Assimilation of All-sky Geostationary Satellite Infrared Radiances for Convection-Permitting Initialization and Prediction of Hurricane Joaquin (2015)

Intensity forecasting is one of the most challenging aspects of tropical cyclone (TC) forecasting. This work examines the impact of assimilating high-resolution all-sky infrared radiance observations from geostationary satellite GOES-13 on the convection-permitting initialization and prediction of Hurricane Joaquin (2015) with an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) based on the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Given that almost all operational global and regional models struggled to capture Hurricane Joaquin (2015)’s intensity, this study examines the potential in improving Joaquin’s prediction when assimilating all-sky infrared radiances from GOES-13’s water vapor channel. It is demonstrated that, after a few 3-hour cycles assimilating all-sky radiance, the WRF model was able to forecast reasonably well Joaquin’s intensity, including its rapid intensification (RI). The improvement was largely due to a more realistic initial hurricane structure with a stronger, warmer, and more compact inner-core. Ensemble forecasts were used to further explore the important physical mechanisms driving the hurricane’s RI. Results showed that the RI forecasts were greatly impacted by the initial inner-core vortex structure.     

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS ON THE INFLUENCE OF THE LANDFALLING STRONG TROPICAL CYCLONES IN THE CATASTROPHIC MIGRATIONS OF NILAPARVATA LUGENS(STL) IN CHINA

In order to clarify the statistical pattern by which landfalling strong tropical cyclones(LSTCs)influenced the catastrophic migrations of rice brown planthopper(BPH),Nilaparvata lugens(stl)in China,the data of the LSTCs in China and the lighting catches of BPH that covered the main Chinese rice-growing regions from 1979 to 2008 were collected and analyzed in this work with the assistance of ArcGIS9.3,a software of geographic information system.The results were as follows:(1)In China,there were 220 strong tropical cyclones that passed the main rice-growing regions and 466 great events of BPH’s immigration in the 30 years from 1979 to 2008.73 of them resulted in the occurrence of BPH’s catastrphic migration(CM)events directly and 147 of them produced indirect effect on the migrations.(2)The number of the LSTCs was variable in different years during 1979 to 2008 and their influence was not the same in the BPH’s northward and southward migrations in the years.In the 30 years,the LSTCs brought more obvious influence on the migrations in 1980,1981,2005,2006 and 2007.The influence was the most obvious in2007 and all of the 7 LSTCs produced remarkable impact on the CMs of BPH’s populations.The effect of the LSTCs on the northward immigration of BPH’s populations was the most serious in 2006 and the influence on the southward immigration was the most remarkable in 2005.(3)In these years,the most of LSTCs occurred in July,August and September and great events of BPH's immigration occurred most frequently in the same months.The LSTCs played a more important role on the CM of BPH’s populations in the three months than in other months.(4)The analysis on the spatial distribution of the LSTCs and BPH’s immigration events for the different provinces showed that the BPH’s migrations in the main rice-growing regions of the Southeastern China were influenced by the LSTCs and the impact was different with the change of their spatial probability distribution during their passages.The most serious influence of the LSTCs on the BPH’s migrations occurred in Guangdong and Fujian provinces.(5)The statistical results indicated that a suitable insect source is an indispensable condition of the CMs of BPH when a LSTC influenced a rice-growing region.     

湍流高阶矩模式中的参数研究

该文为高阶矩湍流方程组的二阶矩闭合方案提供了参数组选择。此参数组是用近地层实测资料结合湍流方程二阶矩闭合方案推算出的。然后，将其与Mellor等人在实验室所得的参数组分别代入湍流二阶矩闭合方程组拟合，得动量(ΦM(ξ))、热量(ΦH(ξ))与稳定度(ξ)的二组关系曲线，可见此二组曲线几乎重合，且与Businger野外近地层实测结果符合较好。拟合的垂直速度方差((W*2)1/2(ξ))、温度方差((θ*2)1/2(ξ))与ξ的二组关系曲线相对于UTAH资料，所得曲线偏差比Mellor曲线偏差小得多，而相对于KANSAS资料，所得曲线偏差稍大于Mellor曲线。     

The climatological mean atmospheric transport under weakened Atlantic thermohaline circulation climate scenario

