Radiative properties of cirrus clouds in NOAA 4 VTPR channels: Some explorations of cloud scenes from satellites

A one-dimensional spectral infrared radiative transfer model has been developed for atmospheres containing cirrus clouds and absorbing gases above, below and within the cloud. The transfer model takes into consideration the inhomogeneity of the cloudy atmosphere, the gaseous absorption in scattering cloud layers and the wavenumber dependence of radiative transfer. In addition, the cirrus cloud is further divided into a number of sub-layers to account for the non-isothermal and inhomogeneous cloud characteristics. Single-scattering properties for ice crystals are calculated assuming ice cylinders 200 and 60 m in lenght and width, respectively, randomly oriented in a horizontal plane. The spectral infrared transfer program is applied to VTPR channels of the NOAA 4 satellite to simulate upward radiances in cirrus cloud conditions.Comparisons between satellite observed and theoretically simulated upward radiances are carried out for selected cirrus cloud cases. Incorporating atmospheric profiles obtained from radiosonde and the observed cloud information into the spectral transfer program, we show a systematic agreement between observed and computed upward radiances. Systematic reduction patterns of the upward radiance caused by the increase of the cloud ice content are clearly demonstrated for VTPR channels employing tropical and midlatitude atmospheric profiles. Having the quantitative relationships between upward radiances and ice contents, procedures are described for the inference of the cloud ice content and cloud amount. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the three cirrus cloud cases.     

A simple theory for the vertical structure of the tropical atmosphere

It is suggested that the gross mean vertical structure of the undisturbed tropical atmosphere may be understood in terms of convective boundary layers driven in different ways and on different time scales by the evaporation of water from the sea surface. The mixed layer on a short time scale is driven partly by the buoyancy produced by the light weight of the water vapor; the trade cumulus layer on an intermediate time scale by the buoyancy (but not heating) produced by the condensation of the water vapor in shallow trade cumulus clouds; and the troposphere itself on a long time scale by the buoyancyand heating produced by the condensation of the water vapor in the deep cumulonimbus clouds.May 1985This paper was issued as a Harvard University report in 1974. For this version only Section 5 has been rewritten. There has been sufficient interest in this work over the years to warrant making it more widely available through the open literature.Contribution No. 783 from NOAA/Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory     

An investigation on the relationship between high energy charged particle flux in the upper atmosphere and the earthquake activities

This paper presents the analytic result on the correlation between the high energy charged particle flux in the radiation belt around the earth and the earthquake activities. It points out that the increment of count-speed of high energy charged particle flux in the upper atmosphere has definite relationship with the intensity of seismic activities on the earth. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,14, 100–103, 1992.     

Determination of regional net radiation and soil heat flux over a heterogeneous landscape of the Tibetan Plateau

This paper explores the potential for documenting regional fields of surface energy fluxes over the Tibetan plateau using published algorithms and previously calibrated empirical formulae with data from NOAA‐14 AVHRR and atmospheric data collected during the GAME‐Tibet field experiment. Comparison with observations at three field sites suggests errors in the resulting estimates are less than 10% in the clear sky conditions necessary for application of this approach. Because of the need for clear skies, it was only possible to calculate the desired regional fields for one satellite scene during the 5 month study period. Maps of surface energy fluxes, and frequency analyses of these maps, are presented for this scene. The need for an alternative, more consistently applicable, satellite‐based method to map surface energy fields is highlighted. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A numerical test of two approximate solutions to the radiative transfer equation using the Elsasser scheme

In a recent paperCharlock, Herman andZdunkowski (1976) disagree on how best to apply the Radiative Transfer Equation (RTE) in the construction of Elsasser type radiation tables. The two proposed approximation solutions are analyzed and compared against a quasiexact solution. Infrared fluxes and cooling rates are calculated for part of the 6.3 m water vapor band for two model atmospheres. It is found that the Zdunkowski (Z) approximation yields more accurate downward fluxes, while the Charlock-Herman (CH) approximation, in general, results in more accurate upward fluxes. For the two model atmospheres studied the cooling rates for theZ approximation are usually of better quality than those due to the CH solution, unless the divergence of the net flux is extremely small.     

