Meso-beta scale numerical simulations of terrain drag-induced along-stream circulations. Part II: Concentration of potential vorticity within dryline bulges

Summary Hydrostatic and nonhydrostatic simulation models are employed to study the intensification of a terrain drag-induced dryline. The study develops a multi-stage theory for the evolution of the dryline including the concentration of potential vorticity accompanying meso-gamma scale dryline bulges.The numerical simulations indicate three fundamental stages of dryline intensification all of which are either directly or indirectly a result of the terrain-drag on the mid/upper-tropospheric jet stream by the Front Range of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The first stage involves the downward momentum flux accompanying a large amplitude hydrostatic mountain wave which induces a downslope windstorm along the lee slopes. The surge of momentum (i.e., the dry, warm air associated with the downslope windstorm) propagates down the leeslope and modifies an existing weak dryline boundary. As the downslope windstorm initiates an undular bore along the lee slopes, the high momentum gradient which propagates downstream accompanying the bore, as well as the strong lower tropospheric sinking motions ahead of the bore, contract the scale of the surface moisture boundary between the dry air from above the leeslope and the moist air over the High Plains. This process further strengthens the dryline.The second stage involves the coupling of the terrain drag-induced along-stream ageostrophic front within the midtroposphere to the boundary layer through a thermally-indirect circulation. As the along-stream ageostrophic circulation intensifies within the middle troposphere down-stream from the mountain wave, sinking air parcels originating above 40 kPa descend to below 60 kPa over the High Plains where surface pressures are, only 85 kPa. These descending air parcels within the upstream branch of the along-stream ageostrophic thermally-indirect circulation contain high values of momentum and very low dewpoint values. As the planetary boundary layer (PBL) deepens due to surface warming during the morning hours, momentum and dry air from the midtropospheric along-stream ageostrophic front are entrained into the PBL. This process amplifies the bore-induced hydrostatic dryline bulge via low-level ageostrophic confluence.Finally, regions of low Richardson number (arising from strong vertical shears) within the amplifying midtropospheric along-stream ageostrophic thermally-indirect circulation become preferred regions for the development of non-hydrostatic evanescent internal gravity waves. These waves are embedded within the hydrostatic along-stream front above the low-level dryline and are accomapanied by very significant values of vertical momentum flux which act to focus the meso-gamma scale structure of the dryline into smaller scale bulges where low-level winds and vorticities are very high. This meso-gamma scale process follows the hydrostatic tilting and vortex tube stretching which creates meso-beta scale maxima of mid-lower tropospheric vorticity. The turbulent momentum fluxes accompanying wavebreaking within the nonhydrostatic dryline bulge create very large (i.e., stratospheric values of) potential vorticity near 70 kPa due to the nonconservation of potential vorticity on isentropic surfaces.With 30 Figures     

Characterizing the severe turbulence environments associated with commercial aviation accidents. Part 2: Hydrostatic mesoscale numerical simulations of supergradient wind flow and streamwise ageostrophic frontogenesis

Summary Simulation experiments reveal key processes that organize a hydrostatic environment conducive to severe turbulence. The paradigm requires the juxtaposition of the entrance region of a curved jet streak, which is highly subgeostrophic, with the entrance region of a straight jet streak, which is highly supergeostrophic. The wind and mass fields become misphased as the entrance regions converge, resulting in significant spatial variation of inertial forcing, centripetal forcing, as well as along and cross-stream pressure gradient forcing over a meso- scale region. Maxima of these forces are misphased where the two dissimilar jet streaks converge and geostrophic balance is disrupted. Velocity divergence within the subgeostrophic region of largest upstream-directed pressure gradient force and velocity convergence near the region of largest downstream-directed centripetal/inertial-advective forcing act to produce a mesoscale front due to spatially varying confluent flow flanked by zones of increasing velocity divergence. This results in frontogenesis as well as the along-stream divergence of cyclonic and convergence of cyclonic ageostrophic vertical vorticity. The nonuniform centripetally forced mesoscale front becomes the locus of large gradients of ageostrophic vertical vorticity along an overturning isentrope. This region becomes favorable for streamwise vorticity gradient formation enhancing the environment for the organization of horizontal vortex tubes in the presence of buoyant forcing. This is because the mesoscale convergence of vertical vorticity on an overturning isentropic surface creates vertical rotation for the development of horizontal vorticity in regions where isentropic surfaces overturn. Vorticity, shear, and buoyancy are focused in one location by this front thus favoring an environment favorable for microvortex formation leading to turbulence.     