Global atmospheric transport in a climate subject to a substantial weakening of the Atlantic thermohaline circulation (THC) is studied by using climatological Green’s functions of the mass conservation equation for a conserved, passive tracer. Two sets of Green’s functions for the perturbed climate and for the present climate are evaluated from 11-year atmospheric trajectory calculations, based on 3-D winds simulated by GFDL’s newly developed global coupled ocean–atmosphere model (CM2.1). The Green’s function analysis reveals pronounced effects of the climate change on the atmospheric transport, including seasonally modified Hadley circulation with a stronger Northern Hemisphere cell in DJF and a weaker Southern Hemisphere cell in JJA. A weakened THC is also found to enhance mass exchange rates through mixing barriers between the tropics and the two extratropical zones. The response in the tropics is not zonally symmetric. The 3-D Green’s function analysis of the effect of THC weakening on transport in the tropical Pacific shows a modified Hadley cell in the eastern Pacific, confirming the results of our previous studies, and a weakening (strengthening) of the upward and eastward motion to the south (north) of the Equator in the western Pacific in the perturbed climate as compared to the present climate.     

三次观测站02时气温插补方法的比较分析

现行的国家级地面气象观测站网（共2416个站）包括基准站、基本站和一般站,其中1590个一般站（占总站数的65.8%）夜间不观测,但是按照《地面气象观测规范》的规定,在计算日平均气温时,必须通过数学方法给02时赋一个替代值或近似值,这种赋值过程无形中会带来计算误差。本文利用1961—2009年陕西19个国家基本/基准站的定时气温资料,对这种赋值误差进行定量评估分析,并通过多种方案的比较,提出新的赋值（或称插补）方法。结果表明：（1）传统方法所赋予的02时气温替代值比实测值偏高,19个站平均偏高0.77℃;（2）台站所处的纬度,以及季节、天气状况所引起的辐射强弱的差异,通过赋值变量（前一日20时气温）的传导,较明显地影响着02时气温的赋值误差;（3）用逐步回归分析方法,将传统方法的平均加权法调整为多因子非对称加权,显著减小了前一日20时气温的权重,降低了辐射强弱的影响,赋值与实测值更为接近,19个站平均偏差近似为零;新的回归方程对月平均气温、年平均气温产生一定的修正作用,年平均气温值可调降0.1～0.4℃,月平均气温甚至可下降0.5℃。     

Projection of the East Asian westerly jet under six global warming targets

东亚高空急流(简称急流)对夏季东亚地区的天气和气候有着重要影响。本文利用CMIP5的历史气候模拟试验和RCP8.5路径下的未来气候变化预估试验数据,预估了急流在6个全球变暖阈值(1.5℃,2.0℃,2.5℃,3.0℃,3.5℃和4.0℃)下相对于当代气候的变化情况。结果表明东亚高空西风在1.5℃阈值下略微减弱。在2.0℃阈值下,西风在急流轴(约40°N)南侧增强,北侧减弱。这种变化趋势在2.5℃和更高的变暖阈值下愈加明显,使急流轴逐渐向南移动,但急流强度变化不大。研究表明,在急流的入口和出口区,对流层中上层大气升温速度相对较慢,导致在急流轴南(北)侧出现向南(北)的负(正)经向温度梯度,使西风在南(北)侧增强(减弱).     

台风Nari(0116)登陆台湾过程中结构强度 变化的诊断分析

利用中国气象局上海台风研究所整编的2001年《热带气旋年鉴》、美国NCEP最后分析FNL 1°×1°全球格点资料以及日本气象厅云顶亮温(TBB)资料等,对0116号台风Nari自北向南穿越台湾岛过程中的结构强度变化进行诊断分析,结果表明:(1)登陆过程中Nari云系结构从圆形变为半圆形,其环流西部对流云团旺盛,而东部为无云或少云区.Nari在岛上期间一直维持这种非对称结构特征.(2)在穿越台湾岛过程中,Nari西部环流内低空急流轴从其北侧逆时针延伸至南侧.一方面,切向风角动量的增加和传播有利于台风涡旋环流的加强,另一方面,低空急流附近的水汽通量辐合及急流轴左侧较强的正涡度区,有利于气旋性环流的长久维持.(3)Nari的结构强度变化与台湾岛地形及海峡效应有密切关系.Nari环流西部位于台湾岛迎风一侧上升运动加强,而Nari环流东部位于背风一侧上升运动则受抑制,对Nari形成半圆形非对称对流分布起积极作用;而台湾海峡的狭管效应加速台风通过气流,有利于Nari环流西部低空急流的形成和增强.(4)动能收支诊断表明,Nari登陆过程中动能的主要来源是动能制造项,水平辐合运动也对其提供动能.     

