Can Adaptive Observations Improve Tropical Cyclone Intensity Forecasts?简

In order to investigate whether adaptive observations can improve tropical cyclone （TC） intensity forecasts,observing system simulation experiments （OSSEs） were conducted for 20 TC cases originating in the western North Pacific during the 2010 season according to the conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation （CNOP） sensitivity,using the fifth version of the PSU/NCAR mesoscale model （MM5） and its 3DVAR assimilation system.A new intensity index was defined as the sum of the number of grid points within an allocated square centered at the corresponding forecast TC central position,that satisfy constraints associated with the Sea Level Pressure （SLP）,near-surface horizontal wind speed,and accumulated convective precipitation.The higher the index value is,the more intense the TC is.The impacts of the CNOP sensitivity on the intensity forecast were then estimated.The OSSE results showed that for 15 of the 20 cases there were improvements,with reductions of forecast errors in the range of 0.12％-8.59％,which were much less than in track forecasts.The indication,therefore,is that the CNOP sensitivity has a generally positive effect on TC intensity forecasts,but only to a certain degree.We conclude that factors such as the use of a coupled model,or better initialization of the TC vortex,are more important for an accurate TC intensity forecast.     

Idealized Numerical Simulations of Tropical Cyclone Formation Associated with Monsoon Gyres简

Monsoon gyres have been identified as one of the important large-scale circulation patterns associated with tropical cyclone （TC） formation in the western North Pacific.A recent observational analysis indicated that most TCs form near the center of monsoon gyres or at the northeast end of the enhanced low-level southwesterly flows on the southeast-east periphery of monsoon gyres.In the present reported study,idealized numerical experiments were conducted to examine the tropical cyclogenesis associated with Rossby wave energy dispersion with an initial idealized monsoon gyre.The numerical simulations showed that the development of the low-level enhanced southwesterly flows on the southeasteast periphery of monsoon gyres can be induced by Rossby wave energy dispersion.Mesoscale convective systems emerged from the northeast end of the enhanced southwesterly flows with mid-level maximum relative vorticity.The simulated TC formed in the northeast of the monsoon gyre and moved westward towards the center of the monsoon gyre.The numerical experiment with a relatively smaller sized initial monsoon gyre showed the TC forming near the center of the initial monsoon gyre.The results of the present study suggest that Rossby wave energy dispersion can play an important role in TC formation in the presence of monsoon gyres.     

Impacts of Four Types of ENSO Events on Tropical Cyclones Making Landfall over Mainland China Based on Three Best-track Datasets简

Impacts of EI Nino Modoki （ENM）, La Nina Modoki （LNM）, canonical EI Nifio （CEN） and canonical La Nifia （CLN） on tropical cyclones （TCs） that made landfall over mainland China during 1951-2011 are analysed using best-track data from China, the USA and Japan. Relative to cold phase years （LNM and CLN）, landfalling TCs in warm years （ENM and CEN） have a farther east genesis location, as well as longer track lengths and durations, both in total and before landfall. ENM demonstrates the highest landfall frequency, most northerly mean landfall position, and shortest after-landfall sustainability （track length and duration）, which indicate a more frequent and extensive coverage of mainland China by TCs, but with shorter after-landfall influence. CEN has low landfall frequency and the most southerly mean landfall location. LNM has the most westerly genesis location, being significantly farther west than the 1951-2011 average and leading to short mean track lengths and durations both in total or before landfall, all of which are significantly shorter than the 1951-2011 average. Variations in the low-level wind anomaly, vertical wind shear, mid-level relative humidity, steering flow, the monsoon trough and the western Pacific subtropical high （WPSH） can to some extent account for the features of frequency, location, track length and duration of landfalling TCs. Since ENSO Modoki is expected to become more frequent in the near future, the results for ENSO Modoki presented in this paper are of particular significance.     

