Marine debris collects within the North Pacific Subtropical Convergence Zone

Floating marine debris, particularly derelict fishing gear, is a hazard to fish, marine mammals, turtles, sea birds, coral reefs, and even human activities. To ameliorate the economic and environmental impact of marine debris, we need to efficiently locate and retrieve dangerous debris at sea. Guided by satellite-derived information, we made four flights north of Hawaii in March and April 2005. During these aerial surveys, we observed over 1800 individual pieces of debris, including 122 derelict fishing nets. The largest debris concentrations were found just north of the North Pacific Transition Zone Chlorophyll Front (TZCF) within the North Pacific Subtropical Convergence Zone (STCZ). Debris densities were significantly correlated with sea-surface temperature (SST), chlorophyll-a concentration (Chla), and the gradient of Chla. A Debris Estimated Likelihood Index (DELI) was developed to predict where high concentrations of debris would be most likely in the North Pacific during spring and early summer.     

与印度洋偶极子模态有关的西太平洋海温异常型及其对东亚冬季气候的影响

利用NOAA（National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration）海温、GPCP（Global Precipitation Climatology Project）降水和ERA-20C（ECMWF's first atmospheric reanalysis of the 20th century）再分析大气环流资料,结合大气环流模式ECHAM5敏感性试验,研究了与秋季印度洋海温偶极子模态（IOD）相联系的冬季热带西太平洋海温异常型及其对东亚冬季气候的影响。发现在秋季发生IOD背景下,冬季西太平洋存在两类海温异常的变化型:一类是西太平洋区域一致偏暖/冷的模态,另一类是区域西冷东暖/西暖东冷的模态。尽管西太平洋海温一致偏暖和西冷东暖这两类海温变化型均有利于华南冬季少降水,但影响的范围有所不同。一致偏暖型引起的少降水范围较大,从华南扩展到长江中下游地区。西冷东暖型引起少降水范围主要限于华南,而在长江中下游到华北则降水偏多。相应地,在大气环流上,尽管两类海温异常型均有利于在西北太平洋菲律宾海附近出现气旋式环流异常,但气旋的强度和中心位置有差异。一致偏暖型引起的气旋偏强,中心位置偏西,其后部异常东北风控制的范围更大,导致少降水范围更大,而西冷东暖型引起的气旋偏弱,中心位置偏东,其后部异常东北风控制的范围小,导致少降水区域主要在华南沿海。本文结果对认识IOD调制随后冬季东亚降水异常的机理有重要意义。     

The 8.2 ka event: Evidence for seasonal differences and the rate of climate change in western Europe

Recent studies have drawn attention to differences in the seasonal impact of the 8.2 ka event, with longer cooler summers and shorter cooler/drier winters. However, there are no data available on the simultaneity or the rate of onset of the seasonal changes in Europe. Based on the microfacies and geochemical analyses of seasonally laminated varved sediments from Holzmaar, we present evidence of differences in duration and onset time of changes in summer temperature and winter rainfall during the 8.2 ka event. Since both summer and winter climate signals are co-registered within a single varve, there can be no ambiguity about the phasing and duration of the signals. Our data show that the onset and withdrawal of the 8.2 ka summer cooling occurred within a year, and that summer rains were reduced or absent during the investigated period. The onset of cooler summers preceded the onset of winter dryness by ca. 28 years. In view of the differences in nature and duration of the impact of the 8.2 ka event we suggest that a clearer definition of the 8.2 ka event (summer cooling or winter cooling/dryness) needs to be developed. Based on regional comparison and available modelling studies we also discuss the roles of solar variability, changes in North Atlantic Thermohaline circulation, and North Atlantic Circulation (NAO) during the period under consideration. Wavelet analyses of seasonal laminae indicates that the longer NAO cycles, linked to changes in the N. Atlantic temperatures, were more frequent during the drier periods.     

