Tropical intraseasonal oscillation at monthly time scale during boreal summer and winter

2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 3387-3407
Author(s):  
V. Krishnamurthy ◽  
Abheera Hazra
2004 ◽  
Vol 17 (21) ◽  
pp. 4109-4134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Zheng ◽  
D. E. Waliser ◽  
W. F. Stern ◽  
C. Jones

Abstract This study compares the tropical intraseasonal oscillation (TISO) variability in the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) coupled general circulation model (CGCM) and the stand-alone atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM). For the AGCM simulation, the sea surface temperatures (SSTs) were specified using those from the CGCM simulation. This was done so that any differences in the TISO that emerged from the two simulations could be attributed to the coupling process and not to a difference in the mean background state. The comparison focused on analysis of the rainfall, 200-mb velocity potential, and 850-mb zonal wind data from the two simulations, for both summer and winter periods, and included comparisons to analogous diagnostics using NCEP–NCAR reanalysis and Climate Prediction Center (CPC) Merged Analysis of Precipitation (CMAP) rainfall data. The results of the analysis showed three principal differences in the TISO variability between the coupled and uncoupled simulations. The first was that the CGCM showed an improvement in the spatial variability associated with the TISO mode, particularly for boreal summer. Specifically, the AGCM exhibited almost no TISO variability in the Indian Ocean during boreal summer—a common shortcoming among AGCMs. The CGCM, on the other hand, did show a considerable enhancement in TISO variability in this region for this season. The second was that the wavenumber–frequency spectra of the AGCM exhibited an unrealistic peak in variability at low wavenumbers (1–3, depending on the variable) and about 3 cycles yr−1 (cpy). This unrealistic peak of variability was absent in the CGCM, which otherwise tended to show good agreement with the observations. The third difference was that the AGCM showed a less realistic phase lag between the TISO-related convection and SST anomalies. In particular, the CGCM exhibited a near-quadrature relation between precipitation and SST anomalies, which is consistent with observations, while the phase lag was reduced in the AGCM by about 1.5 pentads (∼1 week). The implications of the above results, including those for the notions of “perfect SST” and “two tier” experiments, are discussed, as are the caveats associated with the study's modeling framework and analysis.


2008 ◽  
Vol 136 (2) ◽  
pp. 577-597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiouhua Fu ◽  
Bo Yang ◽  
Qing Bao ◽  
Bin Wang

Abstract The possible impacts of different sea surface temperature (SST) configurations on the predictability of the boreal summer tropical intraseasonal oscillation (TISO) are assessed with a series of ensemble forecasts. The five different lower boundary conditions examined in this study are, respectively, (i) the fully interactive ocean–atmosphere coupling, (ii) “smoothed” SST, which excludes the intraseasonal signal from sea surface forcing, (iii) damped persistent SST, (iv) coupling to a slab mixed-layer ocean, and (v) daily SST from the coupled forecast. The full atmosphere–ocean coupling generates an interactive SST that results in the highest TISO predictability of about 30 days over Southeast Asia. The atmosphere-only model is capable of reaching this predictability if the ensemble mean daily SST forecast by the coupled model is used as the lower boundary condition, which suggests that, in principle, the so-called tier-one and tier-two systems have the same predictability for the boreal summer TISO. The atmosphere-only model driven by either smoothed or damped persistent SSTs, however, has the lowest predictability (∼20 days). The atmospheric model coupled to a slab mixed-layer ocean achieves a predictability of 25 days. The positive SST anomalies in the northern Indo–western Pacific Oceans trigger convective disturbances by moistening and warming up the atmospheric boundary layer. The seasonal mean easterly shear intensifies the anomalous convection by enhancing the surface convergence. An overturning meridional circulation driven by the off-equatorial anomalous convection suppresses the near-equatorial convection and enhances the northward flows, which further intensify the off-equatorial surface convergence and the TISO-related convection. Thus, the boreal summer mean easterly shear and the overturning meridional circulation in the northern Indo–western Pacific sector act as “amplifiers” for the SST feedback to the convection of the TISO.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-52
Author(s):  
V. Krishnamurthy ◽  
Jessica Meixner ◽  
Lydia Stefanova ◽  
Jiande Wang ◽  
Denise Worthen ◽  
...  

AbstractThe predictability of the Unified Forecast System (UFS) Coupled Model Prototype 2 developed by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction is assessed for the boreal summer over the continental United States (CONUS). The retrospective forecasts of low-level horizontal wind, precipitation and 2m temperature for 2011–2017 are examined to determine the predictability at subseasonal time scale. Using a data-adaptive method, the leading modes of variability are obtained and identified to be related to El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) and warming trend. In a new approach, the sources of enhanced predictability are identified by examining the forecast errors and correlations in the weekly averages of the leading modes of variability. During the boreal summer, the ISO followed by the trend in UFS are found to provide better predictability in weeks 1–4 compared to the ENSO mode and the total anomaly. The western CONUS seems to have better predictability on weekly time scale in all the three modes.