Temperature and heat flux spectra in the turbulent buoyancy subrange

The physical nature of motions with scales intermediate between approximately isotropic turbulence and quasi-linear internal gravity waves is not understood at the present time. Such motions play an important role in the energetics of small scales processes, both in the ocean and in the atmosphere, and in vertical transport of heat and constituents. This scale range is currently interpreted either as a saturated gravity waves field or as a buoyancy range of turbulence.We first discuss some distinctive predictions of the classical (Lumley, Phillips) buoyancy range theory, recently improved (Weinstock, Dalaudier and Sidi) to describe potential energy associated with temperature fluctuations. This theory predicts the existence of a spectral gap in the temperature spectra and of an upward mass flux (downward buoyancy and heat fluxes), strongly increasing towards large scales. These predictions are contrasted with an alternate theory, assuming energetically insignificant buoyancy flux, proposed by Holloway.Then we present experimental evidences of such characteristic features obtained in the lower stratosphere with an instrumented balloon. Spectra of temperature, vertical velocity, and cospectra of both, obtained in homogeneous, weakly turbulent regions, are compared with theoretical predictions. These results are strongly consistent with the improved classical buoyancy range theory and support the existence of a significant downward heat flux in the buoyancy range.The theoretical implications of the understanding of this scale range are discussed. Many experimental evidences consistently show the need for an anisotropic theory of the buoyancy range of turbulence.     

Increase of nitrous oxide flux to the atmosphere upon nitrogen addition to red mangroves sediments

Response of nitrous oxide N20 sediment/air flux to nitrogen addition was assessed in mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) sediments. Fluxes were enhanced with both ammonium and nitrate loading. Greatest fluxes (52 micromol m(-2) h(-1)) were obtained with ammonium addition and saturation was achieved with additions of 0.9 mol m(-2). Maximum flux following ammonium addition was 2785 times greater than control plots and 4.5 times greater during low tide than with equivalent ammonium addition at high tide. Nitrate enrichment resulted in exponential growth, with maximal mean flux of 36.7 micromolm(-2) h(-1) at 1.9 molm(-2); saturation was not achieved. Differential response to ammonium and nitrate, and to tide and elevation, indicate that microbial nitrification is responsible for most of the observed gas flux. Mangrove sediments constitute an important source of global atmospheric N20 and increases in nitrogen loading will lead to significant increases in the flux of this atmospherically active gas.     

An approximate computation of infrared radiative fluxes in a cloudy atmosphere

A two-stream approximation is applied to the equation of infrared (IR) radiative transfer in order to compute the detailed structure of fluxes and cooling/heating rates in inhomogeneous, cloudy atmospheres. The spectrum between 4 and 400 m is split into 50 bands, and absorption of water vapour, uniformly mixed gases, ozone, water vapour polymers and water droplets are taken into account. Allowance is made for scattering by water droplets in the atmospheric window region (8–12.8 m) where the delta function approximation is used. The backward scattering coefficient is calculated from the asymmetry parameter by means of a new simple formula. The model is compared to other radiative transfer schemes and some applications are presented.     

Primary study on pattern of general circulation of atmosphere before uplift of the Tibetan Plateau in eastern Asia

The Tibetan Plateau is a key factor for the pattern of the general circulation of the atmosphere (GCA) in eastern Asia. The pattern of the GCA after the uplift of the plateau is well known, while the pattern of the GCA before the uplift of the plateau is lack of direct evidences. Based on the knowability of desert, a section recording wind directions across the Cretaceous northern hemisphere mid-low latitude desert belt is measured and the pattern of the GCA in the Cretaceous is revealed. The result shows that the eastern Asia was really controlled by the planetary circulation before the uplift of the plateau, i.e. westerlies in the north and northeast trades in the south. The convert belt between westerlies and trades had drifted northwards and southwards. The possibility of existence of paleo-monsoon is also dealt with and a possibly imposed paleo-monsoon is suggested.     

An investigation of the dependence of structural parameters of the middle atmosphere on the intensity of photochemical and dynamical processes

Using a numerical model for temperature and neutral and ion composition behaviour at middle atmospheric heights, an analysis has been made of the dependence of atmospheric structural parameters on temperature, solar activity, and on turbulent transfer intensity. For mesospheric heights, an inverse dependence of the nitric oxide density on the temperature has been found. It is thus possible to explain experimentally obtained temperature variations over a cyclc of solar activity at mesospheric and lower thermospheric heights. Numerical simulation results indicate that the temperature in the height range 75–120 km depends considerably on both the absolute values of turbulent transfer coefficients and their vertical gradients.     

地球辐射带能量电子通量在不同地磁活动下的统计分析

利用大约15个月的CRRES卫星MEA能量电子观测数据,分别在地磁活动平静(0≤Kp)、中等(3≤Kp≤6)及强烈(6)的条件下,选取电子能量为148 keV, 509 keV, 1090 keV, 1581 keV的辐射带能量电子通量进行统计分析,得到了不同地磁活动条件下地球辐射带高能电子通量在(L, MLT)空间的全球分布模型.结果表明,在2的磁层区域,高能电子通量分布在不同的地磁活动指数Kp条件下差别明显;在12~18 MLT时段内高能电子的通量明显增大.     

