Albedo enhancement of marine clouds to counteract global warming: impacts on the hydrological cycle

Recent studies have shown that changes in solar radiation affect the hydrological cycle more strongly than equivalent CO₂ changes for the same change in global mean surface temperature. Thus, solar radiation management ??geoengineering?? proposals to completely offset global mean temperature increases by reducing the amount of absorbed sunlight might be expected to slow the global water cycle and reduce runoff over land. However, proposed countering of global warming by increasing the albedo of marine clouds would reduce surface solar radiation only over the oceans. Here, for an idealized scenario, we analyze the response of temperature and the hydrological cycle to increased reflection by clouds over the ocean using an atmospheric general circulation model coupled to a mixed layer ocean model. When cloud droplets are reduced in size over all oceans uniformly to offset the temperature increase from a doubling of atmospheric CO₂, the global-mean precipitation and evaporation decreases by about 1.3% but runoff over land increases by 7.5% primarily due to increases over tropical land. In the model, more reflective marine clouds cool the atmospheric column over ocean. The result is a sinking motion over oceans and upward motion over land. We attribute the increased runoff over land to this increased upward motion over land when marine clouds are made more reflective. Our results suggest that, in contrast to other proposals to increase planetary albedo, offsetting mean global warming by reducing marine cloud droplet size does not necessarily lead to a drying, on average, of the continents. However, we note that the changes in precipitation, evaporation and P-E are dominated by small but significant areas, and given the highly idealized nature of this study, a more thorough and broader assessment would be required for proposals of altering marine cloud properties on a large scale.     

Responses of Vertical Structures in Convective and Stratiform Regions to Large-Scale Forcing during the Landfall of Severe Tropical Storm Bilis （2006）

The responses of vertical structures,in convective and stratiform regions,to the large-scale forcing during the landfall of tropical storm Bilis(2006) are investigated using the data from a two-dimensional cloud-resolving model simulation.An imposed large-scale forcing with upward motion in the mid and upper troposphere and downward motion in the lower troposphere on 15 July suppresses convective clouds,which leads to ～100% coverage of raining stratiform clouds over the entire model domain.The imposed forci...     

Momentum and Sensible Heat Exchange in an Ice-Free Arctic Fjord

Momentum and sensible heat exchange are studied in an Arctic fjord system in Spitsbergen, Svalbard (Norway), based on tower measurements taken in January–June 2008. Due to ice-free conditions, the surface layer was unstable for most of the time, occasionally very unstable. The shape of the fjord and the surrounding topography have a large influence on the wind field. Low frequency eddies are mainly responsible for occasionally large crosswind momentum transfer that, together with upward momentum transfer (occurring in 9% of the data), invalidate conventional stability and scaling parameters. When the flow is along the fjord with moderate or high wind speeds, the Monin–Obukhov similarity theory is applicable. However, the momentum and the sensible heat exchange in the fjord system differs from the exchange taking place over the open ocean, mainly due to topographic effects.     

六盘山地区空中水资源特征及水凝物降水效率研究

为了利用人工增雨技术合理开发六盘山地区空中水资源,首先需要了解该地区水汽场、地形对当地降水的影响和空中水资源的特征及典型降水过程中云系的降水效率。本文采用欧洲中期天气预报中心(ECMWF)发布的高时空分辨率ERA5再分析数据集和中分辨率成像光谱仪(MODIS)数据,通过统计分析研究了该地区水汽的输送、地形强迫作用下的辐合抬升状况和地形云参量特征,并分别利用WRF模式数值模拟的输出结果和ERA5再分析数据,估算2016~2017年夏季自西向东移经该山区的多次混合降水云系的水凝物降水效率。研究结果表明:位于西北地区东部的六盘山地区具有较为丰沛的大气可降水量和更强的水汽输送。受亚洲季风影响,夏季偏南风向六盘山地区输送了丰沛的水汽,山区成为相对湿度高值区;春、夏、秋季午后山区云量(CF)达70%及以上,夏季云水路径(CWP)和云光学厚度(COT)均明显大于周边地区。在夏季降水过程中,地形引起的动力场对降水有明显的影响,在日降水量5 mm以上强度的过程中,气流遇迎风坡地形产生明显辐合抬升,且辐合抬升越强时降水强度越大。夏季典型降水系统中,山区水凝物降水效率平均约为48.1%,空中还有较大部分的水凝物未能成为降水。因此作为水源涵养地的六盘山地区夏季空中水资源相对丰富而降水量不足,空中水资源具有一定开发空间。     