A Study of the Teleconnections in the Asian-Pacific Monsoon Region

The interactions among the Asian-Pacific monsoon subsystems have significant impacts on the climatic regimes in the monsoon region and even the whole world. Based on the domestic and foreign related research, an analysis is made of four different teleconnection modes found in the Asian-Pacific monsoon region, which reveal clearly the interactions among the Indian summer monsoon （ISM）, the East Asian summer monsoon （EASM）, and the western North Pacific summer monsoon （WNPSM）. The results show that： （1） In the period of the Asian monsoon onset, the date of ISM onset is two weeks earlier than the beginning of the Meiyu over the Yangtze River Basin, and a teleconnection mode is set up from the southwestern India via the Bay of Bengal （BOB） to the Yangtze River Basin and southern Japan, i.e., the ＂southern＂ teleconnection of the Asian summer monsoon. （2） In the Asian monsoon culmination period, the precipitation of the Yangtze River Basin is influenced significantly by the WNPSM through their teleconnection relationship, and is negatively related to the WNPSM rainfall, that is, when the WNPSM is weaker than normal, the precipitation of the Yangtze River Basin is more than normal. （3） In contrast to the rainfall over the Yangtze River Basin, the precipitation of northern China （from the 4th pentad of July to the 3rd pentad of August） is positively related to the WNPSM. When the WNPSM is stronger than normal, the position of the western Pacific subtropical high （WPSH） becomes farther northeast than normal, the anomalous northeastward water vapor transport along the southwestern flank of WPSH is converged over northern China, providing adequate moisture for more rainfalls than normal there. （4） The summer rainfall in northern China has also a positive correlation with the ISM. During the peak period of ISM, a teleconnection pattern is formed from Northwest India via the Tibetan Plateau to northern China, i.e., the ＂northern＂ teleconnection of the Asian summer monsoon. The     

气候平均场中的西太平洋副热带高压双脊线特征及其与季风槽准10天振荡的关系

副热带高压双脊线过程几乎历年均存在,其“季节锁相”与地域性使得在气候平均场上西太平洋副热带地区也存在明显的双脊线过程。作者利用43年NCEP/NCAR再分析资料对5～10月气候平均场中的西太平洋副热带高压双脊线过程进行了分析。气候平均场上5～10月西太平洋副热带高压共出现6次双脊线过程,集中发生在7月下旬至9月下旬,表明每年这个时段最易发生双脊线事件。每次双脊线过程均表现为副高南侧新生一脊线,发展几天后就减弱消失,北侧脊线（原脊线）继续维持。初步的诊断分析表明,6次双脊线过程中南侧脊线的生成与季风槽8～10天周期的“间歇性增强东伸”密切相关,这一准10天振荡在7月下旬至9月下旬的突然增强造就了双脊线的“季节锁相”。进一步分析发现,季风槽8～10天的“间歇性增强东伸”与两支分别来自西太平洋的西传准10天振荡和来自赤道的北传准10天振荡有关,这两支振荡同位相,其有利于位相同时传入南海季风区（10°N～15°N,110°E～120°E）,共同作用,引起季风槽的“间歇性增强东伸”。     

气候平均场上西太平洋副热带高压双脊线过程可能成因的动力诊断分析

利用NCEP-DOE再分析数据集II,诊断分析了气候平均场上6次西太平洋副热带高压双脊线过程,借助一个两层半大气模式,从动力学上初步揭示了西太平洋热带大气准10天振荡（Quasi Ten-day Oscillation,简称QTO）向西北方向传播与季风槽东伸西撤之间的相互作用过程,探讨了气候平均场上西太副高双脊线可能的形成机制。分析表明季风槽准10天东西振荡是气候平均场上西太副高双脊线形成的主要原因,而季风槽东伸西撤与QTO传播密切相关。进一步分析发现,QTO向西北方向传播,东风切变作用于斜压辐散的经向梯度,在对流中心北侧生成正扰动涡度。QTO在季风槽东侧激发的气旋性扰动涡度,诱导季风槽东伸,侵入副高,造成副高外围变形,形成双脊线。因此,形成西太副高双脊线的主要原因之一可能是西太平洋热带大气QTO。尽管季风槽东伸直接引起副高双脊线发生,但是它只不过是受QTO影响的一种表现。本文仅为诊断结果,其结果还有待于模式敏感性试验的验证。     

