Abstract
A regional climate model coupled with a dust module was used to simulate dust aerosol distribution and its effects on the atmospheric heat source over the TP, East Asian summer monsoon onset, and precipitation in East Asia modulated by the uplift of the northern TP. We carried out four experiments, including a modern (i.e., high-mountain) experiment with (HMD) and without (HM) the major deserts in Northwest China and a low-mountain experiment with (LMD) and without (LM) the deserts. The results show that dust greatly increases in the Taklamakan Desert accompanied with the uplift of the northern TP, and the increase exceeds 150 µg kg−1in spring. A strong cyclone in the Tarim Basin produced by the uplifted northern TP enhances dust emissions in the Taklamakan Desert in summer. Meanwhile, the dust loading over the TP also increases induced by the uplift of the northern TP, causing the heat source over the TP decreased. Under the condition of the northern TP uplift to present altitude, dust delays the East Asia summer monsoon onset by two pentads and one pentad, respectively, in the southern and northern monsoon regions and greatly suppresses precipitation in East Asia compared with results in the low terrain experiments.
Highlights
Dust aerosol receives much attention due to its substantial effects on the environment and climate [1]
We conduct a set of sensitivity experiments under conditions of low and high orography in the northern Tibetan Plateau (TP) using a regional climate model with and without the dust module to further discuss two main issues: (1) How does the northern TP modulate the dust distribution in East Asia? (2) What are the impacts of dust effects on the heat source over the TP and East Asia summer monsoon onset under different terrain settings? This study will help to deep explore the modulation of topography on dust-monsoon relationship and to understand the paleoclimate change in East Asia
The uplifting of the northern TP and its nearby major mountains significantly influences the distribution of dust in East Asia
Summary
Dust aerosol receives much attention due to its substantial effects on the environment and climate [1]. Liu et al [33], using the latest version of RegCM4.1/Dust, studied the impacts of the uplifting of the northern TP on regional climate, and their research indicated that uplift of the northern TP is closely related with inland desert formation. They did not analyze how the northern TP uplift modulates the distribution of dust in East Asia, nor did they discuss the effects of dust on the heat source over the TP and how it induces anomalies in East Asia summer monsoon onset. We conduct a set of sensitivity experiments under conditions of low and high orography in the northern TP using a regional climate model with and without the dust module to further discuss two main issues: (1) How does the northern TP modulate the dust distribution in East Asia? (2) What are the impacts of dust effects on the heat source over the TP and East Asia summer monsoon onset under different terrain settings? This study will help to deep explore the modulation of topography on dust-monsoon relationship and to understand the paleoclimate change in East Asia
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