The spatial distribution of deposited seeding material in the Earth boundary layer during weather modification

Cloud seeding projects may have the time scale of half a century and cover the planetary-scale surface. Such activities among the positive also have negative consequences that include environmental pollution. Year after year cloud seeding over certain areas could produce large amounts of seeding agents washed out in precipitation. The sampling of these deposits is therefore important, but not applied in large space and time scales due to a high cost. As an alternative, the cloud seeding project measurements may be used for finding the deposit spatial pattern and locations of its maximum. In this study, we established the method for finding the spatial distribution of deposited silver iodide over a selected area after hail suppression using the observed characteristics of seeded hailstorms. The estimation of the silver iodide deposit maximum is 155?μg?m^?2 during a 6-year period. Our findings agree well with those obtained from sampling silver content in precipitation during the other convective cloud seeding experiments. On the other hand, our method gives an answer of where to place the samplers, and hence more detailed chemical analysis and monitoring can be done in the future. The proposed methodology may be applied for any other target area and cloud seeding scenario.     

三维对流云催化数值模式人工冰晶参数化方案的改进与个例模拟试验

在中国科学院大气物理研究所的三维全弹性对流风暴云催化数值模式(简称为IAP-CSM3D)的基础上,对模式中催化部分的参数化方案进行了改进,推导出人工冰晶与其它粒子之间相互作用的微物理过程的参数化方程。改进后的模式将催化产生的人工冰晶单独作为预报量进行处理,把人工冰晶与自然冰晶区分开,且考虑的人工冰晶谱型为双参数粒子谱,使模式更符合实际。利用改进后的模式模拟了2005年7月8日发生在辽宁省朝阳市的一次冰雹云天气过程,着重分析了催化云人工冰晶的微物理过程、空间分布和谱型,以及对冰相降水粒子的贡献。数值试验表明,自然雹云模拟结果与观测事实相吻合,说明改进后的模式对冰雹云具有较可靠的模拟能力。模拟分析表明,冻滴是该例自然雹云冰雹胚胎的主要来源,对该冰雹云进行AgI催化可明显地减少降雹量,特别是在云中冰雹形成初期进行催化防雹效果最好,既可产生最大的防雹作业效果又不至于过度减少降雨量。催化减雹的主要原因是催化显著地减少了云中冻滴向冰雹胚胎的转化总量。进一步研究发现,人工冰晶在云的不同阶段对各种冰相降水粒子的贡献是不同的。人工冰晶对雪花总质量的贡献较小,对霰总质量的贡献有所增大,而对冻滴总质量的贡献较大。模拟的冰晶粒子谱可较好地反映出人工冰晶谱型较窄,浓度较大,尺度较小的特征。     

西藏地区1971-2008年台站观测总云量的变化特征

利用1971-2008年西藏地区22个台站观测的总云量资料,初步分析研究了西藏地区总云量的变化趋势。结果表明：西藏大部分区域年总云量呈显著减少的趋势,其中那曲中西部的减幅最大,达2.32%/10a,而南部边缘年总云量减少的趋势不显著。总云量与降水、相对湿度呈正相关,与日照时数、平均气温及气温日较差呈负相关。总云量的Hurst指数表明,西藏大部分地区总云量呈减少的趋势,未来这种减少的趋势将持续,短时期内不会发生逆转。     

Spatial dependence of diurnal temperature range trends on precipitation from 1950 to 2004

This paper analyzes the spatial dependence of annual diurnal temperature range (DTR) trends from 1950–2004 on the annual climatology of three variables: precipitation, cloud cover, and leaf area index (LAI), by classifying the global land into various climatic regions based on the climatological annual precipitation. The regional average trends for annual minimum temperature (T _min) and DTR exhibit significant spatial correlations with the climatological values of these three variables, while such correlation for annual maximum temperature (T _max) is very weak. In general, the magnitude of the downward trend of DTR and the warming trend of T _min decreases with increasing precipitation amount, cloud cover, and LAI, i.e., with stronger DTR decreasing trends over drier regions. Such spatial dependence of T _min and DTR trends on the climatological precipitation possibly reflects large-scale effects of increased global greenhouse gases and aerosols (and associated changes in cloudiness, soil moisture, and water vapor) during the later half of the twentieth century.     

