Modeling the climate effects of different subregional uplifts within the Himalaya-Tibetan Plateau on Asian summer monsoon evolution

Considering the different uplifting time of different subregions of the Himalaya-Tibetan Plateau(TP),a series of numerical simulations have been conducted with the Community Atmosphere Model(CAM4) developed at the National Center for Atmospheric Research to explore the effects of the phased tectonic uplift of the Himalaya-TP on the evolution of Asian summer monsoons.The results show that the uplifts of the Himalaya and northern TP significantly affect the evolutions of South Asian summer monsoon and northern East Asian summer monsoon respectively.That is,the tectonic uplift of the Himalaya intensifies the South Asian summer monsoon circulation and increases the precipitation in South Asia,whereas the uplift of the northern TP intensifies the northern East Asian summer monsoon circulation and increases the precipitation in northern East Asia.Compared with previous simulations,current comparative analyses of modeling results for different subregional uplifts within the Himalaya-TP help deepen our understanding of the evolutionary history of Asian monsoons.     

Identifying the northernmost summer monsoon location in East Asia

An integrated index which can be used to indicate the advance of subtropical summer monsoon in East Asia has been proposed in this paper.The index was comhined by three variables including precipitation,wind and pseudo-equivalent potential tempera- ture.The northernmost summer monsoon location(NSML)was identified by using this index annually.It was found that the NSML ex- perienced an interdecadal shift in the period 1977—1979 based on the annual index analysis from 1961 to 2001.A comparison of the NSML with other four summer monsoon indices has also been made.The result showed that the NSML could well represent the interan- nual and interdecadal variability of summer monsoon precipitation in North China(beyond 35°N),while other four indices could well indi- cate the precipitation anomalies of East Asian summer monsoon along the Yangtze River valley(around 30°N).     

华北夏季降水年代际变化与东亚夏季风、大气环流异常

利用华北夏季降水资料和NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,对华北夏季降水、东亚夏季风年代际变化特征及大气环流异常进行研究,发现一些有意义的结果:华北夏季降水变化存在明显的8a、18a周期,东亚夏季风变化18a、28a周期性比较明显,二者年代际变化特征明显,但华北夏季降水变化和东亚夏季风变化的周期不完全一致.华北夏季降水量变化在60年代中期发生了突变,东亚夏季风变化在70年代中期发生了突变.华北夏季降水与东亚夏季风变化存在很好的相关关系,强夏季风年,华北夏季降水一般偏多,弱夏季风年,华北夏季降水一般偏少,但又不完全一致.东亚夏季风减弱是造成华北夏季降水减少的一个重要因素,但不是唯一因素,华北夏季降水减少还与环流异常密切相关.在地面上,青臧高原地区、华北地区气温下降造成华北低压系统活动减少,不利于降水.在850 hPa层上,东亚中纬度的西南季风和副热带高压南部的偏东风、西北部的西南风异常减弱,使得西南气流输送水汽很多难以到达30°N以北的地区,而副热带高压西部外围偏东南、偏南气流输送到华北地区的水汽也大量减少,水汽不足造成华北夏季降水偏少.在500 hPa高度场上,80年代欧亚遥相关型表现与50年代相反,变为欧洲( )、乌拉尔山(-)、中亚( )形势,这种环流使得乌拉尔山高压脊减弱,贝加尔湖至青藏高原高空槽变浅,纬向环流表现突出,不利于冷暖空气南北交换.同时在500 hPa气温场上,80年代,西伯利亚至青藏高原西北部的冷槽明显东移南压到蒙古至华北地区,锋区位于华北以东以南位置,使得华北地区冷暖空气交汇减少,降水也因此减少.华北夏季降水减少是由于东亚夏季风减弱和大气环流异常造成的.     

