Possible Impacts of Barents Sea Ice on the Eurasian Atmospheric Circulation and the Rainfall of East China in the Beginning of Summer

Possible influences of the Barents Sea ice anomalies on the Eurasian atmospheric circulation and the East China precipitation distribution in the late spring and early summer (May-June) are investigated by analyzing the observational data and the output of an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM). The study indicates that the sea ice condition of the Barents Sea from May to July may be interrelated with the atmospheric circulation of June. When there is more than average sea ice in the Barents Sea, the local geopotential height of the 500-hPa level will decrease, and the same height in the Lake Baikal and Okhotsk regions will increase and decrease respectively to form a wave-chain structure over North Eurasia. This kind of anomalous height pattern is beneficial to more precipitation in the south part of East China and less in the north.

Decadal Change of the Linkage between Sea Ice over the Barents–Kara Seas in November– December and the Stratospheric Polar Vortex in Subsequent January

The linkage between the sea ice concentration(SIC)over the Barents–Kara Seas in November–December(SIC_BKS_ND)and the stratospheric polar vortex(SPV)in subsequent January(SPV_Jan)is investigated.It is found that SIC_BKS_ND is positively(negatively)correlated with SPV_Jan for the period 1979–1995(1996–2009).Further analyses reveal that,during 1979–1995(1996–2009),SIC_BKS_ND is relatively higher(lower),accompanied by smaller(larger)interannual variability with its center shifting northwest(southeast).Meanwhile,the polar front jet waveguide is relatively stronger(weaker).The simultaneous anomalous eastward-propagating Rossby waves excited by anomalously low SIC_BKS_ND are stronger(weaker),which results in the stronger(weaker)negative–positive–negative wave-train structure of geopotential height anomalies over Eurasia,with the location of these anomalous height centers shifting remarkably westward(eastward).Such changes tend to enhance(suppress)vertically propagating tropospheric planetary waves into the lower stratosphere at high-latitude via constructive(destructive)interference of anomalous tropospheric wave-train structure with the climatological planetary waves,subsequently weakening(strengthening)SPV_Jan.However,in conjunction with anomalously high SIC_BKS_ND,the interference of the tropospheric wave-train structure anomalies and their climatologies shows an opposite distribution to that of low SIC_BKS_ND anomalies,which leads to a strong(weak)SPV_Jan anomaly during 1979–1995(1996–2009).

EFFECTS OF VARIATION OF WINTER SEA-ICE AREA IN KARA AND BARENTS SEAS ON EAST ASIA WINTER MONSOON

By analyzing the observation data and performing the numerical simulation tests,it is shown that the Kara and the Barents Sea area is a key region to influence climate variation over the Northern Hemisphere.The variation of winter sea-ice area in the key region is closely associated with that of the EU teleconnection pattern at 500 hPa and East Asia winter monsoon(EAWM) intensity.When a heavy sea-ice prevails in the key region,the EU teleconnection pattern at 500 hPa is excited easily(there are positive 500 hPa height anomalies over around Japan and West Europe),and winter Siberia high is weakened,meanwhile,sea level pressure(SLP)has positive anomalies over the Northern Pacific.Therefore,EAWM will be weakened,winter temperature over East Asia is above normal and the frequency of cold-air activity in February in China will be decreased.When the light sea-ice occurs in the key region,the results will be opposite.

NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS ON INFLUENCES OF VARIATION OF SEA ICE THICKNESS AND EXTENT ON ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION

By using a 2-layer AGCM designed by Institute of Atmospheric Physics,Chinese Academy of Sciences.this paper investigates influences of thickness and extent variations in Arctic sea ice on the atmosphere circulation,particularly on climate variations in East Asia.The simulation resuhs have indicated that sea ice thickness variation in the Arctic exhibits significant influences on simulation results,particularly on East Asian monsoon.A nearly reasonable distribution of sea ice thickness in the model leads directly to stronger winter and summer monsoon over East Asia.and improves the model's simulation results for Siberia high and Icelandic low in winter.On the other hand,sea ice thickness variation can excite a teleconnection wave train across Asian Continent,and in low latitudes,the wave propagates from the western Pacific across the equator to the eastern Pacific.In addition,the variation of sea ice thickness also influences summer convective activities over the low latitudes including South China Sea and around the Philippines. Effects of winter sea ice extents in the Barents Sea on atmospheric circulation in the following spring and summer are also significant.The simulation result shows that when winter sea ice extent in the target region is larger (smaller) than normal.(1)in the following spring (averaged from April to June).positive (negative) SLP anomalies occupy the northern central Pacific.which leads directly to weakened (deepened)Aleutian low.and further favors the light (heavy) sea ice condition in the Bering Sea:(2)in the following summer,thermal depression in Asian Continent is deepened (weakened).and the subtropical high in the northwestern Pacific shifts northward (southward) from its normal position and to be strengthened (weakened).