2011-2015年辐射带电子动态FY-3B卫星实测结果

FY-3B卫星为轨道高度约800 km,倾角98°的极轨气象卫星,星上高能电子探测器可开展宽能谱、高时间分辨的电子辐射长时间连续监测.2011-2015年极低太阳活动周期内,FY-3B卫星高能电子探测器对0.15~5.7 MeV不同能量高能电子在南大西洋异常区以外的辐射带区域的观测结果显示：在所有的辐射带区域,低能量的电子比高能量的电子更容易出现增强,填充槽区和进入到内带更低L区域的可能性更大.0.15~0.35 MeV的电子长期充斥于外辐射带和槽区,而1 MeV以上的电子大部分时间分布于外辐射带,在太阳风速度、地磁活动极弱的2014年呈现长时间极弱通量水平.2015年频繁增强的扰动导致电子通量水平整体升高,空间分布大范围扩散,1 MeV以上能量的电子在槽区位置也出现了分布.分析2014.5.10-7.30和2015.5.10-7.10两个典型时段内扰动参数对电子通量在不同区域动态分布的影响,结果表明：电子通量在外辐射带外边界区域动态与太阳风起伏变化关联显著.AE < 300 nT,Dst>-30 nT,SW < 500 km·s^-1的持续长时间低水平扰动条件下,电子通量分布内边界出现在不低于L~4的位置,通量峰值出现在靠近L~5的位置;而在太阳风速度和地磁活动显著活跃的时候,电子会穿越外辐射带深入到槽区,在外辐射带的通量峰值则出现在L约3.5~3.9的位置.2015年的3月和6月两起强磁暴使得电子向更低L注入,>1 MeV以上的电子在低至L~2.8的槽区出现显著增长.在极低通量水平下,AE指数短时增加超过300 nT的亚暴活动会导致0.15~0.35 MeV电子超过1个量级的增长变化.上述结果对于准确认识辐射带电子不同时期的基本特性、发现能量电子动态潜在的基本物理过程,构建更准确的辐射带电子模型有着重要的参考意义.

     

The early history of oxygen and ozone in the atmosphere

There may have been three stages in the growth of oxygen in the terrestrial atmosphere. Prior to the origin of photosynthesis the only source of oxygen was photolysis of water vapor followed by escape of hydrogen to space. The rate of this process was probably less than the rate of release of reduced gases (principally hydrogen) from volcanoes, so the oxygen partial pressure was held to negligibly low values by photochemical reactions with an excess of hydrogen. The photosynthetic source of oxygen was probably in operation as long ago as 3.8 billion years. It released oxygen to the ocean. Presumably most of this oxygen was destroyed in the ocean as long as its rate of supply was less than the rate of supply of readily oxidizable material (principally Fe²⁺) provided by the weathering of rocks. This phase appears to have lasted until about 2 billion years ago, during which period most banded iron formations were deposited. During this period the production of oxygen by algae was limited by competition with photosynthetic bacteria, which preempted the supply of nutrient phosphorus as long as reduced chemicals were available in the environment. Once the photosynthetic oxygen source exceeded the rate of supply of reduced minerals exposed by erosion and weathering, the accumulation of oxygen in the ocean and atmosphere could be controlled only by reaction of oxygen with reduced organic material. This is the stabilization mechanism that operates today. It seems unlikely that oxygen could be consumed at a significant rate by this process until oxygen levels sufficiently high to support respiration had been achieved. I therefore suggest that atmospheric oxygen rose rapidly from essentially zero to approximately its present value (within a factor of 10) when the photosynthetic source of oxygen rose above the weathering source of reduced minerals, probably about 2 billion years ago. The ozone layer and the ultraviolet screen were absent prior to this time and essentially fully developed after this time.Presented at IAGA/IAMAP Symposium on Minor Neutral Constituents in Middle Atmosphere-Chemistry and Transport, Seattle, August, 1977.     