Stalagmite-inferred Holocene precipitation in northern Guizhou Province,China, and asynchronous termination of the Climatic Optimum in the Asian monsoon territory

An absolute-dated, bi-decadal-resolution, stalagmite oxygen-isotopic time series from Shigao Cave reveals the evolution of summer monsoon precipitation over the past 9.9 ka BP in northern Guizhou Province, Southwest China. The  18O-inferred climate conditions are divisible into three distinct stages: (1) a maximum humid era from 9.9-6.6 ka BP; (2) a gradual declining precipitation interval between 6.6-1.6 ka BP; and (3) a relatively low precipitation time window after 1.6 ka BP. Consistency of contemporaneous stalagmite Holocene 18O records between Shigao and other caves in the Indian and East Asian monsoon realms support the effect of primary orbital solar forcings on monsoonal precipitation. However, statistical analysis shows a significant spatial asynchroneity of the Holocene Optimum termination in the Asian monsoon territory. The Holocene Optimum ended at 7.2-7.4 ka BP in Oman, located in the Indian monsoon region, and at 5.6-5.8 ka BP in Central China, in the East Asian monsoon zone. In Southwest China, the termination occurred between these periods, at 6.6-7.0 ka BP, and was influenced by both monsoon systems. We propose that this spatially asynchronous ending of Holocene Optimum in Asia may be attributed to sea surface temperature changes in the western tropical Pacific, which is a primary moisture source for the East Asian monsoon.     

Reconstructed index of summer monsoon dry-wet modes in East Asia for the last millennium

Monthly precipitation datasets collected at 160 stations in China as well as the monthly winds and humidity data derived from the US National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) were used to construct the relationship between six summer dry-wet modes in eastern China and the summer monsoon airflow northward advance in East Asia. A millennial series of the monsoon dry-wet index (MDWI) was reconstructed based on Wang??s six summer dry-wet modes in eastern China since 950 AD. A high (low) index indicates that the strong (weak) East Asian summer monsoon airflow can reach northern (southern) China and cause above (below) normal precipitation. Interdecadal periodic variations, such as the approximate 70-year oscillation, can be found in the MDWI series. In the last millennium, northern China has experienced persistent decadal wet periods and persistent decadal dry periods. At present, the MDWI is a low period on the interdecadal time scale so above-normal precipitation is observed in southern China and below-normal precipitation in northern China.     

Characteristics of decadal-centennial-scale changes in East Asian summer monsoon circulation and precipitation during the Medieval Warm Period and Little Ice Age and in the present day

Using meteorological observations, proxies of precipitation and temperature, and climate simulation outputs, we synthetically analyzed the regularities of decadal-centennial-scale changes in the summer thermal contrast between land and ocean and summer precipitation over the East Asian monsoon region during the past millennium; compared the basic characteristics of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) circulation and precipitation in the present day, the Little Ice Age (LIA) and the Medieval Warm Period (MWP); and explored their links with solar irradiance and global climate change. The results indicate that over the last 150 years, the EASM circulation and precipitation, indicated by the temperature contrast between the East Asian mainland and adjacent oceans, had a significant decadal perturbation and have been weaker during the period of rapid global warming over the past 50 years. On the centennial time scale, the EASM in the MWP was strongest over the past 1000 years. Over the past 1000 years, the EASM was weakest in 1450?C1570. When the EASM circulation was weaker, the monsoon rain belt over eastern China was generally located more southward, with there being less precipitation in North China and more precipitation in the Yangtze River valley; therefore, there was an anomalous pattern of southern flood/northern drought. From the 1900s to 1920s, precipitation had a pattern opposite to that of the southern flood/northern drought, with there being less precipitation in the Yangtze River valley and more precipitation in North China. Compared with the case for the MWP, there was a longer-time-scale southern flood/northern drought phenomenon in 1400?C1600. Moreover, the EASM circulation and precipitation did not synchronously vary with the trend of global temperature. During the last 150 years, although the annual mean surface temperature around the world and in China has increased, the EASM circulation and precipitation did not have strengthening or weakening trends. Over the past 1000 years, the weakest EASM occurred ahead of the lowest Northern Hemispheric temperature and corresponded to the weakest solar irradiance.     

