Impact of Sea Temperature Variability of Tropical Oceans on East Asian Monsoon

The seasonal variation of the thermal contrast between land and sea is the most important reason for the formation of monsoon. The prominent interannual variability of sea temperature in tropical oceans can affect the monsoon both through altering the thermal contrast between land and sea and through strong air-sea interaction in the tropics. A review about the studies of influences of sea temperature in tropical eastern Pacific (ENSO),western Pacific Warm Pool and tropical Indian Ocean on the East Asian monsoon,respectively,and physical processes of such influences is given. It is pointed out that the variability of the East Asian monsoon and that of the sea temperature in these tropical oceans are coherent. A synthetic study is needed for fully understanding the variability of either the East Asian monsoon or the sea temperature in these tropical oceans.

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