Moisture evolution in Atlantic cyclones

Moisture evolution in cyclones is studied numerically based on modeling 22 cyclones developed over the Atlantic in 2004–2006. Calculations are carried out with the WRF nonhydrostatic model. Comparison of numerical results and the NCEP/NCAR analyses has shown that the WRF model accurately simulates the cyclone evolution and humidity field and, therefore, can be used to estimate moisture evolution in cyclones. We obtained the data about the changes of the moisture content of the air column and water content of clouds and precipitation in a cyclone from its generation to dissipation. It was found that the moisture content of the air column decreases almost twice at the stage of cyclone deepening due to a negative balance between moisture fluxes from the atmosphere with precipitation and moisture fluxes to the atmosphere due to evaporation from the sea surface.     

Organizations and the interior characteristics of winter monsoon clouds by dual-polarization Doppler radar observation in Hokuriku, Japan

To understand the characteristics of winter monsoon clouds, dual-polarization Doppler radar observations were carried out at Mihama, Hokuriku, Japan. A series of organized disturbances associated with the passage of a cyclonic circulation was analyzed. The following scenario was proposed. Environmental circumstances, for example, temperature and wind profiles, surface heat and moisture fluxes, etc., determine the organizational style of mesoscale convections. This organization regulates the convection interior flow pattern including the location and intensity of updrafts. Subsequently, it influences interior microphysical properties, for example, the types of precipitation particles, their growth and distributions, their electrification, etc. In this paper, an observational example following this scenario is presented.     

应用涡动相关法计算水热、CO2通量的国内外进展概况

目前涡动相关法被认为是国内外测定CO₂、水热通量的最可靠方法。国外应用此方法解决了均匀下垫面假设下森林和农田等生态系统的CO₂、水热通量的计算问题,目前致力于非理想下垫面(真实地形)的CO₂、水热通量的计算。而国内应用涡动相关技术起步较晚,用此方法测定水热通量已有一定的知识积累,但测定CO₂通量还处于资料收集阶段。我国自然生态系统、环境外交和社会经济可持续发展都要求精确查明我国CO₂的时空变化特征和动力学机制,这应是今后研究的重点,并提出了应用该方法存在的主要问题及可能的解决方法,指出值得深入研究的领域。     

Ensemble Square Root Filter Assimilation of Near-Surface Soil Moisture and Reference-Level Observations into a Coupled Land Surface-Boundary Layer Model

The potential for using the ensemble square root filter data assimilation technique to estimate soil moisture profiles, surface heat fluxes, and the state of the planetary boundary layer （PBL） is explored. An observing system simulation experiment is designed to mimic the assimilation of near-surface soil moisture observations （θo ） and in-situ measurements of 2-m temperature （To ）, 2-m specific humidity （Qo ）, and 10-m horizontal winds [Vo =（Uo , Vo ）]. The background forecasts are generated by a one-dimensional coupled land surface-boundary layer model （CLS-BLM） with soil, surface-layer and PBL parameterization schemes similar to those used in the Weather Research and Forecasting （WRF） model. Soil moisture, surface heat fluxes, and the state of the PBL evolve on different characteristic timescales, so the minimum assimilation time intervals required for skillful estimates of each target component are different. Correct estimates of the soil moisture profile are obtained effectively when a 6-h update time interval is used, while skillful estimates of surface fluxes and the PBL state require more frequent updates. The CLS-BLM requires a shorter assimilation time interval to correctly estimate the soil moisture profile than previously indicated by experiments using an off-line land surface model （LSM）. Results from assimilating different subsets of observations show that θo makes a larger contribution to soil moisture estimates, while To , θo , and Vo are more important for estimates of surface heat fluxes and the PBL state. It is therefore necessary to combine these variables to accurately estimate the states of both the land surface and the PBL. Experimentation with different prescribed observational errors shows that the assimilation system is more sensitive to increases in observational errors than to reductions in observational errors.     

