Using the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis dataset from 1959-2004, the location and strength of the ITCZ （Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone）, as well as their relations with typhoons in the northwestern Pacific were studied. It w...Using the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis dataset from 1959-2004, the location and strength of the ITCZ （Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone）, as well as their relations with typhoons in the northwestern Pacific were studied. It was found that the pentad location and strength of the ITCZ had close relations with the typhoon frequency. Higher latitude location or strengthened ITCZ were found to be favorable for the occurrence of typhoons over the Northwestern Pacific. An index was defined for ascertaining the location of the ITCZ. It was found that the index defined with the maximum value of pentad and monthly meridional shear of zonal wind speed could better describe the location of ITCZ than another index defined with the maximum value of convergence. Correlation analysis between the index of ITCZ and the maximum cloud cover in the tropics showed that there were close relations between the ITCZ determined by the index and the maximum tropical cloud belt. The strength index of an ITCZ was defined as the zonal wind speed difference at latitudes south and north of the ITCZ. It was found that there are close relations between the ITCZ intensity and typhoon occurrence in the South China Sea [10°N-20°N, 100°E-120°E] and regions east of the Philippines and near the Mariana Islands[5°N-20°N, 127.5°-150°E].展开更多
By using the monthly mean grid data of NCAR/NCEP reanalysis at 500 hPa geopotential height from 1958 to 1997,the relationship between the Northeast cold vortex and the western Pacific subtropical high was analyzed.The...By using the monthly mean grid data of NCAR/NCEP reanalysis at 500 hPa geopotential height from 1958 to 1997,the relationship between the Northeast cold vortex and the western Pacific subtropical high was analyzed.The influence of the sea surface temperature(SST) and outgoing longwave radiation(OLR) on the Northeast cold vortex and subtropical high was studied.As was shown in the results,in summer,there was a positive correlation between the Northeast cold vortex and the subtropical high,and an anti-phase relationship existed between the threshold characteristic line of GMS-SST=28 ℃ and the height index of the Northeast cold vortex and the subtropical high.With the gradual northward moving of the threshold characteristic line,the subtropical high was weakening,and the Northeast cold vortex was increasing and strengthening.展开更多
Observations of the South China Sea summer monsoon （SCSSM） demonstrate the different features between the early and late onsets of the monsoon. The determining factor related to the onset and the resultant monsoon r...Observations of the South China Sea summer monsoon （SCSSM） demonstrate the different features between the early and late onsets of the monsoon. The determining factor related to the onset and the resultant monsoon rainfall might be the off-equatorial ITCZ besides the land-sea thermal contrast. The northward-propagating cumulus convection over the northern Indian Ocean could enhance the monsoon trough so that the effect of the horizontal advection of moisture and heat is substantially increased, thus westerlies can eventually penetrate and prevail over the South China Sea （SCS） region.展开更多
A statistically-based low-level cloud parameterization scheme is introduced, modified, and applied in the Flexible coupled General Circulation Model (FGCM-O). It is found that the low-level cloud scheme makes improved...A statistically-based low-level cloud parameterization scheme is introduced, modified, and applied in the Flexible coupled General Circulation Model (FGCM-O). It is found that the low-level cloud scheme makes improved simulations of low-level cloud fractions and net surface shortwave radiation fluxes in the subtropical eastern oceans off western coasts in the model. Accompanying the improvement in the net surface shortwave radiation fluxes, the simulated distribution of SSTs is more reasonably asymmetrical about the equator in the tropical eastern Pacific, which suppresses, to some extent, the development of the double ITCZ in the model. Warm SST biases in the ITCZ north of the equator are more realistically reduced, too. But the equatorial cold tongue is strengthened and extends further westward, which reduces the precipitation rate in the western equatorial Pacific but increases it in the ITCZ north of the equator in the far eastern Pacific. It is demonstrated that the low-level cloud-radiation feedback would enhance the cooperative feedback between the equatorial cold tongue and the ITCZ. Based on surface layer heat budget analyses, it is demonstrated that the reduction of SSTs is attributed to both the thermodynamic cooling process modified by the increase of cloud fractions and the oceanic dynamical cooling processes associated with the strengthened surface wind in the eastern equatorial Pacific, but it is mainly attributed to oceanic dynamical cooling processes associated with the strengthening of surface wind in the central and western equatorial Pacific.展开更多
