The northern boundary of the Asian summer monsoon and division of westerlies and monsoon regimes over the Tibetan Plateau in present-day

Precipitation patterns and their variations over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are mainly dominated by the Asian summer monsoon, westerlies, and their interactions. The exact extent of the Asian summer monsoon's influence, however, remains undetermined. Referencing the climatological northern boundary index of the East Asian summer monsoon, we demonstrate that the 300 mm precipitation isoline from May to September can be utilized as an indicator of the northern boundary of the Asian summer monsoon over the TP, allowing for an analysis of the spatial distribution characteristics of the climatological and interannual northern boundary. Our results indicate that the climatological northern boundary of the Asian summer monsoon over the TP lies along the eastern Qilian Mountains-Tanggula Mountains-Qiangtang Plateau-Gangdise Mountains-Western Himalayas during 2001-2020. This position corresponds well with the position of the convergence of westerly (westerlies) and southerly wind (monsoon) in the lower troposphere, representing the interface between dry and wet regions in the rainy season over the TP. There is a significant positive correlation between changes in the zonal/meridional water vapor budget and variations in precipitation to the north/south of the climatological northern boundary, respectively. Additionally, a close relationship exists between the interannual fluctuation range of the northern boundary and the distribution of vegetation across the TP. Compared to the northern boundary of the summer monsoon defined by meteorological criteria, which is established based on 5-day (pentad) mean precipitation (exceeding 4 mm day(-1)), our climatological northern boundary offers a more objective portrayal of the region that experiences persistent influence from the summer monsoon. These indicate that climatological northern boundary has a clear significance for natural geographical distribution such as the westerlies-monsoon circulation, ecology, and climate. Based on the interannual fluctuation range of the northern boundary, we divided the TP into domains of westerlies, monsoon, and westerlies-monsoon transition. This study could serve as a foundation for further investigation into the interactions between westerlies and monsoon, variations in precipitation patterns and hydrological-ecological systems over the TP.

Automated summary

This study confirms the northern boundary of the Asian summer monsoon over the Tibetan Plateau and investigates its spatial distribution characteristics, climatological and interannual variations, and its relationship with vegetation distribution. The results show that the northern boundary is closely related to the dry-wet transition zone, water vapor budget, and vegetation distribution, highlighting its importance for climate and ecology research.