Transcript Document

Climate change and decadal variability of
Chinese summer rainfall: a modelling study
Yonghui Lei, Brian Hoskins, Julia Slingo
and Andy Turner
Observed decadal variability
in the period 1958-2007
Decadal variability in the period 1901-2002
using CRU dataset
Outline
 Can HadCM3 simulate the observed decadal variability of
Chinese summer rainfall without additional forcing?
 How may Chinese summer rainfall respond to doubled
CO2 according to HadCM3?
• Changes in the mean state
• Changes in extreme
• Changes in variability
Internal decadal variability
in the 1000-year control run of HadCM3
Observation-like decadal variability
identified in the 1000-year control run
Observation-like decadal variability
in the 51-year period (the model year 590±25)
Regressions of surface temperature on decadal
rainfall time series in the 51-year period
Regression on PC1
Regression on PC2
Summary I
 Can HadCM3 simulate the observed decadal
variability of Chinese summer rainfall without
additional forcing?
Yes!
• In general, internal decadal variability of Chinese
summer rainfall is associated with decadal variability
in the tropics.
• A particular 51-year period has remarkable
similarity with observations in the recent 50 years for
both Chinese summer rainfall and other large-scale
variables.
Changes in the climate of Chinese summer
rainfall in the 2xCO2 run (I)
Amount
2xCO2
2xCO2
- control
percentage
Intensity
Frequency
Changes in the climate of Chinese summer
rainfall in the 2xCO2 run (II)
Changes in the climate of Chinese summer
rainfall in the 2xCO2 run (III)
Changes in extreme events of Chinese summer
rainfall in the 2xCO2 run
mm/day
Percentile (%)
The dominant Chinese rainfall patterns
in the control and 2xCO2 runs (I)
1xCO2
2xCO2
The dominant Chinese rainfall patterns
in the control and 2xCO2 runs (II)
1xCO2
2xCO2
1xCO2
2xCO2
The dominant Chinese rainfall patterns
in the control and 2xCO2 runs (III)
Uncertainty of decadal variability
in the control and 2xCO2 runs (I)
Uncertainty of decadal variability
in the control and 2xCO2 runs (II)
Summary II
 How may Chinese summer rainfall respond to
doubled CO2 according to HadCM3?
Mean:
• Chinese summer rainfall increases, except the Yangtze River
valley;
• Intensity increases everywhere;
• Decreases in the frequency over the east and increases over
the northwest.
Summary II
 How may Chinese summer rainfall respond to
doubled CO2 according to HadCM3?
Increases in extreme events, consistent with the ClausiusClapeyron relationship
Variability:
• Increases in interannual variability are very likely with global
warming, which may be associated with the strengthened El Nino
events.
• Changes in decadal variability are unclear.