The present study investigates modulation of western North Pacific （WNP） tropical cyclone （TC） genesis in relation to different phases of the intraseasonal oscillation （ISO） of ITCZ convection during May to Octo...The present study investigates modulation of western North Pacific （WNP） tropical cyclone （TC） genesis in relation to different phases of the intraseasonal oscillation （ISO） of ITCZ convection during May to October in the period 1979 2008. The phases of the ITCZ ISO were determined based on 30-80-day filtered OLR anomalies averaged over the region （5°20′N, 120°150′E）. The number of TCs during the active phases was nearly three times more than during the inactive phases. The active （inactive） phases of ISO were characterized by low-level cyclonic （anticyclonic） circulation anomalies, higher （lower） midlevel relative humidity anomalies, and larger （smaller） vertical gradient anomalies of relative vorticity associated with enhanced （weakened） ITCZ convection anomalies. During the active phases, TCs tended to form in the center of the ITCZ region. Barotropic conversion from the low-level mean flow is suggested to be the major energy source for TC formation. The energy conversion mainly depended on the zonal and meridional gradients of the zonal flow during the active phases. However, barotropic conversion weakened greatly during the inactive phases. The relationship between the meridional gradient of absolute vorticity and low-level zonal flow indicates that the sign of the absolute vorticity gradient tends to be reversed during the two phases, whereas the same sign between zonal flow and the absolute vortieity gradient is more easily satisfied in the active phases. Thus, the barotropie instability of low-level zonal flow might be an important mechanism for TC formation over the WNP during the active phases of ISO.展开更多
Vast convective activities over tropical zones are analyzed for both wet and dry summers in North China. An ITCZ synthesis index is designed using OLR data. The index can demonstrate quite clearly and objectively the ...Vast convective activities over tropical zones are analyzed for both wet and dry summers in North China. An ITCZ synthesis index is designed using OLR data. The index can demonstrate quite clearly and objectively the seasonal features of deep convection in Asia monsoon areas. The differences of ITCZ activities in Indian as well as East Asian monsoon regions in winter-spring period are significant and so is the time-lagged correlation, which would be able to provide a new way to the long-lead prediction of summer rain in North China. The propagation characters of low frequency fluctuation are also different between wet and dry years. The intensity of low frequency fluctuation is stronger and the area is larger in wet years than that in dry years in both hemispheres, The fluctuation moves from south to north successively in wet years, which may lead to the leap of the subtropical high northwards, while it remains quasi-stationary in the Southern Hemisphere or the equatorial zone in dry years.展开更多
In this study,the authors analyzed the associations between the Arctic Oscillation(AO)and the tropical Indian Ocean(TIO)intertropical convergence zone(ITCZ)in boreal winter for the period 1979–2009.A statistically si...In this study,the authors analyzed the associations between the Arctic Oscillation(AO)and the tropical Indian Ocean(TIO)intertropical convergence zone(ITCZ)in boreal winter for the period 1979–2009.A statistically significant AO-TIO ITCZ linkage was found.The ITCZ vertical air motion is significantly associated with the AO,with upward(downward)air motion corresponding to the positive(negative)AO phase.The Arabian Sea anticyclone plays a crucial role in linking the AO and the TIO ITCZ.The Arabian Sea vorticity is strongly linked to high-latitude disturbances in conjunction with jet stream waveguide effects of disturbance trapping and energy dispersion.During positive(negative)AO years,the Arabian Sea anticyclone tends to be stronger(weaker).The mean vorticity over the Arabian Sea,averaged from 850hPa to 200 hPa,has a significant negative correlation with AO(r=0.63).The anomalous anticyclone over the Arabian Sea brings stronger northeastern winds,which enhance the ITCZ after crossing the equator and result in greater-than-normal precipitation and minimum outgoing long-wave radiation.展开更多