应用涡动相关法计算水热、CO2通量的国内外进展概况

目前涡动相关法被认为是国内外测定CO2、水热通量的最可靠方法。国外应用此方法解决了均匀下垫面假设下森林和农田等生态系统的CO2、水热通量的计算问题，目前致力于非理想下垫面（真实地形）的CO2、水热通量的计算。而国内应用涡动相关技术起步较晚，用此方法测定水热通量已有一定的知识积累，但测定CO2通量还处于资料收集阶段。我国自然生态系统、环境外交和社会经济可持续发展都要求精确查明我国CO2的时空变化特征和动力学机制，这应是今后研究的重点，并提出了应用该方法存在的主要问题及可能的解决方法，指出值得深入研究的领域。     

An experimental investigation of a wind-generated suspension of particulate matter from a tailings disposal area

A wind tunnel investigation of the wind erosion of uranium mine-tailings material typical of a northern Ontario site has been carried out. The aim of the study was to measure the effects of various parameters, including mean and turbulent wind characteristics of the boundary layer and surface moisture content, upon the erosion process. The analysis of experimental data has yielded a mathematical model for predicting the net vertical mass fluxes. The results show that the dry vertical flux is proportional to u _* ^2.3and the wet flux to u _* ^5.0 Partical size analysis was also carried out.     

Moisture recycling and the maximum of precipitation in spring in the Iberian Peninsula

In the semiarid interior of the Iberian Peninsula, the topographic insulation from the surrounding seas promotes the role of internal sources of moisture and water recycling in the rainfall regime. In inland Iberia, the annual cycle of precipitation often has a distinctive peak in the springtime, when evapotranspiration (ET) is the highest, in contrast to the coastal areas, where it is more closely related to the external moisture availability and synoptic forcing, with a maximum in winter-autumn and a pronounced minimum in the summer. In this work we investigate the role of land surface water fluxes in the intensification of the hydrological cycle in the Iberian spring. We used data from 5 km resolution WRF-ARW model simulations over the Iberian Peninsula for eleven months of May (2000–2010). To bring out the effect of ET fluxes, we conducted experiments where ET water over land was removed from the system. Our findings indicate that the impact of ET on precipitation is on average very large (37 % increase). The impact is particularly strong in the interior north and northeast areas where the observed annual rainfall cycle has a peak in May, suggesting that the role of surface water fluxes is very important there. To investigate whether this role is as a water source or to amplify precipitation dynamics, we computed the recycling ratio analytically from the model data. In addition, we developed a procedure to quantify the amplification impact by comparing the recycling ratio and the relative change in precipitation between control and experiments with ET removed. Results show that the role of surface water fluxes on precipitation depends on large-scale forcing and moisture advection. When the synoptic forcing and moisture advection are strong, such as in fronts associated to Atlantic storms, the impact of ET fluxes is small. When there is potential for convection, as is commonly the case of late spring in the Iberian Peninsula, ET fluxes have a significant impact. Surface moisture fluxes moisten the boundary layer and increase moist static energy, strengthening convective processes, and their role goes from being a primary water source for precipitation (recycling) to have mostly an amplification effect as external moisture availability increases. Our findings show that for the eleven simulated May cases over the Iberian Peninsula, the role of ET fluxes in activating recycling is important and explains 27–58 % of their total impact on precipitation, depending on the method used to calculate the recycling ratio. This indicates that the complementary effect of ET on amplifying rainfall from external sources of moisture is comparable in magnitude to the recycling mechanism and important as well.     

Actinometric System Aboard the Yak-42D “Roshydromet” Research Aircraft

The actinometric system installed aboard the Yak-42D "Roshydromet" research aircraft is presented. It is designed to study radiation processes in the troposphere. The system is based on standard Kipp&Zonen actinometric instruments for measuring solar, thermal, and ultraviolet radiation fluxes as well as on specially developed radiation models with high-precision methods for solving radiative transfer equations (Monte Carlo, k-distribution, and line-by-line calculations). The combination of actinometric measurements and detailed simulation of radiative transfer in the atmosphere allows examining the radiation balance components throughout the troposphere using in situ measurements at the aircraft location. Some results of studying radiation fluxes obtained during the flights over the Arctic region of the Russian Federation are presented. The data of measurements carried out using the presented system are useful for validating radiation codes utilized in general atmospheric circulation models and for processing satellite remote sensing data.     

