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Tibetan Plateau warming and precipitation changes in East Asia
Author(s) -
Wang Bin,
Bao Qing,
Hoskins Brian,
Wu Guoxiong,
Liu Yimin
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2008gl034330
Subject(s) - subtropical ridge , climatology , precipitation , rossby wave , plateau (mathematics) , east asia , subtropics , atmospheric circulation , environmental science , atmospheric sciences , climate model , front (military) , geology , climate change , geography , oceanography , meteorology , china , mathematical analysis , fishery , biology , mathematics , archaeology
Observational evidence presented here indicates that the surface temperatures on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) have increased by about 1.8°C over the past 50 years. The precipitation pattern that is projected as a result of this warming resembles the leading pattern of precipitation variations in East Asia (EA). Numerical experiments with atmospheric general circulation models show that atmospheric heating induced by the rising TP temperatures can enhance East Asian subtropical frontal rainfall. The mechanism of the linkage is found to be through two distinct Rossby wave trains and the isentropic uplift to the east of the TP, which deform the western Pacific Subtropical High and enhance moisture convergence toward the EA subtropical front. The model calculations suggest that the past changes in TP temperatures and EA summer rainfall may be linked, and that projected future increases in TP temperatures may lead to further enhanced summer frontal rainfall in EA region.