Lagrangian modeling of water circulation in the Lofoten Basin

Lagrangian particle tracking is implemented for the Lofoten Basin of the Norwegian Sea. The ocean dynamic fields are obtained from the GLORYS 12V1 reanalysis available by the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service. Spatial distributions of the Lagrangian particles during May-November 2014 are analyzed for two depth layers: the sea-surface (0.5 m) and 266 m. The results show a significant impact of the Norwegian Coastal Current (NCC) on the thermohaline structure of the upper Lofoten Basin, underestimated previously. The NCC penetrates deep into the central Lofoten basin as far as the longitude 0°. In the subsurface layer, the area over which the NCC influences water structure is comparable to the area of the Norwegian Atlantic Slope Current (NASC), as well as to that of the Norwegian Atlantic Frontal Current (NAFC). The NCC maximum influence on the surface water of the Basin is reached in August. The inflow of the NCC is associated with relatively fresh water intrusions (0.5–2‰ fresher than the surrounding waters) moving from the coast to the central part of the Basin. The NASC and NAFC form two main sources of the Atlantic Water in the Lofoten Basin. At 266 m level, the NASC and NAFC waters dominate water structure in the basin. Herewith the NASC influence prevails over that of the NAFC, the latter being limited to the western periphery of the Basin. At this level, the NCC is observed only along a narrow band following the eastern coast. During summer, the core of the Lofoten Vortex (LV) at 266 m is mainly composed of the NAFC water. This fact contradicts the previous point of view of the dominance of the NASC in the LV core at all depth levels. Using two types of Lagrangian maps, we highlighted the summer and the autumn periods in the LV annual lifecycle. The summer LV is characterized by high orbital velocities, which are several times higher than those of the currents along the basin boundaries. The monthly mean orbital velocities in the LV reach 35 сm s⁻¹. To the end of autumn, the LV weakens with the monthly mean orbital velocities below 10 cm s⁻¹.     

Simulation of the atmospheric circulation in the Weddell Sea region using the limited-area model REMO

Summary ?To analyse the applicability of a limited-area atmosphere model to the Southern Ocean, a one-year simulation for 1985 is performed using the REgional MOdel REMO at 55-km horizontal grid-spacing implemented for the Antarctic regions of the Weddell, Bellingshausen and Amundsen Seas. To evaluate the performance of REMO, a comparison of model results to observations and to reanalysis/analysis data sets is carried out. REMO is initialized and driven at the lateral and lower boundaries by data of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) reanalysis (ERA15). Overall, REMO is an appropriate tool for further climate studies in Antarctic regions. It reproduces reasonably well basic spatial patterns and the seasonal cycle of the atmospheric circulation. However, the simulated mean sea level pressure (MSLP) is predominantly lower than the MSLP provided by observations and by ERA. Considerable temperature differences in the lower troposphere over sea ice in winter cause discrepancies between the REMO and ERA pressure fields in the mid-troposphere too. The precipitation rate P of the REMO simulation agrees qualitatively well with main features of the observed climatological spatial distribution described in literature. The seasonal cycle of P in the inner Weddell Sea reflects the Antarctic semi-annual oscillation. Concerning the forcing fields, the ERA sea ice surface temperatures in winter are generally higher than satellite derived surface temperatures. Although the differences are 10 to 15 K in the southern Weddell Sea, this deficiency of the ERA data hardly influences the mean large-scale circulation. Received October 10, 2001; revised April 22, 2002; accepted May 12, 2002     

Underestimation of the Warming Trend over the Tibetan Plateau during 1998–2013 by Global Land Data Assimilation Systems and Atmospheric Reanalyses