Seasonal cycle of the zonal land-sea thermal contrast and East Asian subtropical monsoon circulation

Based on analysis of the climatic temperature latitudinal deviation on middle troposphere, its seasonal cycle suggests that due to the rapid warming from eastern China continent to the east of Tibetan Plateau and the heating of Tibetan Plateau in spring, seasonal transition of the thermal difference between East Asia continent and West Pacific first takes place in the subtropical region with greatest intensity. On the accompanying low troposphere, the prevailing wind turns from northerly in winter to southerly in summer with the convection precipitation occurring at the same time. This maybe indicates the onset of the East Asian subtropical summer monsoon. Consequently, we advice that the seasonal cycle formed by the zonal thermal contrast between Asian continent and West Pacific may be an independent driving force of East Asian subtropical monsoon.     

The East Asian summer monsoon circulation anomaly index and its interannual variations

Based on the concept of East Asia-Pacific (EAP) teleconnection which influences East Asian summer monsoon, an index for East Asian summer monsoon circulation anomaly was defined and it was pointed out that this index can describle the interannual variation character of summer climate in East Asia, especially in the Yangtze River and Huaihe River Valley.     

Short-term climatic impacts of afforestation in the East Asian monsoon region

The influence of changes in vegetation cover on short-term climate over the East Asian monsoon region is simulated using the Community Climate System Model Version 3.5.The results show the annual mean surface air temperature significantly decreases by 0.93°C in response to afforestation over the East Asian monsoon region.Also,surface air temperature decreases by 1.46 and 0.40°C in summer and winter,respectively.The cooling is caused by enhanced evapotranspiration(ET) produced by increased forest cover.Evapotranspiration is greater in summer than in winter,so summer cooling is greater than winter cooling.The annual mean precipitation increases in response to afforestation,with a maximum of 7% in April.Water vapor increases significantly because of greater latent heat flux release.Meanwhile,afforestation leads to higher surface roughness,which decreases surface wind speed and induces an ascending air motion.These factors can produce more clouds and precipitation.Moreover,the surface albedo and the reflective solar radiation are reduced in response to afforestation.     

Pollen evidence from Baode of the northern Loess Plateau of China and strong East Asian summer monsoons during the Early Pliocene

The red clay eolian sequence on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) is an important archive for paleoclimate change from the late Miocene to Pliocene,and can provide significant information for the controversial problems of East Asian monsoon evolution and its forcing mechanism.In this study,we present a pollen record from Baode,northern CLP.The record shows four stages of paleoecological evolution.From 5.6-4.4 Ma,a forest steppe ecosystem developed under an extremely warm period with high seasonal precipitation.Since 4.4 Ma,a drier episode occurred,which prompted parkland landscapes to develop.During 3.5-3.05 Ma,the environment changed to a rather open steppe ecosystem with a much cooler and drier climate.After 3.05 Ma,the vegetation evolved to forest steppe.Using the percentages of arboreal plants to mirror precipitation,and comparing with other published pollen data from the CLP,we find the existence of S-N directionality of the precipitation change and high percentage of arboreal plants in the entire CLP during the Early Pliocene,which suggest the CLP was characterized by a strong East Asian summer monsoon.The strong summer monsoon corresponds well to the low global ice volume,which may illuminate global climate mechanism for the summer monsoon evolution in the early Pliocene.     

Simulation of the future change of East Asian monsoon climate using the IPCC SRES A2 and B2 scenarios

In this paper, we applied the newest emission scenarios of the sulfur and greenhouse gases, i.e. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES) A2 and B2 scenarios, to investigating the change of the East Asian climate in the last three decades of the 21st century with an atmosphere-ocean coupled general circulation model. The global warming enlarges the land-sea thermal contrast and, hence, enhances (reduces) the East Asian summer (winter) monsoon circulation. The precipitation from the Yangtze and Huaihe river valley to North China increases significantly. In particular, the strong rainfall increase over North China implies that the East Asian rainy area would expand northward. In addition, from the southeastern coastal area to North China, the rainfall would increase significantly in September, implying that the rainy period of the East Asian monsoon would be prolonged about one month. In July, August and September, the interannual variability of the precipitation enhances evidently over North China, meaning a risk of flooding in the future.     