北京层状云人工增雨数值模拟试验和机理研究

在中尺度WRF 模式的Morrison 双参数方案中引入了AgI 粒子与云相互作用的过程,在WRF 模式中实现了催化功能。利用加入了催化方案的中尺度模式对2008 年3 月20～21 日环北京地区一次层状云系降水过程进行模拟和催化试验。模拟自然降水与实测结果一致,分析微物理特征并在所得分析基础上进行催化试验。研究在不同催化剂量、高度和时刻进行试验对降水的影响。结果表明:以20 g 的碘化银进行催化作业,在催化后的前30min 之内,地面雨量轻微减小,最大累积减雨量为2010 t,30 min 后,净增雨量迅速增加,最大累积增雨量达到了3.4×105 t。催化开始阶段的减雨主要是由于播撒AgI 后,云水减少而雪晶增多,导致雨滴碰并云滴,云滴向雨滴自动转化过程的减少以及雪晶碰并雨滴过程的增多,然而空中增多的雪晶尚未下落到暖区融化成雨滴。而第二阶段的增雨则是空中增多的雪晶逐渐下落到暖区,雪晶融化成雨滴过程增多。AgI 的播撒率对降水量有明显影响,过量催化会使雪晶平均质量减少,下落速度锐减,从而雪融化成雨水减少,导致雨量减弱,不同催化高度和催化时间的催化结果表明在过冷水含量比较丰富而冰雪晶含量偏少的区域进行催化,增雨效果显著。     

近50年我国西部地区气象要素的变化特征

利用1951-2000年全国194站地面观测资料和高空观测资料,对近50年我国西部地区的气候变化特征进行分析。结果表明:从20世纪70年代开始,我国西部地区年平均气温呈上升趋势,其中河套区和新疆区气温上升最为明显,其次为青藏高原区和河西区,西南区气温增幅最不明显,地表温度变化与气温的变化基本同步,但地温变化要比气温变化更加剧烈一些。西南区的地温从70年代中期开始回升,但始终未达到50年代初期的水平,因此从线性变化上表现为下降趋势。西部地区除了河套区外,其他4个区的年平均降水量均增加,增加最明显的是新疆区和青藏高原区。我国整个西部地区年平均总云量和低云量均呈线性减少趋势,减少最明显的是西南区和河套区。在辐射变化上,我国西部总辐射呈减少趋势,青藏高原区减少最多;西南区的散射辐射呈增加趋势,其他4个区减少,其中新疆区和青藏高原区散射辐射减幅明显。散射辐射的大小与天空中云量和气溶胶含量的多少成正比,西南区散射辐射呈增加趋势,而总云量和低云量呈下降趋势,可以推测是气溶胶含量增加导致了散射辐射的增加。     

Spatiotemporal Variations of Cloud Amount over the Yangtze River Delta, China

Based on the NOAA's Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer(AVHRR) Pathfinder Atmospheres Extended(PATMOS-x) monthly mean cloud amount data, variations of annual and seasonal mean cloud amount over the Yangtze River Delta(YRD), China were examined for the period 1982–2006 by using a linear regression analysis. Both total and high-level cloud amounts peak in June and reach minimum in December, mid-level clouds have a peak during winter months and reach a minimum in summer, and lowlevel clouds vary weakly throughout the year with a weak maximum from August to October. For the annual mean cloud amount, a slightly decreasing tendency(–0.6% sky cover per decade) of total cloud amount is observed during the studying period, which is mainly due to the reduction of annual mean high-level cloud amount(–2.2% sky cover per decade). Mid-level clouds occur least(approximately 15% sky cover) and remain invariant, while the low-level cloud amount shows a significant increase during spring(1.5% sky cover per decade) and summer(3.0% sky cover per decade). Further analysis has revealed that the increased low-level clouds during the summer season are mainly impacted by the local environment. For example,compared to the low-level cloud amounts over the adjacent rural areas(e.g., cropland, large water body, and mountain areas covered by forest), those over and around urban agglomerations rise more dramatically.     