Accurate surface air temperature (T2m) data are key to investigating eco-hydrological responses to global warming. Because of sparse in-situ observations, T2m datasets from atmospheric reanalysis or multi-source observation-based land data assimilation system (LDAS) are widely used in research over alpine regions such as the Tibetan Plateau (TP). It has been found that the warming rate of T2m over the TP accelerates during the global warming slowdown period of 1998–2013, which raises the question of whether the reanalysis or LDAS datasets can capture the warming feature. By evaluating two global LDASs, five global atmospheric reanalysis datasets, and a high-resolution dynamical downscaling simulation driven by one of the global reanalysis, we demonstrate that the LDASs and reanalysis datasets underestimate the warming trend over the TP by 27%–86% during 1998–2013. This is mainly caused by the underestimations of the increasing trends of surface downward radiation and nighttime total cloud amount over the southern and northern TP, respectively. Although GLDAS2.0, ERA5, and MERRA2 reduce biases of T2m simulation from their previous versions by 12%-94%, they do not show significant improvements in capturing the warming trend. The WRF dynamical downscaling dataset driven by ERA-Interim shows a great improvement, as it corrects the cooling trend in ERA-Interim to an observation-like warming trend over the southern TP. Our results indicate that more efforts are needed to reasonably simulate the warming features over the TP during the global warming slowdown period, and the WRF dynamical downscaling dataset provides more accurate T2m estimations than its driven global reanalysis dataset ERA-Interim for producing LDAS products over the TP.     

The simulation of medicanes in a high-resolution regional climate model

Medicanes, strong mesoscale cyclones with tropical-like features, develop occasionally over the Mediterranean Sea. Due to the scarcity of observations over sea and the coarse resolution of the long-term reanalysis datasets, it is difficult to study systematically the multidecadal statistics of sub-synoptic medicanes. Our goal is to assess the long-term variability and trends of medicanes, obtaining a long-term climatology through dynamical downscaling of the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data. In this paper, we examine the robustness of this method and investigate the value added for the study of medicanes. To do so, we performed several climate mode simulations with a high resolution regional atmospheric model (CCLM) for a number of test cases described in the literature. We find that the medicanes are formed in the simulations, with deeper pressures and stronger winds than in the driving global NCEP reanalysis. The tracks are adequately reproduced. We conclude that our methodology is suitable for constructing multi-decadal statistics and scenarios of current and possible future medicane activities.     

一次双高空急流背景下南疆强降水事件的动力过程和水汽源分析

本文利用欧洲中心ERA-Interim和NOAA的再分析资料并应用拉格朗日后向轨迹追踪的方法对2015年5月24日发生在南疆的一次强降水过程进行了动力诊断和水汽特征分析。结果表明此次强降水过程的直接影响系统是中亚低涡前西南气流中发展的小槽,南北两支高空急流辐散场叠加引发的对流层高层加剧的抽吸作用和高低空急流的耦合作用共同导致了深厚强烈的上升运动,是这次强降水主要的动力抬升机制。TBB（black body temperature）的演变与降水的发生、发展有很好的对应关系,TBB中心降至-50°C以下时降水开始且随其中心强度的扩大降水也持续加强。进一步诊断发现,低层850 hPa对流涡度矢量（CVV）垂直分量的正值中心在降水前6～12小时已可以大致体现未来强降水的落区。此次南疆盆地强降水的水汽主要源于黑海和里海,低空急流引导了一部分水汽进入南疆,HYSPLIT模式后向追踪的结果表明,此次强降水过程主要有两条水汽通道,均源于新疆以西的欧亚大陆但输送路径有所差异,偏西路径和转向路径分别主要输送800 hPa以上和以下的水汽,降水发生前两条路径在垂直方向上均有明显抬升,水汽辐合有利于暴雨的形成。     

我国近海和邻近海的海洋环境对最近全球气候变化的响应

鉴于全球气候变暖对海洋环境和海洋生态及对经济和社会可持续发展影响的严重性,作者首先利用ERA-40再分析的风场资料以及HadISST 和SODA等海洋高分辨率再分析资料,分析了近50年来全球气候变化对中国近海(包括渤海、黄海、东海和南海)和邻近海(主要是热带和副热带西太平洋)海面附近的风力、海表纬向和经向风应力和海表温度的影响.分析结果表明: 由于受全球气候变暖的影响,1976年之后中国近海和邻近海上空的冬、夏季风变弱,从而引起中国近海冬、夏季海表风应力减弱(尤其是经向风应力),而海表水温明显上升; 并且,冬、夏季海表风应力的减弱和海水温度的上升在中国东海反映尤其明显,这些为中国近海赤潮的频繁发生提供了有利的海洋环境.此外,从中国近海上空环流散度分布的变化可见,中国近海上空从1976年之后大气环流辐散增强,这不利于中国近海上升流的形成,从而会对沿岸水域营养盐的输送产生影响.     