Decadal Variations of Intense Tropical Cyclones over the Western North Pacific during 1948–2010简

Using Joint Warning Typhoon Center （JTWC） best track data during the period 1948-2010, decadal and interdecadal changes of annual category 4 and 5 tropical cyclone （TC） frequency in the western North Pacific basin were examined. By allowing all of the observed TCs in the JTWC dataset to move along the observed TC tracks in a TC intensity model, the annual category 4 and 5 TC frequency was simulated. The results agreed well with observations when the TC intensity prior to 1973 was adjusted based on time-dependent biases due to changes in measurement and reporting practices. The simulated and adjusted time series showed significant decadal （12-18 years） variability, while the interdecadal （18-32 years） variability was found to be statistically insignificant. Numerical simulations indicated that changes in TC tracks are the most important factor for the decadal variability in the category 4 and 5 TC frequency in the western North Pacific basin, while a combined effect of changes in SST and vertical wind shear also contributes to the decadal variability. Further analysis suggested that the active phase of category 4 and 5 TCs is closely associated with an eastward shift in the TC formation locations, which allows more TCs to follow a longer journey, favoring the development of category 4 and 5 TCs. The active phase corresponds with the SST warming over the tropical central and eastern Pacific and the eastward extension of the monsoon trough, thus leading to the eastward shift in TC formation locations.     

A Relocation-based Initialization Scheme to Improve Track-forecasting of Tropical Cyclones简

A relocation procedure to initialize tropical cyclones was developed to improve the representation of the initial conditions and the track forecast for Panasonic Weather Solutions Tropical Operational Forecasts. This scheme separates the vortex perturbation and environment field from the first guess, then relocates the initial vortex perturbations to Lhe observed position by merging them with the environment field. The relationships of wind vector components with stream function and velocity potential are used for separating the vortex disturbance from first guess. For the separation of scalars, a low-pass Barnes filter is employed. The irregular-shaped relocation area corresponding to the specific initial conditions is determined by mapping the edge of the vortex radius in 36 directions.Then, the non-vortex perturbations in the relocation area are removed by a two-pass Barnes filter to retain the vortex perturbations, while the variable fields outside the perimeter of the modified vortex are kept ide.ntical to the original first guess. The potential impacts of this scheme on track forecasts were examined for three hurricane cases in the 2011-12 hurricane season. The experimental results demonstrate that the initialization scheme is able to effectively separate the vortex field from the environment field and maintain a relatively balanced and accurate relocated first guess. As the initial track error is reduced, the following track forecasts are considerably improved. The 72-h average track forecast error was redu,~ed by 32.6% for the cold-start cases, and by 38.4% when using the full-cycling data assimilation because of the accumulatedL improvements from the initialization scheme.     

An Observational Analysis of the Oceanic and Atmospheric Structure of Global-Scale Multi-decadal Variability简

The aim of the present study was to identify multi-decadal variability （MDV） relative to the current centennial global warming trend in available observation data.The centennial global wanning trend was first identified in the global mean surface temperature （STgm） data.The MDV was identified based on three sets of climate variables,including sea surface temperature （SST）,ocean temperature from the surface to 700 m,and the NCEP and ERA40 reanalysis datasets,respectively.All variables were detrended and low-pass filtered.Through three independent EOF analyses of the filtered variables,all results consistently showed two dominant modes,with their respective temporal variability resembling the Pacific Decadal Oscillation/Inter-decadal Pacific Oscillation （PDO/IPO） and the Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation （AMO）.The spatial structure of the PDO-like oscillation is characterized by an ENSO-like structure and hemispheric symmetric features.The structure associated with the AMO-like oscillation exhibits hemispheric asymmetric features with anomalous warm air over Eurasia and warm SST in the Atlantic and Pacific basin north of 10°S,and cold SST over the southern oceans.The Pacific and Atlantic MDV in upper-ocean temperature suggest that they are mutually linked.We also found that the PDO-like and AMO-like oscillations are almost equally important in global-scale MDV by EOF analyses.In the period 1975-2005,the evolution of the two oscillations has given rise to strong temperature trends and has contributed almost half of the STgm warming.Hereon,in the next decade,the two oscillations are expected to slow down the global warming trends.     

