Assimilation of Doppler Radar Data with an Ensemble 3DEnVar Approach to Improve Convective Forecasting

An ensemble three-dimensional ensemble-variational(3DEnVar)data assimilation(E3DA)system was developed within the Weather Research and Forecasting model’s 3DVar framework to assimilate radar data to improve convective forecasting.In this system,ensemble perturbations are updated by an ensemble of 3DEnVar and the ensemble forecasts are used to generate the flow-dependent background error covariance.The performance of the E3DA system was first evaluated against one experiment without radar DA and one radar DA experiment with 3DVar,using a severe storm case over southeastern China on 5 June 2009.Results indicated that E3DA improved the quantitative forecast skills of reflectivity and precipitation,as well as their spatial distributions in terms of both intensity and coverage over 3DVar.The root-mean-square error of radial velocity from 3DVar was reduced by E3DA,with stronger low-level wind closer to observation.It was also found that E3DA improved the wind,temperature and water vapor mixing ratio,with the lowest errors at the surface and upper levels.3DVar showed moderate improvements in comparison with forecasts without radar DA.A diagnosis of the analysis revealed that E3DA increased vertical velocity,temperature,and humidity corresponding to the added reflectivity,while 3DVar failed to produce these adjustments,because of the lack of reasonable cross-variable correlations.The performance of E3DA was further verified using two convective cases over southern and southeastern China,and the reflectivity forecast skill was also improved over 3DVar.     

CMA-MESO三维变分同化系统2 m相对湿度资料同化研究

为了提高CMA-MESO （China Meteorological Administration Mesoscale model）（原GRAPES）三维变分同化系统中2 m相对湿度资料的应用效果,改善模式中相对湿度的分析和降水预报效果,分析了2015年6—8月T639（T639L60全球中期数值预报系统,0.28125°×0.28125°）分析场低层相对湿度和2 m相对湿度之差与表征稳定度的理查森数（Ri）的关系,发现二者有很好的相关,Ri＜0时,模式低层相对湿度与2 m相对湿度的差异较小,基本在同化观测误差范围内。依据该统计结果,对CMA-MESO同化系统中2 m相对湿度同化方案进行优化,Ri＜0时,将观测站地形低于模式地形的2 m相对湿度观测由观测站高度改为模式最低层高度进行同化,形成新的2 m相对湿度同化方案,旨在解决2 m相对湿度资料同化时模式地形高度与观测站高度不同的影响。2018年7月CMA-MESO三维变分同化系统（3DVar）个例和连续试验结果显示:新的2 m相对湿度同化方案同化分析资料数量明显增加,且08时多于20时（北京时）,新增观测点新息向量（背景减观测）与周围原有观测新息向量保持基本一致,分析残差偏差和均方根误差减小,降水预报效果明显改善。新2 m相对湿度同化方案通过提高观测站低于模式地形高度的观测资料合理应用,从而改善了3 km模式系统同化分析和预报效果。      

The Impact of Satellite Radiance Data Assimilation within a Frequently Updated Regional Forecast System Using a GSI-based Ensemble Kalman Filter

A regional ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) data assimilation (DA) and forecast system was recently established based on the Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) analysis system. The EnKF DA system was tested with continuous threehourly updated cycles followed by 18-h deterministic forecasts from every three-hourly ensemble mean analysis. Initial tests showed negative to neutral impacts of assimilating satellite radiance data due to the improper bias correction procedure. In this study, two bias correction schemes within the established EnKF DA system are investigated and the impact of assimilating additional polar-orbiting satellite radiance is also investigated. Two group experiments are conducted. The purpose of the first group is to evaluate the bias correction procedure. Two online bias correction methods based on GSI 3DVar and EnKF algorithms are used to assimilate AMSU-A radiance data. Results show that both variational and EnKF-based bias correction procedures effectively reduce the observation and background radiance differences, achieving positive impacts on forecasts. With proper bias correction, we assimilate full radiance observations including AMSU-A, AMSU-B, AIRS, HIRS3/4, and MHS in the second group. The relative percentage improvements(RPIs) for all forecast variables compared to those without radiance data assimilation are mostly positive, with the RPI of upper-air relative humidity being the largest. Additionally, precipitation forecasts on a downscaled 13-km grid from 40-km EnKF analyses are also improved by radiance assimilation for almost all forecast hours.     

