The Earliest Onset Areas and Mechanism of the Tropical Asian Summer Monsoon

The multi-yearly averaged pentad meteorological fields at 850 hPa of the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis dada and the TBB fields of the Japan Meteorological Agency during 1980-1994 are analyzed. It is found that if the pentad is taken as the time unit of the monsoon onset, then the tropical Asian summer monsoon (TASM) onsets earliest, simultaneously and abruptly over the whole area in the Bay of Bengal (BOB), the Indo-China Peninsula (ICP), and the South China Sea (SCS), east of 90°E, in the 27th to 28th pentads of a year (Pentads 3 to 4 in May), while it onsets later in the India Peninsula (IP) and the Arabian Sea (AS), west of 90°E. The TASM bursts first at the south end of the IP in the 30th to 31st pentads near 10°N, and advances gradually northward to the whole area, by the end of June. Analysis of the possible mechanism depicts that the rapid changes of the surface sensible heat flux, air temperature, and pressure in spring and early summer in the middle to high latitudes of the East Asian continent between 100°E and 120癊are crucially responsible for the earliest onset of the TASM in the BOB to the SCS areas. It is their rapid changes that induce a continental depression to form and break through the high system of pressure originally located in the above continental areas. The low depression in turn introduces the southwesterly to come into the BOB to the SCS areas, east of 90°E, and thus makes the SCS summer monsoon (SCSSM) burst out earliest in Asia. In the IP to the AS areas, west of 90°E, the surface sensible heat flux almost does not experience obvious change during April and May, which makes the tropical Indian summer monsoon (TISM) onset later than the SCSSM by about a month. Therefore, it is concluded that the meridian of 90°E is the demarcation line between the South Asian summer monsoon (SASM, i.e., the TISM) and the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM, including the SCSSM). Besides, the temporal relations between the TASM onset and the seasonal variation of the South Asian high (SAH) are discussed, too, and it is found that there are good relations between the monsoon onset time and the SAH center positions. When the SAH center advances to north of 20°N, the SCSSM onsets, and to north of 25°N, the TISM onsets at its south end. Comparison between the onset time such determined and that with other methodologies shows fair consistency in the SCS area and some differences in the IP area.     

Holocene development of aquatic vegetation in shallow Lake Njargajavri,Finnish Lapland,with evidence of water-level fluctuations and drying

Holocene development of aquatic plant communities in subarctic Lake Njargajavri, Finnish Lapland, was studied using plant macrofossil analysis. Sediment lithology, grain size, and C/N ratios showed distinct lithological phases, indicating past water-level fluctuations. The colonization of limnophytes took place right after the formation of the lake (after ca. 11,500 cal. BP). The earliest plant macrofossil assemblages indicate nutrient-rich conditions and a warmer climate than at present. After this primary succession phase, aquatic vascular plants were replaced by aquatic bryophytes (before ca. 10,200 cal. BP). Together with lithological evidence, we interpret this as being related to the lowering water table. According to palynological, chronological, and sedimentological evidence, Njargajavri underwent a very shallow phase between ca. 10,000 and 9500 cal. BP and dried out for an unknown period of time between ca. 8000 and 5000 cal. BP. After the dry phase, the water level started to rise and sedimentation at the coring point began again. Despite re-establishment of the lacustrine habitat, late-Holocene plant macrofossil data show no marked recolonization of either vascular limnophytes or bryophytes. The reason for all limnophytes being presently absent from the lake remains speculative. The lack of nutrients and/or the cooling climate (especially shortening of the open-water season) during the latter part of the Holocene may explain why limnophytes failed to recolonize the lake.     

Signature of ENSO Signals in the Coral Growth Rate Record of Arabian Sea and Indian Monsoons

We examine here three sets of recently published data: (1) Updated Indian Rainfall (IRF) time series of the entire country covering the time span of 1826–1994, (2) coral growth rate time series for a period of 42 years spanning 1948–1990 from the Arabian Sea, and (iii) NINO3 temperature records to investigate the signature of ENSO response of the Indian monsoon. Multiple spectral techniques (e.g., multi-taper method (MTM), maximum entropy method (MEM), wavelet and cross spectra) are used to identify the coherent cyclic and nonstationary modes in these records. MTM analysis of IRF time series resolves statistically significant variability (>90% C.I) (i) at multi-decadal (66–70 years) scales related to the well-known global temperature variability of internal atmospheric-ocean origin, (ii) relatively weak signals at 13 and 22 years (solar cycles) and (iii) the 2.5 to 7.5-year cycles associated with the ENSO frequency band. The MTM spectra of the coral growth rate record also reveal statistically significant periodicities (>90% C.I.) within 1.8–4.2 ENSO frequency band, and a relatively weak signal at 12.8 years. MEM analysis confirms the stability of above spectral peaks. Wavelet spectral analyses of the above time series reveal nonstationary localized modes of ENSO evolution corresponding to 2–7 years and higher order terms. Although matching periodicities are present in these records, cross-spectral analysis of IRF and NINO3 temperature records exhibits significant coherency (>80% CI) only at periods 5.4 years and 2.7 years, suggesting the significant role of ENSO dynamics in organizing the subtle Indian monsoon at these frequencies. These results may provide significant implication for the modeling of Indian monsoon.     