Impacts of Diurnal Variation of Mountain-plain Solenoid Circulations on Precipitation and Vortices East of the Tibetan Plateau during the Mei-yu Season简

Diurnal variations of two mountain-plain solenoid （MPS） circulations associated with ＂first-step＂ terrain [Tibetan Plateau （TP）] and ＂second-step＂ terrain （high mountains between the TP and ＂east plains＂） in China and their influence on the south west vortex （SWV） and the mei-yu front vortex （MYFV） were investigated via a semi-idealized mesoscale numerical model [Weather Research and Forecasting （WRF）] simulation integrated with ten-day average fields （mei-yu period of 1-10 July 2007）. The simulations successfully reproduced two MPS circulations related to first and second-step terrain, diurnal vari- ations from the eastern edge of the TP to the Yangtze River-Huaihe River valleys （YHRV）, and two precipitation maximum centers related to the SWV, MYFV. Analyses of the averaged final seven-day simulation showed the different diurnal peaks of precipitation at different regions： from the aftemoon to early evening at the eastern edge of the TP; in the early evening to the next early morning in the Sichuan Basin （SCB）; and in the late evening to the next early morning over the mei-yu front （MYF）. Analyses of individual two-day cases confirmed that the upward branches of the nightlime MPS circulations enhanced the precipitation over the SWV and the MYFV and revealed that the eastward extension of the SWV and its con vection were conducive to triggering the MYFVs. The eastward propagation of a rainfall streak from the eastern edge of the TP to the eastern coastal region was primarily due to a series of convective activities of several systems from west to east, including the MPS between the TP and SCB, the SWV, the MPS between second-step terrain and tile east plains, and the MYFV.     

Retrieval of Vertical Distribution of Tropospheric Refractivity through Ground-Based GPS Observation简

In the present reported study, the vertical distributions of local atmospheric refractivity were retrieved from ground- based GPS observations at low elevation angles. An improved optimization method was implemented at altitudes of 0-10 km to search for a best-fit refractivity profile that resulted in atmospheric delays most similar to the delays calculated from the observations. A ray-tracing model was used to simulate neutral atmospheric delays corresponding to a given refractivity profile. We initially performed a ＂theoretical retrieval＂, in which no observation data were involved, to verify the optimization method. A statistical relative error of this ＂theoretical retrieval＂ （-2% to 2%） indicated that such a retrieval is effective. In a practical retrieval, observations were obtained using a dual-frequency GPS receiver, and its initial value was provided by CIRA86aQ_UoG data. The statistical relative errors of the practical retrieval range from -3% to 5% were compared with co-located radiosonde measurements, Results clearly revealed diurnal variations in local refractivity prc,files, The results also suggest that the general vertical distribution of refractivity can be derived with a high temporal resolution. However, further study is needed to describe the vertical refractivity gradient clearly.     

Quantifying the Response Strength of the Southern Stratospheric Polar Vortex to Indian Ocean Warming in Austral Summer简

A previous multiple-AGCM study suggested that Indian Ocean Warming （IOW） tends to warm and weaken the southern polar vortex.Such an impact is robust because of a qualitative consistency among the five AGCMs used.However,a significant difference exists in the modeled strengths,particularly in the stratosphere,with those in three of the AGCMs （CCM3,CAM3,and GFS） being four to five times as strong as those in the two other models （GFDL AM2,ECHAM5）.As to which case reflects reality is an important issue not only for quantifying the role of tropical ocean warming in the recent modest recovery of the ozone hole over the Antarctic,but also for projecting its future trend.This issue is addressed in the present study through comparing the models＇ climatological mean states and intrinsic variability,particularly those influencing tropospheric signals to propagate upward and reach the stratosphere.The results suggest that differences in intrinsic variability of model atmospheres provide implications for the difference.Based on a comparison with observations,it is speculated that the impact in the real world may be closer to the modest one simulated by GFDL AM2 and ECHAM5,rather than the strong one simulated by the three other models （CCM3,CAM3 and GFS）.In particular,IOW during the past 50 years may have dynamically induced a 1.0℃ warming in the polar lower stratosphere （～100 hPa）,which canceled a fraction of radiative cooling due to ozone depletion.     

