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Equilibrium climate response of the East Asian summer monsoon to forcing of anthropogenic aerosol species

  • Special Collection on Aerosol-Cloud-Radiation Interactions
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Abstract

We used an online aerosol–climate model to study the equilibrium climate response of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) to increases in anthropogenic emissions of sulfate, organic carbon, and black carbon aerosols from 1850 to 2000. Our results show that each of these aerosol species has a different effect on the EASM as a result of changes in the local sea–land thermal contrast and atmospheric circulation. The increased emission of sulfate aerosol leads to a decrease in the thermal contrast between the land and ocean, a southward shift of the East Asian subtropical jet, and significant northerly wind anomalies at 850 hPa over eastern China and the ambient oceans, markedly dampening the EASM. An increase in organic carbon aerosol results in pronounced surface cooling and the formation of an anomalous anticyclone over the oceans north of 30°N. These effects cause a slight increase in the sea–land thermal contrast and southerly flow anomalies to the west of the anticyclonic center, strengthening the northern EASM. An increase in organic carbon emission decreases the sea–land thermal contrast over southern China, which weakens the southern EASM. The response of the summer 850-hPa winds and rainfall over the East Asian monsoon region to an increase in black carbon emission is generally consistent with the response to an increase in organic carbon. The increase in black carbon emission leads to a strengthening of the northern EASM north of 35°N and a slight weakening of the southern EASM south of 35°N. The simulated response of the EASM to the increase in black carbon emission is unchanged when the emission of black carbon is scaled up by five times its year 2000 levels, although the intensities of the response is enhanced. The increase in sulfate emission primarily weakens the EASM, whereas the increases in black carbon and organic carbon emissions mitigate weakening of the northern EASM.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather/Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry of China Meteorological Administration, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China

    Zhili Wang & Qiuyan Wang

  2. Collaborative Innovation Center on Forecast and Evaluation of Meteorological Disasters, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China

    Zhili Wang, Qiuyan Wang & Hua Zhang

  3. Laboratory for Climate Studies, National Climate Center, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing, 100081, China

    Hua Zhang

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  1. Zhili Wang
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  2. Qiuyan Wang
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Correspondence to Zhili Wang.

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Supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFA0603503) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (41575139, 91644211, and 41575002).

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Wang, Z., Wang, Q. & Zhang, H. Equilibrium climate response of the East Asian summer monsoon to forcing of anthropogenic aerosol species. J Meteorol Res 31, 1018–1033 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13351-017-7059-5

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