城市化对北京地区日照时数和云量变化趋势的影响

利用1961～2008年北京城区和郊区12个台站的气候观测资料,采用趋势分析和累积距平的方法,研究了北京城区和郊区近48年的日照时数、总云量及低云量的年际和四季变化趋势,并探讨了城市化进程对日照和云量变化的影响。结果表明：近48年来,城区的总云量和日照时数呈减少趋势,但低云量呈增加趋势;郊区的总云量和低云量呈增加趋势,而日照时数呈减少趋势;具体到年代变化,1980年代初以后,城区总云量呈减少趋势,且1990年代减少的趋势最为明显,2000年后,城区总云量变化发生逆转,呈显著增加趋势。对于低云量,1960年代到1980年代,城区郊区低云量呈波动减少趋势,而1990年代到2000年代后呈波动增加趋势。对于日照时数,1960年代到1980年代城区郊区日照时数均呈增加趋势,1990年代至2000年代则呈明显减少的趋势。低云量与日照时数表现出明显负相关特征,这与北京城市化发展对区域气候的影响有密切的关系。     

An inadvertent transport of the seeding material as a result of cloud modification

Successful seeding of clouds in weather modification experiments essentially depends on the seeding time and dynamics, amount of seeding material and location of the initial seeding area. In the present study, we focus on the influence of the initial seeding zone location on the transport of seeding agent material into the target cloud. In addition, the inadvertent transport of seeding material is analysed. During weather modification activities, a lot of seeding material can be transferred far from the seeding zone in a downwind direction. The primary motivation for this research was to prove this statement. We use a three-dimensional, mesoscale cloud-resolving model to achieve our goal. We performed sensitivity tests with respect to the distance between the mass centres of the initial seeding area and the cloud. Different seeding scenarios are analysed. Our principal findings are as follows: (1) For distances between the mass centres of the initial seeding area and the cloud below 2.5 km, all seeding agent material would be activated after a short time. For distances above 10 km, most of the seeding agent would remain inactivated, because horizontal transport of the seeding agent becomes more important than transport induced by the main updraft. For these scenarios, the seeding agent is injected in the cold peripheral part of the cloud. (2) Sensitivity tests show that the inactivated seeding agent would remain close to the seeding area if the seeding is performed below cloud base. This effect occurs even for large distances between the seeding area and the target cloud (>20 km) due to low-level convergence. Thus, this seeding method suppresses the inert seeding material from being transferred far from the seeding zone. (3) The complete seeding material stays inactivated if the seeding is performed between the ?8 and ?12°C isotherms in front of the increased reflectivity zone. As a consequence, it would be transferred far from its initial area. The cloud would not be able to capture the seeding agent even during its greatest lateral extent.     

碘化银播撒对云和降水影响的中尺度数值模拟研究

通过在WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) 中尺度天气数值模式中引入碘化银与云相互作用过程, 建立了中尺度播撒碘化银数值模式。研究了碘化银播撒对于中尺度对流天气过程中云和降水的影响, 研究了不同播撒部位、 播撒时间和播撒剂量情况下碘化银的扩散、 传输及其对云中水成物和降水量的影响。研究结果表明, 碘化银在云中的扩散传输过程与播撒的位置有很大关系, 在最大上升气流区播撒的碘化银能随着气流更快地扩散到云体上部过冷水含量丰富的区域, 播撒在云上层入流区和云下层入流区的碘化银扩散到云中过冷水区需要时间更长, 同时有大部分停留在云体边缘。碘化银能与云中过冷水相互作用, 消耗过冷水使云中冰晶数浓度明显增加, 从而使霰粒子转化减少, 过冷水更多地转化为雪粒子, 过冷水凝结释放出潜热使上升气流增强, 促进了对流发展。由于雨水含量的增加, 地面降水也出现增加。碘化银播撒率对地面降水量影响很大, 当播撒率为0.6 g/s时, 播撒对降水的影响时间超过4小时, 增雨的效果更好。播撒率为0.1 g/s时增雨效果不明显, 当播撒率为1.2 g/s 时, 对总降水可能出现抑止作用。对比碘化银播撒率为0.6 g/s时12小时地面增雨量, 在云上层入流区播撒碘化银试验中, 地面增雨量比对最大过冷水含量区的催化试验提高了48.7%, 最大上升气流区播撒试验增雨效果最好, 地面增雨量比在最大过冷水区域播撒提高了72.1%。     

