CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE SUB-TROPICAL HIGH SEASONAL SPLITTING OVER THE ASIANMONSOON SECTORS AND ITS POSSIBLE MECHANISM

Abstract:

The splitting of the Northern Hemisphere sub-tropical high (SH) during spring to summer and its possible mechanisms has been analyzed. Results indicate that the splitting of SH occurs over the Bay of Bengal to the Indo-China peninsula. However, remarkable contrast exists in the Hadley cell at the lower and upper levels over these sectors during March to May. The land surface sensitive/latent heating both play an important role, and decay the local Hadley cell over the Indo-China peninsula by enhancing the upwelling. In contrast, the dominant land surface sensitive heating over the Bay of Bengal only damages the low-level Hadley cell. Thus, the splitting of SH should occur over the Indo-China peninsula, rather than the Bay of Bengal at lower levels. In addition, the analysis suggests that the faster seasonal snow melting in the east of Indo-China peninsula can enhance the land surface sensitive heating atmosphere and weaken the local Hadley cell, such seasonal change benefits the splitting of the SH.