The Impact of Global Warming on the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and the Possible Mechanism简

The response of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation （PDO） to global warming according to the Fast Ocean Atmosphere Model （FOAM） and global warming comparison experiments of 11 IPCC AR4 models is investigated. The results show that North Pacific ocean decadal variability, its dominant mode （i.e., PDO）, and atmospheric decadal variability, have become weaker under global warming, but with PDO shifting to a higher frequency. The SST decadal variability reduction maximum is shown to be in the subpolar North Pacific Ocean and western North Pacific （PDO center）. The atmospheric decadal variability reduction maximum is over the PDO center. It was also found that oceanic baroclinic Rossby waves play a key role in PDO dynamics, especially those in the subpolar ocean. As the frequency of ocean buoyancy increases under a warmer climate, oceanic baroclinic Rossby waves become faster, and the increase in their speed ratio in the high latitudes is much larger than in the low latitudes. The faster baroclinic Rossby waves can cause the PDO to shift to a higher frequency, and North Pacific decadal variability and PDO to become weaker.     

云辐射强迫效应对热带气旋发展和结构的影响

利用高分辨率中尺度WRF-ARW模式,进行云辐射强迫效应对热带气旋(Tropical Cyclone,TC)发展和结构影响的敏感性试验研究。结果表明,云辐射强迫效应主要通过改变TC云区的辐射分布影响对流活动,进而影响TC的发展和结构。在TC发展阶段,TC内区对流云区云顶的强烈辐射冷却作用和云层内部的辐射增温过程降低了TC中上层的静力稳定度,中下层的变化相对不明显。总体上考虑云辐射效应的试验更易激发出更多更强的对流活动,有利于TC的发展及TC尺度的增大。鉴于云辐射强迫对TC的影响,在TC数值预报中需要更加重视云辐射强迫效应。     

西北太平洋台风季节预报的数值模拟

利用中尺度气象模式WRF（weather research and forecasting）对2006年7月1日-9月30日的西北太平洋夏季台风进行了动力季节预报试验。结果表明：1）在对3个月以内的台风作动力季节预报试验时,WRF模式模拟的台风总个数与实况接近,模式模拟的总登陆台风数与实况相比偏小。从各月模拟情况看,台风总数与登陆数的模拟均与实况有差距。WRF模式对台风强度的模拟总体偏弱。2）WRF在模拟2006年7q月台风以及平均高度场、水平风垂直切变时,7月与实况接近,随时间增长,与实况的差别明显增大．WRF模式具有一定的台风动力季节预报能力,但其预报时限有待探讨。     

Impacts of the diurnal cycle of radiation on tropical cyclone intensification and structure

To investigate the impacts of the diurnal cycle on tropical cyclones （TCs）,a set of idealized simulations were conducted by specifying different radiation （i.e.,nighttime-only,daytime-only,full diurnal cycle）.It was found that,for an initially weak storm,it developed faster during nighttime than daytime.The impacts of radiation were not only on TC intensification,but also on TC structure and size.The nighttime storm tended to have a larger size than its daytime counterparts.During nighttime,the radiative cooling steepened the lapse rate and thus reduced the static stability in cloudy regions,enhancing convection.Diabatic heating associated with outer convection induced boundary layer inflows,which led to outward expansion of tangential winds and thus increased the storm size.     

A scheme for estimating tropical cyclone intensity using AMSU-A data

Brightness temperature anomalies measured by the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit （AMSU） on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration （NOAA） polar-orbiting series are suited to estimate tropical cyclone （TC） intensity by virtue of their ability to assess changes in tropospheric warm core struc-ture in the presence of clouds. Analysis of the measurements from different satellites shows that the variable horizontal resolution of the instrument has significant effects on the observed brightness temperature anoma-lies. With the aim to decrease these effects on TC intensity estimation more easily and effectively, a new simple correction algorithm, which is related to the product of the brightness temperature gradient near the TC center and the size of the field-of-view （FOV） observing the TC center, is proposed to modify the observed anomalies. Without other measurements, the comparison shows that the performance of the new algorithm is better than that of the traditional, physically-based algorithm. Furthermore, based on the correction algorithm, a new scheme, in which the brightness temperature anomalies at 31.4 GHz and 89 GHz accounting for precipitation effects are directly used as the predictors with those at 54.94 GHz and 55.5 GHz, is developed to estimate TC intensity in the western North Pacific basin. The collocated AMSU-A observations from NOAA-16 with the best track （BT） intensity data from the Japan Meteorological Agency （JMA） in 2002-2003 and in 2004 are used respectively to develop and validate regression coefficients. For the independent validation dataset, the scheme yields 8.4 hPa of the root mean square error and 6.6 hPa of the mean absolute error. For the 81 collocated cases in the western North Pacific basin and for the 24 collocated cases in the Atlantic basin, compared to the BT data, the standard deviations of the estimation differences of the results are 15% and 11% less than those of the CIMSS （Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies, Univ     

