Sensible heating over the Tibetan Plateau and the onset of Asian Monsoon

Land surface heating from the Tibetan Plateau (TP) plays an important role in the Asian Monsoon system. In this study, the interannual variability of sensible heat flux over the TP and its connection with the summer monsoon intensity and onset date is examined based on the new released land “reanalysis” data, produced by NASA Global Land Data Assimilation System. Although the correlation analyses don't show a significant relevance with summer monsoon intensity, the interannual anomalies of sensible heating near south flake of the TP indicate a weak reversal in relationship with onset date of the West Pacific East Asian monsoon. Diagnostic study shows that above (below) normal sensible heating over south flake of the TP will lead to rapid (slow) warming up air column over the TP and early (later) reversal of (overturn) the meridian temperature gradient and vertical wind shear. This will further lead to an early (later) onset of Asian Monsoon.