Assessing the Quality of Regional Ocean Reanalysis Data from ENSO Signals

The quality of regional ocean reanalysis data for “the joining area of Asia and the Indian-Pacific Ocean (AIPO)” has been assessed from the perspective of ENSO-related ocean signals. The results derived from the AIPO reanalysis, including SST, sea surface height (SSH), and subsurface ocean temperature and currents, are compared with those of Hadley Center Sea Ice and Sea Surface Temperature (HadISST) data set and Simple Ocean Data Assimilation (SODA) reanalysis data. Both the spatial pattern and the characteristics of evolution of the ENSO-related ocean temperature anomalies are well reproduced by the AIPO reanalysis data. The physical processes proposed to explain the life cycle of ENSO, including the delayed oscillator mechanism, recharge-discharge mechanism, and the zonal advection feedback, are reasonably represented in this dataset. However, the westward Rossby wave signal in 1992 is not obvious in the AIPO data, and the magnitude of the heat content anomalies is different from that of the SODA data. The reason for the discrepancies may lie in the different models and methods for data assimilation and differences in wind stress forcing. The results demonstrate the high reliability of the AIPO reanalysis data in describing ENSO signals, implying its potential application value in ENSO-related studies.     

Polar night vortex breakdown and large-scale stirring in the southern stratosphere

The present paper examines the vortex breakdown and large-scale stirring during the final warming of the Southern Hemisphere stratosphere during the spring of 2005. A unique set of in situ observations collected by 27 superpressure balloons (SPBs) is used. The balloons, which were launched from McMurdo, Antarctica, by the Stratéole/VORCORE project, drifted for several weeks on two different isopycnic levels in the lower stratosphere. We describe balloon trajectories and compare them with simulations obtained on the basis of the velocity field from the GEOS-5 and NCEP/NCAR reanalyses performed with and without VORCORE data. To gain insight on the mechanisms responsible for the horizontal transport of air inside and outside the well-isolated vortex we examine the balloon trajectories in the framework of the Lagrangian properties of the stratospheric flow. Coherent structures of the flow are visualized by computing finite-time Lyapunov exponents (FTLE). A combination of isentropic analysis and FTLE distributions reveals that air is stripped away from the vortex’s interior as stable manifolds eventually cross the vortex’s edge. It is shown that two SPBs escaped from the vortex within high potential vorticity tongues that developed in association with wave breaking at locations along the vortex’s edge where forward and backward FTLE maxima approximately intersect. The trajectories of three SPBs flying as a group at the same isopycnic level are examined and their behavior is interpreted in reference to the FTLE field. These results support the concept of stable and unstable manifolds governing transport of air masses across the periphery of the stratospheric polar vortex.     

Simulation of local atmospheric dynamics in the coastal region of Dunkerque

The structure of the lower troposphere has been studied during the sea-breeze and post sea-breeze events in an industrialized coastal area of the North Sea. Atmospheric dynamics and dispersion of pollutants in the lower troposphere have been analyzed by the experimental results of the 3D nonhydrostatic Meso-NH model in Dunkerque area (51°N, 2.20°E), in the north of France. The simulations were verified and extended by data of the measurement campaign. Ground-based remote sensing systems (lidar and sodar), surface meteorology and air quality network stations data have been employed. We illustrate the different pollution scenarios and breeze structure by the analysis of Lagrangian tracers and back trajectories.     