2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (8) ◽  
pp. 1192-1204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hatsuki Fujinami ◽  
Daisuke Hatsuzuka ◽  
Tetsuzo Yasunari ◽  
Taiichi Hayashi ◽  
Toru Terao ◽  
...  

2011 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 927-941 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pang-chi Hsu ◽  
Tim Li ◽  
Chih-Hua Tsou

Abstract The role of scale interactions in the maintenance of eddy kinetic energy (EKE) during the extreme phases of the intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) is examined through the construction of a new eddy energetics diagnostic tool that separates the effects of ISO and a low-frequency background state (LFBS; with periods longer than 90 days). The LFBS always contributes positively toward the EKE in the boreal summer, regardless of the ISO phases. The synoptic eddies extract energy from the ISO during the ISO active phase. This positive barotropic energy conversion occurs when the synoptic eddies interact with low-level cyclonic and convergent–confluent ISO flows. This contrasts with the ISO suppressed phase during which the synoptic eddies lose kinetic energy to the ISO flow. The anticyclonic and divergent–diffluent ISO flows during the suppressed phase are responsible for the negative barotropic energy conversion. A positive (negative) EKE tendency occurs during the ISO suppressed-to-active (active-to-suppressed) transitional phase. The cause of this asymmetric EKE tendency is attributed to the spatial phase relation among the ISO vorticity, eddy structure, and EKE. The southwest–northeast-tilted synoptic disturbances interacting with cyclonic (anticyclonic) vorticity of ISO lead to a positive (negative) EKE tendency in the northwest region of the maximum EKE center. The genesis number and location and intensification rate of tropical cyclones in the western North Pacific are closely related to the barotropic energy conversion. The enhanced barotropic energy conversion favors the generation and development of synoptic seed disturbances, some of which eventually grow into tropical cyclones.


2011 ◽  
Vol 24 (10) ◽  
pp. 2451-2468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas P. Klingaman ◽  
Steven J. Woolnough ◽  
Hilary Weller ◽  
Julia M. Slingo

Abstract A newly assembled atmosphere–ocean coupled model, called HadKPP, is described and then used to determine the effects of subdaily air–sea coupling and fine near-surface ocean vertical resolution on the representation of the Northern Hemisphere summer intraseasonal oscillation. HadKPP comprises the Hadley Centre atmospheric model coupled to the K-Profile Parameterization ocean boundary layer model. Four 30-member ensembles were performed that vary in ocean vertical resolution between 1 and 10 m and in coupling frequency between 3 and 24 h. The 10-m, 24-h ensemble exhibited roughly 60% of the observed 30–50-day variability in sea surface temperatures and rainfall and very weak northward propagation. Enhancing only the vertical resolution or only the coupling frequency produced modest improvements in variability and just a standing intraseasonal oscillation. Only the 1-m, 3-h configuration generated organized, northward-propagating convection similar to observations. Subdaily surface forcing produced stronger upper-ocean temperature anomalies in quadrature with anomalous convection, which likely affected lower-atmospheric stability ahead of the convection, causing propagation. Well-resolved air–sea coupling did not improve the eastward propagation of the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation in this model. Upper-ocean vertical mixing and diurnal variability in coupled models must be improved to accurately resolve and simulate tropical subseasonal variability. In HadKPP, the mere presence of air–sea coupling was not sufficient to generate an intraseasonal oscillation resembling observations.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-39
Author(s):  
Lei Zhang ◽  
Weiqing Han ◽  
Zeng-Zhen Hu

AbstractAn unprecedented extreme positive Indian Ocean Dipole event (pIOD) occurred in 2019, which has caused widespread disastrous impacts on countries bordering the Indian Ocean, including the East African floods and vast bushfires in Australia. Here we investigate the causes for the 2019 pIOD by analyzing multiple observational datasets and performing numerical model experiments. We find that the 2019 pIOD is triggered in May by easterly wind bursts over the tropical Indian Ocean associated with the dry phase of the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation, and sustained by the local atmosphere-ocean interaction thereafter. During September-November, warm sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) in the central-western tropical Pacific further enhance the Indian Ocean’s easterly winds, bringing the pIOD to an extreme magnitude. The central-western tropical Pacific warm SSTA is strengthened by two consecutive Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) events that originate from the tropical Indian Ocean. Our results highlight the important roles of cross-basin and cross-timescale interactions in generating extreme IOD events. The lack of accurate representation of these interactions may be the root for a short lead time in predicting this extreme pIOD with a state-of-the-art climate forecast model.


2017 ◽  
Vol 50 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 1485-1494 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinwon Kim ◽  
Duane E. Waliser ◽  
Gregory V. Cesana ◽  
Xianan Jiang ◽  
Tristan L’Ecuyer ◽  
...  

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