Vertical Structures of Convective and Stratiform Clouds in Boreal Summer over the Tibetan Plateau and Its Neighboring Regions

Cloud is essential in the atmosphere, condensing water vapor and generating strong convective or large-scale persistent precipitation. In this work, the relationships between cloud vertical macro- or microphysical properties, radiative heating rate, and precipitation for convective and stratiform clouds in boreal summer over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are analyzed and compared with its neighboring land and tropical oceans based on CloudSat/CALIPSO satellite measurements and TRMM precipitation data. The precipitation intensity caused by convective clouds is twofold stronger than that by stratiform clouds. The vertical macrophysics of both cloud types show similar features over the TP, with the region weakening the precipitation intensity and compressing the cloud vertical expansion and variation in cloud top height, but having an uplift effect on the average cloud top height. The vertical microphysics of both cloud types under conditions of no rain over the TP are characterized by lower-level ice water, ice particles with a relatively larger range of sizes, and a relatively lower occurrence of denser ice particles. The features are similar to other regions when precipitation enhances, but convective clouds gather denser and larger ice particles than stratiform clouds over the TP. The atmospheric shortwave (longwave) heating (cooling) rate strengthens with increased precipitation for both cloud types. The longwave cooling layer is thicker when the rainfall rate is less than 100 mm d^?1, but the net heating layer is typically compressed for the profiles of both cloud types over the TP. This study provides insights into the associations between clouds and precipitation, and an observational basis for improving the simulation of convective and stratiform clouds over the TP in climate models.     

Atmospheric observations of liquid water in cloud and of chemical species in aerosols and gases near the ground and in fallen snow at Svalbard, Arctic

Columnar observations of liquid water and of radar echo intensity in cloud were carried out, using a microwave radiometer and a vertically pointing radar respectively, in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard. Chemical concentrations were also measured in aerosols, gases and snowfalls. Clouds with a large proportion of liquid water moved over the site after snow clouds, with a much lower liquid water content, had been present for about 16 h. The mass concentrations of most chemical species in snowfalls were lower from the first set of clouds than the second. The NO₃⁻ and SO₄²⁻ concentrations in gases and aerosols associated with the first set of clouds were higher than in the second set, but Cl⁻ concentration was less for the first set than the second.     

干空气入侵对东北冷涡降水发展的影响

针对干空气入侵对东北冷涡降水发展的影响,应用WRF中尺度数值模式对2011年7月一次东北冷涡过程进行数值模拟研究。结果表明:干空气入侵对东北冷涡降水云系发展产生以下两方面的作用:一方面,密度较高的高层干冷空气下沉迫使干侵入前沿暖湿气流抬升,从而促进了东北冷涡降水发展;另一方面,下沉冷空气流向前推进"挤压"可导致冷空气前沿界面较为陡峭、层结不稳定,有助于云系垂直发展,降水主要集中于云系中部。     

The energy budget of the Sable Island ocean region

The heat exchange between ocean and atmosphere over cold water is studied by calculating all terms in the energy balance twice each day for the year 1971 for the Sable Island region.

The atmospheric long‐wave radiation is relatively constant because of frequent overcast and low clouds. The surface long‐wave balance is markedly negative in winter but slightly positive for a short time in summer, due to strong advection of warm moist air over the cold water. In winter, the turbulent fluxes are directed upwards and are strong, the upward fluxes beginning after the middle of August and lasting until mid‐March. The maximum daily values of latent heat flux are 400 to 500 ly day^?1 (194 to 242 W m^?2), about a third or a quarter of the magnitude over the warmer Gulf Stream water. The summer fluxes are fairly constant and directed downward.

The water of the Labrador Current in the Sable Island region warms substantially from March to September and conversely cools intensely in the period November‐January.

