An important mechanism sustaining the atmospheric &amp;quot;water tower&amp;quot; over the Tibetan Plateau

Xu, Xiangde; Zhao, Tianliang; Lu, Chungu; Guo, Y.; Chen, B.; Liu, R.; Li, Y.; Shi, Xiaohui

doi:10.5194/acpd-14-18255-2014

Cited by 26 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…This unblocked mode simulated by the 2°C AM4 and 5 models has serious implications for studies that suggest the IAM is triggered, driven or maintained by orographic heating [Huber and Goldner, 2012;Wu et al, 2012;Chen et al, 2014;Xu et al, 2014]. If so, then perhaps theories regarding orographic surface heating should be revisited using higher-resolution models [Ma et al, 2014;Roe et al, 2016] and the diagnostics applied here.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This has proven to be challenging, but the availability of higher-resolution modeling has substantially improved the representation of the IAM in climate model simulations [Delworth et al, 2012;Ma et al, 2014;Johnson et al, 2015;Li et al, 2015;Shields et al, 2016]. Significant challenges remain, especially simulating Himalayan Water Tower [Xu et al, 2014] Supporting Information:…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The neglected Indo‐Gangetic Plains low‐level jet and its importance for moisture transport and precipitation during the peak summer monsoon

Acosta

Huber

2017

Geophysical Research Letters

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Accurately simulating the Indo‐Asian monsoon (IAM) using atmospheric general circulation models (AGCMs) is challenging but crucial. This study uses reanalysis products European Centre of Medium‐Range Forecast Interim reanalysis, Japanese Reanalysis year 55, and High Asia Reanalysis to highlight an easterly, low‐level barrier jet along the Indo‐Gangetic Plain (referred from here as IG LLJ), which we identify as the primary moisture transport mechanism for the northeastern branch of the IAM. We show that the NCAR family of AGCMs (Community Atmospheric Model (CAM)) does not capture this circulation until 1/2° or greater spatial horizontal resolution is used. The IG LLJ develops due to a persistent low‐pressure system centered over the Ganges basin and is enhanced by the Himalayas. Using diabatic heating rates and the moist Froude number as diagnostics, we find that in CAM, this branch of the IAM displays two different dynamical regimes as a function of resolution. At low resolution, the atmosphere near the Himalayas is statically unstable, diabatic heating is strong, and the moisture flow is southwesterly from the Arabian Sea and moves over the terrain (unblocked). At high resolution, the moist static stability near the Himalayan Mountains is stable, diabatic heating is weak, and the flow primarily enters easterly from the Bay of Bengal and moves parallel to the terrain (blocked). During the summer season, the low‐resolution CAM is locked into the unblocked mode, which has serious implications for interpreting topography‐monsoon interactions. For a broader context, we demonstrate that more than half of the CMIP5 models do not capture the IG LLJ, which further highlights model‐data mismatch across the IAM region.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The neglected Indo‐Gangetic Plains low‐level jet and its importance for moisture transport and precipitation during the peak summer monsoon

Acosta

Huber

2017

Geophysical Research Letters

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“…The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is an active area for global exchange of moisture and energy, and its convective system results in significant AW that is pumped in and stored on the TP through thermal and dynamic mechanisms (Wu et al, ; Xu et al, ). Along with the warming climate, major climate‐induced changes have occurred across the TP (Chen et al, ; Yao et al, ), such as increases in water vapor amount (Gao et al, ), decreasing potential evaporation (Yang et al, ), lakes expansion (Lei et al, ), glacier retreat (Yao et al, ), and wind stilling (Yang et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atmospheric Water Transport to the Endorheic Tibetan Plateau and Its Effect on the Hydrological Status in the Region

Chen

et al. 2019

JGR Atmospheres

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The endorheic Tibetan Plateau (ETP), which consists of all the endorheic basins of the Tibetan Plateau (TP), has exhibited an overall mass gain in recent decades. However, the role played by atmospheric water (AW) transport on the hydrological status over the ETP is poorly understood. In this study, the AW source to the ETP was tracked with the Water Accounting Model‐2 layers (WAM‐2) and AW transport to the ETP through its boundaries was quantified, with three reanalysis products (ERA‐I, MERRA‐2, and JRA‐55) during 1979/1980–2015. It is found that total AW input to the ETP is about 13–25%, 59–71%, 10–13%, and 3–7% of mean annual totals in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, respectively. At annual scales, the AW source from land (52–54%) dominates the AW contribution to the ETP, while local recycling of AW over the ETP accounts for about 17–22% of the mean annual total AW contribution. Increased precipitation over the ETP during 1979–2015 was mostly attributed to the significantly increased AW contribution from the Indian Ocean, especially from increased AW inputs transported from the western and southern boundaries in summer. Comparisons between the AW budget and terrestrial water storage changes indicate that the AW budget change over the ETP modulated the variations of terrestrial water storage change during 2002–2014 and annual lake mass change during 1989–2015.

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“…Previous studies have also indicated that, as a heat source, the TP attracts moisture from the tropics. Southerly moisture triggered by TP heating would greatly influence convective rainfall over the TP (Xu et al 2014). To further confirm convective precipitation variations over the TP and surrounding areas affected by the TP heat source, Fig.…”

Section: Spatial and Temporal Drought Trends In The Eftpmentioning

confidence: 90%

The severity of drought and precipitation prediction in the eastern fringe of the Tibetan Plateau

Zhao

Liao³

et al. 2018

Theor Appl Climatol

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The trend, severity, and duration of drought in the eastern fringe of the Tibetan Plateau (EFTP) have been investigated using the Mann-Kendall (M-K) trend test, standardized precipitation index (SPI), and generalized extreme value (GEV), using data obtained from 438 rainfall stations and reanalysis datasets for the period 1961-2014. A recent drought trend is evident from a decrease in rainfall, with this mainly occurring on the eastern slope of the TP (< 3000-m elevation); this is attributed to downward air flows over the eastern slope of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) induced by TP heating. Recent droughts have also been more severe, with these again mostly occurring on the eastern slopes. The duration of drought illustrates that extreme droughts are becoming more frequent. The study also predicted summer precipitation, due to its crucial role in drought research in the EFTP. Results show that the preceding May-June-July (MJJ) averaged column-integrated meridional water vapor transport (MWVT) from the South China Sea (SCS), Philippine Sea, and tropical western Pacific is a vital predictor of summer precipitation in the EFTP. A partial least squares (PLS) regression prediction model is therefore constructed, using the leading PLS components of preceding MJJ-averaged columnintegrated MWVT. Compared to the observed summer rainfall, the PLS prediction model performs an excellent reconstructed skill with a correlation of 0.81 and exhibits a promising forecast skill with a correlation of 0.67 (2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014). Results suggest that southerly moisture transport in early summer would help prevent summer drought in the EFTP.

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An important mechanism sustaining the atmospheric "water tower" over the Tibetan Plateau

Cited by 26 publications

References 24 publications

The neglected Indo‐Gangetic Plains low‐level jet and its importance for moisture transport and precipitation during the peak summer monsoon

The neglected Indo‐Gangetic Plains low‐level jet and its importance for moisture transport and precipitation during the peak summer monsoon

Atmospheric Water Transport to the Endorheic Tibetan Plateau and Its Effect on the Hydrological Status in the Region

The severity of drought and precipitation prediction in the eastern fringe of the Tibetan Plateau

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