Diagnosis of the Kinetic Energy of the“21·7”Extreme Torrential Rainfall Event in Henan Province,China

An extreme torrential rain(ETR)event occurred in Henan Province,China,during 18-21 July 2021.Based on hourly rain-gauge observations and ERA5 reanalysis data,the ETR was studied from the perspective of kinetic energy(K),which can be divided into rotational wind(V_(R))kinetic energy(K_(R)),divergent wind kinetic energy(K_(D)),and the kinetic energy of the interaction between the divergent and rotational winds(K_(RD)).According to the hourly precipitation intensity variability,the ETR process was divided into an initial stage,a rapid increase stage,and maintenance stage.Results showed that the intensification and maintenance of ETR were closely related to the upper-level K,and most closely related to the upperlevel K_(R),with a correlation coefficient of up to 0.9.In particular,the peak value of hourly rainfall intensity lagged behind the K_(R) by 8 h.Furthermore,diagnosis showed that K transformation from unresolvable to resolvable scales made the ETR increase slowly.The meridional rotational wind(u_(R))and meridional gradient of the geopotential(φ)jointly determined the conversion of available potential energy(APE)to K_(R) through the barotropic process,which dominated the rapid enhancement of K_(R) and then caused the rapid increase in ETR.The transportation of K by rotational wind consumed K_(R),and basically offset the K_(R) produced by the barotropic process,which basically kept K_(R) stable at a high value,thus maintaining the ETR.

Correlation of Rainfall Anomalies in Rwanda from September to December (SOND) with Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Events

Understanding the relationship between rainfall anomalies and large-scale systems is critical for driving adaptation and mitigation strategies in socioeconomic sectors. This study therefore aims primarily to investigate the correlation between rainfall anomalies in Rwanda during the months of September to December (SOND) with the occurrences of Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events. The study is useful for early warning and forecasting of negative effects associated with extreme rainfall anomalies across the country, using Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station (CHIRPS), the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) reanalysis sea surface temperature and ERA5 reanalysis datasets, during the period of 1983-2021. Both empirical orthogonal function (EOF), correlation analysis and composite analysis were used to delineate variability, relationship and the related atmospheric circulation between Rwanda seasonal rainfall September to December (SOND) with Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and El-Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The results for Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) for the reconstructed rainfall data set showed three modes. EOF-1, EOF-2 and EOF-3 with their total variance of 63.6%, 16.5% and 4.8%, Indian ocean dipole (IOD) events resulted to a strong positive correlation of rainfall anomalies and Dipole model index (DMI) (r = 0.42, p value = 0.001, DF = 37) significant at 95% confidence level. The composite analysis for the reanalysis dataset was carried out to show the circulation patterns during four different events correlated with September to December seasonal rainfall in Rwanda using T-test at 95% confidence level. Wind anomaly revealed that there was a convergence of south westerly winds and easterly wind over the study area during positive Indian Ocean Diploe (PIOD) and PIOD with El Nino concurrence event years. The finding of this study will contribute to the enhancement of SOND seasonal rainfall forecasting and the reduction of vulnerability during IOD (ENSO) event years.

Simulation of Salinity Variability and the Related Freshwater Flux Forcing in the Tropical Pacific: An Evaluation Using the Beijing Normal University Earth System Model(BNU-ESM)

The climatology and interannual variability of sea surface salinity （SSS） and freshwater flux （FWF） in the equatorial Pacific are analyzed and evaluated using simulations from the Beijing Normal University Earth System Model （BNU-ESM）. The simulated annual climatology and interannual variations of SSS, FWF, mixed layer depth （MLD）, and buoyancy flux agree with those observed in the equatorial Pacific. The relationships among the interannual anomaly fields simulated by BNU-ESM are analyzed to illustrate the climate feedbacks induced by FWF in the tropical Pacific. The largest interannual variations of SSS and FWF are located in the western-central equatorial Pacific. A positive FWF feedback effect on sea surface temperature （SST） in the equatorial Pacific is identified. As a response to El Nino-Southern Oscillation （ENSO）, the interannual variation of FWF induces ocean processes which, in turn, enhance ENSO. During El Nino, a positive FWF anomaly in the western-central Pacific （an indication of increased precipitation rates） acts to enhance a negative salinity anomaly and a negative surface ocean density anomaly, leading to stable stratification in the upper ocean. Hence, the vertical mixing and entrainment of subsurface water into the mixed layer are reduced, and the associated E1 Nino is enhanced. Related to this positive feedback, the simulated FWF bias is clearly reflected in SSS and SST simulations, with a positive FWF perturbation into the ocean corresponding to a low SSS and a small surface ocean density in the western-central equatorial Pacific warm pool.

