Title: Mesoscale Convective Systems Dominate the Energetics of the South Asian Summer Monsoon Onset

Journal Article · · Geophysical Research Letters
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [2];  [2]
  1. Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science Center for Advanced Data Assimilation and Predictability Techniques The Pennsylvania State University University Park PA USA
  2. Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland WA USA
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Abstract The rapid onset of the South Asian summer monsoon (SASM) is featured as an abrupt increase of rainfall and atmospheric column‐integrated moist static energy (MSE). Using convection‐permitting simulations, a novel cloud tracking technique, and an MSE budget, the relative roles of mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) and non‐MCS deep convection in the SASM onset energetics are studied. The analysis shows MCSs greatly contribute to the sudden increases of rainfall, diabatic MSE sources, and the subsequent enhanced export of column‐integrated MSE during the rapid onset phase. A “diabatic sources‐energy export” plane analysis delineates the different roles of MCSs and non‐MCS deep convection. Although deep convection always leads to a net energy export, mesoscale organization of deep convection dominates the convection‐associated positive feedbacks that accelerate the energy cycle of the SASM onset. Sensitivity experiment shows that the results are insensitive to the model resolutions.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
1818625
Journal Information:
Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Journal Issue: 17 Vol. 48; ISSN 0094-8276
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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