气溶胶对热带气旋强度及电过程影响的数值模拟研究

将详细的气溶胶活化方案和非感应起电参数化方案耦合到WRF模式的Morrison微物理方案中,在此基础上模拟了理想的热带气旋个例,讨论了气溶胶对热带气旋强度及电活动的影响。研究发现气溶胶对热带气旋强度和电活动的影响在不同发展阶段是不同的。在热带气旋发展阶段,气溶胶增加使云内的云滴数浓度增加,云滴尺度降低,抑制了暖雨过程,未降落的小云滴粒子上升到冻结层之上,冻结形成了更多的冰相粒子,冻结过程释放潜热,激发云系对流发展,使热带气旋强度增强,电活动更为剧烈。而在热带气旋成熟阶段,污染个例中的冰相粒子降落,形成更多的降水,降水粒子在下落过程中对上升气流产生拖曳作用,抑制对流强度。降水粒子在海平面蒸发吸收了大量潜热,使该区域温度降低,这也阻碍了外部暖湿能量向内输送,抑制了对流发展,从而使热带气旋强度降低。而由于污染个例中的冰粒子较少,参与起电过程的冰粒子减少,热带气旋的电活动强度降低。     

Sensitivity of tropical cyclone intensification to inner-core structure

In this study, the dependence of tropical cyclone (TC) development on the inner-core structure of the parent vortex is examined using a pair of idealized numerical simulations. It is found that the radial profile of inner-core relative vorticity may have a great impact on its subsequent development. For a system with a larger inner-core relative vorticity/inertial stability, the conversion ratio of the diabatic heating to kinetic energy is greater. Furthermore, the behavior of the convective vorticity eddies is likely modulated by the system-scale circulation. For a parent vortex with a relatively higher inner-core vorticity and larger negative radial vorticity gradient, convective eddy formation and radially inward propagation is promoted through vorticity segregation. This provides a greater potential for these small-scale convective cells to self-organize into a mesoscale inner-core structure in the TC. In turn, convectively induced diabatic heating that is close to the center, along with higher inertial stability, efficiently enhances system-scale secondary circulation. This study provides a solid basis for further research into how the initial structure of a TC influences storm dynamics and thermodynamics.     

Effect of tropical cyclone intensity and instability on the evolution of spiral bands

The evolution of spiral-band-like structures triggered by asymmetric heating in three tropical-cyclone-like vortices of different intensities is examined using the Three-Dimensional Vortex Perturbation Analyzer and Simulator （3DVPAS） model. To simulate the spiral bands, asymmetric thermal perturbations are imposed on the radius of maximum wind （RMW） of vortices, which can be considered as the location near the eyewall of real tropical cyclones （TCs）. All the three vortices experience a hydrostatic adjustment after the introduction of thermal asymmetries. It takes more time for weaker and stable vortices to finish such a process. The spiral-band-like structures, especially those distant from the vortex centers, form and evolve accompanying this process. In the quasi-balance state, the spiral bands are gradually concentrated to the inner core, the wave behavior of which resembles the features of classic vortex Rossby （VR） waves. The unstable vortices regain nonhydrostatic features after the quasi-balance stage. The spiral bands further from the vortex center, similar to distant spiral bands in real TCs, form and maintain more easily in the moderate basic-state vortex, satisfying the conditions of barotropic instability. The widest radial extent and longest-lived distant bands always exist in weak and stable vortices. This study represents an attempt to determine the role of TC intensity and stability in the formation and evolution of spiral bands via hydrostatic balance adjustment, and provides some valuable insights into the formation of distant spiral rainbands.     

