A Further Inquiry on the Mechanism of 30-60 Day Oscillation in the Tropical Atmosphere

In a simple semi-geostropic model on the equatorial β-plane, the theoretical analysis on the 30-60 day oscillation in the tropical atmosphere is further discussed based on the wave-CISK mechanism. The convection heating can excite the CISK-Kelvm wave and CISK-Rossby wave in the tropical atmosphere and they are all the low-frequency modes which drive the activities of 30-60 day oscillation in the tropics. The most favorable conditions to excite the CISK-Kelvin wave and CISK-Rossby wave are indicated: There is convection heating but not very strong in the atmosphere and there is weaker disturbance in the lower troposphere.The influences of vertical shearing of basic flow in the troposphere on the 30-60 day oscillation in the tropics are also discussed.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE 30 TO 60 DAY OSCILLATION OF ATMOSPHERIC HEAT SOURCE AND THE DROUGHT AND FLOOD EVENTS IN JUNE IN THE SOUTH OF CHINA

Based on the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data and the observed precipitation data in the south of China from 1958 to 2000,the impact of 30 to 60 day oscillation of atmospheric heat sources on the drought and flood events in June in the south of China is discussed.During the flood(drought) events,there exists an anomalous low-frequency anticyclone(cyclone) at the low level of the troposphere over the South China Sea and the northwestern Pacific,accompanied with anomalous low-frequency heat sinks(heat sources),while there exists an anomalous low-frequency cyclone(anticyclone) with anomalous heat sources(sinks) over the area from the south of China to the south of Japan.On average,the phase evolution of the low-frequency in drought events is 7 to 11 days ahead of that in flood events in May to June in the south of China.In flood events,low-frequency heat sources and cyclones are propagated northward from the southern South China Sea,northwestward from the warm pool of the western Pacific and westward from the northwestern Pacific around 140°E,which have very important impact on the abundant rainfall in June in the south of China.However,in drought events,the northward propagations of the low-frequency heat sources and cyclones from the South China Sea and its vicinity are rather late compared with those in flood events,and there is no obvious westward propagation of the heat sources from the northwestern Pacific.The timing of the low-frequency heat source propagation has remarkable impact on the June rainfall in the south of China.

CISK-rossby wave and the 30-60 Day Oscillation in the Tropics

The 30-60 day oscillation is an important aspect of the atmospheric variance in the tropical area. A number of works have been done on this phenomenon, this article is a further one. A quasi-geostrophic linear model that consists of a two-layer free atmosphere and a well-mixed boundary layer is used to investigate the instability of intraseasonal oscillation, its propagation and vertical structures. Results show that the dynamical coupling and interaction between the barotropic and baroclinic components via boundary layer convergence / divergence are responsible for the appearance of a new kind of low-frequency wave. Such wave is very different from the traditional tropical Rossby wave. It can propagate westward and eastward. Some behaviours of it appear to resemble the observed 30-60 day oscillation mode in many aspects, such,as vertical structures, zonal and meridional propagations. Now many researchers emphasize the direct relationship between CISK-Kelvin mode and the tropical atmospheric 30-60 oscillation. It is considered that CISK-Rossby mode should not be neglected.

The Characteristics of 30-60 Day Oscillation and Its Relations to the Interannual Oscillations

The characteristics of 30-60 day oscillation (hereafter called LFO ) of the outgoing longwave radiation data (OLR) and its relations to the interannual oscillations of the sea surface temperature (SST) are investigated by using the daily OLR data for the period from January, 1979 to December, 1987 and the corresponding monthly SST data. It is found that the LFO the band the interannual oscillations of the SST monthly anomaly (SSTA) interact each other and they all relate to the occurrence and development of El Nino events closely. Before El Nino event happens, it contributes to the SST's wanning up and to the SST's quasi-biennial oscillation (called QBO for brevity) and three and half years oscillation (called SO for short) being in warm water phase in the equatorial central and eastern Pacific (ECP and EEP) that the LFO in the equatorial western Pacific (EWP) enhances and propagates eastward; When El Nino event takes place, the LFO, SSTA and SSTA's QBO and SO in the EEP interact and strengthen each other; But the warmer SST and the SSTA's QBO and SO in the warm water phase in the EEP contribute to the LFO's weakening in the equatorial Pacific. Moreover, these contribute to the SST in the EEP becoming cold and the SSTA's QBO and SO in the EWP being in cold water phase and then impel the El Nino event to end.

THE 30—60 DAY OSCILLATIONS IN THE GLOBAL ATMOSPHERE EXCITED BY WARMING IN THE EQUATORIAL EASTERN PACIFIC

30-60 day oscillations (also called intraseasonal oscillations )have been indicated in the early 1970s. A series of studies in the 1980s not only investigated the 30-60 day oscillations in the tropical atmosphere and revealed their structure characteristics and fundamental moving regularity, but also exposed the existence of these oscillations in

ANALYSIS ON THE SOURCE AND SINK OF KINETIC ENERGY OF ATMOSPHERIC 30—60 DAY PERIOD OSCILLATION AND THE PROBABLE CAUSES

Based on ECMWF daily grid point data in summer (May—August),1981,the distribution features of the source and sink of kinetic energy of atmosphere 30—60 day oscillation,including its horizontal distribution characteristics and its vertical structure characteristics,are investigated systematically with diagnostic analysis methods over a latitude belt between 80°N and 60°S.Also,the probable reasons for the existence of the source and sink of low frequency kinetic energy (LFKE) are discussed preliminarily.Results show that the horizontal distribution of the sources and sinks of kinetic energy of atmospheric 30—60 day oscillation is extremely different.The significant sources and sinks of LFKE mainly exist in the oceans and the coastal regions of continents or islands in the mid-high latitudes.It is also found that,in the vertical direction,the sources and sinks of kinetic energy of 30—60 day oscillation display barotropic structure in the mid-high latitudes of both hemispheres,but dispaly baroclinic structure in the equtorial region,and in the horizontal direction, the sources and sinks mainly display zonal wave-like distribution.The source and sink of LFKE are determinded by ageostrophic wind effect,frictional effect,interaction between sub-grid-scale systems,nonlinear interaction,and the flux-divergence of LFKE transported by transient wind. There are some regional reasons for the generation of sources and sinks which are not completely identical in different areas.

PROPAGATION OF 30—60 DAY LOW FREQUENCY OSCILLATIONS AND THEIR INFLUENCE UPON THE SUBTROPICAL WESTERLIES JET STREAM DURING NORTHERN HEMISPHERE WINTER

Based on daily ECMWF gridpoint data of two winters during 1981—1983 including an ENSO year,propagation of low frequency oscillations(LFO)during Northern Hemisphere winters and their influences upon 30—60 day oscillations of the subtropical jet stream are studied with the sta- tistical methods as complex empirical orthogonal function(CEOF)and so on.Results show that in the winter of a normal year(1981—1982),30—60 day oscillations in the subtropical zone are mainly in the northern and southern flanks of exit region of jet stream.In the ENSO year(1982— 1983),they are mainly in the vicinity of entrance and exit regions of jet stream.Intraseasonal changes of subtropical jet stream manifested themselves as latitudinal fluctuation or longitudinal progression or regression of about 40 day period.There are marked differences between propagat- ing passages of low frequency modes responsible for changes of subtropical jet stream in the normal year(1981—1982)and in the ENSO year(1982—1983).Changes of oscillation amplitude show obvious phases.In general,the one in late winter is stronger than that in early winter,strongest one occurs in February.