The contribution of urbanization to recent extreme heat events and a potential mitigation strategy in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei metropolitan area

This paper addresses the contribution of urban land use change to near-surface air temperature during the summer extreme heat events of the early twenty-first century in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei metropolitan area. This study uses the Weather Research Forecasting model with a single urban canopy model and the newest actual urban cover datasets. The results show that urban land use characteristics that have evolved over the past ~20 years in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei metropolitan area have had a significant impact on the extreme temperatures occurring during extreme heat events. Simulations show that new urban development has caused an intensification and expansion of the areas experiencing extreme heat waves with an average increase in temperature of approximately 0.60 °C. This change is most obvious at night with an increase up to 0.95 °C, for which the total contribution of anthropogenic heat is 34 %. We also simulate the effects of geo-engineering strategies increasing the albedo of urban roofs, an effective way of reducing urban heat island, which can reduce the urban mean temperature by approximately 0.51 °C and counter approximately 80 % of the heat wave results from urban sprawl during the last 20 years.     

Influences of meteorological conditions on interannual variations of particulate matter pollution during winter in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei area

To investigate the interannual variations of particulate matter (PM) pollution in winter, this paper examines the pollution characteristics of PM with aerodynamic diameters of less than 2.5 and 10 μm (i.e., PM_2.5 and PM₁₀), and their relationship to meteorological conditions over the Beijing municipality, Tianjin municipality, and Hebei Province—an area called Jing–Jin–Ji (JJJ, hereinafter)—in December 2013–16. The meteorological conditions during this period are also analyzed. The regional average concentrations of PM_2.5 (PM₁₀) over the JJJ area during this period were 148.6 (236.4), 100.1 (166.4), 140.5 (204.5), and 141.7 (203.1) μg m^–3, respectively. The high occurrence frequencies of cold air outbreaks, a strong Siberian high, high wind speeds and boundary layer height, and low temperature and relative humidity, were direct meteorological causes of the low PM concentration in December 2014. A combined analysis of PM pollution and meteorological conditions implied that control measures have resulted in an effective improvement in air quality. Using the same emissions inventory in December 2013–16, a modeling analysis showed emissions of PM_2.5 to decrease by 12.7%, 8.6%, and 8.3% in December 2014, 2015, and 2016, respectively, each compared with the previous year, over the JJJ area.     

Modeling of urban heat island and its impacts on thermal circulations in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region,China

Through regulating the land–atmosphere energy balance, urbanization plays an important role in modifying local circulations and cross-border transport of air pollutants. The Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) metropolitan area in northern China is frequently influenced by complex atmospheric thermal circulations due to its special topography and geographic position. In this study, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model combined with remote sensing is used to explore the urbanization impacts on local circulations in the BTH region. The urban heat island (UHI) effect generated around Beijing and Tianjin shows complex interactions with local thermal circulations. Due to the combined effects of UHI and topography, the UHI circulation around Beijing and valley breeze at the southern slopes of Yan Mountain are coupled together to reinforce each other. At the coastal cities, the increased land/sea temperature gradient considerably accelerates the sea breeze along Bohai Bay and moves the sea breeze front further inland to reach as far as Beijing. This study may lay a foundation for the better understanding of air pollutant dispersion on complex terrain.

     

Impact of Anthropogenic Aerosols on Summer Precipitation in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Urban Agglomeration in China:Regional Climate Modeling Using WRF-Chem

The WRF model with chemistry(WRF-Chem) was employed to simulate the impacts of anthropogenic aerosols on summer precipitation over the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei urban agglomeration in China. With the aid of a high-resolution gridded inventory of anthropogenic emissions of trace gases and aerosols, we conducted relatively long-term regional simulations,considering direct, semi-direct and indirect effects of the aerosols. Comparing the results of sensitivity experiments with and without emissions, it was found that anthropogenic aerosols tended to enhance summer precipitation over the metropolitan areas. Domain-averaged rainfall was increased throughout the day, except for the time around noon. Aerosols shifted the precipitation probability distribution from light or moderate to extreme rain. Further analysis showed that the anthropogenic aerosol radiative forcing had a cooling effect at the land surface, but a warming effect in the atmosphere. However, enhanced convective strength and updrafts accompanied by water vapor increases and cyclone-like wind shear anomalies were found in the urban areas. These responses may originate from cloud microphysical effects of aerosols on convection, which were identified as the primary cause for the summer rainfall enhancement.     