Dynamics of the Polychaetes Desdemona ornata and Perinereis cultrifera and Their Resources of Food in a Mediterranean Mudflat

Abstract. Availability of food in the sediment can play an important role in determining the dynamics of deposit feeders. Generally the abundance of deposit feeders during winter and spring is related to an increase in the nutritive value of the sediment due to the concurrent microalgal peaks. This work investigated, in 1998, the seasonal variability patterns in the nutritive value of the sediment and in the abundance of two polychaetes, Desdemona ornata (Sabellidae: Fabriicinae) and Perinereis cultrifera (Nereididae), that probably feed on benthic microalgae. Previously, in 1997, these two species were abundant in winter and spring. During that winter, the amount of chlorophyll a in the sediment was quite variable due to grazing activities. Three manipulative field experiments were carried out in winter and spring (January, March and April 1998) to test the hypothesis that increasing the amount of chlorophyll a increases the nutritional value of the sediment and the abundance of Perinereis cultrifera and Desdemona ornata . The results indicated that the patterns of variability for these species and for chlorophyll a were similar to those observed in 1997. In plots where microalgal growth was stimulated experimentally, Perinereis cultrifera increased in January and Desdemona ornata increased in January and March. The role of food in regulating the abundances of Perinereis cultrifera and Desdemona ornata is discussed.     

Reasons for Spatial Microdistributions of Foraminifers in an Intertidal Pool (Northern Adriatic Sea)

Abstract. The spatial microdistribution of foraminifers was tested by the method of quadratic samplings on 2 sample grids in an intertidal pool of the northernmost Adriatic sea. Abundant species of foraminifers exhibit patchy distributions throughout; the distribution-patterns of some species correspond nearly completely. Using statistical methods (regression- and correlation-analyses) correlations to abiotic and biotic factors (water depth, exposure rate, seagrass, benthonic algae) were ascertained. The significant correlations of the foraminiferal frequencies to blue-green algae and/or diatoms enable an interpretation of these connexions as food dependences. Several foraminiferal species seem to have specific diets.     

Climate variability impact assessment on the flood risk in Slovenia

Assessment of climate change or climate variability is a significant topic in most geophysical disciplines. In this study, the flood frequency approach was selected to analyze changes in flood series. Discharge data from 55 gaging stations in Slovenia were used. The annual maximum method was applied to define the samples. The data sets were divided into 30-year periods based on a 10-year moving window. For each part of the data-set, the flood frequency analysis was performed. Changes in the estimated design discharge values with a 10-year return period, which is commonly used in engineering design, were observed for the two selected 30-year periods, namely 1961–1990 and 1981–2010, and the results were compared with the Mann–Kendall (MK) test. The results indicate that no uniform pattern can be found in the differences between estimated design discharge values for the two selected periods. The same applies to the MK trend test results, which were positive and statistically significant with the chosen significance level of 0.05 only for approximately 5% of stations. However, our comparison of the results of the flood frequency analyses among different 30-year periods showed considerable changes in the design discharge for some stations.     

热带太平洋-印度洋海温联合模及其气候影响

本文基于观测资料和LICOM2.0模拟结果的分析研究,简要介绍讨论了太平洋—印度洋海温(异常)联合模(PIOAM)的存在、特征、演变及其影响等问题。热带太平洋—印度洋区域乃至全球范围的海表温度异常(SSTA)资料进行EOF分解,都清楚表明其第一分量在热带太平洋—印度洋的空间形态与太平洋—印度洋海温(异常)联合模(PIOAM)非常相似,说明PIOAM是热带太平洋—印度洋实实在在存在的一种海温异常模态。对应PIOAM的正、负位相,热带印度洋和西太平洋地区的夏季(JJA)850 hPa距平风场有近乎相反的异常流场形势;对流层低层的Walker环流支和亚洲夏季风都出现了不同特征的(近乎相反)异常;在PIOAM正(负)位相将使得100 hPa的南亚高压位置偏东(西)。对热带太平洋和印度洋温跃层曲面上的海温异常(为了方便将其称为SOTA)进行EOF分解,发现其第一模态也是一个三极子模态,即当赤道中西印度洋大部分海域与赤道中东太平洋大部分海域偏暖(偏冷)时,赤道东印度洋和赤道西太平洋大部分海域则偏冷(偏暖);它与太平洋—印度洋表层的PIOAM十分类似,也表明PIOAM在海洋次表层也是存在的。高分辨海洋环流模式LICOM2.0的模拟结果,无论是对太平洋—印度洋表层还是次表层的PIOAM的特征和演变都刻画得很好,这从另一个角度进一步说明PIOAM是热带太平洋—印度洋实际存在的一种海温变化模态。PIOAM正、负位相不仅对亚洲及西太平洋地区的天气气候有非常不一样的影响(不少地方有反向的特征),还会对南北美洲和非洲一些地区产生不同影响;而且其影响与单独的厄尔尼诺(El Ni?o)及印度洋偶极子(IOD)都不尽相同。     

A symmetrisation method for non-associated unified hardening model

This paper presents a simple method for symmetrising the asymmetric elastoplastic matrix arising from non-associated flow rules. The symmetrisation is based on mathematical transformation and does not alter the incremental stress–strain relationship. The resulting stress increment is identical to that obtained using the original asymmetrized elastoplastic matrix. The symmetrisation method is applied to integrate the Unified Hardening (UH) model where the elastoplastic matrix is asymmetric due to stress transformation. The performance of the method is verified through finite element analysis (FEA) of boundary value problems such as triaxial extension tests and bearing capacity of foundations. It is found that the symmetrisation method can improve the convergence of the FEA and reduce computational time significantly for non-associated elastoplastic models.