Hydroclimatic contrasts over Asian monsoon areas and linkages to tropical Pacific SSTs

• DOI: 10.1038/srep33177
• Publication Date: 2016-09-09T11:25:23Z
• Authors: Hai Xu; Jianghu Lan; Enguo Sheng; Bin Liu; Keke Yu; Yuanda Ye; Zhengguo Shi; Peng Cheng; Xulong Wang; Xinying Zhou; Kevin M. Yeager
• Keywords: East Asian Monsoon; Tropical monsoon climate; Tropical Eastern Pacific

Abstract Knowledge of spatial and temporal hydroclimatic differences is critical in understanding climatic mechanisms. Here we show striking contrasts between northern southern parts the eastern margin Tibetan Plateau (ETP), those East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) Indian (ISM) areas during past ~2,000 years. During Medieval Period, last 100 to 200 years, ETP (S-ETP) area was generally dry (on average), while (N-ETP) wet. Little Ice Age (LIA), hydroclimate over S-ETP wet, that N-ETP average). Such can be broadly extended ISM EASM areas. We contend changes sea surface temperatures (SSTs) tropical Pacific Ocean could have played important roles producing these contrasts, by forcing north-south movement Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) intensification/slowdown Walker circulation. The results sensitivity experiments also support such a proposition.