Latent heat fluxes simulated with a non-hydrostatic weather forecast model using actual surface properties from measurements and remote sensing

In this study the influence of land-surface parameters on latent heat fluxes simulated with the numerical weather prediction model Lokalmodell (LM) of the German Meteorological Service is investigated. The area of interest is the LITFASS area during the LITFASS-2003 campaign. Based on simulations with varying soil and vegetation properties, we confirm that simulated latent heat fluxes strongly depend on soil moisture and leaf area index. Both parameters are difficult to obtain from in situ measurements with sufficient spatial resolution over heterogeneous land surfaces. Therefore, a procedure is proposed to determine area average values of soil moisture from time domain reflectometer measurements performed at a limited number of sites. The area averages cover the 7 × 7 km² grid cells of the LM around Lindenberg (south-east of Berlin). Furthermore, satellite inferred plant parameters from NOAA–AVHRR are used to initialise model runs; the derived vegetation parameters show notable differences with those in the standard input of LM. The latent heat fluxes from the LM are compared with the aggregated eddy-covariance-measurements, and while the operational LM shows a strong overestimation of latent heat fluxes, it is demonstrated that the application of land-surface parameters derived from measurements can significantly reduce the deviation between the simulated and measured latent heat fluxes.     

Simulation of surface energy fluxes using high-resolution non-hydrostatic simulations and comparisons with measurements for the LITFASS-2003 experiment

Land-surface heterogeneity effects on the subgrid scale of regional climate and numerical weather prediction models are of vital interest for the energy and mass exchange between the surface and the atmospheric boundary layer. High-resolution numerical model simulations can be used to quantify these effects, and are a tool used to obtain area-averaged surface fluxes over heterogeneous land surfaces. We present high-resolution model simulations for the LITFASS area near Berlin during the LITFASS-2003 experiment, which were carried out using the non-hydrostatic model FOOT3DK of the University of Köln with horizontal resolutions of 1 km and 250 m. The LITFASS-2003 experimental dataset is used for comparison. The screen level quantities show good quality for the simulated pressure, temperature, humidity and wind speed and direction. Averaged over the four week experimental period, simulated surface energy fluxes at land stations show a small bias for the turbulent heat fluxes and an underestimation of the net radiation caused by excessive cloudiness in the simulations. For eight selected days with low cloud amounts, the net radiation bias is close to zero, but the sensible heat flux shows a strong positive bias. Large differences are found for latent heat fluxes over a lake, which are partly due to local effects on the measurements, but an additional problem seems to be the overestimation of the turbulent exchange under stable conditions in the daytime internal boundary layer over the lake. In the area average over the LITFASS area of 20 ×  20 km², again a strong positive bias of 70 W m^?2 for the sensible heat is present. For the low soil moisture conditions during June 2003, the simulation of the turbulent heat fluxes is sensitive to variations in the soil type and its hydrological properties. Under these conditions, the supply of ground water to the lowest soil layer should be accounted for. Different area-averaging methods are tested. The experimental set-up of the LITFASS-2003 experiment is found to be well suited for the computation of area-averaged turbulent heat fluxes.     

Observations of fluxes over heterogeneous surfaces

This study analyzes data collected from repeated aircraft runs 30 m over alternating regions of irrigated and dry nonirrigated surfaces, each region on the order of 10 km across, during the California Ozone Deposition Experiment (CODE). After studying the scale dependence of the flow, the variables and their fluxes are decomposed into means for sublegs defined in terms of irrigated and nonirrigated regions and deviations from such subleg means. Since the repeated runs were flown over the same track, compositing the eight flight legs for each of the two days allows partial isolation of the influences of surface heterogeneity and transient mesoscale motions.A variance analysis is carried out to quantify the relative importance of surface heterogeneity and transient mesoscale motions on the variability of the turbulence fluxes. The momentum and ozone fluxes are more influenced by transient mesoscale motions while fluxes of heat, moisture and carbon dioxide are more influenced by surface heterogeneity. The momentum field is also influenced by a quasi-stationary mesoscale front and larger scale velocity gradients.For the present case, the mesoscale modulation of the turbulent flux is numerically more important than the direct mesoscale flux. This spatial modulation of the turbulent fluxes leads to extra Reynolds terms which act to reduce the area-averaged turbulent momentum flux and enhance the area-averaged turbulent heat flux.     

