Crucial Role of Mesoscale Convective Systems in the Vertical Mass, Water, and Energy Transports of the South Asian Summer Monsoon

Abstract Convective vertical transport is critical in the monsoonal overturning, but relative roles of different convective systems are not well understood. This study used a cloud classification and tracking technique to decompose convection-permitting simulation South Asian summer monsoon (SASM) into subregimes mesoscale (MCSs), non-MCS deep convection (non-MCS), congestus, shallow convection/clear sky. Isentropic analysis adopted quantify contributions total SASM mass, water, energy transports. The results underscore crucial MCSs Compared non-MCSs, mass transports by at least 1.5 times stronger throughout troposphere, with larger contributing fraction from updrafts compared upward motion stratiform regions. Occurrence frequency non-MCSs around 40 higher than that MCSs. However, per instantaneous features, net moist static (MSE) exported about 70–100 58 non-MCSs. While these differences dominantly contributed per-feature MCS area coverage, also show intensities over both ocean land. Oceanic more obvious top-heavy structures their inland counterparts, which closely related widespread ocean. break phase, occur frequently (~1.6 times) intensity slightly weakens (by ~10%) during active phases. These useful for understanding advancing energetic framework.