The effect of spatial resolution on the simulation of upper-tropospheric frontogenesis using a sigma-coordinate primitive equation model

Summary The effects of varying horizontal and vertical grid resolution on the numerical simulation of upper-tropospheric frontal structures are examined using a, two-dimensional, dry, hydrostatic sigma-coordinate primitive equation model. These effects are illustrated with the results of 72 h model integrations in which frontogenesis is forced solely by confluence. Four different horizontal grid spacings, ranging from 100 km to 12.5 km, and four different vertical, grid resolutions, varying from 10 to 70 layers (90 mb to 13 mb), are considered.The intensity and integrity of the frontogenesis as a function of grid resolution are diagnosed in terms of time histories and spatial distributions of frontal parameters, such as the speed of the along-front jet, maxima of absolute vorticity and potential temperature gradient, and ageostrophic motions. The time histories show that, provided the vertical resolution is sufficient, increasing horizontal resolution leads to better-defined frontal structure due to the decrease in cross-frontal scale. They also indicate that for a given horizontal resolution there exists an optimal vertical resolution beyond which frontal parameters change only slightly. This optimal vertical resolution increases with increasing horizontal resolution, and apparently is related to the horizontal resolution through the slope of the frontal zone.The time histories for simulations combining low vertical resolution with high horizontal resolution exhibit substantial high-frequency variability. Cross sections show that this temporal variability appears to be manifested spatially in the form of gravity waves characterized by wavelengths on the order of 200 km and periods of 12 h, over the range of horizontal and vertical resolution that is considered. Although the source mechanism for these waves cannot be established definitively, it likely involves a grid-induced ageostrophic component of the along-front wind which disrupts thermal wind balance. This results thus demonstrates the potential risk of flawed frontal simulations, when incompatible combinations of horizontal and vertical resolution are used.With 7 Figures     

Present-day concepts of atmospheric frontogenesis. Part 1. Theoretical ideas

Presented is a review of quantitative characteristics of atmospheric frontogenesis that describe it as the process of variations of the vector of the horizontal temperature gradient (both in value and in direction) in an individual particle. The frontogenesis that strives for recovering the thermal wind balance disturbed in the case of inhomogeneous advection, generates vertical circulation which is both thermally direct (warm air ascends relative to cold air) and thermally opposite (upward motions in the cold air). Given are the expressions for computing frontogenesis using the data on temperature, pressure, and wind. Used is the resolution of the frontogenetic vector function into components along the isoline of potential temperature both on and across the constant-pressure surface. The first component describes the change in the temperature gradient vector due to the rotation of isotherms (rotational frontogenesis), and the second component, the variations of the absolute value of the gradient (scalar frontogenesis). Quantitative characteristics of frontogenesis are efficient diagnostic parameters both for understanding weather processes and weather forecast specification and for the verification and enhancement of numerical models.     

The role of the subtropical jet stream during heat wave events over north-central Greece

Summary The role of the subtropical jet stream (SJ) in the occurrence of heat waves in South Balkans and Greece is sought here. For this purpose ECMWF grid-point data is examined, concerning the Balkan heat wave of 5–9 July 1988, that cost human lifes, at least in Greece. For the city of Thessaloniki, Greece, a temperature budget is presented, as a function of time. It turns out that the most important heating mechanism is the adiabatic heating. Horizontal mass convergence at the maximum wind level (200 hPa) causes descent and adiabatic heating. The convergence occurs in association with the Hadley Cell, as well as with the right exit quadrant of an anticyclonically curved subtropical jet streak. As air parcels that exit the above jet streak slow down and turn anticyclonically, a strong ageostrophic wind current is established towards and to the right of the flow direction. This ageostrophic current converges above the northeastern Balkans. Downward ageostrophic motion emerges from the above area of horizontal convergence and heads towards the SSW, affecting the Balkans. From the above case study, it is concluded that intense heat waves are favoured in the South Balkans and Greece when the SJ is anticyclonically curved to the north of the Balkans and a jet streak is situated to the north west of the Balkans.     