A comparison of the energy exchange for a current and for water without motion shows that the surface temperatures would be similar in summer, and the temperature drop would be about equal until November. From that time on, the surface temperature would level off for a water body with no current, but in actual conditions the surface temperature continues to drop to a late winter minimum of about 1°C.

Atmospheric advection of latent heat was calculated by assuming that the daily precipitation was always caused first by condensation of all locally evaporated water with any remainder being supplied by water‐vapour advection. The main cause for atmospheric heating in the Sable Island area was found to be condensation of imported water vapour. The region is, in summer, a marked sink for atmospheric heat and water content. For water it remains a sink even in winter. For sensible heat it becomes a source from November to March. The warming of the atmosphere is caused by release of latent heat of advected water vapour in the period February‐August. During the months September‐January the heat sources are both water‐vapour advection and surface turbulent terms.     

Complex study of characteristics of a Cb cloud developing over the Arabian Peninsula under high dew point deficit in the atmosphere. Part 1. Field observations and numerical modeling

Basing on airmass motion trajectory calculations over the Arabian Peninsula on April 10, 2008, it can be assumed that in the lower and middle troposphere, zones with increased air moisture exist due to air inflow from the Red Sea. As a result, mesoscale volumes of dry and moist air are neighboring, though large-scale field is comparatively homogeneous with low humidity. In the mesoscale zones, intense thunderstorm and hailstorm Cb clouds developed, whose characteristics and evolution are studied in the paper. Continuous radar observations of the clouds are carried out during 5 hours. Numerical simulation of the cloud evolution is performed with nonstationary 1.5-dimensional model. It is noted that under the mentioned atmospheric conditions, in the area under consideration, heavy rain and hail from the Cb clouds are observed. The main factors of their origination are high thermal instability of the atmosphere and moist air inflow from outside.     

中国东部大陆和邻近海域暖云特性时空分布及其与气象条件的关系

基于2003~2016年MODIS/Aqua（MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer）云产品资料（MYD08_D3）,分析了中国东部大陆及其邻近海域云量（CF）、云滴有效半径（CER）、和液水路径（LWP）的空间分布以及季节变化,并结合同期ERA-Interim再分析资料的850 hPa垂直速度（ω_850hPa）、低对流层稳定度（LTS）、以及MODIS/Aqua水汽产品中的大气可降水量（PWV）资料,分析了云宏微观物理量与动力、热力及水汽条件之间的关系。从空间分布来看,夏季由日本海至中南半岛存在一个东北西南走向的云量高值区,覆盖我国东部地区,冬季云量高值区位于我国南方地区和东部海域上空;云滴有效半径冬、夏分布类似,均为由东南洋面至西北内陆递减;夏季液水路径分布较为均一,冬季空间差异很大,30°N是明显的高低值分界线,这与冬季水汽的分布密切相关。陆地和海洋上云量均呈冬高夏低的变化趋势,陆地大于海洋,而云滴有效半径和液水路径则为夏高冬低,海洋大于陆地。总体来说,云量与PWV和LTS均表现为正相关、与ω_850hPa呈负相关,表明低层的上升运动有利于水汽向上输送、凝结形成云,但稳定的大气层结又会阻碍云进一步向上发展,使其被限制在底层空间,由于本文的研究对象为暖云,多为中低云,因而云量较高;云滴有效半径和液水路径均与LTS、ω_850hPa表现为负相关,但是对PWV的变化不是很敏感,表明水汽并不是影响云滴尺度和液水路径的主导因素,其主要受动力、热力抬升作用的影响;以上关系在不同区域、不同季节的表现存在一定差异。     

Vertical profiles of aerosol black carbon in the atmospheric boundary layer over a tropical coastal station: Perturbations during an annular solar eclipse