By analyzing the climatologically averaged wind stress during 2000-2007, it is found that the easterly wind stress in the northern tropical Pacific Ocean from Quick Scatterometer （QSCAT） data was stronger than those...By analyzing the climatologically averaged wind stress during 2000-2007, it is found that the easterly wind stress in the northern tropical Pacific Ocean from Quick Scatterometer （QSCAT） data was stronger than those from Tropical Atmosphere Ocean （TAO） data and from National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research （NCEP/NCAR） reanalysis I. As a result, the Intertropical Convergence Zone （ITCZ） in the Pacific Ocean is more southward in the QSCAT data than in the NCEP/NCAR data. Relative to the NCEP wind led to negative anomaly of wind stress curl north of the southern shift of the ITCZ in the QSCAT data a latitude of 6°N. The negative anomaly results in downward Ekman pumping in the central Pacific. The excessive local strong easterly wind also contributes to the downward Ekman pumping. This downward Ekman pumping suppresses the thermocline ridge, reduces the meridional thermocline slope and weakens the North Equatorial Countereurrent （NECC）. These effects were confirmed by numerical experiments using two independent ocean general circulation models （OGCMs）. Furthermore, the excessive equatorial easterly wind stress was also found to contribute to the weaker NECC in the OGCMs. A comparison between the simulations and observation data indicates that the stronger zonal wind stress and its southern shift of QSCAT data in the ITCZ region yield the maximum strength of the simulated NECC only 33% of the magnitude derived from observation data and even led to a ＂missing＂ NECC in the western Pacific.展开更多
Like many other coupled models, the Flexible coupled General Circulation Model (FGCM-0) suffers from the spurious “Double ITCZ”. In order to understand the “Double ITCZ” in FGCM-0, this study first examines the lo...Like many other coupled models, the Flexible coupled General Circulation Model (FGCM-0) suffers from the spurious “Double ITCZ”. In order to understand the “Double ITCZ” in FGCM-0, this study first examines the low-level cloud cover and the bulk stability of the low troposphere over the eastern subtropical Pacific simulated by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Climate Model version 3 (CCM3), which is the atmosphere component model of FGCM-0. It is found that the bulk stability of the low troposphere simulated by CCM3 is very consistent with the one derived from the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis, but the simulated low-level cloud cover is much less than that derived from the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) D2 data. Based on the regression equations between the low-level cloud cover from the ISCCP data and the bulk stability of the low troposphere derived from the NCEP reanalysis, the parameterization scheme of low-level cloud in CCM3 is modified and used in sensitivity experiments to examine the impact of low-level cloud over the eastern subtropical Pacific on the spurious “Double ITCZ” in FGCM-0. Results show that the modified scheme causes the simulated low-level cloud cover to be improved locally over the cold oceans. Increasing the low-level cloud cover off Peru not only significantly alleviates the SST warm biases in the southeastern tropical Pacific, but also causes the equatorial cold tongue to be strengthened and to extend further west. Increasing the low-level cloud fraction off California effectively reduces the SST warm biases in ITCZ north of the equator. In order to examine the feedback between the SST and low-level cloud cover off Peru, one additional sensitivity experiment is performed in which the SST over the cold ocean off Peru is restored. It shows that decreasing the SST results in similar impacts over the wide regions from the southeastern tropical Pacific northwestwards to the western/central equatorial Pacific as increasing the low-level cloud cover does.展开更多
Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is one of the major systems in making the general circulation of atmosphere. Many climatologists believe that the starting point of the general circulation of atmosphere is from ...Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is one of the major systems in making the general circulation of atmosphere. Many climatologists believe that the starting point of the general circulation of atmosphere is from this system. It seems that the annual displacement of this system is coordinated with the sun. In this study we have tried to investigate the annual and seasonal displacement of this system within the range of Middle East, especially within the range of longitude of Iran in a long period of time (statistical period of 66 years). This is the first study in the field of ITCZ monthly and annual long-term changes in Iran. In this study, not only his exact position on Africa and South West Asia ITCZ is determined, it also shows the change in the period of 66 years. These