Analysis of the interannual variations and influencing factors of wind speed anomalies over the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region

风场对京津冀地区雾霾的产生和消散起着决定性作用。本文利用站点观测数据,研究了京津冀地区冬季风场的年际变化及其影响因素。研究表明,京津冀地区的冬季平均风速为2.0 m s~(-1),每年降幅为0.01 m s~(-1)。大多数情况下,强风年对应热带太平洋东部的负海温异常,而弱风年份相反。此外,京津冀地区冬季风场的年际变化还受到包括北半球中高纬度气压梯度、欧亚大陆地表温度、菲律宾东部热带太平洋海面温度等多重因素的影响。     

Atmospheric Circulation and Dynamic Mechanism for Persistent Haze Events in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Region

In this study, regional persistent haze events(RPHEs) in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei(BTH) region were identified based on the Objective Identification Technique for Regional Extreme Events for the period 1980–2013. The formation mechanisms of the severe RPHEs were investigated with focus on the atmospheric circulation and dynamic mechanisms. Results indicated that:(1) 49 RPHEs occurred during the past 34 years.(2) The severe RPHEs could be categorized into two types according to the large-scale circulation, i.e. the zonal westerly airflow(ZWA) type and the high-pressure ridge(HPR) type. When the ZWA-type RPHEs occurred, the BTH region was controlled by near zonal westerly airflow in the mid–upper troposphere.Southwesterly winds prevailed in the lower troposphere, and near-surface wind speeds were only 1–2 ms~(-1). Warm and humid air originating from the northwestern Pacific was transported into the region, where the relative humidity was 70% to 80%, creating favorable moisture conditions. When the HPR-type RPHEs appeared, northwesterly airflow in the mid–upper troposphere controlled the region. Westerly winds prevailed in the lower troposphere and the moisture conditions were relatively weak.(3) Descending motion in the mid-lower troposphere caused by the above two circulation types provided a crucial dynamic mechanism for the formation of the two types of RPHEs. The descending motion contributed to a reduction in the height of the planetary boundary layer(PBL), which generated an inversion in the lower troposphere. This inversion trapped the abundant pollution and moisture in the lower PBL, leading to high concentrations of pollutants.     

Validation of MODIS C6 AOD Products Retrieved by the Dark Target Method in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Urban Agglomeration,China

The quality of the MODIS C6 3-km and 10-km aerosol optical depth(AOD) products retrieved by the Dark Target(DT)method is discussed using ground-based observations in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region from 1 August 2007 to 31 July2008. Good consistency exists between the 3-km and 10-km products and ground-based observations. The retrieval accuracy of the two products both show distinctive seasonality. The percentage falling within the expected error(EE) is largest in the winter, moderate in the spring and autumn, and smallest in the summer. A worse overestimation appears in the spring and summer(27%–66%). However, the 3-km and 10-km products over different surfaces still exhibit obvious deviations. The 10-km product performs better in the large cities, while the 3-km product has advantages in the suburbs. In urban areas, the percentage falling within EE of the 3-km AOD product(18%–59%) is lower than that for the 10-km AOD product(31%–69%). However, in suburban areas, the percentage falling within EE of the 3-km AOD product(61%–84%) is higher than for the 10 km AOD product(54%–83%).The percentages falling within EE differ considerably when the AOD is greater than1.5(73% and 63% for the 3-km and 10-km products, respectively). On the whole, the 3-km(10-km) AOD product performs better in suburban(urban) areas.     