Simulated effects of land immersion on regional arid climate: a case study of the pre-Saharan playa of Chott el-Jerid (south of Tunisia)

The potential effects on the regional climate induced by partially immersing the arid pre-Saharan playa basin of Chott el-Jerid (south of Tunisia) are investigated by comparing two multi-year (1991–2011) sets of numerical simulations each consisting of ten-member ensemble and performed using the WRF regional climate model. The first WRF ensemble is performed under current land use and land cover, while the second is carried out after introducing a virtual large and shallow surface water reservoir (a lake) in Chott el-Jerid. The most pronounced effects generated by the artificial lake are circumscribed over its surface and slightly spread downwind to the other parts of the Chott. The lake has a clear moderating effect on near-surface air temperatures by increasing (decreasing) the wintertime (summertime) air temperatures. Sensible heat fluxes are remarkably increased in winter and decreased in summer over the lake following the temperature gradient between the lake surface and the overlying atmosphere. Latent heat fluxes, moisture convergence, and water vapor mixing ratio are increased over the lake throughout the year, especially in winter. The lake also induces domain-wide decreased (increased) surface pressures and land (lake) breeze circulation in winter (summer). Simulated rainfall amounts are most increased over the lake in winter likely because of an enhanced atmospheric instability, while they slightly decrease in summer.     

Numerical Simulation of Fluxes Generated by Inhomogeneities of the Underlying Surface over the Jinta Oasisin Northwestern China

Using land-use types derived from satellite remote sensing data collected by the EOS Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (EOS/MODIS), the mesoscale and turbulent fluxes generated by inhomogeneities of the underlying surface over the Jinta Oasis, northwestern China, were simulated using the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS4.4). The results indicate that mesoscale circulation generated by land-surface inhomogeneities over the Jinta Oasis is more important than turbulence. Vertical heat fluxes and water vapor are transported to higher levels by mesoscale circulation. Mesoscale circulation also produces mesoscale synoptic systems and prevents water vapor over the oasis from running off. Mesoscale circulation transports moisture to higher atmospheric levels as the land-surface moisture over the oasis increases, favoring the formation of clouds, which sometimes leads to rainfall. Large-scale wind speed has a significant impact on mesoscale heat fluxes. During the active phase of mesoscale circulation, the stronger large-scale winds are associated with small mesoscale fluxes; however, background wind seems to intensify the turbulent sensible heat flux and turbulent latent heat flux. If the area of oasis is enlarged properly, mesoscale circulation will be able to transport moisture to higher levels, favoring the formation of rainfall in the oasis and protecting its "cold island" effect. The impact of irrigation on rainfall is important, and increasing irrigation across the oasis is necessary to protect the oasis.     

Annual oceanic heat transports computed from an atmospheric model

Mean annual estimates of the oceanic poleward energy transport are obtained using a global atmospheric general circulation model. The computations are carried out by using the atmospheric model to determine the net annual heat flux into the ocean on an 8° × 10° grid. Assuming no net annual heat storage, the annual surface heat fluxes into any zonal band must be accompanied by a corresponding meridional heat transport in the ocean. Heat is transported northward at all latitudes in the Atlantic Ocean and is transported poleward in both hemispheres in the Pacific Ocean. To account for the net northward transport throughout the Atlantic, heat is transported into the Atlantic from the Indian and Pacific basins. The results are compared with several recent direct and indirect calculations of oceanic meridional heat transports.     

Spatio-temporal Variability of Surface-layer Turbulent Fluxes Over the Bay of Bengal and Arabian sea During the ICARB Field Experiment

We report the spatio-temporal variability of surface-layer turbulent fluxes of heat, moisture and momentum over the Bay of Bengal (BoB) and the Arabian Sea (AS) during the Integrated Campaign for Aerosols, gases Radiation Budget (ICARB) field experiment. The meteorological component of ICARB conducted during March – May 2006 onboard the oceanic research vessel Sagar Kanya forms the database for the present study. The bulk transfer coefficients and the surface-layer fluxes are estimated using a modified bulk aerodynamic method, and then the spatio-temporal variability of these air-sea interface fluxes is discussed in detail. It is observed that the sensible and latent heat fluxes over the AS are marginally higher than those over the BoB, which we attribute to differences in the prevailing meteorological conditions over the two oceanic regions. The values of the wind stress, sensible and latent heat fluxes are compared with those obtained for the Indian Ocean Experiment (INDOEX) period. The variation of drag coefficient (C _D ), exchange coefficients of sensible heat and moisture (C _H = C _E ) and neutral drag coefficient (C _DN ) with wind speed is also discussed.

