Land surface heating of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) plays an important role in the Asian Monsoon system. In this study, the interannual variability of the sensible heat flux over the TP and its connection with the summer...Land surface heating of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) plays an important role in the Asian Monsoon system. In this study, the interannual variability of the sensible heat flux over the TP and its connection with the summer monsoon intensity and onset date was examined based on the newly released land "reanalysis" data, produced by NASA Global Land Data Assimilation System. Although correlation analyses don't show a significant relevance to the summer monsoon intensity, the interannual anomalies in sensible heating near the south flank of the TP indicate a weak reversal in the relationship with the onset date of the West Pacific East Asian monsoon. A diagnostic study shows that above (below) normal sensible heating over the south flake of the TP will lead to rapid (slow) warming of the upper air column over the TP and early (later) reversal of (overturn) the meridional temperature gradient and the vertical wind shear. This will further lead to an earlier (later) onset of the Asian Monsoon.展开更多
Over the last three decades, the Tibetan Plateau has exhibited a significant increase in air temperature and a significant decrease in wind speed. How the surface heat source has changed is an important issue in monso...Over the last three decades, the Tibetan Plateau has exhibited a significant increase in air temperature and a significant decrease in wind speed. How the surface heat source has changed is an important issue in monsoon research. Based on routine meteorological data, this study investigates the differences between methods for estimating trends in surface sensible heat flux on the Tibetan Plateau for the period 1984-2006. One is a physical method based on micro-meteorological theory and experi- ments, and takes into account both atmospheric stability and thermal roughness length. The other approach includes conven- tional empirical methods that assume the heat transfer coefficient is a constant value or a simple function of wind speed. The latter method is used widely in climatologic studies. Results from the physical method show that annual mean sensible heat flux has weakened by 2% per decade, and flux seasonal mean has weakened by -2%--4% except in winter. The two commonly used empirical methods showed high uncertainties in heat flux trend estimates, although they produced similar climatologies. Annual mean heat flux has weakened by 7% per decade when a fixed transfer coefficient is used, whereas the trend is negligible when the transfer coefficient is assumed a function of wind speed. Conventional empirical methods may therefore misrepresent the trend in sensible heat flux.展开更多
基金partially supported by the National Public Benefit Research Foundation (No.GYHY200906018)an open project of the Institute of Plateau Meteorology
文摘Land surface heating of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) plays an important role in the Asian Monsoon system. In this study, the interannual variability of the sensible heat flux over the TP and its connection with the summer monsoon intensity and onset date was examined based on the newly released land "reanalysis" data, produced by NASA Global Land Data Assimilation System. Although correlation analyses don't show a significant relevance to the summer monsoon intensity, the interannual anomalies in sensible heating near the south flank of the TP indicate a weak reversal in the relationship with the onset date of the West Pacific East Asian monsoon. A diagnostic study shows that above (below) normal sensible heating over the south flake of the TP will lead to rapid (slow) warming of the upper air column over the TP and early (later) reversal of (overturn) the meridional temperature gradient and the vertical wind shear. This will further lead to an earlier (later) onset of the Asian Monsoon.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40875009, 40810059006)Key Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KZCX2-YW-Q11-01),"100-Talent" Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences
文摘Over the last three decades, the Tibetan Plateau has exhibited a significant increase in air temperature and a significant decrease in wind speed. How the surface heat source has changed is an important issue in monsoon research. Based on routine meteorological data, this study investigates the differences between methods for estimating trends in surface sensible heat flux on the Tibetan Plateau for the period 1984-2006. One is a physical method based on micro-meteorological theory and experi- ments, and takes into account both atmospheric stability and thermal roughness length. The other approach includes conven- tional empirical methods that assume the heat transfer coefficient is a constant value or a simple function of wind speed. The latter method is used widely in climatologic studies. Results from the physical method show that annual mean sensible heat flux has weakened by 2% per decade, and flux seasonal mean has weakened by -2%--4% except in winter. The two commonly used empirical methods showed high uncertainties in heat flux trend estimates, although they produced similar climatologies. Annual mean heat flux has weakened by 7% per decade when a fixed transfer coefficient is used, whereas the trend is negligible when the transfer coefficient is assumed a function of wind speed. Conventional empirical methods may therefore misrepresent the trend in sensible heat flux.