HEIGHT OF ATMOSPHERIC BOUNDARY LAYER AS DETECTED BY COSMIC GPS RADIO OCCULTATION DATA

The characteristics of the atmospheric boundary layer height over the global ocean were studied based on the Constellation Observation System of Meteorology,Ionosphere and Climate(COSMIC) refractivity data from 2007 to2012.Results show that the height is much characteristic of seasonal,inter-annual and regional variation.Globally,the spatial distribution of the annual mean top height shows a symmetrical zonal structure,which is more zonal in the Southern Hemisphere than in the Northern Hemisphere.The boundary layer top is highest in the tropics and gradually decreases towards higher latitudes.The height is in a range of 3 to 3.5 km in the tropics,2 to 2.5 km in the subtropical regions,and 1 to 1.5 km or even lower in middle and high latitudes.The diurnal variation of the top height is not obvious,with the height varying from tens to hundreds of meters.Furthermore,it is different from region to region,some regions have the maximum height during 9:00 to 12:00,others at 15:00 to18:00.

Asymmetry of Salinity Variability in the Tropical Pacific during Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation Phases

It has been recognized that salinity variability in the tropical Pacific is closely related to the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation(IPO).Here,we use model simulations from 1900 to 2017 to illustrate obvious asymmetries of salinity variability in the tropical Pacific during positive and negative IPO phases.The amplitude of salinity variability in the tropical Pacific during positive IPO phases is larger than that during negative IPO phases,with a more westward shift of a large Sea Surface Salinity(SSS)anomaly along the equator.Salinity budget analyses show that the asymmetry of salinity variability during positive and negative IPO phases is dominated by the difference in the surface forcing associated with the freshwater flux[FWF,precipitation(P)minus evaporation(E)],with a contribution of 40%–50%near the dateline on the equator.Moreover,the relationships between the salinity variability and its budget terms also show differences in their leadlag correlations during positive and negative IPO phases.These differences in salinity variability during different IPO phases produce asymmetric effects on seawater density which can reduce or enhance upper-ocean stratification.Therefore,the salinity effects may modulate the intensity of El Nino-Southern Oscillation(ENSO),resulting in an enhanced(reduced)El Nino but a reduced(enhanced)La Ni?a during positive(negative)IPO phases by 1.6℃psu^(-1)(1.3℃psu^(-1)),respectively.It is suggested that the asymmetry of salinity variability may be related to the recent change in ENSO amplitude associated with the IPO,which can help elucidate ENSO diversity.

Comparison of multiple salinity datasets:upper ocean salinity and stratification in the tropical Pacific during the Argo period

Ocean salinity is an important variable that affects the ocean stratification.We compared the salinity and ocean stratification in the tropical Pacific derived from the Argo(Array for Real-time Geostrophic Oceanography data),EN4(Ensemble 4 analysis),SODA(the Simple Ocean Data Assimilation reanalysis),IAP(Institute of Atmospheric Physics data),and ORAS4(Ocean Reanalysis System 4)over 2005–2017.Results show that the spatial distribution of climatological mean of sea surface salinity(SSS)in all the products is consistent,and the low salinity region showed large deviation and strong dispersion.The Argo has the smallest RMSE and the highest correlation with the ensemble mean,while the IAP shows a high-salinity deviations relative to other datasets.All the products show high positive correlations between the sea surface density(SSD)and SSS with respect to the deviations of climatological mean from ensemble mean,suggesting that the SSD deviation may be mainly influenced by the SSS deviation.In the aspect of the ocean stratification,the mixed layer depth(MLD)climatological mean in the Argo shows the highest correlation with the ensemble mean,followed by EN4,IAP,ORAS4,and SODA.The Argo and EN4 show thicker barrier layer(BL)relative to the ensemble mean while the SODA displays the largest negative deviation in the tropical western Pacific.Furthermore,the EN4,ORAS4,and IAP underestimate the stability in the upper ocean at the depths of 20–140 m,while Argo overestimates ocean stability.The salinity fronts in the western-central equatorial Pacific from Argo,EN4,and ORAS4 are consistent,while those from SODA and IAP show large deviations with a westward position in amplitude of 0°–6°and 0°–10°,respectively.The SSS trend patterns from all the products are consistent in having ensemble mean with high spatial correlations of 0.95–0.97.

