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Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences


New study demonstrates TanSat-2's potential to distinguish human carbon emissions from ecosystem carbon sinks

A new study demonstrates TanSat-2's ability to distinguish between human carbon emissions and ecosystem carbon sinks. The satellite's observations of CO2 and chlorophyll fluorescence can simultaneously constrain net primary productivity and fossil fuel combustion emissions, leading to significant error reductions.

Off-equatorial warming triggered air–sea antagonism that suppressed 2024 La Niña

A new study found that off-equatorial Pacific warming halted La Niña development by inducing equatorial westerly wind anomalies, breaking the Bjerknes feedback. Climate models have been improved by refining ensemble forecasting frameworks to fully integrate off-equatorial ocean signals.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAtmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters·DateAug 28, 2026

X-band phased-array radar data assimilation sharpens high-resolution simulation of a westerly weak tornado

Researchers used X-band phased-array radar data to improve tornado simulation capabilities, enhancing disaster risk reduction in vulnerable regions. The study found that assimilating radar wind data strengthened the storm's spinning motion, predicting the tornado's path most accurately.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAtmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters·DateAug 14, 2026

Persistent and record-breaking ocean warming in the South Pacific during 2023-2024: a new study uncovers the drivers

A study published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences reveals that persistent ocean warming in the South Pacific during 2023-2024 was driven by two consecutive anomalous anticyclones over the region. The warming signal extended to depths of about 1000 m, leading to record-high sea surface temperatures and upper-2000-m ocean heat content.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAdvances in Atmospheric Sciences·DateAug 9, 2026

Three Gorges 2025 Climate Report: Second-hottest year on record, worst autumn rains in 43 years

The Three Gorges region recorded its second-hottest year on record in 2025, with an average temperature 1.1°C above normal, and the most extreme autumn rainfall in 43 years. Persistent heatwaves and torrential rains caused widespread flooding and posed new challenges for disaster prevention and engineering project safety.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAtmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters·DateJul 14, 2026

Linking the hemispheres: how tropical variability controls the journey of cold surges

A new study reveals that tropical atmospheric phenomena act as 'gatekeepers' for cold surges, controlling their path and triggering devastating floods. The team found that pressure anomalies, sea surface temperature, and other factors modulate the surge's pathway, improving regional weather forecasting and early warning systems.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAdvances in Atmospheric Sciences·DateJul 12, 2026

Scientists call for urgent action to fill polar winter observation and research gaps

A team of 23 researchers from 14 nations identifies three research priorities: winter aerosols, clouds, and feedback; winter storms and sea ice interactions; and polar-global teleconnections. These processes are highly under-observed due to their high variability and logistical challenges.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAdvances in Atmospheric Sciences·DateJul 9, 2026

Two distinct regional drivers of the intensification of concurrent hot and dry extremes over China

A new study reveals that summer concurrent hot and dry events in China intensify due to different physical driving mechanisms in western and east-central regions. Western China's trends are driven by anthropogenic warming, while east-central China's hazards stem from coupled monsoon decline, drought amplification, and heat feedback.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAtmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters·DateJul 8, 2026

As monsoon transforms, new study warns of deadly heat-rain double threat—and reveals a 2-year prediction breakthrough

A new study highlights the dual threat of extreme humid heat and catastrophic rainfall during the Indian monsoon, while also revealing a powerful new tool to predict the monsoon up to two years in advance. The research paints a sobering picture of climate change's impact on the region.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAdvances in Atmospheric Sciences·DateJun 23, 2026

Deep learning model predicts South Indian Ocean Dipole seven months in advance

A Chinese research team has developed a deep learning model that can predict the South Indian Ocean Dipole (SIOD) seven months in advance, outperforming traditional dynamical forecasting systems. The model uses sea surface temperature and ocean heat content anomalies as inputs and automatically learns key features of ocean temperature ...

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAtmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters·DateJun 23, 2026

Observed high vapor supersaturation provides crucial evidence for aerosol convective cloud invigoration

Researchers have observed high water-vapor supersaturation in tropical convective clouds, which can enhance condensation and release latent heat. This finding supports the concept of condensational aerosol convective invigoration, where aerosol particles create new droplets and strengthen updrafts.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAdvances in Atmospheric Sciences·DateJun 18, 2026

Reforestation effects on water resources depend on global warming level

A new study by researchers from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences reveals that reforestation has varying effects on water resources under different warming scenarios. Under low-warming conditions, reforestation slightly increases global water but widens the gap between wet and dry regions. In contr...

Volcanic activity shaped centennial-scale variability of Holocene monsoon rainfall

Research reveals volcanic eruptions shape monsoon dynamics on centennial timescales, cooling the Northern Hemisphere and reducing cross-equatorial moisture transport. This process, combined with a mega-ENSO-like sea surface temperature anomaly pattern, decreases rainfall across Asian, North African, and North American monsoon regions.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAtmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters·DateJun 9, 2026

Study reveals north–south differences in water isotopes across North America during the last deglaciation

A new study reveals that North America experienced stronger enrichment of oxygen isotopes in the north during the last deglaciation, while the south showed a muted response. The researchers used climate simulations to explain this difference, attributing it to changes in atmospheric circulation and moisture sources.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAtmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters·DateJun 8, 2026

Soil vapor transport improves soil moisture simulations in drylands

Researchers introduced a simplified soil vapor transport scheme to address a common issue in conventional land-surface models, which struggle to realistically represent soil drying in arid regions. The revised model produces more realistic drying in near-surface soil layers by representing the movement of water vapor through soil pores.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAtmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters·DateMay 28, 2026

Continued improvement in China’s air quality in 2025 despite challenges of high-impact events

China's air quality has shown significant improvement in 2025, with a decrease in PM2.5 and O3 concentrations compared to the 2022-2024 average. However, high-impact air pollution events such as severe pollution episodes, dust storms, and compound pollution events remain major challenges.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAtmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters·DateMay 27, 2026

The Global Ocean Observing System is more fragile than we thought

A new study reveals that the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) is more fragile than thought, with its dependence on data from various nations making it vulnerable to losses. The system's vulnerability is not just about data volume, but also geographic reach, emphasizing the need for a genuinely global, coordinated system.