强对流云人工增雨和防雹原理的二维数值研究

本文建立了一个二维深对流云数值模式,用该模式模拟了一个实测强对流云个例。其结果同观测相近。本文做了一系列催化数值试验,结果表明:在云发展早期播入高浓度的人工冰晶胚胎,能促使云中产生大量的大冰晶和小霰粒,它们争食液水,不易长成大雷,地面降雹动能可减少45％,但降雨量也有明显减小;减小播撒剂量,催化效果亦减小,防雹和增雨效果不明显;若在云发展早期引进浓度为10~0-10~(-1)/L的小雨滴,则能明显提早和增加降水。对于不同强度的对流云,人工引晶仅对中等积云(云顶高为6—8km)的增雨效果较好。文中还比较了二维和一维的模拟结果。     

滇南冰雹的预报预警方法研究

利用普洱市探空资料、CIND3830-CC新一代天气雷达资料、地面观测资料,对2004—2011年滇南普洱、西双版纳冰雹天气过程进行统计分析,总结出冰雹4个预报指标:(1)当单体回波满足冰雹云的初始特征和发展阶段特征时,可预报未来出现冰雹的可能较大,预报提前60 min以内;(2)当回波的组合反射率≥55 dBz、宽度≥12.0 km、梯度≥15 dBz·km~(-1)、H_(45 dBz)≥7.5 km、2—5月H_(45 dBz)-H_0≥3.1 km且H_(45 dBz)-H_(-20)≥-0.5 km、6-8月H_(45 dBz)-H_0≥2.0 km且H_(45 dBz)-H_(-20)≥-1.2km、VIL≥30 kg·m~(-2)、D_(VIL)≥3.0 g·m~(-3)时,预报有冰雹发生,预报提前12~102 min;(3)当回波具有弱切变特征、45 dBz回波顶高≥7.5 km、2—5月H_(45 dBz)-H_0≥3.1 km且H_(45 dBz)-H_(-20)≥-0.5 km、6—8月H_(45 dBz)-H_0≥2.0 km且H_(45 dBz)-H_(-20)≥-1.2 km时,可预报有冰雹出现,预报提前18~54 min;(4)若除去飑线和下击暴流回波,当回波的VIL≥30 kg·m~(-2)、D_(VIL)≥3.0 g·m~(-3)时,可预报有冰雹出现,预报提前12~54 min。此外,还总结了冰雹云的生命期特征等,并利用2012年发生的冰雹天气过程检验了预报指标。     

Non-parametric trend analysis of the aridity index for three large arid and semi-arid basins in Iran

Currently, an important scientific challenge that researchers are facing is to gain a better understanding of climate change at the regional scale, which can be especially challenging in an area with low and highly variable precipitation amounts such as Iran. Trend analysis of the medium-term change using ground station observations of meteorological variables can enhance our knowledge of the dominant processes in an area and contribute to the analysis of future climate projections. Generally, studies focus on the long-term variability of temperature and precipitation and to a lesser extent on other important parameters such as moisture indices. In this study the recent 50-year trends (1955–2005) of precipitation (P), potential evapotranspiration (PET), and aridity index (AI) in monthly time scale were studied over 14 synoptic stations in three large Iran basins using the Mann–Kendall non-parametric test. Additionally, an analysis of the monthly, seasonal and annual trend of each parameter was performed. Results showed no significant trends in the monthly time series. However, PET showed significant, mostly decreasing trends, for the seasonal values, which resulted in a significant negative trend in annual PET at five stations. Significant negative trends in seasonal P values were only found at a number of stations in spring and summer and no station showed significant negative trends in annual P. Due to the varied positive and negative trends in annual P and to a lesser extent PET, almost as many stations with negative as positive trends in annual AI were found, indicating that both drying and wetting trends occurred in Iran. Overall, the northern part of the study area showed an increasing trend in annual AI which meant that the region became wetter, while the south showed decreasing trends in AI.     