Is India pulling its weight? India’s nationally determined contribution and future energy plans in global climate policy

Ahead of the Conference of Parties (COP) 24 where countries will first take stock of climate action post Paris, this paper assesses India’s progress on its nationally determined contribution (NDC) targets and future energy plans. We find that, although India is well on track to meet its NDC pledges, these targets were extremely modest given previous context. Furthermore, there is considerable uncertainty around India’s energy policy post 2030 and if current plans for energy futures materialise, the Paris Agreement’s 2 degrees goal will be almost certainly unachievable. India’s role in international climate politics has shifted from obstructionism to leadership particularly following the announcement of withdrawal by the United States from the Paris Agreement, but analysis reveals that India’s ‘hard’ actions on the domestic front are inconsistent with its ‘soft’ actions in the international climate policy arena. Going forward, India is likely to face increasing calls for stronger mitigation action and we suggest that this gap can be bridged by strengthening the links between India’s foreign policy ambitions, international climate commitments, and domestic energy realities.

Key policy insights

• India’s NDC pledges on carbon intensity and share of non-fossil fuel capacity are relatively modest given domestic context and offer plenty of room to increase ambition of action.

• India’s ‘soft’ leadership in global climate policy can be matched by ‘hard’ commitments by bringing NDC pledges in line with domestic policy realities.

• There is significant uncertainty around future plans for coal power in India which have the potential to exceed the remaining global carbon budget for 2 degrees.

     

Northward migration under a changing climate: a case study of blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica)

Species are predicted to shift their distribution ranges in response to climate change. Region-wide, empirically-based studies, however, are still limited to support these predictions. We used a model tree species, blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica), to study climate-induced range shift. Data collected from two separate sampling periods (1980s and 2007) by the USDA’s Forestry and Inventory Analysis (FIA) Program were used to investigate changes in abundance and dominance, and shifts in distribution, of blackgum in four ecoregions of the eastern United States. Our results indicated new recruitment of blackgum in the northern portion of its range, along with increases in both density and annual rates of change in importance value (IV). Conversely, declines in recruitment were found in the southern portion of blackgum’s range, along with decreases in density and IV. The center portion of blackgum’s range had mixed patterns of change (i.e., both increases and decreases) throughout. A northward range expansion was also detected by comparing blackgum’s historic range to where it was detected during our two more-recent sampling periods. Our findings suggest that blackgum is migrating north in response to climate change. Our study also suggests two broader implications about tree migration patterns in response to climate change: (1) species can respond to changing climate in relatively short time periods, at least for generalist species such as blackgum, and (2) climate-induced vegetation dynamic patterns can be detected at the regional level, but are inherently complex.     

Revising the ‘host country standard’ principle: a step for China to align its overseas investment with the Paris Agreement

ABSTRACT

China’s overseas investment flows (US$ 183 billion) and stock (US$ 4.7 trillion) reached a record peak in 2016, second only to those of the US. A major cause for concern lies in the environmental sustainability of China’s overseas investment portfolio, which is compounded by the lack of transparency of China’s main development finance arms. We intend in this paper to give an update on the magnitude of green finance in China’s overseas investment and development finance portfolio on the basis of the best available estimates, and to put these figures into a broader perspective of multilateral development banks’ commitments and practices to combat climate change. We derive practical policy recommendations that Chinese development banks could take to further align China’s overseas investment with the 2°C target of the Paris Agreement, with the first step being to revise the ‘host country standard’ principle, to ensure that Chinese development banks use the most stringent of the two environmental standards, abroad or at home.

Key policy insights

• Chinese development banks lend, give or invest between US$ 38 billion and US$ 45 billion every year to developing countries, without either elaborating on, or integrating, the provisions of the Paris Agreement into their investment strategy.

• Regulations and safeguards are much more stringent for China’s domestic investment than for China’s overseas investment, and this stringency gap has been widening over recent years.

• As a step towards aligning Chinese overseas investment with the Paris Agreement, Chinese development banks could revise the ‘host country standard principle’. They could instead choose the highest among the two – recipient country or Chinese domestic – in terms of environmental stringency, consequently harmonizing overseas environmental regulation and safeguards with those that apply domestically.

