Northward propagation of Hadley Cell in the South Asian monsoon region driven by active convection over the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau triggered by sea surface temperature warming of the North Atlantic

Abstract The sea surface temperature (SST) warming in the high-impact area of the North Atlantic prompts active convection over the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP), which consequently drives the Hadley Cell (HC) in the South Asian monsoon region to shift northward. This interaction mechanism stresses th...

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Main Authors: Wenyue Cai, Xiangde Xu, Yanju Liu, Yaoming Ma, Chunzhu Wang, Runze Zhao, Chan Sun, Na Dong, Ruibo Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-06-01
Series:npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01075-z
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author Wenyue Cai
Xiangde Xu
Yanju Liu
Yaoming Ma
Chunzhu Wang
Runze Zhao
Chan Sun
Na Dong
Ruibo Wang
author_facet Wenyue Cai
Xiangde Xu
Yanju Liu
Yaoming Ma
Chunzhu Wang
Runze Zhao
Chan Sun
Na Dong
Ruibo Wang
author_sort Wenyue Cai
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The sea surface temperature (SST) warming in the high-impact area of the North Atlantic prompts active convection over the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP), which consequently drives the Hadley Cell (HC) in the South Asian monsoon region to shift northward. This interaction mechanism stresses the “hub” effect of the QTP in the atmospheric energy and water cycle of the low- to mid–high latitude systems during the convergence of westerly and monsoon winds. The Rossby source, also famous as the “oscillation source,” formed in the upper troposphere by the SST variations in the high-impact area of the North Atlantic, is an essential “thermal driving source” for the interannual shifts in convection over the QTP. The meridional teleconnection wave train structure triggered by the warming (1991–2020)/cooling (1961–1990) of the SST in the high-impact area of the mid–high latitudes of the North Atlantic displays a reversed phase. The Rossby wave train, which spreads from the North Atlantic to the QTP during the high-impact sea surface warming phase in the North Atlantic, indicates a remarkable anticyclonic structure (strong divergence) in the high altitude (200 hPa) of the QTP, which favors the generation of active convective activity in the latter 30 years. By contrast, convective activity is blocked. During the two stages of 1961–1990 and 1991–2020, despite a significant interdecadal positive and negative phase reversal in the North Atlantic Multiyear Oscillation (AMO), the variance in the definition range between the AMO and the high-impact area of the North Atlantic led to substantial differences in the meridional teleconnection wave train structures and the corresponding effects. In addition, the latent heat emitted by the enhanced convective activity on the QTP during the sea surface warming phase in the high-impact area of the North Atlantic can strengthen the “heat pump” effect of the QTP, cause the northward shift of HC in the South Asian monsoon region, and spark the mutual feedback mechanism between the plateau convection and the HC in the South Asian monsoon region. According to these interdecadal response characteristics, this paper offers a comprehensive physical image that exhibits the mutual feedback between the convection over the QTP and the HC in the South Asian monsoon region, where the active convection is initiated by the SST warming in the high-impact area of the North Atlantic.
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spelling doaj-art-6549bf62239b47569a7e0a7557ef43932025-08-20T02:10:35ZengNature Portfolionpj Climate and Atmospheric Science2397-37222025-06-018111010.1038/s41612-025-01075-zNorthward propagation of Hadley Cell in the South Asian monsoon region driven by active convection over the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau triggered by sea surface temperature warming of the North AtlanticWenyue Cai0Xiangde Xu1Yanju Liu2Yaoming Ma3Chunzhu Wang4Runze Zhao5Chan Sun6Na Dong7Ruibo Wang8State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather Meteorological Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, China Meteorological AdministrationState Key Laboratory of Severe Weather Meteorological Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, China Meteorological AdministrationState Key Laboratory of Climate System Prediction and Risk Management, National Climate Centre, China Meteorological AdministrationInstitute of Tibetan Plateau Research Chinese Academy of SciencesChina Meteorological Administration Training Centre, China Meteorological AdministrationNational Satellite Meteorological Center, China Meteorological AdministrationNational Satellite Meteorological Center, China Meteorological AdministrationState Key Laboratory of Severe Weather Meteorological Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, China Meteorological AdministrationDepartment of Atmospheric Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of GeosciencesAbstract The sea surface temperature (SST) warming in the high-impact area of the North Atlantic prompts active convection over the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP), which consequently drives the Hadley Cell (HC) in the South Asian monsoon region to shift northward. This interaction mechanism stresses the “hub” effect of the QTP in the atmospheric energy and water cycle of the low- to mid–high latitude systems during the convergence of westerly and monsoon winds. The Rossby source, also famous as the “oscillation source,” formed in the upper troposphere by the SST variations in the high-impact area of the North Atlantic, is an essential “thermal driving source” for the interannual shifts in convection over the QTP. The meridional teleconnection wave train structure triggered by the warming (1991–2020)/cooling (1961–1990) of the SST in the high-impact area of the mid–high latitudes of the North Atlantic displays a reversed phase. The Rossby wave train, which spreads from the North Atlantic to the QTP during the high-impact sea surface warming phase in the North Atlantic, indicates a remarkable anticyclonic structure (strong divergence) in the high altitude (200 hPa) of the QTP, which favors the generation of active convective activity in the latter 30 years. By contrast, convective activity is blocked. During the two stages of 1961–1990 and 1991–2020, despite a significant interdecadal positive and negative phase reversal in the North Atlantic Multiyear Oscillation (AMO), the variance in the definition range between the AMO and the high-impact area of the North Atlantic led to substantial differences in the meridional teleconnection wave train structures and the corresponding effects. In addition, the latent heat emitted by the enhanced convective activity on the QTP during the sea surface warming phase in the high-impact area of the North Atlantic can strengthen the “heat pump” effect of the QTP, cause the northward shift of HC in the South Asian monsoon region, and spark the mutual feedback mechanism between the plateau convection and the HC in the South Asian monsoon region. According to these interdecadal response characteristics, this paper offers a comprehensive physical image that exhibits the mutual feedback between the convection over the QTP and the HC in the South Asian monsoon region, where the active convection is initiated by the SST warming in the high-impact area of the North Atlantic.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01075-z
spellingShingle Wenyue Cai
Xiangde Xu
Yanju Liu
Yaoming Ma
Chunzhu Wang
Runze Zhao
Chan Sun
Na Dong
Ruibo Wang
Northward propagation of Hadley Cell in the South Asian monsoon region driven by active convection over the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau triggered by sea surface temperature warming of the North Atlantic
npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
title Northward propagation of Hadley Cell in the South Asian monsoon region driven by active convection over the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau triggered by sea surface temperature warming of the North Atlantic
title_full Northward propagation of Hadley Cell in the South Asian monsoon region driven by active convection over the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau triggered by sea surface temperature warming of the North Atlantic
title_fullStr Northward propagation of Hadley Cell in the South Asian monsoon region driven by active convection over the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau triggered by sea surface temperature warming of the North Atlantic
title_full_unstemmed Northward propagation of Hadley Cell in the South Asian monsoon region driven by active convection over the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau triggered by sea surface temperature warming of the North Atlantic
title_short Northward propagation of Hadley Cell in the South Asian monsoon region driven by active convection over the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau triggered by sea surface temperature warming of the North Atlantic
title_sort northward propagation of hadley cell in the south asian monsoon region driven by active convection over the qinghai tibet plateau triggered by sea surface temperature warming of the north atlantic
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01075-z
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