Altitude profiles of aerosol black carbon (BC) in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) over a tropical coastal station, Trivandrum have been examined on two days using an aethalometer attached to a tethered balloon. One of these days (15th January, 2010) coincided with a (annular) solar eclipse, the longest of this century at this location, commenced at 11:05 local time and ended by 15:05, lasting for 7 min and 15 s (from 13:10:42), with its maximum contact occurring at ~ 13:14 IST with ~ 92% annularity, thereby providing an opportunity to understand the eclipse induced perturbations. Concurrent measurements of the ABL parameters such as air temperature, relative humidity and pressure were also made on these days to describe the response of the ABL to the eclipse. BC profiles, in general, depicted similar features up to an altitude of ~ 200 m on the eclipse day and control day, above which it differed conspicuously with profiles on eclipse day showing increasingly lower concentration as we moved to higher altitudes. Examination of the meteorological profiles showed that the altitude of maximum convection rapidly fell down during the eclipse period compared to that on control day indicating a rather shallow convection on eclipse day. Comparison of diurnal variations of BC at the surface level showed that the rate of decrease in BC during daytime on the eclipse day was smaller than that on the control day due to the reduced convection, shallow ABL and consequent reduction in the ventilation coefficient. Moreover the time of the nocturnal increase has advanced by ~ 1:30 h on the eclipse day, occurred at around 19:30 IST in contrast to all the other days of January 2010, where this increase usually occur well after 20:30 IST, with a mean value of 21:00 IST. This is attributed to the weak sea-breeze penetration during the eclipse day, which led to an early onset of the land breeze.     

Tropospheric adjustment to increasing CO2: its timescale and the role of land–sea contrast

Physical processes responsible for tropospheric adjustment to increasing carbon dioxide concentration are investigated using abrupt CO₂ quadrupling experiments of a general circulation model (GCM) called the model for interdisciplinary research on climate version 5 with several configurations including a coupled atmosphere–ocean GCM, atmospheric GCM, and aqua-planet model. A similar experiment was performed in weather forecast mode to explore timescales of the tropospheric adjustment. We found that the shortwave component of the cloud radiative effect (SWcld) reaches its equilibrium within 2 days of the abrupt CO₂ increase. The change in SWcld is positive, associated with reduced clouds in the lower troposphere due to warming and drying by instantaneous radiative forcing. A reduction in surface turbulent heat fluxes and increase of the near-surface stability result in shoaling of the marine boundary layer, which shifts the cloud layer downward. These changes are common to all experiments regardless of model configuration, indicating that the cloud adjustment is primarily independent of air–sea coupling and land–sea thermal contrast. The role of land in cloud adjustment is further examined by a series of idealized aqua-planet experiments, with a rectangular continent of varying width. Land surface warming from quadrupled CO₂ induces anomalous upward motion, which increases high cloud and associated negative SWcld over land. The geographic distribution of continents regulates the spatial pattern of the cloud adjustment. A larger continent produces more negative SWcld, which partly compensates for a positive SWcld over the ocean. The land-induced negative adjustment is a factor but not necessary requirement for the tropospheric adjustment.     

基于亮温通道变率的FY-3C微波湿度计陆地云检测新方法

云检测是卫星资料同化的重要前处理步骤,无论是晴空资料同化还是有云资料同化,都需要准确地区分有云和晴空资料。由于陆地地表发射率的多变性和微波能穿透部分云类的特点,微波湿度计资料在陆地上空的云检测研究一直是难点。利用快速辐射传输模式（CRTM）分析了不同云类条件下FY-3C微波湿度计（MWHS-Ⅱ）各通道亮温的通道间变率特征,根据MWHS-Ⅱ亮温通道间变率随云高以及云中液态水含量的增大而减小的特点,提出了一个基于亮温通道变率的MWHS-Ⅱ陆地资料云检测方法。与已有的云产品比较结果表明:新的云检测算法能有效地剔除大部分受云影响的资料,剔除后的晴空资料观测和模拟偏差更好地符合高斯分布。新方法对过冷水云、冰云、重叠云的检测能力较强,正确检测率可以达到80%,对卷云以及高度较低的水云的检测能力相对较弱。新方法能有效利用MWHS-Ⅱ观测资料自身完成云检测,在MWHS-Ⅱ资料同化中有很好的应用前景。      