results can also be used on regional climate changes. For this purpose topographic and surface level pressure maps are 1000 and 850 hpa and they were approximately extracted monthly for 12 months of the year from 1948 to 2013 and also they were extracted from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-ministration Site in America within the range of 30°west to 110°east, and they were extracted by using the flow map of location (ITCZ). Due to the sudden displacement in the ITCZ bar path in the two seasons of summer and winter, on the Middle East region, the direct impact of this displacement on sudden changes of seasons, the start and end of untimely rains, its impacts on agricultural products and water recourses of the country so all these reasons are essential that this phenomenon should be studied carefully. Studies have shown that ITCZ is not a coordinated solar system and its displacement is not coordinate with the apparent annual displacement of the sun. October is the only month of ITCZ that within the range of 10 northern degrees in all the ranges of longitude 20°west to 110°east has an approximate orbital shape. In 6 months of the year (from November to April) (ITCZ) within the range of 30°east or 110°east, it is entirely located in the Southern Hemisphere and on the contrary in 5 months from May to September (ITCZ) within the range of 30°east to 110°east, it is entirely located in the Northern Hemisphere. And in this period, ITCZ has its highest Northern movement on the Earth. So that at the foot of the Himalayas it moves to 30°north. Within the range of Africa, ITCZ never enters the Southern Hemisphere at any time of the year. And the interesting phenomenon of severe refraction in the way of ITCZ, during the cold period, is within the range of Ethiopia and ITCZ has approximately redirected for Meridian and enters the Southern Hemisphere.展开更多
The autumn Intertropical Convergence Zone(ITCZ)over the South China Sea(SCS)is typically held south of 10°N by prevailing northeasterly and weakening southwesterly winds.However,the ITCZ can move north,resulting ...The autumn Intertropical Convergence Zone(ITCZ)over the South China Sea(SCS)is typically held south of 10°N by prevailing northeasterly and weakening southwesterly winds.However,the ITCZ can move north,resulting in heavy rainfall in the northern SCS(NSCS).We investigate the mechanisms that drove the northward movement of the ITCZ and led to heavy non-tropical-cyclone rainfall over the NSCS in autumn of 2010.The results show that the rapid northward movement of the ITCZ on 1 and 2 October was caused by the joint influence of the equatorial easterlies(EE),southwesterly winds,and the easterly jet(EJ)in the NSCS.A high pressure center on the east side of Australia,strengthened by the quasi-biweekly oscillation and strong Walker circulation,was responsible for the EE to intensify and reach the SCS.The EE finally turned southeast and together with enhanced southwesterly winds associated with an anticyclone,pushed the ITCZ north.Meanwhile,the continental high moved east,which reduced the area of the EJ in the NSCS and made room for the ITCZ.Further regression analysis showed that the reduced area of the EJ and increased strength of the EE contributed significantly to the northward movement of the ITCZ.The enhancement of the EE preceded the northward movement of the ITCZ by six hours and pushed the ITCZ continually north.As the ITCZ approached 12°N,it not only transported warm moist air but also strengthened the dynamic field by transporting the positive vorticity horizontally and vertically which further contributed to the heavy rainfall.展开更多
The effect of the Tibetan Plateau(TP)on the Intertropical Convergence Zone(ITCZ)was investigated using a coupled Earth system model.The location of the ITCZ(in this work represented by the center of the tropical preci...The effect of the Tibetan Plateau(TP)on the Intertropical Convergence Zone(ITCZ)was investigated using a coupled Earth system model.The location of the ITCZ(in this work represented by the center of the tropical precipitation maximum)over the tropical Atlantic was found to be sensitive to the existence of the TP.Removing the TP led to a remarkable sea surface temperature(SST)cooling(warming)in the Northern(Southern)Hemisphere,which manifested clearly in the Atlantic rather than the Pacific.The locations of maximum precipitation and SST moved southwards clearly in the tropical Atlantic,forcing a southward shift of the atmospheric convection center,and thus the ITCZ.The shift in the ITCZ was also supported by the latitudinal change in the ascending branch of the tropical Hadley Cell,which moved southwards by about 2°in the boreal summer in response to the TP’s removal.From the viewpoint of the energy balance between the two hemispheres,the cooling(warming)in the Northern(Southern)Hemisphere requires an enhanced northward atmospheric heat transport across the equator,which can be realized by the southward displacement of the ITCZ.This study suggests that the presence of the TP may have played an important role in the climatology of the ITCZ,particularly its location over the tropical Atlantic.展开更多