两次秋季北上台风引发东北地区暴雨的水汽特征

利用ERA5 0.25°×0.25°高分辨率再分析资料、实况融合降水资料、台风最佳路径数据集、HYSPLIT(Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory model)后向轨迹追踪模型等资料,对2019年13号台风"玲玲"和2012年15号台风"布拉万"引发东北地区暴雨的水汽特征进行分析。研究表明:两次台风最大湿层厚度达200 hPa附近,700 hPa以下比湿大于10 g·kg^-1,高比湿主要集中在850 hPa以下的低层,台风的水汽分布具有明显的非对称结构特征。整层积分水汽通量散度与暴雨落区有一定的对应关系,尤其和降水强度对应。东北地区周边海域的水汽对东北暴雨的水汽供应很关键,源在日本群岛东部的西北太平洋的东南水汽通道是最重要的水汽通道。西南太平洋或阿拉伯海,包括欧拉方法研究发现的孟加拉湾较远距离的水汽输送存在,但是并非是东北台风暴雨的主要贡献者。     

基于CloudSat-CALIPSO资料的北极云宏观特征及形成机制研究北大核心CSCD

基于CloudSat-CALIPSO(CloudSat-Cloud Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations)卫星反演资料以及ERA5(ECMWF Reanalysis v5)月平均再分析资料,分析了北极地区总云量及其出现频率最高的层积云(Sc)的时空分布特征,并且探讨了层积云形成的可能原因。分析结果表明:秋季是北极地区全年总云量最多的季节,且喀拉海—楚科奇海区域云量增加幅度较为明显,其中海气温差较大、表面潜热通量致使边界层上升运动较强且相对湿度大是该区域云形成和维持的主要因素。另外,北极地区分布着大量Sc,主要位于常年几乎无海冰覆盖的挪威海—巴伦支海区域。此区域的低层稳定度与Sc云量呈负相关,即低层稳定度越大,Sc云量越少,此现象与热带以及中纬度等地区不同。开阔的海洋表面通过地表—大气耦合、热量和湿度的湍流表面通量降低了低层稳定度,促进了层积云的形成,增加了层积云的覆盖。     

全球变暖背景下中国近海表层海温变异及其与东亚季风的关系

利用长时间序列HadISST、ERA-40高分辨率的海洋大气再分析资料和经验正交函数(EOF)及回归分析等方法,分析了近50年来中国近海表层海温(SST)、东亚季风的时空变化特征及两者的关系.结果表明:中国近海冬、夏季SST有明显的年际和年代际变化,并均在1980年代中期发生了位相转折,之后呈现显著的上升趋势.其中,冬...     

APPLICATION OF HYSPLIT MODEL IN DEFINITION OF THE ONSET OF SOUTH CHINA SEA SUMMER MONSOON

Using NCEP reanalysis data and an airflow trajectory model based on the Lagrangian method, the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model, the daily backward trajectories on the height of 850 hPa above the South China Sea (SCS) area are simulated from April to June. The onset date of the SCS summer monsoon from 1948 to 2009 is determined according to the simulated source of airflow in the monitored area of the SCS. By analyzing the SCS monsoon onset dates over the 62 years, we found that the number of years in which the SCS monsoon onset is earlier accounts for 13%, and the later years 14%, the normal years 73%, of all the 62 years. Analyses with the Lagrangian method, done in comparison with the other two methods which combine wind and potential pseudo-equivalent temperature, were performed to determine the onset dates of the SCS summer monsoon. In some years, the source of the southwest airflow in the monitored area of the SCS is in the subtropical region before the onset of the SCS monsoon, so the airflow from the subtropics can be distinguished with the airflow from the tropics by using the Lagrangian method. The simulation by the trajectory model indicated that in some years, after the onset of SCS summer monsoon, the SCS will be controlled by the southeast wind instead of the southwesterly usually expected.     

A STUDY ON THE MECHANISM OF RAPID WEAKENING OF TYPHOON XANGSANE (0020) OVER THE EAST CHINA SEA

Using the National Center for Environmental Prediction reanalysis data on 1.0°×1.0° grids and data from the Tropical Cyclone yearbook(2000),a diagnostic analysis and numerical simulation were performed to investigate the characteristics and mechanism underlying the rapid weakening of typhoon Xangsane.The results show that a sharp decline in the intensity of typhoon Xangsane resulted from its movement into the cool sea surface temperature area in the East China Sea,the intrusion of cold air from the mainland into the typhoon,and a rapid increase of the vertical wind shear in the surrounding environment.An important factor that led to the demise of the typhoon was a significant decrease in the moisture transport into the typhoon.Furthermore,the results of the numerical simulation and sensitivity experiments indicate that sea surface temperature largely modulated the rapid weakening of typhoon Xangsane.     