青藏高原云水气候特征分析

利用2001~2016年MODIS月平均液相云水路径（Cloud Liquid Water Path,LWP）、冰相云水路径（Cloud Ice Water Path,IWP）资料和ERA-Interim再分析等资料,分析了青藏高原空中云水的分布特征、变化趋势以及与大气环流变化和水汽输送变化的关系。结果显示,LWP和IWP的年平均分布形态与降水、可降水量对应较好,林芝地区聚集了丰富的LWP、IWP、降水量和可降水量。受印度洋季风影响,LWP和IWP存在明显的季节变化,夏季LWP和IWP最丰富,冬季最少。水汽传输和高原的动力、热力作用是影响夏季LWP和IWP分布的主要因素,夏季高原南部相对湿度大,水汽抬升强烈,促进了LWP和IWP的形成和积累。LWP和IWP随海拔高度的变化特征较为相似,3000~5500 m海拔高度区间内二者的总体变化特征与青藏高原降水的梯度变化特征一致,为随高度先较快升高后保持稳定的分布特征。青藏高原年平均和季节平均LWP和IWP在2001~2016年间均以减少趋势为主,这一变化趋势与云量和降水变化趋势一致,LWP和IWP的减少趋势与水汽输送通量散度的增加密切相关。     

A statistical analysis of the daily precipitation over Serbia: trends and indices

A statistical analysis of the daily maximum and mean monthly precipitation measured at ten meteorological stations in Serbia during the period 1949?C2007 is presented. Although the means of the daily maximum and monthly precipitation varied throughout the year, their ratio was almost uniform, with an average value of 32.6% for Serbia. The precipitation events within each year were ranked and then the trends on the ten wettest days of the year were assessed. Averaged across Serbia, the wettest day of the year produces 41.3?mm of precipitation and accounted for 6.3% of the total annual precipitation. Taken together, 35.5% (232.0?mm) of the total annual precipitation fell during the ten wettest days of the year. Over the course of the twentieth century, the average annual precipitation on the wettest day across Serbia increased by nearly 9%. Also, averaged across Serbia, statistically insignificant increasing trends were found on each of the ten wettest days of the year. Furthermore, four climate indices were analysed. Heavy precipitation indices (i.e., RR20 and R95T) increased in Serbia at the end of the twentieth century and thereafter.     

Past and Future Changes in the Climate of Hong Kong

Over the years, the Hong Kong Observatory has carried out scientific studies to evaluate the observed climate trends and project the future climate in Hong Kong. Analysis of the meteorological observations at the observatory's headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui since 1885 reveals that the temperature rise in Hong Kong during the past 124 years is in accord with the global rising trend. The accelerated rising trend in the mean temperature in last few decades may be attributed to the anthropogenic influences, especially urbanization. A similar increasing trend is also observed for rainfall. Other observations such as increasing cloud amount and decreasing total global solar radiation are all consistent with the global trend. Studies of past occurrences of extreme temperature and rainfall have also been carried out. The results indicate that cold episodes have become rarer while very hot days and heavy rain events are becoming more frequent. The observatory also makes use of the data from the Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and employs statistical downscaling techniques to carry out projections of temperature and precipitation in the 21st century. It is found that the rise in temperature in Hong Kong will be slightly higher than the global mean in the 21st century. The annual rainfall in Hong Kong is also expected to rise by the end of the 21st century, so is its year-to-year variability.     