基金support from the Institute of Typhoon,Shanghai,and the National Natural Science Foundation(40676012)
文摘Using the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis dataset from 1959-2004, the location and strength of the ITCZ （Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone）, as well as their relations with typhoons in the northwestern Pacific were studied. It was found that the pentad location and strength of the ITCZ had close relations with the typhoon frequency. Higher latitude location or strengthened ITCZ were found to be favorable for the occurrence of typhoons over the Northwestern Pacific. An index was defined for ascertaining the location of the ITCZ. It was found that the index defined with the maximum value of pentad and monthly meridional shear of zonal wind speed could better describe the location of ITCZ than another index defined with the maximum value of convergence. Correlation analysis between the index of ITCZ and the maximum cloud cover in the tropics showed that there were close relations between the ITCZ determined by the index and the maximum tropical cloud belt. The strength index of an ITCZ was defined as the zonal wind speed difference at latitudes south and north of the ITCZ. It was found that there are close relations between the ITCZ intensity and typhoon occurrence in the South China Sea [10°N-20°N, 100°E-120°E] and regions east of the Philippines and near the Mariana Islands[5°N-20°N, 127.5°-150°E].
文摘By using the monthly mean grid data of NCAR/NCEP reanalysis at 500 hPa geopotential height from 1958 to 1997,the relationship between the Northeast cold vortex and the western Pacific subtropical high was analyzed.The influence of the sea surface temperature(SST) and outgoing longwave radiation(OLR) on the Northeast cold vortex and subtropical high was studied.As was shown in the results,in summer,there was a positive correlation between the Northeast cold vortex and the subtropical high,and an anti-phase relationship existed between the threshold characteristic line of GMS-SST=28 ℃ and the height index of the Northeast cold vortex and the subtropical high.With the gradual northward moving of the threshold characteristic line,the subtropical high was weakening,and the Northeast cold vortex was increasing and strengthening.
文摘Observations of the South China Sea summer monsoon （SCSSM） demonstrate the different features between the early and late onsets of the monsoon. The determining factor related to the onset and the resultant monsoon rainfall might be the off-equatorial ITCZ besides the land-sea thermal contrast. The northward-propagating cumulus convection over the northern Indian Ocean could enhance the monsoon trough so that the effect of the horizontal advection of moisture and heat is substantially increased, thus westerlies can eventually penetrate and prevail over the South China Sea （SCS） region.
基金This study was jointly supported by the National Science Foundation of China under Grant No.s40233031 and 40221503the National Key Basic Research Project under Grant No.G200078502.
文摘A statistically-based low-level cloud parameterization scheme is introduced, modified, and applied in the Flexible coupled General Circulation Model (FGCM-O). It is found that the low-level cloud scheme makes improved simulations of low-level cloud fractions and net surface shortwave radiation fluxes in the subtropical eastern oceans off western coasts in the model. Accompanying the improvement in the net surface shortwave radiation fluxes, the simulated distribution of SSTs is more reasonably asymmetrical about the equator in the tropical eastern Pacific, which suppresses, to some extent, the development of the double ITCZ in the model. Warm SST biases in the ITCZ north of the equator are more realistically reduced, too. But the equatorial cold tongue is strengthened and extends further westward, which reduces the precipitation rate in the western equatorial Pacific but increases it in the ITCZ north of the equator in the far eastern Pacific. It is demonstrated that the low-level cloud-radiation feedback would enhance the cooperative feedback between the equatorial cold tongue and the ITCZ. Based on surface layer heat budget analyses, it is demonstrated that the reduction of SSTs is attributed to both the thermodynamic cooling process modified by the increase of cloud fractions and the oceanic dynamical cooling processes associated with the strengthened surface wind in the eastern equatorial Pacific, but it is mainly attributed to oceanic dynamical cooling processes associated with the strengthening of surface wind in the central and western equatorial Pacific.