Semigeostrophic Frontal Boundary Layer

The viscous semigeostrophic solutions obtained for the baroclinic Eady wave fronts are analyzed for the generation of the cross-frontal temperature gradient in the boundary layer. In the case of free-slip boundaries, the cross-frontal gradient is maximally generated at the surface by meridional temperature advection. In the case of no-slip boundaries, surface friction reduces the meridional temperature advection in the boundary layer: The maximum generation occurs above the surface layer and the temperature gradient at the surface is maintained by vertical diffusion. The no-slip solution is compared with the Ekman-layer model solution. Errors are quantified for the use of the Ekman-layer model in the mature state of frontogenesis.The surface frontogenesis is found to be affected by diffusivity both directly and indirectly. The direct effect of diffusivity is represented explicitly by the diffusion term in the potential temperature equation. The indirect effect of diffusivity is related implicitly to the temperature advection caused by the viscous part of the ageostrophic motion whose horizontal velocity component is defined by the frictional wind deflection (away from the geostrophy). The direct effect of diffusivity is frontolytical, whilst theindirect effect of diffusivity is frontogenetic in the mesoscale vicinity of the front. The indirect effect of diffusivity contributes dominantly to the mesoscale surface frontogenesis for the free-slip case, but it is offset by the divergence of the dynamic part of the ageostrophic motion at the surface level for the non-slip case.     

低空急流形成发展的一种可能机制——重力波的惯性不稳定

当斜压大气在高空急流轴附近满足条件f(f-/y)＜0时,非地转运动激发出的重力惯性波将得到进一步的发展.此时,斜压大气的地转适应过程无法实现,非热成风和垂直环流之间将发生正反馈作用, 负的非热成风将激发并加强南部上升北部下沉的垂直环流,垂直上升流的加强将导致低层低压系统的发展和低层流场的辐合,使得低层低压系统南侧的气压梯度力增大,结果在辐合区南侧形成低空急流.此外,非热成风的分布对垂直环流和低空急流的形成发展也具有非常重要的作用.     

Frontogenesis and cross frontal circulation in a strong summertime cold front

Summary The characteristics of a strong European summertime cold front are investigated using the wealth of synoptic observations, which were analysed by the dynamical initialization scheme of an operational meso-scale model. The study was also extended to forecasted fields.Cross-sections perpendicular to the front, covering a dormain of more than 2000 km in the horizontal and 10 km in the vertical direction, bring out the basic parameters (as potential temperature and the components of the geostrophic and ageostrophic wind vectors), the ageostrophic crossfrontal circulation and all cross-frontal frontogenesis terms.None of the many frontogenesis terms plays a dominant role, there is a concerted action of geostrophic and ageostrophic deformation and shear, of tilting and diabatic sources in producing a rather complex structure of total frontogenesis. The cross-sectional fields of all presented terms strongly underline the fact, that a front is not a line of discontinuity but a rather wide three-dimensional field phenomenon.With 12 Figures     

急流加速产生的高空锋生和低空锋生

本文用数值模拟方法证实了曾庆存提出的一种锋生机制,即高空急流加速或高空动量输入通过地转适应过程造成高空锋生.我们采用二维非弹性数值模式模拟了五种急流加速分布产生的锋生过程:三个低空锋生,分别由中尺度地面、中尺度低空和次天气尺度低空急流加速产生;二个高空锋生,分别由高空次天气尺度和天气尺度急流加速产生.模拟的结果表明:(1)通过地转适应产生的位温梯度的大小依赖于急流的空间结构以及Rossby变形半径和急流扰动尺度的比值,比值越大,适应锋生越强.(2)在相同的尺度条件下急流加速产生的高空锋生比低空锋生更强.(3)地转适应过程将加速的高空急流动量向下层传输,使锋区变陡并向对流层中、下层延伸,这种对流层高低层的非地转耦合可能是低空急流形成的另一种机制.(4)在模拟的五个过程中急流振荡的主频率约是惯性频率的1.7倍.     

梅雨锋动力锋生方程组及其应用

利用湿静力温度Tσ作为参数，导出梅雨锋锋生的方程组，并用该方程组计算了1991年江淮梅雨锋强降水的个例。结果表明:该方程组可分析梅雨锋的动力锋生；在梅雨锋中存在近似垂直分布的对称的横向次级环流，环流中干冷侧的横向穿锋环流可建立湿状态的稳定性；非地转变形项对梅雨锋锋生（消）起主导作用，同时次级环流的上升运动与锋生有正反馈关系。另外，梅雨锋中Tσ水平锋生对未来6小时降水具有一定的指示意义。     

