Quantitative Assessment of Impacts of Regional Climate and Human Activities on Saline-alkali Land Changes:A Case Study of Qian'an County,Jilin Province

Interdecadal and interannual variations of saline-alkali land area in Qian′an County, Jilin Province, China were comprehensively analyzed in this paper by means of satellite remote sensing interpretation, field flux observations and regional climate diagnosis.The results show that on the interannual scale, the impact of climate factors accounts for 71.6% of the total variation of the saline-alkali land area, and that of human activities accounts for 28.4%.Therefore the impact of climate factors is obviously greater than that of human activities.On the interdecadal scale, the impact of climate factors on the increase of the saline-alkali land area accounts for 43.2%, and that of human activities accounts for 56.8%.The impact of human activities on the variation of saline-alkali land area is very clear on the interdecadal scale, and the negative impact of human activities on the environment should not be negligible.Besides, changes in the area of heavy saline-alkali land have some indication for development of saline-alkali land in Qian′an County.

The Impacts of Moisture Transport of East Asian Monsoon on Summer Precipitation in Northeast China

By using the ECMWF reanalysis daily data and daily precipitation data of 80 stations in Northeast China from 1961 to 2002, the impacts of moisture transport of East Asian summer monsoon on the summer precipitation anomaly in Northeast China, and the relationship between the variation of moisture budget and the establishment of East Asian summer monsoon in this region are studied. The results demonstrate that the moisture of summer precipitation in Northeast China mainly originates from subtropical, South China Sea, and South Asia monsoon areas. East China and its near coastal area are the convergent region of the monsoonal moisture currents and the transfer station for the currents continually moving northward. The monsoonal moisture transport, as an important link or bridge, connects the interaction between middle and low latitude systems. In summer half year, there is a moisture sink in Northeast China where the moisture influx is greater than outflux. The advance transport and accumulation of moisture are of special importance to pentad time scale summer precipitation. The onset, retreat, and intensity change of the monsoonal rainy season over Northeast China are mainly signified by the moisture input condition along the southern border of this area. The establishment of East Asian summer monsoon in this area ranges from about 10 July to 20 August and the onset in the west is earlier than that in the east. The latitude that the monsoon can reach is gradually northward from west to east, reaching 50°N within longitude 120°-135°E. In summer, the difference of air mass transport between summers with high and low rainfall mainly lies in whether more air masses originating from lower latitudes move northward through East China and its coastal areas, consequently transporting large amounts of hot and humid air into Northeast China.

Characteristics and Cause Analysis of Heavy Haze in Changchun City in Northeast China

Northeast China has been reported as having serious air pollution in China with increasing occurrences of severe haze episodes. Changchun City, as the center of Northeast China, has longstanding industry and is an important agricultural base. Additionally, Changchun City has a long winter requiring heating of buildings emitting pollution into the air. These factors contribute to the complexity of haze pollution in this area. In order to analyze the causes of heavy haze, surface air quality has been monitored from 2013 to 2015. By using satellite and meteorological data, atmospheric pollution status, spatio-temporal variations and formation have been analyzed. Results indicated that the air quality in 88.9% of days exceeding air quality index(AQI) level-1 standard(AQI >50) according to the National Ambient Air Quality Standard(NAAQS) of China. Conversely, 33.7% of the days showed a higher level with AQI > 100. Extreme haze events(AQI > 300) occurred frequently during agricultural harvesting period(from October 10 to November 10), intensive winter heating period(from Late-December to February) and period of spring windblown dust(April and May). Most daily concentrations of gaseous pollutants, i.e., NO_2(43.8 μg/m^3), CO(0.9 mg/m^3), SO_2(37.9 μg/m^3), and O_3(74.9 μg/m^3) were evaluated within level-1 concentration limits of NAAQS standards. However, particulate matter(PM_(2.5) and PM10) concentrations(67.3 μg/m^3 and 115.2 μg/m^3, respectively) were significantly higher than their level-1 limits. Severe haze in spring was caused by offsite transported dust and windblown surface soil. Heavy haze periods during fall and winter were mainly formed by intensive emissions of atmospheric pollutants and steady weather conditions(i.e., low wind speed and inversion layer). The overlay emissions of widespread straw burning and coal combustion for heating were the dominant factors contributing to haze in autumn, while intensive coal burning during the coldest time was the primary component of total emissions. In addition, general emissions including automobile exhaust, road and construction dust, residential and industrial activities, have significantly increased in recent years, making heavy haze a more frequent occurrence. Therefore, both improved technological strategies and optimized pollution management on a regional scale are necessary to minimize emissions in specified seasons in Changchun City, as well as comprehensive control measures in Northeast China.