1979~2013年西北太平洋地区海平面气压场季节转换时间的变化分析

采用1979~2013年NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,借助线性趋势、距平、累积距平、Mann-Kendall突变检验及Morlet小波等方法分析了西北太平洋地区海平面气压场季节转换时间的长期趋势和多尺度周期变化特征。结果表明:海平面气压场一年中存在两次季节转变,20°N~50°N海平面气压场冬夏季节转变的时间在第20候左右,而夏冬季节转变发生在第51候。并且海平面气压场的季节转换时间存在纬度差异与经度差异。通过趋势分析,发现海平面气压场由冬季型转变到夏季型的时间存在显著的趋势变化,并且在近35年内是趋于提前,其气候倾向率为-0.33候/10 a;夏季型转换为冬季型的时间趋于延后,气候倾向率为0.25候/10 a。季节转换时间的Mann-Kendall突变检测结果表明,海平面气压场由冬向夏的转换时间在1997~1998年间发生了突变;夏季型转换为冬季型的时间尚未发现显著突变。最后通过对季节转换时间的小波分析与小波功率谱的显著性检验得出,冬夏季节转换的时间具有显著的15 a周期变化;夏冬季节转换时间8 a周期振荡最为剧烈。     

GAMIL CliPAS试验对夏季西太平洋副高的预测

利用GAMIL CliPAS “两步法” 季度预测试验, 检验了后报的1980～1999年北半球夏季西太平洋副热带高压 (简称副高) 的年际变化, 检查了Seoul National University (SNU) 动力统计预测系统对SST预测准确度, 并讨论了影响中国科学院大气物理研究所大气科学和地球流体力学数值模拟国家重点实验室格点大气模式 (GAMIL) 对副高预测效果的可能原因。500 hPa位势高度可预报性指数表明西太平洋副高具有较高可预报性。集合平均基本能再现西太平洋副高的变率特征, 但最大方差的位置和强度与观测稍有区别。观测证据显示, 副高存在2～3年变率和3～5年变率, 且2～3年变率比3～5年变率强。GAMIL能够准确预测观测副高的3～5年变率, 尽管其强度要强于观测。这与试验所用的预测海温能够很好表现赤道中东太平洋 (5.5°S～5.5°N, 190.5°E～240.5°E) 海温的年际变率有关。同时, GAMIL预测的副高2～3年变率较之观测显著偏弱, 这可能与SNU预测的海洋大陆地区 (5.5°S～0.5°N, 110.5°E～130.5°E) SST的2～3年变率偏弱有关。分析表明, SNU预测海温的这种弱点, 与SNU海温统计预测模式所用的历史海温 (OISST) 本身对海洋大陆地区2～3年变率的刻画能力较弱有关。     

Transport weighted temperature and internal energy transport of the Indonesian throughflow

A 50-year record of the Indonesian throughflow (ITF) was obtained using the Simple Ocean Data Assimilation (SODA) dataset to calculate a timeseries of Pacific-to-Indian Ocean pressure differences, which were calibrated to transport profiles using ARLINDO (1997) and INSTANT (2004–2006) observational data. The 50 year SODA based ITF transport average is 10.4 Sv; the transport weighted temperature (TWT) is 14.6 °C and the internal energy transport (IET) is 0.53 PW. The different configurations of the ITF transport and temperature profiles result in a dissimilarity in the variability of the IET and the TWT, with the IET more closely correlated with both the depth of the 18 °C isotherm in the western equatorial Pacific and the NINO3.4 index. As with the transport, the IET increases during La Niña and decreases during El Niño. The TWT is only weakly correlated with NINO3.4, suggesting that the El Niño-Southern Oscillation signal is transmitted from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean via changes in pressure and thus in transport rather than by changes in temperature.     

NUMERICAL MODELING STUDY OF EFFECTS OF EASTERN PACIFIC WARM POOL ON ENSO

In this study, sensitivity experiments were conducted with the Zebiak-Cane ocean-atmosphere coupled model forced by the wind stress anomaly from the U.S. National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR) reanalysis data to study the impacts of eastern Pacific warm pool on the formation and development of ENSO events. The effects of climatological mean sea surface temperature of the warm pool on forecast skill during the ENSO events of 1982–1999 are more considerable that those of climatological mean meridional winds and ocean currents. The forecast skill for the 1997/1998 El Ni?o event is characterized by sensitivity to climatological mean sea surface temperature and anomalies of northerly winds and currents. The forecast skill is found insensitive to climatological mean northerly meridional winds and currents.