ANALYSIS OF A CASE OF EAST ASIA COASTAL CYCLOGENESIS*

The evolution of an explosive cyclone off the East Asia coast in March 1979 is described.A shortwave trough in the southern branch of upper-level westerlies initiated the incipient cyclone.Later,a polar trough in the north amplified and became in phase with the southern shortwave to form a major trough.This major trough was responsible for the rapid intensification of the surface cyclone.In the early development stage,warm and moist air was transported northward to the developing area by a strong low-level jet.The ageostrophic wind associated with the low-level jet contributed to the frontogenesis,creating a favorable low-level environment for the rapid deepening.A low-level positive potential vorticity anomaly was created prior to the onset of rapid deepening.It was a result of frontal cloud condensation.The cyclone intensified rapidly when stratospheric air with high potential vorticity penetrated to the mid-troposphere.The rapid deepening took place at a location under the left-exit region of an amplifying jet streak behind the major trough and the right-entrance region of another anticyclonically-curved subtropical jet streak in a quasi-stationary ridge overJapan.Due to the blocking effect of the Tibetan Plateau,two shortwave disturbances were observed in the upper-level westerlies on the north and south sides of the Plateau.The southern disturbance initiated the incipient surface cyclone,while the amplifying northern disturbance was responsible for the rapid deepening.Thus,the evolution of the explosive cyclone in this case can be regarded as consecutive Petterssen's "type-B" cyclogenesis in two separate stages.     

东亚冬季风中非地转风的初步研究

本文对非地转风在东亚冬季冷空气活动过程中的作用及影响非地转风的主要因子等问题进行了初步研究，并讨论了非地转风在有限区动能收支中的作用。结果表明，非地转风是冷空气过程中地面偏北大风加强的主要原因之一，非地转风次级环流使东亚高空西风急流和Hadley环流得以加强，而高空西风急流具有次地转的特征。变高、惯性平流和摩擦作用是影响非地转风的主要因子。此外，位温局地变化，位温平流和非绝热作用对非地转风的形成亦有相当大的贡献，但该三项非地转风分量的向量和接近于零。非地转风在有限区动能的收支中也起着十分重要的作用。     

The interface effect and the formation of a low-level jet along the east side of the rocky mountains

Based upon the analysis of several different causes for the low-level jet along the east side of the Rocky Moun-tains, the concept of “Interface Effect” is established. The basic mechanism for the formation of the low-level jet in North America has been found to be the compression and divergence, under the driving of ageostrophic winds, of the air columns between two surfaces-the ground and the bottom of inversion-which slope with different patterns in a cross-section normal to the jet stream. As a result, the air parcel is accelerated along the stream-line and the anticyclonic shear of the current increased. Also, the diurnal variation of the jet is determined by the interface effect.     

一次与西南低涡相联系的低空急流的数值研究

梅雨期西南低涡的东移发展与长江中下游降水的加强有密切关系,作者采用中尺度模式对一次西南低涡及其伴随低空急流的发展演变进行了数值模拟.模拟结果表明:在长江中下游大巴山地区低空急流先于西南涡东移发展;西南低涡及低空急流的生成发展在开始阶段与中层(400 hPa)的弱辐散密切相关;南风分量在西南低空急流的演变发展过程中起着更为主动的作用;南风分量增大中心位于南风分量中心的前方,促使南风分量中心东移;南风分量的动量方程收支分析表明水平平流项和产生项是促使南风分量变化的主要作用项,水平平流项和垂直平流项大部分相互抵消,科里奥利项的作用不可忽视,而其他项的值较小,在个别阶段和地区行星边界层项的作用在低层也较大.     

DYNAMIC INFLUENCE OF QINGHAI-XIZANG PLATEAU AND ROCKY MOUNTAINS ON THE LEE CYCLONES

Using the operational model(B model)of Beijing Meteorological Center,we do some of numerical experi-ments of crossing and rounding mountains in all velocity adjustment scheme,and study dynamic effect ofQinghai-Xizang Plateau and Rocky Mountains on lee cyclones.The results show that due to air flow roundthe Qinghai-Xizang Plateau,divergence is distributed in the shape of confluence which matches cyclogenesisarea and cyclonic track in East Asia.In the downstream of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau,convergence inthe upper troposphere restrains cyclone development in the east of China mainland.In North America,air flow primarily crosses over Rocky Mountains.Air is adiabatically cooled when it flows upward in thewest flank of Rocky Mountains,while air is warmed when it flows downward in the lee side.The fact isimportant for the lee cyclogenesis and the lee frontogenesis of Rocky Mountains.Air flow crossing over RockyMountains is also the main cause for forming dryline in the mid-west of United States.     