A Prototype Regional GSI-based EnKF-Variational Hybrid Data Assimilation System for the Rapid Refresh Forecasting System:Dual-Resolution Implementation and Testing Results

A dual-resolution(DR) version of a regional ensemble Kalman filter(EnKF)-3D ensemble variational(3DEnVar) coupled hybrid data assimilation system is implemented as a prototype for the operational Rapid Refresh forecasting system. The DR 3DEnVar system combines a high-resolution(HR) deterministic background forecast with lower-resolution(LR) EnKF ensemble perturbations used for flow-dependent background error covariance to produce a HR analysis. The computational cost is substantially reduced by running the ensemble forecasts and EnKF analyses at LR. The DR 3DEnVar system is tested with 3-h cycles over a 9-day period using a 40/13-km grid spacing combination. The HR forecasts from the DR hybrid analyses are compared with forecasts launched from HR Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation(GSI) 3D variational(3DVar)analyses, and single LR hybrid analyses interpolated to the HR grid. With the DR 3DEnVar system, a 90% weight for the ensemble covariance yields the lowest forecast errors and the DR hybrid system clearly outperforms the HR GSI 3DVar.Humidity and wind forecasts are also better than those launched from interpolated LR hybrid analyses, but the temperature forecasts are slightly worse. The humidity forecasts are improved most. For precipitation forecasts, the DR 3DEnVar always outperforms HR GSI 3DVar. It also outperforms the LR 3DEnVar, except for the initial forecast period and lower thresholds.     

Comparisons of Three-Dimensional Variational Data Assimilation and Model Output Statistics in Improving Atmospheric Chemistry Forecasts

Atmospheric chemistry models usually perform badly in forecasting wintertime air pollution because of their uncertainties. Generally, such uncertainties can be decreased effectively by techniques such as data assimilation(DA) and model output statistics(MOS). However, the relative importance and combined effects of the two techniques have not been clarified. Here,a one-month air quality forecast with the Weather Research and Forecasting-Chemistry(WRF-Chem) model was carried out in a virtually operational setup focusing on Hebei Province, China. Meanwhile, three-dimensional variational(3 DVar) DA and MOS based on one-dimensional Kalman filtering were implemented separately and simultaneously to investigate their performance in improving the model forecast. Comparison with observations shows that the chemistry forecast with MOS outperforms that with 3 DVar DA, which could be seen in all the species tested over the whole 72 forecast hours. Combined use of both techniques does not guarantee a better forecast than MOS only, with the improvements and degradations being small and appearing rather randomly. Results indicate that the implementation of MOS is more suitable than 3 DVar DA in improving the operational forecasting ability of WRF-Chem.     

两种样本生成方法对DRP-4DVar同化方法性能影响的比较及分析

降维投影四维变分同化方法(DRP-4DVar)利用历史预报的集合来统计背景误差协方差,并将分析变量投影到样本空间下求解代价函数,因而集合样本的质量对DRP-4DVar同化方法的性能有着重要影响.文中尝试使用三维变分(3DVar)控制变量的扰动方法来产生集合样本,并与原来的历史预报扰动方法做比较.历史预报扰动样本具有随流...     