Changes of precipitation and extremes and the possible effect of urbanization in the Beijing metropolitan region during 1960–2012 based on homogenized observations

Daily precipitation series at 15 stations in the Beijing metropolitan region (BMR) during 1960-2012 were homogenized using the multiple analysis of series for homogenization method, with additional adjustments based on analysis of empirical cumulative density function (ECDF) regarding climate extremes. The cumulative density functions of daily precipitation series, the trends of annual and seasonal precipitation, and summer extreme events during 1960-2012 in the original and final adjusted series at Beijing station were comparatively analyzed to show the necessity and efficiency of the new method. Results indicate that the ECDF adjustments can improve the homogeneity of high-order moments of daily series and the estimation of climate trends in extremes. The linear trends of the regional-mean annual and seasonal (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) precipitation series are -10.16, 4.97, -20.04, 5.02, and -0.11 mm (10 yr)-1, respectively. The trends over the BMR increase consistently for spring/autumn and decrease for the whole year/summer; however, the trends for winter decrease in southern parts and increase in northern parts. Urbanization affects local trends of precipitation amount, frequency, and intensity and their geographical patterns. For the urban-influenced sites, urbanization tends to slow down the magnitude of decrease in the precipitation and extreme amount series by approximately -10.4% and -6.0%, respectively; enhance the magnitude of decrease in precipitation frequency series by approximately 5.7%; reduce that of extremes by approximately -8.9%; and promote the decreasing trends in the summer intensity series of both precipitation and extremes by approximately 6.8% and 51.5%, respectively.     

Effects of NOxand VOCs from Five Emission Sources on Summer Surface O3 over the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Region

The impacts of emissions from industry,power plant,transportation,residential,and biogenic sources on daily maximum surface ozone （O3DM） over the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei （BTH） region in North China in the summer of 2007 were examined in a modeling study.The modeling system consisted of the Weather Research and Forecasting （WRF） model and the photochemical dispersion model,CAMx.The factor separation technique （FST） was used to quantify the effect of individual emission source types and the synergistic interactions among two or more types.Additionally,the effectiveness of emission reduction scenarios was explored.The industry,power plant,and transportation emission source types were found to be the most important in terms of their individual effects on O3DM.The key contributor to high surface O3 was power plant emissions,with a peak individual effect of 40 ppbv in the southwestern BTH area.The individual effect from the biogenic emission category was quite low.The synergistic effects from the combinations of each pair of anthropogenic emission types suppressed O3 formation,while the synergistic effects for combinations of three were favorable for O3 formation when the industrial and power plant emission source types coexisted.The quadruple synergistic effects were positive only with the combination of power plant,transportation,residential,and biogenic sources,while the quintuple synergistic effect showed only minor impacts on O3DM concentrations.A 30％ reduction in industrial and transportation sources produced the most effective impacts on O3 concentrations,with a maximum decrease of 20 ppbv.These results suggested that the synergistic impacts among emission source types should be considered when formulating emission control strategies for O3 reduction.     

Dominant Synoptic Patterns and Their Relationships with PM_(2.5) Pollution in Winter over the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei and Yangtze River Delta Regions in China

