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WANG Lei,ZHANG Qiongwan,LI Weibiao. 2012. Diagnosis of the ENSO modulation of tropical cyclogenesis over the southern South China Sea using a genesis potential index. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, (5):54-68
Diagnosis of the ENSO modulation of tropical cyclogenesis over the southern South China Sea using a genesis potential index
Diagnosis of the ENSO modulation of tropical cyclogenesis over the southern South China Sea using a genesis potential index
Received:February 29, 2012  Revised:July 04, 2012
DOI:10.1007/s13131-012-0236-6
Key words:tropical cyclone  southern South China Sea  ENSO  genesis potential index
中文关键词:  tropical cyclone  southern South China Sea  ENSO  genesis potential index
基金项目:The National Basic Research Program of China under contract No. 2011CB403500; the fund from the State Key Laboratory of Satellite Ocean Environmental Dynamics (Second Institute of Oceanography) under contract No. SOED1108; the fund from the State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography (South China Sea Institute of Oceanology) under contract No. LED1002; the tropical marine meteorology fund from the Institute of Tropical and Marine Meteorology and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities under contract No. 111gpy13.
Author NameAffiliationE-mail
WANG Lei State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
State Key Laboratory of Satellite Ocean Environmental Dynamics, Second Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Hangzhou 310012, China
Department of Atmospheric Sciences, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China 
wanglei.hkust@gmail.com 
ZHANG Qiongwan Department of Atmospheric Sciences, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
Institute of Tropical and Marine Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Guangzhou 510058, China 
 
LI Weibiao Department of Atmospheric Sciences, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China  
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Abstract:
      The modulation of tropical cyclogenesis over the southern South China Sea (SSCS) by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is examined in October-December (OND), when tropical cyclone (TC) activities are most active in this region. The results reveal that there were more TCs formed over the SSCS during La Niña years and less TCs during El Niño years. How different environmental factors (including low-level vorticity, mid-level relative humidity, vertical wind shear, and potential intensity) contribute to this influence is investigated, using a genesis potential (GP) index developed by Emanuel and Nolan. Composite anomalies of the GP index are produced for El Niño and La Niña years separately, which could account for the changes of TC frequency over the SSCS in different ENSO phases. The degree of contribution by each factor is determined quantitatively by producing composites of modified indices in which only one of the contributing factors varies, with the others set to climatology. The results show that the mid-level relative humidity makes the largest contribution to the ENSO modulation of tropical cyclogenesis over the SSCS. Although warmer sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and larger amount of evaporation from the ocean surface were observed over the SSCS during El Niño years, anomalous descending motions due to the anomalous Walker circulations inhibited the upward transports of water vapor and led to less moisture contents in the middle troposphere, which suppressed TC formations.
中文摘要:
      The modulation of tropical cyclogenesis over the southern South China Sea (SSCS) by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is examined in October-December (OND), when tropical cyclone (TC) activities are most active in this region. The results reveal that there were more TCs formed over the SSCS during La Niña years and less TCs during El Niño years. How different environmental factors (including low-level vorticity, mid-level relative humidity, vertical wind shear, and potential intensity) contribute to this influence is investigated, using a genesis potential (GP) index developed by Emanuel and Nolan. Composite anomalies of the GP index are produced for El Niño and La Niña years separately, which could account for the changes of TC frequency over the SSCS in different ENSO phases. The degree of contribution by each factor is determined quantitatively by producing composites of modified indices in which only one of the contributing factors varies, with the others set to climatology. The results show that the mid-level relative humidity makes the largest contribution to the ENSO modulation of tropical cyclogenesis over the SSCS. Although warmer sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and larger amount of evaporation from the ocean surface were observed over the SSCS during El Niño years, anomalous descending motions due to the anomalous Walker circulations inhibited the upward transports of water vapor and led to less moisture contents in the middle troposphere, which suppressed TC formations.
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