华南暴雨区域集合预报中不同同化方案的影响试验研究

基于全球集合预报系统(GEFS)资料,利用WRF中尺度模式及GEFS动力降尺度获取区域集合预报初值场,通过对同化后的分析场进行模式积分实现华南前汛期区域集合预报。对2019年6月10日的一次华南前汛期暴雨过程进行不同同化方案的试验:混合同化(Hybrid)、三维变分(3Dvar)、集合卡尔曼滤波(EnKF)和对比试验(Ctrl)四组试验的对比分析,探讨具有不同背景误差协方差矩阵的同化方案对区域集合预报集合扰动和集合离散随时间演变特征的影响,评估不同试验的降水模拟效果。(1) Hybrid对模式初始场有较好的改善作用,而3DVar和EnKF对初始场的改善作用不明显。(2) 对风场、温度场和湿度场,在前期预报中Hybrid的预报误差小于3DVar和EnKF,在中后期的预报中,3DVar和EnKF的预报误差得到改善,且好于Hybrid。同样,集合扰动能量,Hybrid和Ctrl在前期预报发展好于3DVar和EnKF,而在中后期的预报3DVar和EnKF好于Hybrid和Ctrl。(3) 从24 h累积降水评分中,整体上同化试验好于Ctrl,3DVar和EnKF好于Hybrid,且3DVar对大中雨级别的降水评分较好,而EnKF对暴雨以上级别的降水评分较好。(4) 对于集合统计检验分析,同化试验的AUC值都大于Ctrl的AUC值,24 h累积降水量阈值在10~100 mm的AUC值,3DVar最好;而125 mm阈值的AUC值,EnKF最好。      

一种控制变量循环扰动和多参数化方案的混合同化方法

敏感性试验表明集合变换卡尔曼滤波(Ensemble Transform Kalman Filter,ETKF)方法在混合(Hybrid)同化过程中易受观测资料数量变化的影响而产生较大程度的协方差震荡,从而可能导致系统不稳定。为设计一种简便、稳定的Hybrid同化系统,构建了一种基于物理控制变量扰动及多物理参数化方案的Hybrid同化及预报系统。本系统随着循环的进行,不断对Hybrid同化分析场进行控制变量扰动得到集合成员初始场,并且对各集合成员采用不同物理参数化方案以更合理地表征背景场的误差特征。连续10 d的循环同化及预报试验表明,本文同化方案效果明显优于三维变分方案,动力场的整体同化和预报效果与ETKF方案基本相当。本方案相比于ETKF方法不受观测波动影响,在没有经任何参数调试情况下,取得了良好同化和预报效果,为Hybrid同化的便捷运行提供了一种稳定可靠的手段。     

Assimilating AMSU-a radiance data with the WRF hybrid En3DVAR system for track predictions of Typhoon Megi (2010)

The impact of assimilating radiances from the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A) on the track prediction of Typhoon Megi (2010) was studied using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and a hybrid ensemble three-dimensional variational (En3DVAR) data assimilation (DA) system. The influences of tuning the length scale and variance scale factors related to the static background error covariance (BEC) on the track forecast of the typhoon were studied. The results show that, in typhoon radiance data assimilation, a moderate length scale factor improves the prediction of the typhoon track. The assimilation of AMSU-A radiances using 3DVAR had a slight positive impact on track forecasts, even when the static BEC was carefully tuned to optimize its performance. When the hybrid DA was employed, the track forecast was significantly improved, especially for the sharp northward turn after crossing the Philippines, with the flow-dependent ensemble covariance. The flow-dependent BEC can be estimated by the hybrid DA and was capable of adjusting the position of the typhoon systematically. The impacts of the typhoon-specific BEC derived from ensemble forecasts were revealed by comparing the analysis increments and forecasts generated by the hybrid DA and 3DVAR. Additionally, for 24 h forecasts, the hybrid DA experiment with use of the full flow-dependent background error substantially outperformed 3DVAR in terms of the horizontal winds and temperature in the lower and mid-troposphere and for moisture at all levels.     

极轨卫星高层通道在GRAPES同化系统中的应用

针对GRAPES(Global/Regional Assimilation and Prediction System)模式三维变分系统高层背景场温湿廓线外推方案的局限性,提出以气候垂直廓线重新构造高层温湿垂直结构,以减小外推方案的偏差。首先采用一维变分同化系统,展开模拟实验:分析目前模式中使用的外推方案误差及其对反演结果的影响,利用高层大气气候廓线构造垂直结构并分析同化偏差。最后,运用GRAPES全球分析预报系统进行同化实验并分析改进程度。结果显示:模拟研究表明采用高层背景场温湿廓线外推方案与实际观测相比最大偏差在1 h Pa附近可达数十度以上,不仅影响平流层,而且对对流层也有影响;用气候温度数据修正GRAPES高层温度数据,可以减少50%以上的偏差,证明了用气候值高层数据优化现行GRAPES模式中同化系统高层插值方案的可行性。全球GRAPES三维变分同化试验结果显示,改进方案不仅显著的改善平流层分析质量,对对流层中高层也有改进。     