This paper concerns about the episodes of PM_(2.5) pollution that frequently occur in China in winter months. The severity of PM_(2.5) pollution is strongly dependent on the synoptic-scale atmospheric conditions. We combined PM_(2.5) concentration data and meteorological data with the Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory model(HYSPLIT4) to investigate the dominant synoptic patterns and their relationships with PM_(2.5) pollution over the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei(BTH) and Yangtze River Delta(YRD) regions in the winters of 2014–17. The transport of PM_(2.5) from the BTH to YRD regions was examined by using cluster analysis and HYSPLIT4. It is found that the level of PM_(2.5) pollution over the BTH region was higher than that over the YRD region. The concentration of PM_(2.5) in the atmosphere was more closely related to meteorological factors over the BTH region. The episodes of PM_(2.5) pollution over the BTH region in winter were related to weather patterns such as the rear of a high-pressure system approaching the sea, a high-pressure field, a saddle pressure field, and the leading edge of a cold front. By contrast,PM_(2.5) pollution episodes in the YRD region in winter were mainly associated with the external transport of cold air, a high-pressure field, and a uniform pressure field. Cluster analysis shows that the trajectories of PM_(2.5) were significantly different under different weather patterns. PM_(2.5) would be transported from the BTH to the YRD within 48 h when the PM_(2.5) pollution episodes were associated with three different kinds of weather patterns: the rear of a highpressure system approaching the sea, the high-pressure field, and the leading edge of a cold front over the BTH region. This suggests a possible method to predict PM_(2.5) pollution episodes based on synoptic-scale patterns.     

Trends of surface PM_(2.5) over Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei in 2013–2015 and their causes: emission controls vs. meteorological conditions

文章以2013年为基准年对京津冀地区2014–15年的PM_(2.5)浓度变化趋势作了分析,并结合区域空气质量模式NAQPMS研究了气象条件和大气控制措施对PM_(2.5)浓度变化的贡献。研究结果表明:京津冀地区2014–15年PM_(2.5)年平均浓度较2013年有明显下降,其中:南部城市(邢台、邯郸、石家庄和沧州)PM_(2.5)浓度下降由气象条件和排放源控制共同作用,排放源控制起主导作用;天津市和廊坊市2014年PM_(2.5)浓度下降有赖于排放源控制,气象条件总体不利于污染物扩散,2015年则由气象条件和排放源控制共同作用,以排放源控制为主导作用;受制于不利气象条件影响,北京市PM_(2.5)浓度下降幅度较其它污染城市更小(2014和2015年分别为4%和9%)。在采暖季和非采暖季的对比中,2015年采暖季期间,整个区域重污染下的PM_(2.5)浓度下降幅度显著大于其它时期,这表明当前该区域大气污染治理正朝精细化的方向发展。     

Variations of characteristics of the mean atmospheric energy level in the area of the Franz Josef Land archipelago in 1935–2012

Proposed is a method for computing the average temperature of the vertical column of the atmosphere (the temperature of the average energy level) based on some features of energy characteristics of the atmosphere and using the radiosonde data within the mid-troposphere. The modem database is supplemented with the data of radio sounding carried out at Russian upper-air stations in 1934–1959. Variations of average annual values of temperature of the mean atmospheric energy level are observed with the period of several decades and with the amplitude of 4°C in 1935–2012. Intensive decrease in the mean annual values of height-integrated temperature has been registered in recent years. Long-period variations of its average seasonal values of the same nature are registered. They are most pronounced in winter and transition seasons and are significantly reduced in summer. The observed oscillations indicate the existence of disturbance sources of long-term scale that is typical of the evolution of the anomalies of the sea surface temperature in the North Atlantic. The nature of long-term changes in the temperature of the mean energy level enables to assume the existence of a local attractor in atmospheric changes near the Franz Josef Land archipelago associated with the features of the thermal state of the North European basin and with the ice regime, first of all, in the Barents Sea. The temperature of the mean energy level depends weakly on local greenhouse effects that allows distinguishing natural (nonantropogenic) causes of atmospheric disturbances in a more explicit form.     

Changes in climatic elements in the Pan-Hexi region during 1960–2014 and responses to global climatic changes

Theoretical and Applied Climatology - In this paper, robust statistical methods (including the climatic tendency ratio, inverse distance weight (IDW), and Mann-Kendall’s non-parametric...     

