温为-3.8℃,较常年同期(-3.4℃)偏低0.4℃,就空间分布来看,我国东北、华北、黄淮、江淮和新疆北部气温较常年同期偏低。利用1951-2013年国家气候中心整理的全国160站月平均气温资料、英国Hadley中心全球海温资料、NCEP/NCAR再分析大气环流资料、德国不莱梅大学提供的海冰卫星遥感资料,通过EOF分析、回归分析、合成分析、相关分析方法研究了引起2012/2013年冬季我国气温异常的东亚中高纬大气环流异常,并从海洋环境要素异常的角度分析造成这种环流异常的原因。分析结果表明:2012/2013年冬季我国气温异常分布主要是由于北极涛动(AO,Arctic Oscillation)呈负位相,西伯利亚地区高度场异常偏高,东亚大槽明显偏深的环流形式引起的。而太平洋年代际振荡(PDO,Pacific Decadal Oscillation)负位相是引起西伯利亚高压强度偏强和东亚冬季风强度偏强的年代际海洋背景,前期9月海冰范围异常偏小是导致2012/2013年冬季AO呈现负位相及我国东北和新疆北部呈现异常低温的主要原因。     

两类中太平洋El Nio特征的对比分析

利用1979—2012年逐月Hadley中心海表温度、欧洲中期天气预报中心次表层海温、NCEP/NCAR风场再分析资料,对两类中太平洋(CP)El Nio及耦合的大气环流特征进行分析。结果表明,第一类CP El Nio(CP-ⅠEl Nio)增暖中心位于Nio4区且关于赤道对称;第二类CP El Nio(CP-ⅡEl Nio)的Nio4区与热带东北太平洋区域(NEP,130~110°W、15~25°N)同位相变化,冬季成熟后形成关于赤道非对称的带状增暖结构。进一步的研究表明,两类CP El Nio次表层结构存在差异:CP-ⅠEl Nio冬季次表层海温异常(SOTA)在中东太平洋与西太平洋呈显著偶极分布;CP-ⅡEl Nio在中、西太平洋位相相反但东太平洋异常较弱,且经向异常主要在赤道及其以北。两类CP El Nio耦合的大气环流特征不同:CP-ⅠEl Nio冬季异常Walker环流上升中心位于赤道上空,经向风向赤道辐合,低纬地区Hadley环流加强;CP-ⅡEl Nio冬季低层向北越赤道气流加强,Walker环流上升中心移到赤道以北,低纬地区Hadley环流减弱。     

台湾海峡西岸海雾研究现状与未来发展方向

台湾海峡是一个海雾多发的交通要道,海雾灾害往往会导致人员和财产损失。对当前有关的海雾研究现状进行总结,以海峡西岸为代表,比较台湾海峡海雾和其他海域的大雾研究进展状况,主要包括海雾发生时的天气气候学特征、监测手段、微物理特征研究和海雾数值预报研究等。结果表明,台湾海峡西岸在天气气候学方面已经取得了一定的成果;监测手段随着科学技术的发展,也不断的完善,但在如何对卫星遥感监测结果进行反演方面还需进一步研究;海雾的微物理特征研究有助于海雾模式的改进和卫星遥感海雾反演技术的提高,但台湾海峡西岸尚未开始研究,是下一步的研究重点;台湾海峡海雾数值模拟工作较少,伴随观测技术的不断进步、动力统计方法的不断完善,可通过数值预报产品与传统的天气学方法相结合,提高台湾海峡海雾预报水平。     

海风雷暴的观测分析和数值模拟研究进展

沿海地区经济相对繁荣,城市化水平较高,对天气和气候的依赖性强,突发性强对流天气所造成的灾害也会更加严重;同时沿海地区的强对流天气又与海风环流密切相关,因此沿海地区海风雷暴的研究受到了日益广泛的关注,成为了气象学和大气科学中的重要研究对象。在过去的半个多世纪中,海风雷暴的观测和模拟研究取得了大量的研究成果。本文通过对这些研究工作进行回顾和总结,系统地分析了国内外的研究现状,重点讨论了海风雷暴的结构和特征、发展演变过程、触发机制及其预报预警。最后对海风雷暴未来的研究方向进行了探讨,提出了一些有待于研究或需深入研究的问题,以利于今后更好的开展有关海风雷暴的工作,加深对其发生发展规律的认识,提高预报预警水平。