GRAPES Hybrid-3DVar对台风苏迪罗的数值试验

为了把反映天气形势变化的背景误差协方差引入到变分分析系统中来提高分析质量,本文在GRAPES区域三维变分框架的基础上通过扩展控制变量方法实现动态与静态背景误差协方差耦合,建立混合三维变分分析系统（GRAPES Hybrid-3DVar）。通过控制变量扰动产生的集合样本进行单点观测分析试验验证Hybrid-3DVar及其局地化方案的合理性,并针对台风苏迪罗进行实际观测资料同化和数值预报试验,结果表明:用集合样本描述的背景误差协方差是随着天气流型变化的,动力场和质量场的离散度在台风中心处最大,因而混合同化的分析增量包含更多细微结构和中小尺度信息;其分析和24 h内预报要素质量优于3DVar,24 h内降水强度和落区预报也更准确,混合同化分析改善了3DVar分析的降水空报问题;同时混合同化分析的24 h内台风路径预报也最接近实况,台风强度预报在48 h之内都比3DVar更接近观测。     

GRAPES全球三维变分同化业务系统性能

近年来,GRAPES全球三维变分同化系统分析性能和稳定性有了长足进步。该文简要介绍了近两年GRAPES全球:三维变分同化技术的发展与改进情况,包括同化框架技术、资料同化应用技术与系统稳定性等方面。分析诊断了两年的同化循环试验结果,以探空资料作为参考,对ERA-Interim再分析场、NCEP FNL分析场和GRAPES全球三维变分分析场的统计特征进行了比较;以ERA-Interim再分析场作为参考,对NCEP FNL分析场、T639分析场和GRAPES全球三维变分分析场进行比较。结果表明:GRAPES分析场的质量明显优于T639分析场,性能上达到了业务化的要求,但相比NCEP FNL分析场还有一定差距,特别是对流层内湿度分析场的误差还比较大。     

An Economical Approach to Four-dimensional Variational Data Assimilation

Four-dimensional variational data assimilation (4DVar) is one of the most promising methods to provide optimal analysis for numerical weather prediction (NWP). Five national NWP centers in the world have successfully applied 4DVar methods in their global NWPs, thanks to the increment method and adjoint technique. However, the application of 4DVar is still limited by the computer resources available at many NWP centers and research institutes. It is essential, therefore, to further reduce the computational cost of 4DVar. Here, an economical approach to implement 4DVar is proposed, using the technique of dimension-reduced projection (DRP), which is called ``DRP-4DVar." The proposed approach is based on dimension reduction using an ensemble of historical samples to define a subspace. It directly obtains an optimal solution in the reduced space by fitting observations with historical time series generated by the model to form consistent forecast states, and therefore does not require implementation of the adjoint of tangent linear approximation. To evaluate the performance of the DRP-4DVar on assimilating different types of mesoscale observations, some observing system simulation experiments are conducted using MM5 and a comparison is made between adjoint-based 4DVar and DRP-4DVar using a 6-hour assimilation window.     

基于扰动模式的四维变分资料同化系统框架的设计完善和数值试验

为了建立一个应用于区域数值预报的四维变分资料同化（4DVar）系统,在近期开发的扰动预报模式GRAPES_PF基础上,开发完善增量四维变分同化系统框架。该框架中暂不包含物理过程（长短波辐射、边界层过程、对流参数化和云微物理等）。对比业务使用的GRAPES 3DVar系统,增加了温度控制变量。将无量纲Exner气压与流函数的线性风压平衡方程直接在地形追随垂直坐标面上求解,且通过广义共轭余差法（GCR）求解扰动亥姆霍兹（Helmholtz）伴随方程。利用人造“探空”资料对2015年10月台风“彩虹”进行了理想数值试验。试验结果表明,所开发的扰动四维变分同化框架得到了预期的结果,即同化更多资料并反复受到模式约束的四维变分同化系统能有效改善初值质量,进而改善区域数值预报。建立的区域四维变分同化框架合理可行,为进一步发展包含完整物理过程的区域四维变分同化系统奠定了研究基础。      