Spatiotemporal change in the climatic growing season in Northeast China during 1960–2009

Daily mean air temperatures from 81 meteorological stations in Northeast China were analyzed for the spatiotemporal change of the climatic growing season during the period 1960–2009. Our results showed that latitude strongly influenced the spatial patterns of the mean start (GSS), end (GSE), and length (GSL) of the growing season. For the area studied, a significant increasing trend in GSL during 1960–2009 was detected at a significance level of 0.01, especially after the early 1980s. The area-average GSL has extended 13.3 days during the last 50 years, mainly due to the advanced GSS evident in the spring (7.9 days). The variations of GSS and GSE were closely correlated with the monthly mean temperature (T _mean) of April and October, respectively, while GSL was closely related to the monthly minimum temperatures (T _min) of spring (March to April) and autumn (September to October). The distributions of the trends in growing season parameters (GSS, GSE, and GSL) showed great spatial variability over Northeast China. Significant relationships between altitude and the trend rates of the GSS and GSL were detected, while geographic parameters had little direct effect on the change in GSE. This extended growing season may provide favorable conditions for agriculture and forest, and improve their potential production.     

Homogeneity assessment of a station climate series (1933–2005) in the Metropolitan Area of S?o Paulo: instruments change and urbanization effects

This work assessed homogeneity of the Institute of Astronomy, Geophysics and Atmospheric Sciences (IAG) weather station climate series, using various statistical techniques. The record from this target station is one of the longest in Brazil, having commenced in 1933 with observations of precipitation, and temperatures and other variables later in 1936. Thus, it is one of the few stations in Brazil with enough data for long-term climate variability and climate change studies. There is, however, a possibility that its data may have been contaminated by some artifacts over time. Admittedly, there was an intervention on the observations in 1958, with the replacement of instruments, for which the size of impact has not been yet evaluated. The station transformed in the course of time from rural to urban, and this may also have influenced homogeneity of the observations and makes the station less representative for climate studies over larger spatial scales. Homogeneity of the target station was assessed applying both absolute, or single station tests, and tests relatively to regional climate, in annual scale, regarding daily precipitation, relative humidity, maximum (TMax), minimum (TMin), and wet bulb temperatures. Among these quantities, only precipitation does not exhibit any inhomogeneity. A clear signal of change of instruments in 1958 was detected in the TMax and relative humidity data, the latter certainly because of its strong dependence on temperature. This signal is not very clear in TMin, but it presents non-climatic discontinuities around 1953 and around 1970. A significant homogeneity break is found around 1990 for TMax and wet bulb temperature. The discontinuities detected after 1958 may have been caused by urbanization, as the observed warming trend in the station is considerably greater than that corresponding to regional climate.     

Analysis of climatic trends in data from the agrometeorological station of Bologna-Cadriano, Italy (1952–2007)

Agriculture is highly exposed to climate change, as farming activities directly depend on climatic conditions. Knowledge of the extent of such change and of related phenomena will help to answer the questions posed by society about adaptation strategies. The global situation is well described by the Fourth IPCC assessment report (IPCC 2007), but local studies are important to understand the impact and the priorities to adopt in adaptation strategies. In this study a historical set of meteorological data, collected during the period 1952–2007 at the University of Bologna (Italy) agrometeorological station, was analysed. Several indexes, such as Frost Severity Index, number of hot days, number of rainy days, etc., were calculated, and their trends in time were analysed. The results show a scenario of increasing temperatures and evapotranspiration, a decrease in rainy days and a deepening of the watertable. The effect of these changes on agriculture will be a decrease in water availability, an increase in heat stress in plants and an increase in drought risk.     

The method of the medium-range forecast of air temperature in the area of the “Baikonur” cosmodrome

The statistical model of the forecast (complex postprocessing) of surface air temperature with the lead time up to eight days is constructed using the results of the integration of hydrodynamic atmospheric models. The model is adapted to the area of the “Baikonur” using the method of central typing that allows increasing the accuracy of operational forecasts. The analysis of climate characteristics needed for constructing the proper statistical model for this area is given using both observational data for recent 25 years and the data of WMO (from the All-Russian Research Institute of Hydro-meteorological Information-World Data Center). Computed are the estimates of the accuracy of operational forecasts.