旅游目的地大气、地表水及噪声的分析——以重庆市武隆县为例

随着经济建设的发展，我国旅游业发展越来越快，一个旅游地自然生态环境的好坏直接影响到旅游活动的进行。本文分别运用当今国家通用的上海大气污染指数法、综合污染指数法对重庆市武隆县的大气、地表水进行分析，从而分析旅游地自然生态环境的现状。     

Perturbations of the upper atmosphere in the cleft region

In the dayside polar region—loosely referred to as the cleft region—particle precipitation and Joule heating cause significant perturbations of the upper atmosphere. Here Dynamics Explorer-2 satellite data are used to present a synopsis of these disturbance effects. Documented are an increase in electron temperature and a decrease in electron density; increases in ion drift speed and ion temperature; an increase in the upward-directed ion velocity; increases in zonal wind speed and neutral gas temperature; and changes in the neutral gas composition and mass density. It is suggested that the increase in electron temperature is partly controlled by the decrease in electron density; that the ion upflow velocity mainly depends on the electron temperature, less frequently on the ion temperature; and that the observed decrease in thermospheric mass density is due to a decrease in the atomic oxygen density, which in turn is caused by diverging wind flows.     

A preliminary study on sediment flux in the Changjiang Delta during the postglacial period

During the last 7000 years since the Changjiang Delta was formed, how much sediment brought by the Changjiang River remained in the modern Changjiang Delta? And how much sediment was delivered into the sea and adjacent coasts? These are very important que…     

湖-气热传输模型及参数敏感性研究

在一维涡扩散模型的基础上,发展了考虑冬天结冰和夏天蒸发等水体相变问题及对流混合过程的湖-气热传输模型.模型采用焓代替温度作为预报变量,这也更加方便处理水的相变问题.模型的计算结果与以色列Kinneret湖的观测资料进行对比,验证了模型的合理性,说明了加入对流混合过程是符合湖-气热传输的实际物理机制的.对风速和湖面摩擦速度作了敏感性实验,证明他们对湖面温度和蒸发潜热有着重要的影响.     

耗散大气中的声波射线追踪

基于分层大气中声波的局地色散关系方程,建立一种计入真实大气衰减效应的有耗大气声波射线追踪模型.在色散方程的虚部中导出声波在运动大气中的耗散系数和竖直方向上的增长因子,并利用真实大气中的衰减理论对所得到的耗散系数进行修正.利用Hamilton方程组解出大气声波在考虑耗散效应下的射线微分方程组.该有耗射线追踪模型的数值模拟结果表明,声波的耗散效应对声波的传播路径存在一定影响,在近场情况下,这种影响可以忽略,但是对于声波的远场传播,则影响较大.     

A detailed energy budget analysis of river supercooling and the importance of accurately quantifying net radiation to predict ice formation

River supercooling and ice formation is a regular occurrence throughout the winter in northern countries. The resulting frazil ice production can obstruct the flow through intakes along the river, causing major problems for hydropower and water treatment facilities, among others. Therefore, river ice modellers attempt to calculate the river energy budget and predict when supercooling will occur in order to anticipate and mitigate the effects of potential intake blockages. Despite this, very few energy budget studies have taken place during freeze-up, and none have specifically analysed individual supercooling events. To improve our understanding of the freeze-up energy budget detailed measurements of air temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, wind speed and direction, short- and longwave radiation, and water temperature were made on the Dauphin River in Manitoba. During the river freeze-up period of late October to early November 2019, a total of six supercooling events were recorded. Analysis of the energy budget throughout the supercooling period revealed that the most significant heat source was net shortwave radiation, reaching up to 298 W/m², while the most significant heat loss was net longwave radiation, accounting for losses of up to 135 W/m². Longwave radiation was also the most significant heat flux overall during the individual supercooling events, accounting for up to 84% of the total heat flux irrespective of flux direction, highlighting the importance of properly quantifying this flux during energy budget calculations. Five different sensible (Q_h) and latent (Q_e) heat flux calculations were also compared, using the bulk aerodynamic method as the baseline. It was found that the Priestley and Taylor method most-closely matched the bulk aerodynamic method on a daily timescale with an average offset of 8.5 W/m² for Q_h and 10.1 W/m² for Q_e, while a Dalton-type equation provided by Webb and Zhang was the most similar on a sub-daily timescale with average offsets of 20.0 and 14.7 W/m² for Q_h and Q_e, respectively.     

The radiative energy budget of the middle atmosphere and its parameterization in general circulation models

The thermal regime of the middle atmosphere is determined to a great extent by the balance between the incoming solar and outgoing infrared radiation. To account for these processes in numerical models of the middle atmosphere, parameterizations that are capable of quickly and accurately calculating infrared cooling and solar heating rates are required. These parameterizations should include the breakdown of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) conditions and allow for feedbacks by ensuring that dependencies on all input parameters are accounted for. This paper discusses the major mechanisms responsible for maintaining the radiative energy budget of the middle atmosphere and presents a brief review of approaches and numerical schemes currently available for use in general circulation models. The main focus of the paper is on the approaches and schemes designed for non-LTE treatment.