7 June 2024 | Yang Zhao, Mengqian Lu, Deliang Chen, and Lujia Zhang
This study investigates the weakening trends of Tibetan Plateau vortices (TPVs) using ERA5 reanalysis data from 1979 to 2022. TPVs, low-pressure systems at 500 hPa, are prevalent over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) during summer and are associated with severe hydroclimatic extremes. The research identifies a significant decline in TPV intensity and frequency in the central-western TP, accompanied by reduced vertical upward motion. The quasi-geostrophic omega equation is employed to analyze dynamic, diabatic, and topographic factors influencing vertical motion during different TPV activity phases. The results indicate that the weakening of TPVs is primarily due to the diminishing upper-level jet stream, which exerts dynamic forcing on the system. In the later stages, intensified moisture transport enhances diabatic vertical motion, but this effect is insufficient to counterbalance the weakening dynamic influence. The study reveals a shift in TPV activity from a dynamic-dominated regime to a latent heating-dominated diabatic regime. This transition highlights the complex mechanisms influencing TPV behavior, with latent heating becoming a more significant factor under global warming. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of TPV dynamics and have implications for water resource management and disaster mitigation in the region. The study also emphasizes the need for further research into additional factors, such as boundary layer friction and land-air interactions, to fully comprehend the underlying physical mechanisms driving TPV activity changes.This study investigates the weakening trends of Tibetan Plateau vortices (TPVs) using ERA5 reanalysis data from 1979 to 2022. TPVs, low-pressure systems at 500 hPa, are prevalent over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) during summer and are associated with severe hydroclimatic extremes. The research identifies a significant decline in TPV intensity and frequency in the central-western TP, accompanied by reduced vertical upward motion. The quasi-geostrophic omega equation is employed to analyze dynamic, diabatic, and topographic factors influencing vertical motion during different TPV activity phases. The results indicate that the weakening of TPVs is primarily due to the diminishing upper-level jet stream, which exerts dynamic forcing on the system. In the later stages, intensified moisture transport enhances diabatic vertical motion, but this effect is insufficient to counterbalance the weakening dynamic influence. The study reveals a shift in TPV activity from a dynamic-dominated regime to a latent heating-dominated diabatic regime. This transition highlights the complex mechanisms influencing TPV behavior, with latent heating becoming a more significant factor under global warming. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of TPV dynamics and have implications for water resource management and disaster mitigation in the region. The study also emphasizes the need for further research into additional factors, such as boundary layer friction and land-air interactions, to fully comprehend the underlying physical mechanisms driving TPV activity changes.