A Study on Water Vapor Transport and Budget of Heavy Rain in Northeast China

The characteristics of moisture transport and budget of widespread heavy rain and local heavy rain events in Northeast China are studied using the NCEP-NCAR reanalysis 6-hourly and daily data and daily precipitation data of 200 stations in Northeast China from 1961-2005. The results demonstrate that during periods with widespread heavy rain in Northeast China, the Asian monsoon is very active and the monsoonal northward moisture transport is strengthened significantly. The widespread heavy rainfall obtains enhanced water vapor supply from large regions where the water vapor mainly originates from the Asian monsoon areas, which include the East Asian subtropical monsoon area, the South China Sea, and the southeast and southwest tropical monsoon regions. There are several branches of monsoonal moisture current converging on East China and its coastal areas, where they are strengthened and then continue northward into Northeast China. Thus, the enhanced northward monsoonal moisture transport is the key to the widespread heavy rain in Northeast China. In contrast, local heavy rainfall in Northeast China derives water vapor from limited areas, transported by the westerlies. Local evaporation also plays an important role in the water vapor supply and local recycling process of moisture. In short, the widespread heavy rains of Northeast China are mainly caused by water vapor advection brought by the Asian monsoon, whereas local heavy rainfall is mainly caused by the convergence of the westerly wind field.

Impacts of Polar Vortex,NPO,and SST Configurations on Unusually Cool Summers in Northeast China.Part I:Analysis and Diagnosis

This study unveils the evolution of two major early signals in the North Pacific atmosphere-ocean system that heralded abnormal high-pressure blockings and cold-vortex activities across Northeast China, based on an analysis of the configurations of major modes including the polar vortex, the North Pacific Oscillation （NPO）, and SST in the preceding winter and spring and atmospheric low-frequency disturbances in Northeast China. We analyzed these aspects to understand the atmosphere ocean physical coupling processes characterized by the two early signals, and here we explain the possible mechanisms through which dipole circulation anomalies affect the summer low-temperature processes in Northeast China. We further analyzed the interdecadal variation background and associated physical processes of the two early signals.

Numerical Experiments on the Impact of Spring North Pacific SSTA on NPO and Unusually Cool Summers in Northeast China

A set of numerical experiments designed to analyze the oceanic forcing in spring show that the combined forcing of cold （warm） El Ni（n）o （La Ni（n）a） phases in the Ni（n）o4 region and sea surface temperature anomalies （SSTA） in the westerly drifts region would result in abnormally enhanced NorthEast Cold Vortex （NECV） activities in early summer.In spring,the central equatorial Pacific El Ni（n）o phase and westerly drift SSTA forcing would lead to the retreat of non-adiabatic waves,inducing elliptic low-frequency anomalies of tropical air flows.This would enhance the anomalous cyclone-anticyclonecyclone-anticyclone low-frequency wave train that propagates from the tropics to the extratropics and further to the mid-high latitudes,constituting a major physical mechanism that contributes to the early summer circulation anomalies in the subtropics and in the North Pacific mid-high latitudes.The central equatorial Pacific La Ni（n）a forcing in the spring would,on the one hand,induce teleconnection anomalies of high pressure from the Sea of Okhotsk to the Sea of Japan in early summer,and on the other hand indirectly trigger a positive low-frequency East Asia-Pacific teleconnection （EAP） wave train in the lower troposphere.

Extreme Temperature Change of the Last 110 Years in Changchun,Northeast China

In China and East Asia,the long-term continuous observational data at daily resolution are insufficient,and thus there is a lack of good understanding of the extreme climate variation over the last 100 years plus.In this study,the extreme temperature indices defined by ETCCDI(Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices)and local meteorological administrations were analyzed for Changchun City,Northeast China,by using the daily maximum temperature(Tmax)and daily minimum temperature(Tmin)over 1909?2018.The results showed that extreme cold events,such as cold days,cold nights,frost days,icing days,and low temperature days,decreased significantly at rates of?0.41 d(10 yr)^?1,?1.45 d(10 yr)^?1,?2.28 d(10 yr)^?1,?1.16 d(10 yr)?1 and?1.90 d(10 yr)^?1,respectively.Warm nights increased significantly at a rate of 1.71 d(10 yr)^?1,but warm days decreased slightly and the number of high temperature days decreased at a rate of?0.20 d(10 yr)?1.The frequency of cold surge events increased significantly at a rate of 0.25 d(10 yr)^?1,occurring mainly from the mid-1950s to late-1980s.The average Tmax,average Tmin and extreme Tmin increased at rates of 0.09℃(10 yr)^?1,0.36℃(10 yr)^?1 and 0.54℃(10 yr)^?1,respectively;and extreme Tmax decreased significantly at a rate of?0.17℃(10 yr)^?1.In 1909?2018,1951?2018 and 1979?2018,the indices related to cold events decreased,while the trends of the indices related to warm events were different for different periods.

