THE TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MOISTURE BUDGETS OVER ASIAN AND AUSTRALIAN MONSOON REGIONS

Apparent moisture sink and water vapor transport flux are calculated by using NCAR/NCEP reanalyzed daily data for water vapor and wind fields at various levels from 1980 to 1989. With the aid of EOF analysis method, temporal and spatial characteristics of moisture budgets over Asian and Australian monsoon regions are studied. The results show that there is apparent seasonal transition of moisture sink and water vapor transport between Asian monsoon region and Australian monsoon region. In winter, the Asian monsoon region is a moisture source, in which three cross-equatorial water vapor transport channels in the “continent bridge”, at 80°E and 40°E ~ 50°E transport water vapor to the Australian monsoon region and southern Indian Ocean which are moisture sinks. In summer, Australian monsoon region and southern Indian Ocean are moisture sources and by the three cross-equatorial transport channels water vapor is transport to the Asian monsoon region which is a moisture sink. In spring and autumn, ITCZ is the main moisture sink and there is no apparent water vapor transport between Asian monsoon region and Australian monsoon region.