春季中国南方雨带年际变动与大气环流异常

利用1960—2008年中国693个站逐日降水资料和NCEP/NCAR日平均再分析资料,采用统计分析方法,分析了中国南方春季降水强度和位置的年际变率及其与大气环流的关系。结果表明:在年代际尺度上,江南春季降水在20世纪60年代中、后期偏少,70年代中期到80年代初偏多,90年代初开始减少;在年际尺度上,当春季西太平洋副热带高压和青藏高原东侧的低层低压系统加强,并且异常中心分别位于20°N以南和30°N以南时,异常西南风主要位于长江以南地区,在异常西南风逐渐减弱区出现明显的辐合,伴随着该地区低层空气质量辐合、对流层上升运动和水汽辐合加强,造成江南地区降水偏多,此时来自西太平洋的异常水汽到达南海后,没有在南海聚集,而是转向北输送到江南;当春季西太平洋副热带高压以及青藏高原东侧低压系统加强且异常中心位于30°N以北时,异常西南风盛行在中国东部大部分地区,此时低层异常空气质量辐合、对流层异常上升运动以及异常水汽通量辐合区都向北移到江淮地区,使江淮地区降水增加,而华南地区为异常空气质量辐散、异常下沉运动以及异常水汽通量辐散,伴随着降水减少,这时异常水汽主要来自西太平洋副热带地区。由于上述观测结果与通过改变东亚和周边海域海-陆热力差异的数值试验结果有很好的一致性,因此,这里观测到的降水和大气环流异常可以被东亚区域热力差异异常激发出来。     

Modeling of atmospheric transport and fumigation at shoreline sites

Plumes initially exhausted into stable air over water disperse slowly; yet after crossing a coastline and travelling inland for a sufficient distance, the plumes interact with thermals rising from the land and may be brought rapidly to the ground. Model studies of a typical power plant sited along a lake shoreline were made to determine mixing-layer growth over the land and fumigation potential of elevated releases. An atmospheric boundary-layer wind tunnel simulated water and land temperature differences and an initially ground-based inversion approach flow.     

The Atmospheric Water Resource over the Qilian-Heihe Valley

On the base of weather station data and the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data, atmospheric water resource over the Qilian-Heihe Valley was analyzed, and the result shows that, the less water vapor transport source and the divergence of atmospheric stream eld are main cause for resulting in the little water vapor content over the Qilian-Heihe Valley. Annual mean atmospheric water vapor content over the Qilian-Heihe Valley is merely 30% and 40% over the south of the Yangtze River and the middle of North China, respectively. Because of its high elevation and high precipitation e ciency, the Qilian Mountains area has plentiful precipitation. And the lower surface temperature and evaporation make the surface water material gather easily and thus form runo . As for the Heihe Valley, for the low precipitation efficiency, there is little precipitation and its value is corresponded to the surface evaporation. Thus its contribution to the surface water is very small. In the grid of 2.5°×2.5° over the Qilian-Heihe Valley, annual influent and effluent water vapor amount are 668×109 and 650×109 m3, respectively. The net influent water vapor amount is 18×109 m3. The influent water vapor takes on reducing tendency and with an obvious descent in period of the 1970s-1980s. In the recent 40 years, because the air temperature over the Qilian-Heihe Valley is rising and the atmospheric water vapor content is descending, the decrease of precipitation would be inevitable.     

白洋淀地区非均匀大气边界层的综合观测研究——实验介绍及近地层微气象特征分析

介绍了国家自然科学基金重点项目 "地表通量参数化与大气边界层过程的基础研究" 在河北省白洋淀地区进行的两次综合观测实验(时间分别是2004年11月16～22日和2005年9月8～27日),这两次实验获得了大量宝贵的资料,全面深入的资料分析正在进行中.此文主要限于白洋淀地区水陆不均匀地表近地面层微气象特征的分析.结果表明: 陆地上近地面层的气温日变化比水域上的大,而风速比水域上的小,其中9月份陆地上白天的气温比水域上的高,夜间比水域上的低,11月份两地白天气温接近,但夜间陆地上的气温明显偏低; 无论是9月还是11月,水域上近地面层都是以下沉气流为主,而陆地则在中午前后存在弱的上升运动; 9月份,两地的近地面层短波射入辐射比较接近,但水域上的短波射出辐射比陆地上的大; 长波射入辐射则是陆地比水域的大,而长波射出辐射则是水域的比陆地的大; 两地的净辐射白天接近,夜间水域地区负的净辐射值明显比陆地的大; 9月份,水陆两地的感热通量相差不大,为150～200 W/m2,而潜热通量比感热通量大,天气晴朗时可达到300 W/m2; 11月份,陆地的感热通量比潜热通量大,为100～120 W/m2,而水域地区的感热通量则与潜热通量相当; 两地的潜热通量相差不大,一般不超过50 W/m2.无论是9月还是11月,水域地区夜间都存在水汽向下输送的逆湿现象,而陆地只在9月份存在逆湿现象.2005年9月份的水温观测结果表明,白洋淀水体平均温度比水表平均温度明显偏高,而且日变化幅度很小,水表平均温度则日变化较大.     