Precursory atmospheric teleconnection patterns for strong Siberian High events

本文利用日本55年逐日再分析资料,发现在SH异常增强前,有三种不同的大气遥相关型前兆信号,即斯堪的纳维亚(SCA)型,西太平洋(WP)型,极地-欧亚(POL)型据此,本文将异常增强的SH分为对应的三类事件.合成结果表明,三类事件在典型环流特征和对东亚气温的影响上存在着明显的不同.具体而言,SCA类事件主要表现为在欧亚中高纬度上自西向东的波列异常,WP类事件表现为环流异常自下游太平洋/俄罗斯远东地区向西发展的特征,POL型事件的显著信号则来源于自极区向南移动的反气旋式环流异常.在对东亚地表气温的影响上,SCA类与POL类事件类似,它们均可造成大范围的低温异常.而WP类仅在我国北方和东部地区造成强度较弱的地表气温异常,但该异常的持续性特征较明显。

Salinity effect-induced ENSO amplitude modulation in association with the interdecadal Pacific Oscillation

A 110-year ensemble simulation of an ocean general circulation model(OGCM)was analyzed to identify the modulation of salinity interdecadal variability on El Niño-Southern Oscillation(ENSO)amplitude in the tropical Pacific during 1901-2010.The simulating results show that sea surface salinity(SSS)variation in the region exhibits notable and coherent interdecadal variability signal,which is closely associated with the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation(IPO).As salinity increases or reduces,the SSS modulations on ENSO amplitude during its warm/cold events vary asymmetrically with positive/negative IPO phases.Physically,salinity interdecadal variability can enhance or reduce ENSO-related conditions in upper-ocean stratification,contributing noticeably to ENSO variability.Salinity anomalies associated with the mixed layer depth and barrier layer thickness can modulate ENSO amplitude during positive and negative IPO phases,resulting in the asymmetry of sea surface temperature(SST)anomaly in the tropical Pacific.During positive IPO phases,SSS interdecadal variability contributes positively to El Niño amplitude but negatively to La Niña amplitude by enhancing or reducing SSS interannual variability,and vice versa during negative IPO phases.Quantitatively,the results indicate that the modulation of the ENSO amplitude by the SSS interdecadal variability is 15%-28%during negative IPO phases and 30%-20%during positive IPO phases,respectively.Evidently,the SSS interdecadal variability associated with IPO and its modulation on ENSO amplitude in the tropical Pacific are among factors essentially contributing ENSO diversity.

A Modeling Study of the Effects of Direct Radiative Forcing Due to Carbonaceous Aerosol on the Climate in East Asia

The study investigated the effects of global direct radiative forcing due to carbonaceous aerosol on the climate in East Asia, using the CAM3 developed by NCAR. The results showed that carbonaceous aerosols cause negative forcing at the top of the atmosphere （TOA） and surface under clear sky conditions, but positive forcing at the TOA and weak negative forcing at the surface under all sky conditions. Hence, clouds could change the sign of the direct radiative forcing at the TOA, and weaken the forcing at the surface. Carbonaceous aerosols have distinct effects on the summer climate in East Asia. In southern China and India, it caused the surface temperature to increase, but the total cloud cover and precipitation to decrease. However, the opposite effects are caused for most of northern China and Bangladesh. Given the changes in temperature, vertical velocity, and surface streamflow caused by carbonaceous aerosol in this simulation, carbonaceous aerosol could also induce summer precipitation to decrease in southern China but increase in northern China.