     

中国近百年气温场变化成因的统计诊断分析

利用BP-CCA方法，诊断中国近百年（1881～1992年）气温场变化之成因。结果表明:（1）CO2浓度增加所导致的温室效应的加剧，与中国近百年增暖趋势的关系最为密切；（2）80年代后，温室效应加剧所起的主导作用更加明显，相应敏感区位于华北北部、东北、西北西部及长江中下游地区；（3）火山活动对气温变化的长期趋势所叠加的波动变化起主要作用，敏感区主要在35°N以南，中心位于西南地区；（4）20年代至40年代增暖可能是温室效应、火山活动和太阳活动多种因素综合作用的结果。而70年代以来的增暖则主要与温室效应的加剧有关。     

涡旋自组织过程影响0604号热带气旋Bilis降水的数值研究

利用PSU/NCAR中尺度天气预报模式MM5,成功模拟了0604号热带气旋Bilis登陆后的移动路径和降水分布。在此基础上,讨论了不同尺度涡旋自组织过程对热带气旋Bilis产生局地暴雨的影响。结果表明:(1)引发强降水的对流系统不是来源于热带气旋螺旋云带内的对流云团,而是受热带气旋外围环流与局地地形影响下形成的多个中小尺度系统之间自组织的结果;(2)与0604号热带气旋Bilis登陆前后24小时的强降水相关的自组织过程是分阶段进行的,即第一阶段的双涡自组织过程和第二阶段的多涡自组织过程;(3)局地多尺度涡旋之间的自组织过程,是0604号热带气旋Bilis陆上强降水发生的主要动力机制。     

Contestations around water allocation during a climate crisis in India: The case of ‘IPL vs. drought’

In this paper, we analyze a major controversy regarding the allocation of water for Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket matches during a period of extreme drought in the state of Maharashtra in India. We use a discursive approach to public policy to understand water policy production and to analyze the competing narratives on water advanced by opposing discourse coalitions during the ‘IPL vs. drought’ controversy. We find that the neoliberal view of ‘water as an economic good’ is dominant and institutionalized in the water allocation priorities determined by the Maharashtra State government. This is resisted by civil society actors like Loksatta and by the Indian judiciary, who view ‘water as a Human Right.’ Our reading of the ‘IPL vs. drought’ public interest litigation (PIL) shows that Loksatta’s decision to target water allocation for the IPL through the Courts leverages the popularity of the IPL in the Indian media, as well as the uneven unfolding of neoliberalism across institutions of the state in India. At the same time, Loksatta’s PIL focuses solely on the IPL and does not pay attention to the water allocation to larger users like industry and sugarcane cultivation that best represent the institutionalization of the neoliberal view of water in Maharashtra. We argue that the focus on the IPL makes it the site of contesting water policy on ideological grounds. We conclude by examining the challenge provided by Loksatta’s PIL to the dominant neoliberal view of water in Maharashtra.     

Drivers of change in Brazil’s carbon dioxide emissions

Brazil’s economic development has been underpinned by a diverse and – in a global comparison – unusual set of energy carriers, notably hydroelectricity and ethanol from sugar cane. Its energy mix makes Brazil one of the least energy-related carbon-intensive economies worldwide. Given that the country is fast becoming one of the world’s economic powerhouses, decision-makers need to understand the drivers underlying past and current carbon dioxide emissions trends. We therefore investigate a) which key long-term drivers have led to Brazil’s unique emissions profile, and b) the implications of these drivers for Brazil’s national policies. We show that Brazil’s emissions are growing mainly due to increasing individual standards of living, exports and population size, and that this growth is so far unchallenged by technological and structural improvements toward lower emissions intensities and more efficient production structures. As these trends are likely to continue amidst growing international pressure on key economies to reduce their carbon emissions, a decoupling of drivers from emissions is needed to simultaneously meet development and environmental goals.     

Sensitivity of ITCZ configuration to cumulus convective parameterizations on an aqua planet

This paper examines the performances of various cumulus convective parameterization schemes in the tropical atmosphere using an aqua-planet atmospheric General Circulation Model forced by zonally symmetric but latitudinally varying sea surface temperature (SST) and solar angle. The intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) is represented by intense precipitation. The assigned Control experiment with a specific SST distribution, as designated by the Aqua Planet Experiment, yields a single ITCZ when Zhang’s scheme or Manabe’s scheme is employed, whereas a double ITCZ occurs when Tiedtke’s scheme is used. The key to the occurrence of a double ITCZ is latitudinal variation in evaporation within the boundary layer. Such variation is induced mainly by latitudinal variation in the zonal wind speed, with the existence of a calm belt at the equator and a maximum wind speed located off the equator, arising from the evaporation–wind feedback (EWF) mechanism. The latitudinal distribution of evaporation results in a decrease in the height of the lifting condensation level in areas off the equator and an increase at the equator. The occurrence of a single ITCZ in Zhang’s scheme is attributed to the use of a Convective Available Potential Energy criterion by which convection occurs more readily at the equator. As a result, a precipitation maximum is maintained at the equator via a prevailing Conditional Instability of the Second Kind mechanism.     

