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- Author or Editor: Wu Xiaoming x
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Abstract
The decadal-mean impact of including ocean surface currents in the bulk formulas on surface air–sea fluxes and the ocean general circulation is investigated for the first time using a global eddy-permitting coupled ocean–sea ice model. Although including ocean surface currents in air–sea flux calculations only weakens the surface wind stress by a few percent, it significantly reduces wind power input to both geostrophic and ageostrophic motions, and damps the eddy and mean kinetic energy throughout the water column. Furthermore, the strength of the horizontal gyre circulations and the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation are found to decrease considerably (by 10%–15% and ~13%, respectively). As a result of the weakened ocean general circulation, the maximum northward global ocean heat transport decreases by about 0.2 PW, resulting in a lower sea surface temperature and reduced surface heat loss in the northern North Atlantic. Additional sensitivity model experiments further demonstrate that it is including ocean surface currents in the wind stress calculation that dominates this decadal impact, with including ocean surface currents in the turbulent heat flux calculations making only a minor contribution. These results highlight the importance of properly accounting for ocean surface currents in surface air–sea fluxes in modeling the ocean circulation and climate.
Abstract
The decadal-mean impact of including ocean surface currents in the bulk formulas on surface air–sea fluxes and the ocean general circulation is investigated for the first time using a global eddy-permitting coupled ocean–sea ice model. Although including ocean surface currents in air–sea flux calculations only weakens the surface wind stress by a few percent, it significantly reduces wind power input to both geostrophic and ageostrophic motions, and damps the eddy and mean kinetic energy throughout the water column. Furthermore, the strength of the horizontal gyre circulations and the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation are found to decrease considerably (by 10%–15% and ~13%, respectively). As a result of the weakened ocean general circulation, the maximum northward global ocean heat transport decreases by about 0.2 PW, resulting in a lower sea surface temperature and reduced surface heat loss in the northern North Atlantic. Additional sensitivity model experiments further demonstrate that it is including ocean surface currents in the wind stress calculation that dominates this decadal impact, with including ocean surface currents in the turbulent heat flux calculations making only a minor contribution. These results highlight the importance of properly accounting for ocean surface currents in surface air–sea fluxes in modeling the ocean circulation and climate.
Abstract
The impact of synoptic atmospheric forcing on the mean ocean circulation is investigated by comparing simulations of a global eddy-permitting ocean–sea ice model forced with and without synoptic atmospheric phenomena. Consistent with previous studies, transient atmospheric motions such as weather systems are found to contribute significantly to the time-mean wind stress and surface heat loss at mid- and high latitudes owing to the nonlinear nature of air–sea turbulent fluxes. Including synoptic atmospheric forcing in the model has led to a number of significant changes. For example, wind power input to the ocean increases by about 50%, which subsequently leads to a similar percentage increase in global eddy kinetic energy. The wind-driven subtropical gyre circulations are strengthened by about 10%–15%, whereas even greater increases in gyre strength are found in the subpolar oceans. Deep convection in the northern North Atlantic becomes significantly more vigorous, which in turn leads to an increase in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) by as much as 55%. As a result of the strengthened horizontal gyre circulations and the AMOC, the maximum global northward heat transport increases by almost 50%. Results from this study show that synoptic atmospheric phenomena such as weather systems play a vital role in driving the global ocean circulation and heat transport, and therefore should be properly accounted for in paleo- and future climate studies.
Abstract
The impact of synoptic atmospheric forcing on the mean ocean circulation is investigated by comparing simulations of a global eddy-permitting ocean–sea ice model forced with and without synoptic atmospheric phenomena. Consistent with previous studies, transient atmospheric motions such as weather systems are found to contribute significantly to the time-mean wind stress and surface heat loss at mid- and high latitudes owing to the nonlinear nature of air–sea turbulent fluxes. Including synoptic atmospheric forcing in the model has led to a number of significant changes. For example, wind power input to the ocean increases by about 50%, which subsequently leads to a similar percentage increase in global eddy kinetic energy. The wind-driven subtropical gyre circulations are strengthened by about 10%–15%, whereas even greater increases in gyre strength are found in the subpolar oceans. Deep convection in the northern North Atlantic becomes significantly more vigorous, which in turn leads to an increase in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) by as much as 55%. As a result of the strengthened horizontal gyre circulations and the AMOC, the maximum global northward heat transport increases by almost 50%. Results from this study show that synoptic atmospheric phenomena such as weather systems play a vital role in driving the global ocean circulation and heat transport, and therefore should be properly accounted for in paleo- and future climate studies.