A Review of Recent Advances in Research on Asian Monsoon in China

This paper reviews briefly advances in recent research on monsoon by Chinese scholars, including primarily： （1） the establishment of various monsoon indices. In particular, the standardized dynamic seasonal variability index of the monsoon can delimit the geographical distribution of global monsoon systems and determine quantitatively the date of abrupt change in circulation. （2） The provision of three driving forces for the generation of monsoon. （3） The revelation of the heating-pump action of the Tibetan Plateau, which strengthens southerlies in the southern and southeastern periphery of the Plateau and results in a strong rainfall center from the northern Bay of Bengal （BOB） to the Plateau itself. （4） Clarification of the initial onset of the Asian Summer Monsoon （ASM） in the BOB east of 90°E, Indochina Peninsula （ICP） and the South China Sea, of which the rapid northward progression of tropical convection in the Sumatra and the rapid westward movement of the South Asia High to the Indochina Peninsula are the earliest signs. （5） The provision of an integrated mechanism for the onset of the East Asian Summer Monsoon （EASM）, which emphasizes the integrated impact of sensible heat over Indian Peninsula, the warm advection of the Tibetan Plateau and the sensible heat and latent heat over the Indochina Peninsula on the one hand, and the seasonal phase-lock effect of the northward propagation of low frequency oscillation on the other. （6） The revelation of the ＂planetary-scale moisture transport large-value band＂ from the Southern Hemisphere through to the Asian monsoon region and into the North Pacific, which is converged by several large-scale moisture transport belts in the Asian-Australian monsoon regions and whose variation influences directly the temporal and spatial distribution of summer rainfall in China. （7） Presenting the features of the seasonal advance of the EASM, the propagation of intraseasonal oscillation, and their relationship with rainfall in China; indicating that the intraseasonal oscillation of the EASM propagates in the form of a wave-train along the coast and behaves as monsoon surge propagating northward. （8） Describing the interannual and interdecadal variation of Asian monsoon, revealing the factors affecting it, and possible mechanisms of the variation of Asian monsoon. An elementary outlook on the existing problems and future direction of monsoon research is also provided.

Environmental and Dynamic Conditions for the Occurrence ofPersistent Haze Events in North China

This paper presents a concise summary of recent studies on the long-term variations of haze in NorthChina and on the environmental and dynamic conditions for severe persistent haze events. Resultsindicate that haze days have an obviously rising trend over the past 50 years in North China. Theoccurrence frequency of persistent haze events has a similar rising trend due to the continuous riseof winter temperatures, decrease of surface wind speeds, and aggravation of atmospheric stability. InNorth China, when severe persistent haze events occur, anomalous southwesterly winds prevail in thelower troposphere, providing sufficient moisture for the formation of haze. Moreover, North China ismainly controlled by a deep downdraft in the mid-lower troposphere, which contributes to reducing thethickness of the planetary boundary layer, obviously reducing the atmospheric capacity for pollutants.This atmospheric circulation and sinking motion provide favorable conditions for the formation andmaintenance of haze in North China.

Seasonality of Interannual Inter-hemispheric Oscillations over the Past Five Decades

Air mass is inter-hemispherically redistributed, leading to an interesting phenomenon known as the Inter-Hemispheric Oscillation （IHO）. In the present article, the seasonality of the interannual IHO has been examined by employing monthly mean reanalyses from NCEP/NCAR, EAR40, and JRA25 for the period of 1958–2006. It is found that the IHO indices as calculated from different reanalyses are generally consistent with each other. A distinct seesaw structure in all four seasons between the northern and southern hemispheres is observed as the IHO signature in both the surface air pressure anomalies （SAPAs） and the leading EOF component of the anomalous zonal mean quantities. When the SAPAs are positive （negative） in the northern hemisphere, they are negative （positive） in the southern hemisphere. Large values of SAPAs are usually observed in mid- and high-latitude areas in all but the solstice seasons. In boreal summer and winter, relatively stronger perturbations of IHO-related SAPA are found in the Asian monsoon region, which shows a large difference from the status in boreal spring and fall. This suggests that seasonal mean monsoon activity is globally linked via air mass redistribution globally on interannual timescales, showing a very interesting linkage between monsoons and the IHO in the global domain. In all seasons, large values of SAPA always exist over the Antarctic and the surrounding regions, implying a close relation with Antarctic oscillations.

Impacts of the Diurnal Cycle of Radiation on Tropical Cyclone Intensification and Structure

To investigate the impacts of the diurnal cycle on tropical cyclones （TCs）,a set of idealized simulations were conducted by specifying different radiation （i.e.,nighttime-only,daytime-only,full diurnal cycle）.It was found that,for an initially weak storm,it developed faster during nighttime than daytime.The impacts of radiation were not only on TC intensification,but also on TC structure and size.The nighttime storm tended to have a larger size than its daytime counterparts.During nighttime,the radiative cooling steepened the lapse rate and thus reduced the static stability in cloudy regions,enhancing convection.Diabatic heating associated with outer convection induced boundary layer inflows,which led to outward expansion of tangential winds and thus increased the storm size.