GNSS反演资料在GRAPES_Meso三维变分中的应用

为了进一步提高GRAPES_Meso的分析和预报效果,该文在GRAPES_Meso三维变分同化系统中建立了同化GNSS/RO反演的大气资料的观测算子,实现了对GNSS/RO反演的大气资料的同化应用,并通过2013年7月1个月的同化和预报试验分析了GNSS/RO反演大气资料对GRAPES_Meso模式系统分析和预报的影响。结果表明:增加了GNSS/RO反演大气资料的同化后,GRAPES_Meso位势高度场的分析误差明显减小,平均分析误差减小约8%,预报误差略有减小,平均预报误差减小约1%;湿度场的分析误差和预报误差变化不明显,常规观测资料稀少的青藏高原地区的降水预报技巧有所提高,小雨到大雨的ETS (equitable threat score) 评分提高约0.01,对全国及其他分区的降水预报技巧总体上有正效果。     

Reducing the prediction uncertainties of high-impact weather and climate events: An overview of studies at LASG

This paper summarizes recent progress at the State Key Laboratory of Numerical Modeling for Atmospheric Sciences and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics (LASG), Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in studies on targeted observations, data assimilation, and ensemble prediction, which are three effective strategies to reduce the prediction uncertainties and improve the forecast skill of weather and climate events. Considering the limitations of traditional targeted observation approaches, LASG researchers have developed a conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation-based targeted observation strategy to optimize the design of the observing network. This strategy has been employed to identify sensitive areas for targeted observations of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation, Indian Ocean dipole, and tropical cyclones, and has been demonstrated to be effective in improving the forecast skill of these events. To assimilate the targeted observations into the initial state of a numerical model, a dimension-reducedprojection- based four-dimensional variational data assimilation (DRP-4DVar) approach has been proposed and is used operationally to supply accurate initial conditions in numerical forecasts. The performance of DRP-4DVar is good, and its computational cost is much lower than the standard 4DVar approach. Besides, ensemble prediction, which is a practical approach to generate probabilistic forecasts of the future state of a particular system, can be used to reduce the prediction uncertainties of single forecasts by taking the ensemble mean of forecast members. In this field, LASG researchers have proposed an ensemble forecast method that uses nonlinear local Lyapunov vectors (NLLVs) to yield ensemble initial perturbations. Its application in simple models has shown that NLLVs are more useful than bred vectors and singular vectors in improving the skill of the ensemble forecast. Therefore, NLLVs represent a candidate for possible development as an ensemble method in operational forecasts. Despite the considerable efforts made towards developing these methods to reduce prediction uncertainties, much challenging but highly important work remains in terms of improving the methods to further increase the skill in forecasting such weather and climate events.     

A Local Implementation of the POD-Based Ensemble 4DVar with R-Localization

The purpose of this paper is to provide a robust and flexible implementation of a proper orthogonal decomposition-based ensemble four-dimensional variational assimilation method(PODEn4DVar) through Rlocalization.With R-localization,the implementation of the local PODEn4DVar analysis can be coded for parallelization with enhanced assimilation precision.The feasibility and effectiveness of the PODEn4DVar local implementation with R-localization are demonstrated in a two-dimensional shallow-water equation model with simulated observations(OSSEs) in comparison with the original version of the PODEn4DVar with B-localization and that without localization.The performance of the PODEn4DVar with localization shows a significant improvement over the scheme with no localization,particularly under the imperfect model scenario.Moreover,the R-localization scheme is capable of outperforming the Blocalization case to a certain extent.Further,the assimilation experiments also demonstrate that PODEn4DVar with R-localization is most efficient due to its easy parallel implementation.     