Trends in day-to-day variability of surface air temperature in China during 1961-2012

本文利用1961~2012年CN05.2和英国气象局Hadley中心数据集中的日最高气温(T_(max))、最低气温(T_(min))和平均气温(T_(mean))资料,分析了日与日间平均、最高和最低温度变率(简称:DVTT_(mean)、DVTT_(max)、DVTT_(min))。结果表明:在年尺度上,东北地区(NEC)的DVTT_(mean)、DVTT_(max)、DVTT_(min))均呈显著的负趋势,中国北方的趋势变化要比南方大;在季节尺度上,NEC的DVTT_(mean)、DVTT_(max)、DVTT_(min)在春、秋、冬季节都是显著的负趋势,而夏季则为正;在NEC,所有季节的DVTT_(max)值都比DVTT_(max)大,春季中国北方和南方的DVTT_(max)值都比较明显,夏季和冬季则南方比北方明显;对DVTT_(min)而言,除了秋季,其他季节DVTT_(min)在中国北方都是数值最大的区域。

Circulation anomalies associated with interannual variation of early- and late-summer precipitation in Northeast China

Summer rainfall is vital for crops in Northeast China. In this study, we investigated large-scale circulation anomalies related to monthly summer rainfall in Northeast China using European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecast ERA-40 reanalysis data and monthly rainfall data from 79 stations in Northeast China. The results show that the interannual variation in rainfall over Northeast China is mainly dominated by a cold vortex in early summer (May-June) and by the East Asian summer monsoon in late summer (July-August). In early summer, corresponding to increased rainfall in Northeast China, an anomalous cyclonic anomaly tilted westward with height appears to the northwest and cold vortices occur frequently. In late summer, the rainfall anomaly is mainly controlled by a northward shift of the local East Asian jet stream in the upper troposphere and the northwest extension of the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) in the lower troposphere. The enhanced southwesterly anomaly in the west of the WPSH transports more moisture into Northeast China and results in more rainfall. In addition, compared with that in July, the rainfall in Northeast China in August is also influenced by a mid- and high-latitude blocking high over Northeast Asia.

Mechanisms for the Formation of Northeast China Cold Vortex and Its Activities and Impacts:An Overview

In the mid 20th century, great efforts were made to investigate the formation process of high-latitude cold vortex, which is regarded as a major weather system in the atmospheric circulation. In the late 1970s, Chinese researchers noticed that the Northeast China cold vortex （NECV） is an active and frequently occurring weather system over Northeast Asia, which is generated under specific conditions of topography and land-sea thermal contrast on the local and regional scales. Thereby, the NECV study was broadened to include synoptic situations, mesoscale and dynamic features, the heavy rain process, etc. Since the 21st century, in the context of the global warming, more attention has been paid to studies of the mechanisms that cause the NECV variations during spring and early summer as well as the climatic impacts of the NECV system. Note that the NECV activity, frequent or not, not only affects local temperature and precipitation anomalies, but also regulates the amount of precipitation over northern China, the Huai River basin, and the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River. The NECV influence can even reach the Guangdon~ Guangxi region. However, compared to the achievements for the blocking system study, theoretical studies with regard to the NECV system are still insufficient. Research activities regarding the mechanisms for the NECV formation, particularly theoretical studies using linear or weak nonlinear methods need to be strengthened in the future. Meanwhile, great efforts should be made to deepen our understanding of the relations of the NECV system to the oceanic thermal forcing, the low-frequency atmospheric variations over mid-high latitudes, and the global warming.

Interannual Variability of Summer Rainfall over the Northern Part of China and the Related Circulation Features

In this study, interannual variability of summer rainfall over the northern part of China （NPC） and associated circulation patterns were investigated by using long-term （1961-2013） observational and reanalysis data. Two important NPC rainfall modes were identified by empirical orthogoual function analysis： the first is characterized by an almost uniformly distributed rainfall anomaly over most parts of the NPC, while the second shows rainfall variability in Northeast China （NEC） and its out-of-phase relationship with that in North China （NC） and the northern part of Northwest China. The results also suggest that the NPC summer rainfall anomalies are also closely associated with those in some other parts of China. It is revealed that the circumglobal teleconnection pattern associated with the anomalous Indian summer monsoon （ISM） and the Polar/Eurasia （PEA） pattern work in concert to constitute the typical circulation pattern of the first rainfall mode. The cooperative engagement of the anomalous ISM circulation and the PEA pattern is fundamental in transporting water vapor to the NPC. The study emphasizes that the PEA pattern is essential for the water vapor transport to the NPC through the anomalous midlatitude westerly. In the second NPC rainfall mode, the typical circulation pattern is characterized by the anomalous surface Okhotsk high and the attendant lower tropospheric circulation anomaly over NEC. The circulation anomaly over NEC leads to a redistribution of water vapor fluxes over the NPC and constitutes an out-of-phase relationship between the rainfall anomalies over NEC and NC.