青藏高原和落基山对气旋的动力影响

本文利用北京气象中心的业务预报模式(B模式),采用全风速调整方案,进行了绕流、爬坡等各种数值试验,研究青藏高原和落基山对气旋的动力影响。结果表明,气流绕青藏高原而行,产生的散度场与东亚的气旋生成区和路径匹配;在青藏高原主体下游,高层辐合,抑制了我国大陆东部的气旋发展。在北美,落基山对大气的动力影响以爬坡为主,由于气流在迎风坡上升,空气绝热冷却,在背风面大规模下沉增温,对流层低层形成暖脊,这对背风锋生和背风气旋的发生发展有着直接的影响;另外爬坡作用也是美国中西部干线形成的主要原因。     

Mesoscale simulations of dynamical factors discriminating between a tornado outbreak and non-event over the southeast US Part I: 84–48 hour precursors

Summary Observational analysis and mesoscale numerical simulations are in agreement concerning key dynamical processes which occurred over Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico 84 hours prior to the 1988 Raleigh (RDU), NC tornado outbreak. The subtropical jet (STJ) over northern Mexico and its associated transverse ageostrophic circulation forced air down the eastern side of the Sierra Madre Mountains creating adiabatic warming due to compressional heating. Along with this warm air, a low-level trough of low pressure formed and a low-level jet (LLJ) developed over the western Gulf of Mexico. This LLJ began the process that transported very warm and potential vorticity (PV) rich air from the Mexican plateau to the Carolina Piedmont. The low-level PV maximum over central NC at the time of the tornado was a coherent entity traceable back 84 hours to the Mexican plateau. Over the Mexican plateau, the STJ transported the PV rich air southward then down to the midlevels. There was substantial heating over the plateau producing a deep well-mixed layer and a mountain-plains solenoid. An area of strong vertical convergence developed in the 500–600 hPa layer which increased the thermal gradient and maintained the PV. This mid-level PV was transported to the low-levels by a hydrostatic mountain wave. As the PV maxima moved down the lee of the mountains it increased due to strong static stability, tilting and frictional effects. Finally, the PV maxima moved along the Gulf Coast and up the East Coast to central NC. Received December 23, 1999 Revised January 16, 2000     

两次陕北暴雨过程热力动力机制诊断

利用常规气象观测资料、NCEP FNL分析资料（水平分辨率为1°×1°,时间分辨率为6 h）,对2013年7月21-22日和2014年7月8-9日两次陕北暴雨过程成因进行热力动力诊断,结果表明:两次陕北暴雨与高低空急流关系密切,暴雨带位于低空急流左侧的水汽辐合区,“0721”过程低空急流更强,在高低空急流耦合的强上升运动区（延安）出现大暴雨。降水前期,两次过程大气均存在对流不稳定,切变线触发对流,产生强降水,而其释放的凝结潜热加热形成中低层大气的热力不连续面,湿斜压性及锋生增强,造成整层饱和大气的抬升,维持强降水。“0721”过程前期对流降水的潜热释放更大,由此反馈的低空急流及锋生更强,出现大暴雨天气。广义对流涡度矢量垂直分量很好地描述了两次暴雨过程高低空急流耦合作用以及凝结潜热释放增强的锋生作用,其变化趋势能够反映降水的发展和减弱过程。暴雨出现在湿热力平流参数垂直积分大值中心及南侧的高梯度区,大值中心出现后约6 h会产生强降水,这对于强降水落区的预报有一定指示意义。     

Climatological Characteristics of Frontogenesis and Related Circulations over East China in June and July

Based on daily precipitation data from 212 stations in East China and NCEP/NCAR daily global final analysis data in June and July from 2000 to 2010, the climatological characteristics of frontogenesis and related circulations have been analyzed. The results demonstrate that frontogenesis function distributes nonuniformly in East China. The different terms of the kinematic frontogenesis show different intensities and distributions of frontogenesis. The strongest frontogenesis integrated from different kinematic frontogenesis terms is observed in the Jianghuai area. Frontogenesis events are separated into four types as per the different shear and convergence types of horizontal wind along the strong frontogenesis band at 850 hPa. The four types include the warm shear type, cold shear type (with two subtypes), west wind convergence type, and east wind convergence type. The events in different frontogenesis types occur with different frequencies over the past decade. The warm shear type occurs most frequently. Different types of frontogenesis have distinctive horizontal and vertical structures. Strong frontogenesis is featured with 340-K contour of θ_se parallel to the frontal zone in the vertical. Varied large-scale circulation patterns manifested in shifted location and strength of cyclone or anticyclone, wind convergence, as well as vertical circulation structure are associated with different types of frontogenesis. Moreover, a strong positive correlation between frontogenesis and precipitation is found, i.e., the stronger the frontogenesis, the more precipitation there is. Daily precipitation related to the warm shear type frontogenesis is the largest, and often occurs inside the frontal zone with the same orientation with the strong frontogenesis belt. The second largest daily precipitation occurs with the cold shear type frontogenesis, and related rainfall is usually observed to the south of the frontal zone, with the rain belt extending northeastward. Precipitation related to the west wind convergence type frontogenesis is the third largest, occurring mostly in the south of the frontal zone.