Abstracts for the 6th International GAME Conf.

3-5 December 2004

Kyoto Japan

Variations of the South China Sea summer monsoon: from interdecadal to intraseasonal

Johnny Chan (1), Wen Zhou (1)

An examination of the variations of the onset date and rainfall associated with the South China Sea summer monsoon (SCSSM) reveals that these variations have time scales from interdecadal to interannual as well as intraseasonal. Variations on each of these time scales are related to similar variations of the planetary-scale atmospheric circulations as well as the oceanographic conditions in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It is shown that many of the variations of SCSSM can be physically explained by these large-scale variations. Specifically, much of the interdecadal variations of the monsoon rainfall can be largely explained by a superposition of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and the El Niņo/Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The interannual variations of the onset date and intensity of the SCSSM appear to be strongly related to the ENSO through the modifications of the atmospheric circulations by the oceanographic variations. The timing of the onset is found to be controlled by the passage of a 30-60-day oscillation and its superposition with a westward-propagating 10-20-day oscillation. These oscillations also explain the maintenance and break of the SCSSM.

Submittal Information

Name : Date :
    Johnny Chan
    31-Aug-04-10:21:57
Organization : Theme :
    City University of Hong Kong
    Theme 3
Address : Presentation :
    Tat Chee Av. Kowloon, Hong Kong
    Poster or oral
Country : Abstract ID :
    China
    T3JC31Aug04102157
Phone : Fax :
    852-2788-7820
    852-2788-7830
E-mail :
    johnny.chan@cityu.edu.hk