基金supported jointly by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.40921160379,41025017and41105047)the Chinese Key Developing Program for Basic Sciences(Grant No.2009CB421405)
文摘The present study investigates modulation of western North Pacific （WNP） tropical cyclone （TC） genesis in relation to different phases of the intraseasonal oscillation （ISO） of ITCZ convection during May to October in the period 1979 2008. The phases of the ITCZ ISO were determined based on 30-80-day filtered OLR anomalies averaged over the region （5°20′N, 120°150′E）. The number of TCs during the active phases was nearly three times more than during the inactive phases. The active （inactive） phases of ISO were characterized by low-level cyclonic （anticyclonic） circulation anomalies, higher （lower） midlevel relative humidity anomalies, and larger （smaller） vertical gradient anomalies of relative vorticity associated with enhanced （weakened） ITCZ convection anomalies. During the active phases, TCs tended to form in the center of the ITCZ region. Barotropic conversion from the low-level mean flow is suggested to be the major energy source for TC formation. The energy conversion mainly depended on the zonal and meridional gradients of the zonal flow during the active phases. However, barotropic conversion weakened greatly during the inactive phases. The relationship between the meridional gradient of absolute vorticity and low-level zonal flow indicates that the sign of the absolute vorticity gradient tends to be reversed during the two phases, whereas the same sign between zonal flow and the absolute vortieity gradient is more easily satisfied in the active phases. Thus, the barotropie instability of low-level zonal flow might be an important mechanism for TC formation over the WNP during the active phases of ISO.
文摘Vast convective activities over tropical zones are analyzed for both wet and dry summers in North China. An ITCZ synthesis index is designed using OLR data. The index can demonstrate quite clearly and objectively the seasonal features of deep convection in Asia monsoon areas. The differences of ITCZ activities in Indian as well as East Asian monsoon regions in winter-spring period are significant and so is the time-lagged correlation, which would be able to provide a new way to the long-lead prediction of summer rain in North China. The propagation characters of low frequency fluctuation are also different between wet and dry years. The intensity of low frequency fluctuation is stronger and the area is larger in wet years than that in dry years in both hemispheres, The fluctuation moves from south to north successively in wet years, which may lead to the leap of the subtropical high northwards, while it remains quasi-stationary in the Southern Hemisphere or the equatorial zone in dry years.
基金supported by Global Change,Environmental Risk and Its Adaptation Paradigms(2012CB955401)the Chinese Academy of Sciences Strategic Priority Research Program(XDA05110203)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41375071)
文摘In this study,the authors analyzed the associations between the Arctic Oscillation(AO)and the tropical Indian Ocean(TIO)intertropical convergence zone(ITCZ)in boreal winter for the period 1979–2009.A statistically significant AO-TIO ITCZ linkage was found.The ITCZ vertical air motion is significantly associated with the AO,with upward(downward)air motion corresponding to the positive(negative)AO phase.The Arabian Sea anticyclone plays a crucial role in linking the AO and the TIO ITCZ.The Arabian Sea vorticity is strongly linked to high-latitude disturbances in conjunction with jet stream waveguide effects of disturbance trapping and energy dispersion.During positive(negative)AO years,the Arabian Sea anticyclone tends to be stronger(weaker).The mean vorticity over the Arabian Sea,averaged from 850hPa to 200 hPa,has a significant negative correlation with AO(r=0.63).The anomalous anticyclone over the Arabian Sea brings stronger northeastern winds,which enhance the ITCZ after crossing the equator and result in greater-than-normal precipitation and minimum outgoing long-wave radiation.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(Grant Nos. 2010CB428904 and 2010CB950502)the Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.40806007 and 40906012)+2 种基金an open project of LAPC-KF-2008-05Program of Excellent State Key Laboratory No.41023002National High Technology Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2010AA012303)
文摘By analyzing the climatologically averaged wind stress during 2000-2007, it is found that the easterly wind stress in the northern tropical Pacific Ocean from Quick Scatterometer （QSCAT） data was stronger than those from Tropical Atmosphere Ocean （TAO） data and from National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research （NCEP/NCAR） reanalysis I. As a result, the Intertropical Convergence Zone （ITCZ） in the Pacific Ocean is more southward in the QSCAT data than in the NCEP/NCAR data. Relative to the NCEP wind led to negative anomaly of wind stress curl north of the southern shift of the ITCZ in the QSCAT data a latitude of 6°N. The negative anomaly results in downward Ekman pumping in the central Pacific. The excessive local strong easterly wind also contributes to the downward Ekman pumping. This downward Ekman pumping suppresses the thermocline ridge, reduces the meridional thermocline slope and weakens the North Equatorial Countereurrent （NECC）. These effects were confirmed by numerical experiments using two independent ocean general circulation models （OGCMs）. Furthermore, the excessive equatorial easterly wind stress was also found to contribute to the weaker NECC in the OGCMs. A comparison between the simulations and observation data indicates that the stronger zonal wind stress and its southern shift of QSCAT data in the ITCZ region yield the maximum strength of the simulated NECC only 33% of the magnitude derived from observation data and even led to a ＂missing＂ NECC in the western Pacific.