四维集合变分同化方法在华南冬季暴雨模拟中的应用

利用WRF（Weather Research and Forecasting）模式和基于本征正交分解的四维集合变分同化方法（POD-4DEnVar）,对2015年12月9日一次华南暴雨过程进行多普勒雷达资料同化试验,并与三维变分同化试验（WRF-3DVar）进行对比,讨论了POD-4DEnVar方法中局地化半径对模拟效果的敏感性。结果表明,比较不同化雷达资料的控制试验,WRF-3DVar和WRF-POD-4DEnVar试验的降水模拟结果得到明显改善,且WRF-POD-4DEnVar的降水强度更接近实况。两种同化方法通过改变不同的初始要素达到改进降水模拟效果的目的,3DVar方法通过调整初始风场,间接减弱暴雨发生的水汽条件,POD-4DEnVar方法则直接调整湿度场。在降水过程中,同化试验改变了冷空气活动和水汽通量辐合的模拟结果,从而改善降水的模拟效果。POD-4DEnVar方法对局地化半径比较敏感,随局地化半径增大,同化对风场和湿度场的影响范围扩大,当局地化半径取为200 km时,降水模拟的效果最好。      

风云三号微波观测资料的海雾同化模拟

数值模式边界层物理过程和初值场条件的欠缺是海雾模拟准确率偏低的主要原因。本文为改进模式初始场,开展针对海雾模拟的卫星观测资料同化试验,将质量控制和偏差订正后的FY-3A卫星微波湿度计（MWHS）和微波温度计（MWTS）的优选通道数据,经3DVar（Three-dimensional variational data assimilation）进入WRF模式以试验其对黄、渤海海雾模拟的影响。通过分析静止气象卫星检测到的海雾区模拟大气温、湿场同化分析增量,发现代表环境场条件的海雾类型及模式对其模拟能力的差异,显著影响了同化效果,表现为同化对模式模拟能力较强的平流冷型海雾改进明显,对模拟效果不甚理想的非典型混合过程中的暖型海雾阶段则基本没有改进效果。为寻找原因,对包括海雾区低层大气模拟场逆温结构在内的温湿度场与邻近探空观测进行了对比,分析了随时间演变的海雾格点温、湿场同化分析增量,发现冷型海雾区格点同化分析增量能弥补观测—模拟差异,使气温调减,相对湿度调增,同时水汽和液态水也出现负相关的变化,边界层相关热力动力场同化分析增量在垂直方向也有配合迹象,相比而言,主体是暖型海雾的非典型过程则未见此类现象和其他的有益调整迹象。     

System of Multigrid Nonlinear Least-squares Four-dimensional Variational Data Assimilation for Numerical Weather Prediction (SNAP): System Formulation and Preliminary Evaluation

A new forecasting system—the System of Multigrid Nonlinear Least-squares Four-dimensional Variational (NLS-4DVar) Data Assimilation for Numerical Weather Prediction (SNAP)—was established by building upon the multigrid NLS-4DVar data assimilation scheme, the operational Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI)?based data-processing and observation operators, and the widely used Weather Research and Forecasting numerical model. Drawing upon lessons learned from the superiority of the operational GSI analysis system, for its various observation operators and the ability to assimilate multiple-source observations, SNAP adopts GSI-based data-processing and observation operator modules to compute the observation innovations. The multigrid NLS-4DVar assimilation framework is used for the analysis, which can adequately correct errors from large to small scales and accelerate iteration solutions. The analysis variables are model state variables, rather than the control variables adopted in the conventional 4DVar system. Currently, we have achieved the assimilation of conventional observations, and we will continue to improve the assimilation of radar and satellite observations in the future. SNAP was evaluated by case evaluation experiments and one-week cycling assimilation experiments. In the case evaluation experiments, two six-hour time windows were established for assimilation experiments and precipitation forecasts were verified against hourly precipitation observations from more than 2400 national observation sites. This showed that SNAP can absorb observations and improve the initial field, thereby improving the precipitation forecast. In the one-week cycling assimilation experiments, six-hourly assimilation cycles were run in one week. SNAP produced slightly lower forecast RMSEs than the GSI 4DEnVar (Four-dimensional Ensemble Variational) as a whole and the threat scores of precipitation forecasts initialized from the analysis of SNAP were higher than those obtained from the analysis of GSI 4DEnVar.