Influence of sea surface temperature on the European heat wave of 2003 summer. Part I: an observational study

The heat wave affecting Europe during summer of 2003 is analyzed in detail with observational and reanalysis data. Surface, middle and upper troposphere analysis reveal particular circulation patterns related to an atmospheric blocking condition. In general seasonal anomalies, like this intense heat wave, are strongly related to boundary conditions. Composites and empirical orthogonal functions analysis provide evidence for an organized structure in the sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly field: high SSTs in the Mediterranean basin, the North Sea and further north toward the Arctic Circle were observed mainly in the months of June and August. The outcome of this analysis on observational data shows the SST as one of the possible factors in enhancing the heat wave in the European area.     

2009-18年西北太平洋区域海洋再分析CORA1.0产品研制及检验

在51年(1958-2008)西北太平洋区域海洋再分析CORA1.0产品的基础上,改进了模式配置和同化方法,研制了2009-18年的CORA产品并对其进行以下检验:(1)温盐和海表高度异常均方根误差分布检验;(2)35°N处温度断面分布检验;(3)再分析流场和表漂浮标轨迹对比检验.结果显示,2009-18年的CORA产品可以再现海洋要素长时间序列,时空多尺度的变化特征,为研究特征海洋现象和过程提供背景信息.     

基于不同资料的影响南海热带气旋环流背景对比北大核心CSCD

利用1981—2020年中国热带气旋最佳路径数据集、中国大气再分析资料(CMA-RA)、欧洲中期天气预报中心ERA5及美国NCEP/NCAR再分析资料(NCEP-Ⅰ),对比不同资料在表征影响南海热带气旋活动环流背景的能力,探讨CMA-RA的适用性。结果表明:不同资料基本刻画出与热带气旋活动密切相关的环流特征,包括南方涛动、菲律宾至南海低层纬向风、热带低层纬向风反向分布型、菲律宾至南海中东部低层涡度、热带西太平洋垂直风切变及南海至菲律宾以东海域中层湿度。它们对南方涛动、关键区纬向风和中层湿度的刻画较相似,CMA-RA和ERA5对南方涛动、低层纬向风及其与热带气旋关系的描述一致性高,较NCEP-Ⅰ密切,但低层经向风、关键物理量差异较大。对极端年环流具有相似的表现能力,但异常程度存在差异,海平面气压、低层纬向风高度一致,以CMA-RA与ERA5最接近;中层湿度CMA-RA与ERA5接近,较NCEP-Ⅰ偏小;关键物理量差异较大。CMA-RA对南海热带气旋环流的刻画具有与ERA5和NCEP-Ⅰ相当的性能,并与ERA5一致性较高,可为相关工作提供可替换的再分析资料集。     

Internal variability in multidecadal trends of surface air temperature over antarctica in austral winter in model simulations

The surface air temperature (SAT) exhibits pronounced warming over West Antarctica in recent decades, especially in austral spring and winter. Using a 30-member ensemble of simulations by Community Earth System Model (CESM), two reanalysis datasets, and observed station data, this study investigates the relative contributions of internally generated low-frequency climate variability and externally forced climate change to the austral winter SAT trend in Antarctica. Although these simulations share the same external forcing, the SAT trends during 1979–2005 show large diversity among the individual members in the CESM ensemble simulations, suggesting that internally generated variability contributes a considerable part to the multidecadal SAT change in Antarctica. Quantitatively, the total forced contribution to the SAT (1979–2005) change is about 0.53 k/27 yr, and the internal variability can be strong enough to double or cancel the externally forced warming trend. A method called “dynamical adjustment” is utilized to further divide the forced response. We find both the forced thermodynamically-induced and the forced dynamically-induced SAT trends are positive over all the regions in Antarctica, with the regional mean values of 0.20 k /27 yr and 0.33 k/27 yr, respectively. The diversity of SAT trends among the simulations is closely linked to a Southern hemisphere Annular Mode (SAM)-like atmospheric circulation multidecadal change in the Southern Hemisphere. When there exists a positive–negative seesaw of pressure trend between Antarctica and the mid-latitudes, the SAT trend is positive over most of Antarctica but negative over the Antarctic Peninsula, and vice versa. The SAM-like atmospheric circulation multidecadal change mainly arises from atmospheric internal variability rather than remote tropical Sea Surface Temperature (SST).

