The influence of Tibetan Plateau on the interannual variability of Asian monsoon

Forced by the realistic SST, an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) with 9 sigma levels in vertical and rhomboidal truncation at wave number 15 in the horizontal is run for 16 years with and without the Tibetan Plateau respectively(called TP and NTP experiment). The result simulated is used to investigate the influence of the Tibetan Plateau on the interannual variability of Asian monsoon. It is found that the interannual variability of Asian monsoon associated with El Nino / La Nina in NTP experiment is quite different from that in TP experiment. With the Tibetan Plateau included, the results are consistent with the observation very well. To a great extent, the anomalous variation of Asian monsoon during El Nino / La Nina period in observation is due to the existence of the Tibetan Plateau. Therefore, the topography of the Tibetan Plateau is an important factor to the interannual variability of Asian monsoon.