EFFECTS OF LOW-LATITUDE MONSOON SURGE ON THE INCREASE IN DOWNPOUR FROM TROPICAL STORM BILIS

By using the dataset of CMA-STI Tropical Cyclone Optimal Tracks, NCEP/NCAR reanalysis and intensive surface observations, a study is performed of the influences of a low-latitude monsoon surge on the longer persistence and increase in torrential rains from the landing tropical storm Bilis. Results suggest that the southwest monsoon was anomalously active after Bilis came ashore. The westerly winds in Bilis's south side might give rise to the poleward movement of the SW monsoon, thus enlarging the pressure gradient between Bilis and the anticyclonic circulation to the south with the result of greatly intensified SW monsoon, which fueled plentiful water vapor, heat and momentum into the declining Bilis and allowed its long stay over land instead of erosion and disappearance. Before Bilis's landfall, the 2006 East Asian monsoon surge, characterized by the atmospheric ISO, experienced remarkable northward propagation. After landfall, the strong surge and powerful low frequency vapor convergence were just on the south side of Bilis, resulting in sharply increased rainfall. In addition, a broad belt of high-valued vapor fluxes extended from the eastern Arabian Sea via the Bay of Bengal, Indochina Peninsula and the South China Sea into the south of China. The belt was linked with the SW monsoon surge forming a moist tongue stretching from the Bay of Bengal to the south of China, which supplied continuously abundant vapor for Bilis along with the surge propagating poleward.

Geochemistry of Trace and Rare Earth Elements in Red Soils from the Dongting Lake Area and Its Environmental Significance

Trace element(TE) and rare earth element(REE) contents in red soils from the Dongting Lake area of China were determined to understanding the provenance and weathering characteristics of the red soils.The results showed similar REE distribution patterns among red soils from the Dongting Lake area,Xiashu loess from Zhenjiang,loess and Pliocene red soil from the Loess Plateau.These patterns implied a similar provenance from dust-storms,except for red soil R5 which formed by bedrock weathering and had significant light REE(LREE) enrichment and heavy REE(HREE) depletion due to longer weathering periods and higher intensity of weathering.Trace element,especially the Rb/Sr and Li/Ba ratios,and REE,especially the LREE/HREE ratio and δEu could trace weathering intensity.Higher Rb/Sr,Li/Ba,and LREE/HREE ratios and negative Eu anomalies were present in the red soils from the Dongting Lake area.The weathering intensity was in the decreasing order of R5 in the Dongting Lake area > red soils from the Dongting Lake area(including reticulate red soil,weak reticulate red soil,and homogeneous red soil formed by dust storms) > Xiashu loess from Zhenjiang > loess-paleosol and Pliocene red soil from the Loess Plateau.Variations in the TE and REE contents of soil could be effectively used to study the provenance and the weathering intensity.

Quantitative Analysis of the Feedback Induced by the Freshwater Flux in the Tropical Pacific Using CMIP5

Freshwater flux （FWF） directly affects sea surface salinity （SSS） and hence modulates sea surface temperature （SST） in the tropical Pacific. This paper quantifies a positive correlation between FWF and SST using observations and simulations of the fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project （CMIP5） to analyze the interannual variability in the tropical Pacific. Comparisons among the displacements of FWF, SSS and SST interannual variabilities illustrate that a large FWF variability is located in the west-central equatorial Pacific, covarying with a large SSS variability, whereas a large SST variability is located in the eastern equatorial Pacific. Most CMIP5 models can reproduce the fact that FWF leads to positive feedback to SST through an SSS anomaly as observed. However, the difference in each model＇s performance results from different simulation capabilities of the CMIP5 models in the magnitudes and positions of the interannual variabilities, including the mixed layer depth and the buoyancy flux in the equatorial Pacific. SSS anomalies simulated from the CMIP5 multi-model are sensitive to FWF interannual anomalies, which can lead to differences in feedback to interannual SST variabilities. The relationships among the FWF, SSS and SST interannual variabilities can be derived using linear quantitative measures from observations and the CMIP5 multi-model simulations. A 1 mm d-1 FWF anomaly corresponds to an SSS anomaly of nearly 0.12 psu in the western tropical Pacific and a 0.11℃ SST anomaly in the eastern tropical Pacific.

STUDY OF THE MODIFICATION OF MULTI-MODEL ENSEMBLE SCHEMES FOR TROPICAL CYCLONE FORECASTS

This study investigates multi-model ensemble forecasts of track and intensity of tropical cyclones over the western Pacific, based on forecast outputs from the China Meteorological Administration, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, Japan Meteorological Agency and National Centers for Environmental Prediction in the THORPEX Interactive Grand Global Ensemble(TIGGE) datasets. The multi-model ensemble schemes, namely the bias-removed ensemble mean(BREM) and superensemble(SUP), are compared with the ensemble mean(EMN) and single-model forecasts. Moreover, a new model bias estimation scheme is investigated and applied to the BREM and SUP schemes. The results showed that, compared with single-model forecasts and EMN, the multi-model ensembles of the BREM and SUP schemes can have smaller errors in most cases. However, there were also circumstances where BREM was less skillful than EMN, indicating that using a time-averaged error as model bias is not optimal. A new model bias estimation scheme of the biweight mean is introduced. Through minimizing the negative influence of singular errors, this scheme can obtain a more accurate model bias estimation and improve the BREM forecast skill. The application of the biweight mean in the bias calculation of SUP also resulted in improved skill. The results indicate that the modification of multi-model ensemble schemes through this bias estimation method is feasible.