Warming climate favors shallower cyclones, challenging current risk assessments

A study finds that a warming climate leads to more shallow tropical cyclones, which differ from deep cyclones in terms of hazard risks. Shallow cyclones can produce comparable extreme rainfall events as deep cyclones, highlighting the need for reassessment of future cyclone-related hydrological hazards.

When La Niña lingers

Multi-year La Niña events are becoming more common due to two distinct pathways that can lead to long-lasting cooling in the Pacific Ocean. The study found that a pattern of anomalous sea surface temperatures south of the equator, known as the South Pacific Meridional Mode (SPMM), can sustain La Niña by slowing its natural decay.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAdvances in Atmospheric Sciences·DateMay 15, 2026

Machine learning facilitates the development of China's 1-km daily soil moisture dataset

A new study developed China's high-precision, 1 km resolution soil moisture dataset using machine learning techniques. This dataset enables daily monitoring of soil dryness and wetness conditions across the country, providing critical support for drought early warning, flood forecasting, and agricultural management.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAdvances in Atmospheric Sciences·DateApr 27, 2026

Divergent response of the westerly jet during climate transition: weakened under orbital forcing, strengthened under greenhouse gas forcing

The upper-level subtropical westerly jet over East Asia shows a weakened long-term trend under orbital forcing but strengthens under greenhouse gas forcing. This study challenges the simple assumption that warming means weakening and suggests the jet could become stronger under future global warming.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAtmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters·DateApr 24, 2026

Ancient African topography remotely modulated the South Asian summer monsoon millions of years ago

Researchers have discovered that changes in African topography led to enhanced South Asian summer monsoon precipitation during the Early to Middle Miocene. This phenomenon was driven by altered atmospheric circulation patterns and moisture transport, resulting in increased convective activity and strengthening of the monsoon. The findi...

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAtmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters·DateApr 23, 2026

New study reveals different interannual co-evolutionary relationships of the EASWJ and EASM under different climatic backgrounds

The East Asian Subtropical Westerly Jet (EASWJ) and East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM) relationship shows stable anti-phase changes across three climate periods. A significant mode shift is identified in the second MV-EOF mode, with varying relationships between EASWJ displacement and EASM intensity.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAtmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters·DateApr 16, 2026

When the land "speaks": How surface conditions shape precipitation in humid Asian monsoon regions

A new review paper reveals that land surfaces in humid monsoon regions shape precipitation characteristics through complex interactions. High-resolution satellite observations and convection-permitting climate models reveal a nuanced understanding of surface moisture, energy balance, and atmospheric dynamics. This challenges the tradit...

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAdvances in Atmospheric Sciences·DateApr 13, 2026

Scientists develop spatiotemporal correlation-based deep learning framework for bias correction of atmospheric and oceanic variables

A new AI framework corrects forecast biases, achieving a 20% reduction in root-mean-square error for air temperature forecasts. The model supports bias correction of oceanic variables, enhancing forecast accuracy in meteorological and oceanic scenarios.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAtmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters·DateApr 9, 2026

Insights from past cold and warm periods: Larger interannual temperature variability over China

Research reveals increased interannual temperature variability over China, with greater summer variability during the Last Interglacial and stronger winter variability during the Last Glacial Maximum. This study provides a critical long-term perspective for understanding future changes in extreme temperature events.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAtmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters·DateMar 26, 2026

For World Meteorological Day: a look inside Shanghuang Observatory — supporting safety, resilience, and sustainable development

The Shanghuang Observatory is a key research center for atmospheric physics in China, playing a crucial role in enhancing the country’s weather forecasting capabilities. The observatory has made significant contributions to improving weather prediction models, supporting disaster prevention and mitigation efforts.

From tropics to poles: how Pacific Ocean warming sets the stage for Antarctic stratospheric changes months later

Research reveals a cross-seasonal connection between tropical Pacific Ocean warming and Antarctic stratospheric changes, with warming in the tropics leading to weakening of the polar vortex and ozone depletion. The study improves predictions of Southern Hemisphere climate patterns and offers insights into Antarctic ozone variability.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics·DateMar 23, 2026

Nonlinear and asymmetric response of the Miocene ENSO to increasing CO2 forcing

The study investigates ocean-atmosphere variability under Miocene-like high-CO2 conditions to evaluate climate-model performance in warm climates. ENSO variability peaked under 3×CO2 and was damped under 4×CO2, with El Niño events exhibiting longer mean duration than La Niña events.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAtmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters·DateMar 13, 2026

Connection between wintertime total column ozone over the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau and sea surface temperature over the North Pacific

A study finds that high wintertime total column ozone over the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau triggers changes in North Pacific sea surface temperatures. Higher ozone levels drive eastward-propagating Rossby wave trains, which in turn cause southward ocean currents and lower temperatures in the subtropical central-western North Pacific.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAtmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters·DateMar 12, 2026

New study reveals how volcanic eruptions and internal climate cycles jointly shape Asian monsoon rainfall

A new study reveals that volcanic eruptions can trigger rainfall patterns similar to those produced by natural climate variability, effectively 'projecting' their influence onto the ocean-driven cycles. The research identifies a complex interplay between natural climate phenomena and volcanic forcing, with implications for climate inte...

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalGeophysical Research Letters·DateMar 9, 2026