基金Yuanhong Guan is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China[grant numbers 41975087,U2242212,41975085]Wen Zhou is supported by the International Cooperation and Exchange Programme of the National Natural Science Foundation of China[grant number 42120104001]the Hong Kong RGC General Fund[grant number 11300920]。
基金the National Natu-ral Science Foundation of China under Grant No.40023001and No.40233031 and"Innovation Program"under GrantZKCX2-SW-210and the National Key Basic ResearchProject under Grant G200078502.
文摘Like many other coupled models, the Flexible coupled General Circulation Model (FGCM-0) suffers from the spurious “Double ITCZ”. In order to understand the “Double ITCZ” in FGCM-0, this study first examines the low-level cloud cover and the bulk stability of the low troposphere over the eastern subtropical Pacific simulated by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Climate Model version 3 (CCM3), which is the atmosphere component model of FGCM-0. It is found that the bulk stability of the low troposphere simulated by CCM3 is very consistent with the one derived from the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis, but the simulated low-level cloud cover is much less than that derived from the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) D2 data. Based on the regression equations between the low-level cloud cover from the ISCCP data and the bulk stability of the low troposphere derived from the NCEP reanalysis, the parameterization scheme of low-level cloud in CCM3 is modified and used in sensitivity experiments to examine the impact of low-level cloud over the eastern subtropical Pacific on the spurious “Double ITCZ” in FGCM-0. Results show that the modified scheme causes the simulated low-level cloud cover to be improved locally over the cold oceans. Increasing the low-level cloud cover off Peru not only significantly alleviates the SST warm biases in the southeastern tropical Pacific, but also causes the equatorial cold tongue to be strengthened and to extend further west. Increasing the low-level cloud fraction off California effectively reduces the SST warm biases in ITCZ north of the equator. In order to examine the feedback between the SST and low-level cloud cover off Peru, one additional sensitivity experiment is performed in which the SST over the cold ocean off Peru is restored. It shows that decreasing the SST results in similar impacts over the wide regions from the southeastern tropical Pacific northwestwards to the western/central equatorial Pacific as increasing the low-level cloud cover does.