Abstract
A 2D higher-order turbulence closure model for research on the structure of the thermal internal boundary layer (TIBL) has been developed in this paper. The mean quantities (temperature and wind), as well as their turbulent moments and their distribution under the TIBL, were computed. Results of numerical simulation show that under the initial condition of onshore flow and surface temperature on land being higher, than on water. 1) the profile of the TIBL on shore can be identified by the distributions of the mean wind and temperature, and during the integration hours there is an unstable stratified region over land that extends upward and inland gradually; 2) the shape of the profiles of the TIBL is roughly in concordance with observed profiles, but there are some differences, obviously, between the results computed by the formula of h ∼ x
1/2 and the results of the numerical experiment; and 3)
Abstract
A 2D higher-order turbulence closure model for research on the structure of the thermal internal boundary layer (TIBL) has been developed in this paper. The mean quantities (temperature and wind), as well as their turbulent moments and their distribution under the TIBL, were computed. Results of numerical simulation show that under the initial condition of onshore flow and surface temperature on land being higher, than on water. 1) the profile of the TIBL on shore can be identified by the distributions of the mean wind and temperature, and during the integration hours there is an unstable stratified region over land that extends upward and inland gradually; 2) the shape of the profiles of the TIBL is roughly in concordance with observed profiles, but there are some differences, obviously, between the results computed by the formula of h ∼ x
1/2 and the results of the numerical experiment; and 3)
Abstract
Using the ERA5 reanalysis data and the Climate Feedback Response Analysis Method (CFRAM), we attribute the mechanism of summer upper-tropospheric temperature (UTT) variations in the South Asian summer monsoon (SASM) region to several external forcing and internal feedback processes. The summer UTT in the SASM region is dominated by two modes. The first empirical orthogonal function (EOF) mode (EOF1) is a monopolar warming pattern, and the second EOF mode (EOF2) shows a meridional dipole pattern. CFRAM results show that summer UTT anomalies are mainly attributed to cloud feedback and nonradiative processes of atmospheric dynamics (ATD) and surface-related processes. For EOF1, ocean heat storage and partial cloud feedback processes contribute most UTT anomalies over the Indian Ocean. The ATD increases the UTT over East Asia through the adiabatic warming caused by anomalous anticyclone in the upper troposphere. The formation of EOF2 is closely linked to the ATD, while the cloud process partially compensates for the excessive changes in UTT caused by the ATD. The South Asian high and its circulation in the midlatitude region are significantly enhanced. The anomalous anticyclone over northern East Asia along with the anomalous easterly wind on the south side of the South Asian high favors increased warm advection and adiabatic heating, contributing to the warming of UTT. Meanwhile, adiabatic cooling resulting from the atmospheric ascent in the middle and upper troposphere leads to UTT cooling over the Indian Ocean. The quantitative attribution of UTT has great implications for better understanding future SASM variation.
Significance Statement
The purpose of this study is to understand the physical mechanisms of upper-tropospheric temperature (UTT) changes in the South Asian summer monsoon (SASM). Although previous studies have examined temperature variation from the perspective of atmospheric circulation, there has been limited investigation into the influence of various feedback processes. Our study reveals that the summer UTT in the SASM region is dominated by monopolar and meridional dipole modes. Utilizing a climate feedback–response analysis method, we attribute the UTT anomalies in the SASM region to the cloud feedback, oceanic heat storage, and atmospheric dynamics processes, and explore the physical mechanisms of their effects. These results have important implications for the better prediction of monsoon variability.
Abstract
Using the ERA5 reanalysis data and the Climate Feedback Response Analysis Method (CFRAM), we attribute the mechanism of summer upper-tropospheric temperature (UTT) variations in the South Asian summer monsoon (SASM) region to several external forcing and internal feedback processes. The summer UTT in the SASM region is dominated by two modes. The first empirical orthogonal function (EOF) mode (EOF1) is a monopolar warming pattern, and the second EOF mode (EOF2) shows a meridional dipole pattern. CFRAM results show that summer UTT anomalies are mainly attributed to cloud feedback and nonradiative processes of atmospheric dynamics (ATD) and surface-related processes. For EOF1, ocean heat storage and partial cloud feedback processes contribute most UTT anomalies over the Indian Ocean. The ATD increases the UTT over East Asia through the adiabatic warming caused by anomalous anticyclone in the upper troposphere. The formation of EOF2 is closely linked to the ATD, while the cloud process partially compensates for the excessive changes in UTT caused by the ATD. The South Asian high and its circulation in the midlatitude region are significantly enhanced. The anomalous anticyclone over northern East Asia along with the anomalous easterly wind on the south side of the South Asian high favors increased warm advection and adiabatic heating, contributing to the warming of UTT. Meanwhile, adiabatic cooling resulting from the atmospheric ascent in the middle and upper troposphere leads to UTT cooling over the Indian Ocean. The quantitative attribution of UTT has great implications for better understanding future SASM variation.
Significance Statement
The purpose of this study is to understand the physical mechanisms of upper-tropospheric temperature (UTT) changes in the South Asian summer monsoon (SASM). Although previous studies have examined temperature variation from the perspective of atmospheric circulation, there has been limited investigation into the influence of various feedback processes. Our study reveals that the summer UTT in the SASM region is dominated by monopolar and meridional dipole modes. Utilizing a climate feedback–response analysis method, we attribute the UTT anomalies in the SASM region to the cloud feedback, oceanic heat storage, and atmospheric dynamics processes, and explore the physical mechanisms of their effects. These results have important implications for the better prediction of monsoon variability.