下垫面对雹云形成发展的影响

利用中尺度模式WRF(Weather Research and Forecasting)对2005年5月31日发生在北京地区的一次强冰雹天气过程进行了数值模拟研究,并与观测的雷达回波、冰雹云移动路径和冰雹落区进行比较,在此基础上探讨了城市和农田两种下垫面对雹云的影响。结果表明,由于"城市热岛"效应的作用,城市下垫面的地面感热通量显著增加,有利于雹云的发展增强和大冰雹的形成,使地面累积降雹量增加,但对雹云移动路径影响不大。农田下垫面具有较大的潜热通量,局地蒸发强,有利于大量小冰雹的形成,云中冰雹含量增加,但降雹强度较弱,地面累积降雹量小。     

引发舟曲特大泥石流灾害强降雨过程成因

利用自动气象站观测资料、MTSAT卫星红外亮温资料、NCEP/NCAR再分析资料、AIRS卫星大气温湿资料、MODIS卫星气溶胶光学厚度资料和ECMWF模式预报的地面风、压、温、湿资料,对2010年8月7—8日甘肃省甘南州舟曲县引发特大泥石流灾害的强降雨天气过程的成因进行了天气动力学诊断分析,结果表明:由于地表强烈增温与高空槽后冷空气平流作用,8月7日午后舟曲及其上游 (西北方向) 地区大气不稳定性极强,区域平均对流有效位能 (CAPE) 值为4393 J·kg-1、对流零浮力层 (LNB) 高度达16.54 km;南北气流交汇与局地复杂小地形使得近地面形成多个中小尺度辐合线和辐合中心,于8月7日14:00(北京时) 左右触发了对流的产生;强盛的西北太平洋副热带高压与台风电母之间的偏南气流在23°~30°N纬度带转向西输送水汽直达青藏高原东缘,在高原地形作用下转为向北传输到达舟曲附近区域,为该区域对流发展提供水汽条件;对流云团形成后,在高空西北气流的引导下向东南方向移动,于8月7日夜间到达舟曲地区造成该地区强降雨,引发特大泥石流灾害。     

Albedo enhancement over land to counteract global warming: impacts on hydrological cycle

A recent modelling study has shown that precipitation and runoff over land would increase when the reflectivity of marine clouds is increased to counter global warming. This implies that large scale albedo enhancement over land could lead to a decrease in runoff over land. In this study, we perform simulations using NCAR CAM3.1 that have implications for Solar Radiation Management geoengineering schemes that increase the albedo over land. We find that an increase in reflectivity over land that mitigates the global mean warming from a doubling of CO₂ leads to a large residual warming in the southern hemisphere and cooling in the northern hemisphere since most of the land is located in northern hemisphere. Precipitation and runoff over land decrease by 13.4 and 22.3%, respectively, because of a large residual sinking motion over land triggered by albedo enhancement over land. Soil water content also declines when albedo over land is enhanced. The simulated magnitude of hydrological changes over land are much larger when compared to changes over oceans in the recent marine cloud albedo enhancement study since the radiative forcing over land needed (?8.2?W?m^?2) to counter global mean radiative forcing from a doubling of CO₂ (3.3?W?m^?2) is approximately twice the forcing needed over the oceans (?4.2?W?m^?2). Our results imply that albedo enhancement over oceans produce climates closer to the unperturbed climate state than do albedo changes on land when the consequences on land hydrology are considered. Our study also has important implications for any intentional or unintentional large scale changes in land surface albedo such as deforestation/afforestation/reforestation, air pollution, and desert and urban albedo modification.