     

Secular spring rainfall variability at local scale over Ethiopia: trend and associated dynamics

Spring rainfall secular variability is studied using observations, reanalysis, and model simulations. The joint coherent spatio-temporal secular variability of gridded monthly gauge rainfall over Ethiopia, ERA-Interim atmospheric variables and sea surface temperature (SST) from Hadley Centre Sea Ice and SST (HadISST) data set is extracted using multi-taper method singular value decomposition (MTM-SVD). The contemporaneous associations are further examined using partial Granger causality to determine presence of causal linkage between any of the climate variables. This analysis reveals that only the northwestern Indian Ocean secular SST anomaly has direct causal links with spring rainfall over Ethiopia and mean sea level pressure (MSLP) over Africa inspite of the strong secular covariance of spring rainfall, SST in parts of subtropical Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean and MSLP. High secular rainfall variance and statistically significant linear trend show consistently that there is a massive decline in spring rain over southern Ethiopia. This happened concurrently with significant buildup of MSLP over East Africa, northeastern Africa including parts of the Arabian Peninsula, some parts of central Africa and SST warming over all ocean basins with the exception of the ENSO regions. The east-west pressure gradient in response to the Indian Ocean warming led to secular southeasterly winds over the Arabian Sea, easterly over central Africa and equatorial Atlantic. These flows weakened climatological northeasterly flow over the Arabian Sea and southwesterly flow over equatorial Atlantic and Congo basins which supply moisture into the eastern Africa regions in spring. The secular divergent flow at low level is concurrent with upper level convergence due to the easterly secular anomalous flow. The mechanisms through which the northwestern Indian Ocean secular SST anomaly modulates rainfall are further explored in the context of East Africa using a simplified atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) coupled to mixed-layer oceanic model. The rainfall anomaly (with respect to control simulation), forced by the northwestern Indian Ocean secular SST anomaly and averaged over the 30-year period, exhibits prevalence of dry conditions over East and equatorial Africa in agreement with observation. The atmospheric response to secular SST warming anomaly led to divergent flow at low levels and subsidence at the upper troposphere over regions north of 5^° S on the continent and vice versa over the Indian Ocean. This surface difluence over East Africa, in addition to its role in suppressing convective activity, deprives the region of moisture supply from the Indian Ocean as well as the Atlantic and Congo basins.     

A high-resolution 44-year atmospheric hindcast for the Mediterranean Basin: contribution to the regional improvement of global reanalysis

A 44-year (1958–2001) high-resolution atmospheric hindcast for the whole Mediterranean Basin was performed within the EU-funded Hindcast of Dynamic Processes of the Ocean and Coastal Areas of Europe (HIPOCAS) Project. The long-term hindcasted data set, which comprises several atmospheric parameters at different levels, was produced by means of dynamical downscaling from the NCEP/NCAR global reanalysis using the atmospheric limited area model REMO. The REMO hindcast has been exhaustively validated. On that score, various hindcasted surface parameters, such as 10-m wind field, 2-m temperature and mean sea level pressure, have been compared to satellite data (ERS-1/2 scatterometer) and in-situ measurements from offshore stations. In addition, two ocean models (waves and sea level) have been forced with REMO hindcasted fields (mean sea level pressure and 10-m wind field). The validation of these ocean runs, performed through comparisons of simulated waves and sea level with oceanographic measurements, allows to evaluate "indirectly" the quality of the REMO hindcasted data used as atmospheric forcing. Once the quality of the hindcasted data was verified, the efficiency of the regional enhancement performed through dynamical downscaling on the NCEP global reanalysis was assessed. The regional improvement was evaluated through comparisons of REMO and NCEP performance in reproducing observations. The important improvement obtained in the characterization of extreme wind events is particularly remarkable.