Abstract
The ocean response to wintertime sea ice retreat is investigated in the coupled climate model HiGEM. We focus on the marginal ice zone and adjacent waters of the Nordic seas, where the air–sea temperature difference can be large during periods of off-ice winds promoting high heat flux events. Both control and transient climate model ensembles are examined, which allows us to isolate the ocean response due to sea ice retreat from the response due to climate change. As the wintertime sea ice edge retreats toward the Greenland coastline, it exposes waters that were previously covered by ice, which enhances turbulent heat loss and mechanical mixing, leading to a greater loss of buoyancy and deeper vertical mixing in this location. However, under global warming, the buoyancy loss is inhibited as the atmosphere warms more rapidly than the ocean, which reduces the air–sea temperature difference. This occurs most prominently farther away from the retreating ice edge, over the Greenland Sea Gyre. Over the gyre the upper ocean also warms significantly, resulting in a more stratified water column and, as a consequence, a reduction in the depth of convective mixing. In contrast, closer to the coast the effect of global warming is overshadowed by the effect of the sea ice retreat, leading to significant changes in ocean temperature and salinity in the vicinity of the marginal ice zone.
Abstract
The ocean response to wintertime sea ice retreat is investigated in the coupled climate model HiGEM. We focus on the marginal ice zone and adjacent waters of the Nordic seas, where the air–sea temperature difference can be large during periods of off-ice winds promoting high heat flux events. Both control and transient climate model ensembles are examined, which allows us to isolate the ocean response due to sea ice retreat from the response due to climate change. As the wintertime sea ice edge retreats toward the Greenland coastline, it exposes waters that were previously covered by ice, which enhances turbulent heat loss and mechanical mixing, leading to a greater loss of buoyancy and deeper vertical mixing in this location. However, under global warming, the buoyancy loss is inhibited as the atmosphere warms more rapidly than the ocean, which reduces the air–sea temperature difference. This occurs most prominently farther away from the retreating ice edge, over the Greenland Sea Gyre. Over the gyre the upper ocean also warms significantly, resulting in a more stratified water column and, as a consequence, a reduction in the depth of convective mixing. In contrast, closer to the coast the effect of global warming is overshadowed by the effect of the sea ice retreat, leading to significant changes in ocean temperature and salinity in the vicinity of the marginal ice zone.
Abstract
Extreme events often expose vulnerabilities of socioeconomic infrastructures and point to directions of much-needed policy change. Integrated impact assessment of such events can lead to finding of sustainability principles. Southern and central China has for decades been undergoing a breakneck pace of socioeconomic development. In early 2008, a massive ice storm struck this region, immobilizing millions of people. The storm was a consequence of sustained convergence between tropical maritime and continental polar air masses, caused by an anomalously stable atmospheric general circulation pattern in both low and high latitudes. Successive waves of freezing rain occurred during a month period, coating southern and central China with a layer of ice 50–160 mm in thickness. We conducted an integrated impact assessment of this event to determine whether and how the context of socioeconomic and human-disturbed natural systems may affect the transition of natural events into human disasters. We found that 1) without contingency plans, advanced technologies dependent on interrelated energy supplies can create worse problems during extreme events, 2) the weakest link in disaster response lies between science and decision making, 3) biodiversity is a form of long-term insurance for sustainable forestry against extreme events, 4) sustainable extraction of nontimber goods and services is essential to risk planning for extreme events in forest resources use, 5) extreme events can cause food shortage directly by destroying crops and indirectly by disrupting food distribution channels, 6) concentrated economic development increases societal vulnerability to extreme events, and 7) formalized institutional mechanisms are needed to ensure that unexpected opportunities to learn lessons from weather disasters are not lost in distracting circumstances.
Abstract
Extreme events often expose vulnerabilities of socioeconomic infrastructures and point to directions of much-needed policy change. Integrated impact assessment of such events can lead to finding of sustainability principles. Southern and central China has for decades been undergoing a breakneck pace of socioeconomic development. In early 2008, a massive ice storm struck this region, immobilizing millions of people. The storm was a consequence of sustained convergence between tropical maritime and continental polar air masses, caused by an anomalously stable atmospheric general circulation pattern in both low and high latitudes. Successive waves of freezing rain occurred during a month period, coating southern and central China with a layer of ice 50–160 mm in thickness. We conducted an integrated impact assessment of this event to determine whether and how the context of socioeconomic and human-disturbed natural systems may affect the transition of natural events into human disasters. We found that 1) without contingency plans, advanced technologies dependent on interrelated energy supplies can create worse problems during extreme events, 2) the weakest link in disaster response lies between science and decision making, 3) biodiversity is a form of long-term insurance for sustainable forestry against extreme events, 4) sustainable extraction of nontimber goods and services is essential to risk planning for extreme events in forest resources use, 5) extreme events can cause food shortage directly by destroying crops and indirectly by disrupting food distribution channels, 6) concentrated economic development increases societal vulnerability to extreme events, and 7) formalized institutional mechanisms are needed to ensure that unexpected opportunities to learn lessons from weather disasters are not lost in distracting circumstances.