文摘Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is one of the major systems in making the general circulation of atmosphere. Many climatologists believe that the starting point of the general circulation of atmosphere is from this system. It seems that the annual displacement of this system is coordinated with the sun. In this study we have tried to investigate the annual and seasonal displacement of this system within the range of Middle East, especially within the range of longitude of Iran in a long period of time (statistical period of 66 years). This is the first study in the field of ITCZ monthly and annual long-term changes in Iran. In this study, not only his exact position on Africa and South West Asia ITCZ is determined, it also shows the change in the period of 66 years. These results can also be used on regional climate changes. For this purpose topographic and surface level pressure maps are 1000 and 850 hpa and they were approximately extracted monthly for 12 months of the year from 1948 to 2013 and also they were extracted from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-ministration Site in America within the range of 30°west to 110°east, and they were extracted by using the flow map of location (ITCZ). Due to the sudden displacement in the ITCZ bar path in the two seasons of summer and winter, on the Middle East region, the direct impact of this displacement on sudden changes of seasons, the start and end of untimely rains, its impacts on agricultural products and water recourses of the country so all these reasons are essential that this phenomenon should be studied carefully. Studies have shown that ITCZ is not a coordinated solar system and its displacement is not coordinate with the apparent annual displacement of the sun. October is the only month of ITCZ that within the range of 10 northern degrees in all the ranges of longitude 20°west to 110°east has an approximate orbital shape. In 6 months of the year (from November to April) (ITCZ) within the range of 30°east or 110°east, it is entirely located in the Southern Hemisphere and on the contrary in 5 months from May to September (ITCZ) within the range of 30°east to 110°east, it is entirely located in the Northern Hemisphere. And in this period, ITCZ has its highest Northern movement on the Earth. So that at the foot of the Himalayas it moves to 30°north. Within the range of Africa, ITCZ never enters the Southern Hemisphere at any time of the year. And the interesting phenomenon of severe refraction in the way of ITCZ, during the cold period, is within the range of Ethiopia and ITCZ has approximately redirected for Meridian and enters the Southern Hemisphere.
基金The research is supported by the Key Laboratory of South China Sea Meteorological Disaster Prevention and Mitigation of Hainan Province(Grant No.SCSF201906)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41975008)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Grant No.201861003).
文摘The autumn Intertropical Convergence Zone(ITCZ)over the South China Sea(SCS)is typically held south of 10°N by prevailing northeasterly and weakening southwesterly winds.However,the ITCZ can move north,resulting in heavy rainfall in the northern SCS(NSCS).We investigate the mechanisms that drove the northward movement of the ITCZ and led to heavy non-tropical-cyclone rainfall over the NSCS in autumn of 2010.The results show that the rapid northward movement of the ITCZ on 1 and 2 October was caused by the joint influence of the equatorial easterlies(EE),southwesterly winds,and the easterly jet(EJ)in the NSCS.A high pressure center on the east side of Australia,strengthened by the quasi-biweekly oscillation and strong Walker circulation,was responsible for the EE to intensify and reach the SCS.The EE finally turned southeast and together with enhanced southwesterly winds associated with an anticyclone,pushed the ITCZ north.Meanwhile,the continental high moved east,which reduced the area of the EJ in the NSCS and made room for the ITCZ.Further regression analysis showed that the reduced area of the EJ and increased strength of the EE contributed significantly to the northward movement of the ITCZ.The enhancement of the EE preceded the northward movement of the ITCZ by six hours and pushed the ITCZ continually north.As the ITCZ approached 12°N,it not only transported warm moist air but also strengthened the dynamic field by transporting the positive vorticity horizontally and vertically which further contributed to the heavy rainfall.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China[grant numbers 41725021,91337106,and 91737204].
文摘The effect of the Tibetan Plateau(TP)on the Intertropical Convergence Zone(ITCZ)was investigated using a coupled Earth system model.The location of the ITCZ(in this work represented by the center of the tropical precipitation maximum)over the tropical Atlantic was found to be sensitive to the existence of the TP.Removing the TP led to a remarkable sea surface temperature(SST)cooling(warming)in the Northern(Southern)Hemisphere,which manifested clearly in the Atlantic rather than the Pacific.The locations of maximum precipitation and SST moved southwards clearly in the tropical Atlantic,forcing a southward shift of the atmospheric convection center,and thus the ITCZ.The shift in the ITCZ was also supported by the latitudinal change in the ascending branch of the tropical Hadley Cell,which moved southwards by about 2°in the boreal summer in response to the TP’s removal.From the viewpoint of the energy balance between the two hemispheres,the cooling(warming)in the Northern(Southern)Hemisphere requires an enhanced northward atmospheric heat transport across the equator,which can be realized by the southward displacement of the ITCZ.This study suggests that the presence of the TP may have played an important role in the climatology of the ITCZ,particularly its location over the tropical Atlantic.