Seeding agent dispersion within convective cloud as simulated by a 3-D numerical model

Summary The three-dimensional mesoscale cloud-resolving model ARPS (Advanced Regional Prediction System) was used to investigate the dispersal of an inert seeding agent within a cumulonimbus (Cb) cloud developing from two different initial states. In this paper, we stress the influence vortices in the cloud have on seeding agent dispersion. If a strong directional ambient wind shear is present in the lowest layer, a vortex pair formed at the flanks of the simulated cloud. Following the velocity field, a considerable amount of the injected seeding agent would be thrown out to the rear of the cloud, where both updrafts associated with vortices and downdrafts occurred. After a short time the agent was present only in the cloud periphery. If the Cb cloud developed under conditions where directional ambient wind shear did not exist, seeding agent dispersion would be quite different. In this case, almost all the seeding agent was transported into the main updraft, while the residence time of the agent within the cloud was longer due to the weaker cloud dynamics. Therefore, we must pay attention to whether or not the cloud contains vortices when we make the decision where to seed. This is necessary in order to minimize the loss of seeding material.     

利用CFSR资料分析近30年全球云量分布及变化

在利用MODIS卫星的云产品资料对CFSR(Climate Forecast System Reanalysis)再分析资料云产品质量进行检验评估的基础上,采用CFSR资料对1979—2009年全球总云量及低、中、高云量的平均分布及其随纬度的变化进行了分析;用经验模态分解(EMD)方法分析了近30年全球云量的变化趋势,结果表明:(1)全球近30年平均总云量约为59%,全球总云量及低云量、中云量都有明显的纬向分布特征,全球总云量有3个峰值带和3个低值带。(2)低云量的海陆分布差异较明显,陆地上的低云量明显低于海洋上的,除了两个极圈附近,南半球各纬度的低云量都比北半球相应纬度上的都要多;高云量的高值、低值中心均集中在赤道附近到南、北半球30°之间的中低纬度,并且低值中心主要分布在大洋的东部。(3)总云量的总变化趋势为增长,具体表现为随时间呈现先略减少后大幅增加趋势,其突变点大致在1993年,在1993年之后,总云量显著增多。低云量和高云量均呈现增长趋势,中云量则相反,呈减少趋势。低云量增幅最明显,接近2%,中、高云量则增减幅度较小。     

Rainfall and rainy days trend in Iran

In this study, long-term annual and monthly trends in rainfall amount, number of rainy days and maximum precipitation in 24?h are investigated based on the data collected at 33 synoptic stations in Iran. The statistical significance of trend and climate variability is assessed by the Mann-Kendall test. The Linear trend analysis and the Mann-Kendall test indicate that there are no significant linear trends in monthly rainfall at most of the synoptic stations in Iran. However, the maximum number of stations with negative trends have been observed in April (29 station), and then in May (21 stations) and February (21 stations) and with positive trends in December (26 stations) and July (24 stations). The significant linear trends, with a significant level of 0.05, in annual rainfall have been noticed only at five stations. The monthly number of rainy days does not show any significant linear trend for most areas in Iran. The maximum number of stations with monthly negative trends in rainy days has also been observed in April with the minimum in December. In April, out of 24 stations with negative trends, 12 stations have a significant negative trend. Contrary to that, in October there is no significant linear trend. Most stations have positive trends in annual number of rainy days. Also, the monthly maximum precipitation in 24?h does not show any significant linear trend for most areas in Iran. The maximum number of stations with monthly negative trends in maximum precipitation has also been observed in February with the minimum in December. In spite of that, there are almost no significant precipitation variations in Iran during the last 50-odd years, the tendency of decreasing rainfall amount in April and increasing rainfall amount in December and July could indicate an eventual climate change in this area in the future.     

内蒙古地区云量时空分布及变化趋势分析

利用1983年7月至2001年9月ISCCP云气候资料集D2资料集内蒙古区域云资料和内蒙古地区117个地面观测站的多年月平均气温、降水资料,采用趋势分析方法分析了内蒙古地区总云量和高、中、低云量的时空分布和多年变化趋势,以及温度和降水的多年变化趋势。结果表明：内蒙古地区总云量、低云量、中云量呈白西向东逐渐增多,高云量自西南向东北逐渐减少的空间分布特征;19年来东部地区总云量呈增加趋势,中、西部地区总云量呈减少趋势,温度的升高可能是云量变化的原因之一,内蒙古东北部云量和降水量变化趋势一致。