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江南地面热通量对江淮气旋暴雨影响的模拟研究

通过对一次江淮气旋暴雨个例的数值模拟，研究地面热通量与大尺度流型结合作用对气旋降水系统的影响。过程前期存在南北两大片地面热通量正值区，北片位于气旋所在处及其前方，南片位于上游低空急流处。模拟比较两片地面热通量的作用发现，前期南片地面热通量，特别是强潜热通量，通过与其上空低空急流的共同作用，对后期下游江淮气旋降水系统的加强起着更为重要的作用。对其机制的初步探讨表明：由地面通量进入低层大气的水汽，通过西南气流向长江中下游输送，改变下游大气的温湿结构，并通过积云对流和层状云雨潜热释放等非绝热过程，促进后期气旋降水系统的发展     

A general rule for synoptic-eddy feedback onto low-frequency flow

In this study, scale interaction between synoptic eddies and low-frequency flow is investigated. It is demonstrated here that there is a general rule, the “left-hand rule”, that describes synoptic eddy feedback onto low-frequency flow. The rule is that low-frequency anomalies systematically stir and deform the transient eddies in such a way that the irrotational eddy-vorticity fluxes are directed preferentially about 90° toward the left-hand side of the low-frequency flow; thus this eddy feedback plays a positive role in maintaining and prolonging low-frequency flow under the stormy atmosphere. Similarly, we show that the irrotational eddy-temperature and moisture fluxes are also directed preferentially about 90° toward the left-hand side of the low-frequency flow in the northern hemisphere. The eddy-temperature fluxes and their vertical structure play a positive role in reinforcing the low-frequency flow in the low levels. The moisture fluxes play a role in enhancing low-frequency flow by providing eddy-induced moisture convergence and divergence.     

Impact of moisture flux convergence and soil moisture on precipitation: a case study for the southern United States with implications for the globe

Interactions between soil moisture, evapotranspiration (ET), atmospheric moisture fluxes and precipitation are complex. It is difficult to attribute the variations of one variable to another. In this study, we investigate the influence of atmospheric moisture fluxes and land surface soil moisture on local precipitation, with a focus on the southern United States (U.S.), a region with a strong humidity gradient and intense moisture fluxes. Experiments with the Weather Research and Forecasting model show that the variation of moisture flux convergence (MFC) is more important than that of soil moisture for precipitation variation over the southern U.S. Further analyses decompose the precipitation change into several contributing factors and show that MFC affects precipitation both directly through changing moisture inflow (wet areas) and indirectly by changing the precipitation efficiency (transitional zones). Soil moisture affects precipitation mainly by changing the precipitation efficiency, and secondly through direct surface ET contribution. The greatest soil moisture effects are over transitional zones. MFC is more important for the probability of heavier rainfall; soil moisture has much weaker impact on rainfall probability and its roles are similar for the probability of intermediate-to-heavy rainfall (>10 mm day^?1). Although MFC is more important than soil moisture for precipitation over most regions, the impact of soil moisture could be large over certain transitional regions. At the submonthly time scale, the African Sahel appears to be the only major region where soil moisture has a greater impact than MFC on precipitation. This study provides guidance to understanding and further investigation of the roles of local land surface processes and large-scale circulations on precipitation.     

Influence of the Pacific quasi-decadal oscillation on the monsoon precipitation in Nepal

Nepal’s precipitation is uncorrelated with the all-India monsoon precipitation. However, the quasi-decadal variability of precipitation is significant in the Nepal Himalayas but its mechanism has received little attention. Using a set of century-long reanalysis and observations of precipitation, spectral and empirical orthogonal function analyses were conducted to determine the role of the Pacific Quasi-Decadal Oscillation (QDO) in Nepal’s precipitation regime. The dynamical and moisture processes involved in the Pacific QDO of the monsoon precipitation in Nepal were also examined. The monsoon precipitation in Nepal is enhanced when southeasterly moisture fluxes, originated from the Bay of Bengal, divert towards the north and subsequently interact with the southern Himalayan foothills. The redirected moisture fluxes are modulated through the Pacific QDO and are embedded in a propagating global wave 1–2 circulation pattern. However, the modulation exhibits a phase shift of 2 years between the precipitation anomalies in Nepal and the extreme phases of the Pacific QDO. A phase shift of this nature ascribes to the low correlation skill between the Nepal precipitation and traditional monsoon indices, such as those of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation and the all-India precipitation. The lagged relationship between the monsoon precipitation and the Pacific QDO is unique to Nepal, the inclusion of which should improve the predictive ability for the Nepal monsoon.