A STUDY ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SUMMER PRECIPITATION IN NORTHEAST CHINA AND THE GLOBAL SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE ANOMALY (SSTA) IN PRECEDING SEASONS

Based on the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis global SST, 500-hPa geopotential height, 850-hPa wind monthly mean data and summer precipitation from 80 observation stations of Northeast China for the period 1961-2000, the summer precipitation field of Northeast China was decomposed by using the principal component analysis method, then the relationships between the first three precipitation leading modes and the global SSTA in preceding seasons were studied, and the responses of the 500-hPa atmospheric circulation in East Asia to the preceding winter SSTA in north Pacific and its influence on the summer precipitation in Northeast China were probed. The results show that the SSTA, especially the ENSO event in preceding seasons has really very important influence on the occurrence of the whole coincident precipitation episode in Northeast China, and relates to the precipitation episodes of the reverse variation in south-north and in west-east direction closely. The north Pacific SST anomalies in preceding winters are associated with the summer precipitation in Northeast China through its influence on the western Pacific subtropical high and the East Asia subtropical monsoon in summer. Therefore, taking the global SSTA distribution in preceding seasons, especially the ENSO event, as the precursor signal to predict the precipitation anomaly in Northeast China has good reliability and definite indicative significance.

Risks of temperature extremes over China under 1.5℃ and 2℃ global warming

The Paris Agreement aims to keep global warming to well below 2℃ above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5℃,recognizing this will reduce the risks of natural disasters significantly.As changes in the risks of temperature extremes are often associated with changes in the temperature probability distribution,further analysis is still needed to improve understanding of the warm extremes over China.In this study,changes in the occurrence probability of temperature extremes and statistic characteristics of the temperature distribution are investigated using the fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project(CMIP5)multimodel simulations from 1861 to 2100.The risks of the once-in-100-year TXx and TNx events are projected to increase by 14.4 and 31.4 times at 1.5℃ warming.Even,the corresponding risks under 2℃ global warming are 23.3 and 50.6,implying that the once-in-100-year TXx and TNx events are expected to occur about every 5 and 2 years over China,respectively.The Tibetan Plateau,Northwest China and south of the Yangtze River are in greater risks suffering hot extremes(both day and night extremes).Changes in the occurrence probability of warm extremes are generally well explained by the combination of the shifts in location and scale parameters in areas with grown variability,i.e.,the Tibetan Plateau for TXx,south of the Yangtze River for both TXx and TNx.The location(scale)parameter leading the risks of once-in-20-year TXx to increase by more than 5(0.25)and 3(0.75)times under 2℃ warming in the Tibetan Plateau and south of the Yangtze River,respectively.The location parameter is more important for regions with decreased variability e.g.,the Tibetan Plateau for TNx,Northwest China for both TXx and TNx,with risks increase by more than 3,6 and 4 times due to changes in location.

Interdecadal Variations of Cold Air Activities in Northeast China during Springtime

Based on the daily mean temperature data of CN05.2 from 1961 to 2012, cold events （CEs） are first divided into two categories according to their duration： strong cold events （SCEs） and weak cold events （WCEs）. Then, the characteristics of CEs, SCEs, and WCEs during springtime are investigated. The results indicate that in the pre-1990s epoch, ENSO and Arctic Oscillation events in the previous winter are closely related to SCEs in the following spring. The multidecadal variations of CEs, SCEs, and WCEs are obvious. The intensity trend for SCEs is significantly negative, but it seems less apparent for WCEs. Further analysis reveals that when both SCEs and WCEs occur, a typical East Asian trough in the 850- hPa wind field, whose northwesterly wind component invades Northeast China （NEC） and causes freezing days, can be found in every decade. For the SCEs, a cold vortex, with its center located over Okhotsk and northeasterly current affecting NEC, is found as an additional feature. For the WCEs, the cold vortex is located in Karafuto and its northwesterly airflow intrudes into NEC. As for the difference between SCEs and WCEs, the northwestern flow is weaker while the northeastern counterpart is stronger during the SCEs, in all decades. In the Takaya-Nakamura flux and divergence fields, for the SCEs, a divergence center exists over NEC; and over its downstream regions, a stronger divergence center appears, not like a wave train. However, the opposite is the case for the WCEs; moreover, the wave train appears clearly during the WCEs, which means that the wave energy can propagate and dissipate more easily during WCEs.