热带气旋结构和强度变化研究进展

热带气旋结构和强度变化的物理过程和影响因子十分复杂,其登陆过程中海-陆-气三者之间的复杂作用常使其结构和强度发生突变,给热带气旋预报带来较大困难。近年来外场科学试验及数值模拟等科学方法都取得较大改进,在此基础上对热带气旋结构和强度研究取得了新的进展,如热带气旋强度突变及不同下垫面对热带气旋强度变化的影响等。但对热带气旋非对称结构对其强度的影响及热带气旋内部结构变化与其强度之间的联系等问题的研究仍不全面。本文通过查阅国内外相关研究文献,从环境气流、下垫面及内部结构3个主要方面,总结影响热带气旋结构和强度变化的主要因子,以期为改进热带气旋结构和强度的预报方法提供有意义的理论依据。     

Ensemble Forecasting of Tropical Cyclone Motion Using a Baroclinic Model

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of two different ensemble forecasting (EF) techniques–the lagged-averaged forecast (LAF) and the breeding of growing modes (BGM). In the BGM experiments, the vortex and the environment are perturbed separately (named BGMV and BGME). Tropical cyclone (TC) motions in two difficult situations are studied: a large vortex interacting with its environment, and an apparent binary interaction. The former is Typhoon Yancy and the latter involves Typhoon Ed and super Typhoon Flo, all occurring during the Tropical Cyclone Motion Experiment TCM- 90. The model used is the baroclinic model of the University of New South Wales. The lateral boundary tendencies are computed from atmospheric analysis data. Only the relative skill of the ensemble forecast mean over the control run is used to evaluate the effectiveness of the EF methods, although the EF technique is also used to quantify forecast uncertainty in some studies. In the case of Yancy, the ensemble mean forecasts of each of the three methodologies are better than that of the control, with LAF being the best. The mean track of the LAF is close to the best track, and it predicts landfall over Taiwan. The improvements in LAF and the full BGM where both the environment and vortex are perturbed suggest the importance of combining the perturbation of the vortex and environment when the interaction between the two is appreciable. In the binary interaction case of Ed and Flo, the forecasts of Ed appear to be insensitive to perturbations of the environment and/or the vortex, which apparently results from erroneous forecasts by the model of the interaction between the subtropical ridge and Ed, as well as from the interaction between the two typhoons, thus reducing the effectiveness of the EF technique. This conclusion is reached through sensitivity experiments on the domain of the model and by adding or eliminating certain features in the model atmosphere. Nevertheless, the forecast tracks in some of the cases are improved over that of the control. On the other hand, the EF technique has little impact on the forecasts of Flo because the control forecast is already very close to the best track. The study provides a basis for the future development of the EF technique. The limitations of this study are also addressed. For example, the above results are based on a small sample, and the study is actually a simulation, which is different than operational forecasting. Further tests of these EF techniques are proposed.     

Boundary-layer wind structure in a landfalling tropical cyclone

In this study, a slab boundary layer model with a constant depth is used to analyze the boundary-layer wind structure in a landfalling tropical cyclone. Asymmetry is found in both the tangential and radial components of horizontal wind in the tropical cyclone boundary layer at landfall. For a steady tropical cyclone on a straight coastline at landfall, the magnitude of the radial component is greater in the offshoreflow side and the tangential component is greater over the sea, slightly offshore, therefore the greater total wind speed occurs in the offshore-flow side over the sea. The budget analysis suggests that： （1） a greater surface friction over land produces a greater inflow and the nonlinear effect advects the maximum inflow downstream, and （2） a smaller surface friction over the sea makes the decrease of the tangential wind component less than that over land. Moreover, the boundary layer wind structures in a tropical cyclone are related to the locations of the tropical cyclone relative to the coastline due to the different surface frictions. During tropical cyclone landfall, the impact of rough terrain on the cyclone increases, so the magnitude of the radial component of wind speed increases in the offshore-flow side and the tangential component outside the radius of maximum wind speed decreases gradually.