Variation of the East Asian Monsoon and the tropospheric biennial oscillation

Study of the tropospheric biennial oscillation (TBO) has attracted significant interest since the 1980s.However,the mechanism that drives this process is still unclear.In the present study,ECMWF daily data were applied to evaluate variation of the East Asian monsoon and its relationship to the TBO.First,the general East Asian monsoon index (EAMI) was delineated on the basis of a selected area using the 850 hPa u and v components.This new index may describe not only the characteristics of summer monsoons,but also the features of winter monsoons,which is crucial to understand the transition process between summer and winter monsoons.The following analysis of EAMI shows that there is a close relationship between summer and winter monsoons.In general,strong East Asian winter monsoons are followed by strong East Asian summer monsoons,and weak winter monsoons lead to weak summer monsoons.While strong (weak) summer monsoons followed by weak (strong) winter monsoons form a kind of 2-year cycle,which may be the possible mechanism leading to the TBO over the East Asian region.     

Changes of climate extremes of temperature and precipitation in summer in eastern China associated with changes in atmospheric circulation in East Asia during 1960–2008

Climate extremes and changes in eastern China are closely related to variations of the East Asian summer monsoon and corresponding atmospheric circulations.The relationship between frequencies of temperature and precipitation extremes in China during the last half century is investigated using Singular Value Decomposition analysis.During 1980-1996,there was a typical pattern with fewer hot days and more precipitation extremes in the northern part of eastern China,and more hot days and fewer precipitation extremes in the southern part.This geographic pattern tended to reverse after 1997,with fewer hot days and more extreme precipitation days south of the Yangtze River and vice versa to the north.Differences in atmospheric circulation between the former and latter periods are presented.We conclude that a mid-level anomalous high/low,upper-level anomalous easterlies/westerlies over the north/south of eastern China,a weakened East Asian summer monsoon and associated upper-tropospheric center of cooling(30°N,110°E) are all favorable for the changes in frequencies of temperature and precipitation extremes.     

中国西部绿化对东亚季风气候影响的数值模拟

中国西部大开发战略中的生态环境建设将在西部地区引起显著的地表覆盖变化。根据最新的全球地表特征数据库资料和21世纪初中国西部生态环境三大重点建设工程的具体规划，得出两种植被，即现实植被和虚拟植被。并利用RIEMS—TEA模式，通过一次敏感性试验，发现西部地区绿化明显影响东亚的季风系统和中国东部季风区气候。模拟试验显示，中国西部绿化会明显增强东亚夏季风，这将会加强中国东部由南向北的水汽输送，并有利于输送邻近海洋的水汽到大陆，使得中国大陆东部季风区整体出现降温、增湿和降水增加。而且，温度、湿度、气压和风速受影响的程度在垂直方向上都已超出了边界层之外。     

亚欧大陆经向热力差异对亚洲季风的影响Ⅰ:与东亚冬季风的关系

 通过对亚欧大陆不同季节热力变化的对比分析,发现亚欧大陆冬、春季有明显的经向热力差异,夏、秋季存在准纬向的热力差异.进一步分析还发现大陆冬季经向热力差异与东亚冬季风有很好的正相关关系,即热力差异指数越大(小),则东亚冬季风越强(弱);在经向热力异常发生的同时,洋面热力状况也显著不同,从而导致东亚地区不同区域间海陆热力对比发生变化,引起降水分布的不同.     

East Asian monsoon change for the 21st century: Results of CMIP3 and CMIP5 models

Forty-two climate models participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phases 3 and 5 were first evaluated in terms of their ability to simulate the present climatology of the East Asian winter (December-February) and summer (June-August) monsoons. The East Asian winter and summer monsoon changes over the 21st century were then projected using the results of 31 and 29 reliable climate models under the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) mid-range A1B scenario or the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) mid-low-range RCP4.5 scenario, respectively. Results showed that the East Asian winter monsoon changes little over time as a whole relative to the reference period 1980-1999. Regionally, it weakens (strengthens) north (south) of about 25°N in East Asia, which results from atmospheric circulation changes over the western North Pacific and Northeast Asia owing to the weakening and northward shift of the Aleutian Low, and from decreased north- west-southeast thermal and sea level pressure differences across Northeast Asia. In summer, monsoon strengthens slightly in East China over the 21st century as a consequence of an increased land-sea thermal contrast between the East Asian continent and the adjacent western North Pacific and South China Sea.     

