THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCS SUMMER MONSOON INTENSITY AND OCEANIC THERMODYNAMIC VARIABLES AT DIFFERENT TIME SCALE

Abstract:

The oscillation characteristics of 1948 - 2003 South China Sea (SCS) summer monsoon intensity (SCSSMI) is analyzed by wavelet transform and the relationship between SCSSMI filtered by Lanczos filter at different time scale and oceanic thermal conditions is studied. The results show that SCSSMI exhibits dominant interannual (about 4 a), decadal (about 9 a) and interdecadal (about 38 a) oscillation periods. The interannual variation is the strongest and the interdecadal variation the weakest. The region of significant correlation between SCS summer monsoon intensity and oceanic thermodynamic variables at different time scale is greatly different. Significant correlation area of interannual variation of SCSSMI is concentrated in near equatorial region. Corresponding correlation displays quasi-biannual variability. If positive anomalies of SST and the depth of thermocline happen in eastern equatorial Indian Ocean and western equatorial Pacific, and negative anomalies of SST and the depth ofthermocline happen in western equatorial Indian Ocean and eastern equatorial Pacific in previous autumn and winter, the interannual variation of SCSSMI will enhance. If the condition is contrary, interannual variation of SCSSMI will weaken. The interannual variation of SCSSMI will influence SST. The region surrounding SCS and east of Australia shows significantly negative correlation in autumn, and significantly positive correlation exhibits in west equatorial Indian Ocean, eastern equatorial Pacific and equatorial Atlantic in winter. The decadal variation of SCSSMI is modulated by PDO. Interdecadal variation of SCSSMI is relevant to the global warming and PDO.