Regional Features and Seasonality of Land–Atmosphere Coupling over Eastern China

Land-atmosphere coupling is a key process of the climate system, and various coupling mechanisms have been proposed before based on observational and numerical analyses. The impact of soil moisture（SM） on evapotranspiration（ET） and further surface temperature（ST） is an important aspect of such coupling. Using ERA-Interim data and CLM4.0 offline simulation results, this study further explores the relationships between SM/ST and ET to better understand the complex nature of the land-atmosphere coupling（i.e., spatial and seasonal variations） in eastern China, a typical monsoon area. It is found that two diagnostics of land-atmosphere coupling（i.e., SM-ET correlation and ST-ET correlation） are highly dependent on the climatology of SM and ST. By combining the SM-ET and ST-ET relationships, two ＂hot spots＂ of land-atmosphere coupling over eastern China are identified： Southwest China and North China. In Southwest China, ST is relatively high throughout the year, but SM is lowest in spring, resulting in a strong coupling in spring. However, in North China, SM is relatively low throughout the year, but ST is highest in summer, which leads to the strongest coupling in summer. Our results emphasize the dependence of land-atmosphere coupling on the seasonal evolution of climatic conditions and have implications for future studies related to land surface feedbacks.

Atmospheric Circulation and Dynamic Mechanism for Persistent Haze Events in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Region

In this study, regional persistent haze events（RPHEs） in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei（BTH） region were identified based on the Objective Identification Technique for Regional Extreme Events for the period 1980–2013. The formation mechanisms of the severe RPHEs were investigated with focus on the atmospheric circulation and dynamic mechanisms. Results indicated that：（1） 49 RPHEs occurred during the past 34 years.（2） The severe RPHEs could be categorized into two types according to the large-scale circulation, i.e. the zonal westerly airflow（ZWA） type and the high-pressure ridge（HPR） type. When the ZWA-type RPHEs occurred, the BTH region was controlled by near zonal westerly airflow in the mid–upper troposphere.Southwesterly winds prevailed in the lower troposphere, and near-surface wind speeds were only 1–2 ms^-1. Warm and humid air originating from the northwestern Pacific was transported into the region, where the relative humidity was 70% to 80%, creating favorable moisture conditions. When the HPR-type RPHEs appeared, northwesterly airflow in the mid–upper troposphere controlled the region. Westerly winds prevailed in the lower troposphere and the moisture conditions were relatively weak.（3） Descending motion in the mid-lower troposphere caused by the above two circulation types provided a crucial dynamic mechanism for the formation of the two types of RPHEs. The descending motion contributed to a reduction in the height of the planetary boundary layer（PBL）, which generated an inversion in the lower troposphere. This inversion trapped the abundant pollution and moisture in the lower PBL, leading to high concentrations of pollutants.

Asymmetric Response of the South China Sea SST to El Nio and La Nia

The interannual variability of the sea surface temperature （SST） in the South China Sea （SCS） is investigated according to its relationship with E1 Nifio/La Nifia （EN/LN） using monthly products from ICOADS. The SCS SST bears two peaks associated with EN/LN and shows the asymmetric features. Coinciding with the mature phase of EN/LN, the first SST warming/cooling peaks in December（0）-February（1） （DJF（1）） and centers in the southern part. The major difference is in the amplitude associated with the strength of EN/LN. However, the SCS SST anomaly shows distinct difference after the mature phase of EN/LN. The EN SST warm- ing develops a mid-summer peak in June-August（1） （JJA（1）） and persists up to September-October（l）, with the same amplitude of the first warming peak. Whereas the LN SST cooling peaks in May（l）, it decays slowly until the end of the year, with amplitude much weaker. Comparing with SST and atmospheric circulations, the weak response and early termination of the second cooling is due to the failure of the cyclonic wind anomalies to develop in the northwest Pacific during JJA（1）.