Evolution of the East Asian monsoon and its response to uplift of the Tibetan Plateau since 1.8 Ma recorded by major elements in sediments of the South China Sea

Evolution of the East Asian monsoon and its response to uplift of the Tibetan Plateau has been investigated in the study of global change. Core sediment samples drilled in the South China Sea during ODP Leg184 are the best materials for studying long-term variability of the East Asian monsoon. R-mode factor analysis of major elements in the fine grain-sized carbonate-free sediments (<4 μm) of the upper 185 mcd splice of ODP Site 1146 drilled during Leg184 in the South China Sea shows that Ti, TFe2O3, MgO, K2O, P, CaO, and Al2O3 are representative of a terrestrial factor. The variation in the terrestrial factor score is subject to chemical erosion in the source region and thus indicates the evolution of the East Asian summer monsoon. The terrestrial factor score has three stepwise decreases at ~1.3 Ma, ~0.9 Ma, and ~0.6 Ma, indicating the phased weakening of the East Asian summer monsoon is related to wholly stepwise, quick uplifts of the Tibetan Plateau since 1.8 Ma. The periodic fluctuation of the terrestrial factor score since ~0.6 Ma indicates that the glacial-interglacial cycles have been the main force driving the evolution of the East Asian monsoon. As in the case of Chinese loess, the long-term evolution of the East Asian monsoon recorded in sediments of the South China Sea reflects a coupled effect of the glacial-interglacial cycle and uplift of the Tibetan Plateau.     

2003年东亚夏季风活动的特点

利用2003年国家气象中心提供的再分析资料以及台站降水资料，诊断分析了2003我国东部地区汛期降水和东亚夏季风的活动特点，并对二者之间的联系进行讨论。结果表明：(1)2003年南海夏季风于5月第5候在南海南部建立。6月第1候全面爆发，比常年偏晚，南海夏季风强度也比常年偏弱；(2)该年夏季，副热带高压的一个显著特点是强度强、位置偏西，其中从6月下旬至7月中旬，副热带高压的位置稳定少变，其北脊线位25oN附近，且副高位置偏西，这导致了长江以南的犬部分地区高温少雨。这个阶段副热带高压西侧的南风气流将南海地区的水汽源源不断地输送到淮河流域，是淮河流域强降水过程水汽主要来源。     

ENSO对东亚夏季风和我国夏季降水的影响研究进展

回顾了最近几年我国学者在ENSO对东亚夏季风和我国夏季降水影响方面的研究成果,通过夏季风时降水的影响分析ENSO对夏季降水的作用,结合1997-1998年的ENSO现象,对前人的理论和统计结果进行了讨论,指出除了ENSO发生的时间、区域、强度外,其增长和衰减率在这一问题的研究中也值得关注。     

Global and China temperature changes associated with the inter-decadal variations of East Asian summer monsoon advances

The modern atmospheric observation and literatural historical drought-flood records were used to extract the inter-decadal signals of dry-wet modes in eastern China and reveal the possible relationship of global and China temperature changes associated with the East Asian summer monsoon advances.A climate pattern of "wet-north and dry-south" in eastern China and cool period in China and globe are associated with the strong summer monsoon that can advance further to the northernmost part in the East Asian monsoon region.On the contrary,a climate pattern of "dry-north and wet-south" in eastern China and a warm period in China and globe are associated with the weaker summer monsoon that only reaches the southern part in the region.An interdecadal oscillation with the timescale about 60 years was found dominating in both the dry-wet mode index series of the East Asian summer monsoon and the global temperature series after the secular climate states and long-term trend over inter-centennial timescales have been removed.