Long-term trend and variability of precipitation in Chhattisgarh State,India

Spatial and temporal precipitation variability in Chhattisgarh State in India was examined by using monthly precipitation data for 102 years (1901–2002) from 16 stations. The homogeneity of precipitation data was evaluated by the double-mass curve approach and the presence of serial correlation by lag-1 autocorrelation coefficient. Linear regression analysis, the conventional Mann–Kendall (MK) test, and Spearman’s rho were employed to identify trends and Sen’s slope to estimate the slope of trend line. The coefficient of variation (CV) was used to analyze precipitation variability. Spatial interpolation was done by a Kriging process using ArcGIS 9.3. Results of both parametric and non-parametric tests and trend tests showed that at 5 % significance level, annual precipitation exhibited a decreasing trend at all stations except Bilaspur and Dantewada. For both annual and monsoon precipitation, Sen’s test showed a decreasing trend for all stations, except Bilaspur and Dantewada. The highest percentage of variability was observed in winter precipitation (88.75 %) and minimum percentage variability in annual series (14.01 %) over the 102-year periods.     

China’s pathway to carbon neutrality for the iron and steel industry

As a hard-to-abate sector, the iron and steel industry is responsible for 22% of China’s total carbon emissions and therefore plays a crucial role in achieving China’s carbon peaking and neutrality target. Nearly 90% of China’s iron and steel output is produced with coal-based blast furnaces, which results in high carbon emission intensity. To peak China’s carbon emissions and achieve the carbon neutrality target, it is essential to accelerate the application of breakthrough technologies such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrogen-based steel-making. This paper estimates the future CO₂ emissions from China’s iron and steel industry in pathways that consider the influence of different technology portfolios, technology maturity, decarbonization of power systems, and future steel production output. The results show that using currently available technology, China’s iron and steel industry can reduce CO₂ emissions by more than 50%. However, it cannot achieve the neutrality target without using innovative technologies. By combining conventional strategies with net-zero emission technologies such as CCS and hydrogen metallurgy, approximately 80–90% emission reduction can be achieved, thus leading to a carbon neutrality pathway, which can meet the 1.5°C targets of the carbon budget limit either. In the future, carbon emissions' reduction potential will be influenced by the decarbonization of power systems and the diffusion rate of innovative technologies. To achieve carbon neutrality, it is essential to act sooner and faster.     

Impact of rain snow threshold temperature on snow depth simulation in land surface and regional atmospheric models

This study investigates the impact of rain snow threshold (RST) temperatures on snow depth simulation using the Community Land Model (CLM) and the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF-coupled with the CLM and hereafter referred to as WRF CLM), and the difference in impacts. Simulations were performed from 17 December 1994 to 30 May 1995 in the French Alps. Results showed that both the CLM and the WRF CLM were able to represent a fair simulation of snow depth with actual terrain height and 2.5℃ RST temperature. When six RST methods were applied to the simulation using WRF CLM, the simulated snow depth was the closest to observations using 2.5℃ RST temperature, followed by that with Pipes’, USACE, Kienzle’s, Dai’s, and 0℃ RST temperature methods. In the case of using CLM, simulated snow depth was the closest to the observation with Dai’s method, followed by with USACE, Pipes’, 2.5℃ RST temperature, Kienzle’s, and 0℃ RST temperature method. The snow depth simulation using the WRF CLM was comparatively sensitive to changes in RST temperatures, because the RST temperature was not only the factor to partition snow and rainfall. In addition, the simulated snow related to RST temperature could induce a significant feedback by influencing the meteorological variables forcing the land surface model in WRF CLM. In comparison, the above variables did not change with changes in RST in CLM. Impacts of RST temperatures on snow depth simulation could also be influenced by the patterns of temperature and precipitation, spatial resolution, and input terrain heights.