Modulating synoptic scale convective activity and boundary layer dissipation in the IPESD models of the Madden–Julian oscillation

A self-contained derivation of the IPESD models [Majda, A.J., Klein, R., 2003. Systematic multi-scale models for the tropics. J. Atmos. Sci. 60, 393–408] governing synoptic and planetary scale tropical flows is provided. This derivation demonstrates the analytic tractability of the model and the effect of zonally and meridionally tilted synoptic scale heating on the forcing of planetary scale flows through upscale momentum and temperature fluxes. Exploiting the analytic tractability of the models, different aspects of the planetary scale forcing are traced to meridional and vertical tilts in the synoptic scale heating profile. Variants of the archetypal IPESD models for the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) presented in Majda and Biello [Majda, A.J., Biello, J.A., 2004. A multi-scale model for tropical intraseasonal oscillations. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 101, 4736–4741; Biello, J.A., Majda, A.J., 2005. A new multi-scale model for the Madden–Julian oscillation. J. Atmos. Sci. 62, 1694–1721] are studied. In addition to vertically tilted synoptic scale heating, the models discussed herein incorporate upscale zonal momentum flux due to meridional flux convergence arising from meridionally tilted heating. The effect of a boundary layer momentum drag at the base of the free troposphere is also systematically incorporated into the IPESD models. Both meridional tilts and lower boundary layer drag are shown to meridionally confine the MJO westerly wind burst and drive a planetary scale barotropic flow. Meridionally tilted heating can also greatly strengthen the wind burst at the base of the troposphere and modify its vertical profile. The competing effects of meridionally tilted, and off-equatorial heating can also significantly weaken the MJO winds. Appendices are provided which discuss generalizations and a solution algorithm for the IPESD models.     

Modulating synoptic scale convective activity and boundary layer dissipation in the IPESD models of the Madden–Julian oscillation

A self-contained derivation of the IPESD models [Majda, A.J., Klein, R., 2003. Systematic multi-scale models for the tropics. J. Atmos. Sci. 60, 393–408] governing synoptic and planetary scale tropical flows is provided. This derivation demonstrates the analytic tractability of the model and the effect of zonally and meridionally tilted synoptic scale heating on the forcing of planetary scale flows through upscale momentum and temperature fluxes. Exploiting the analytic tractability of the models, different aspects of the planetary scale forcing are traced to meridional and vertical tilts in the synoptic scale heating profile. Variants of the archetypal IPESD models for the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) presented in Majda and Biello [Majda, A.J., Biello, J.A., 2004. A multi-scale model for tropical intraseasonal oscillations. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 101, 4736–4741; Biello, J.A., Majda, A.J., 2005. A new multi-scale model for the Madden–Julian oscillation. J. Atmos. Sci. 62, 1694–1721] are studied. In addition to vertically tilted synoptic scale heating, the models discussed herein incorporate upscale zonal momentum flux due to meridional flux convergence arising from meridionally tilted heating. The effect of a boundary layer momentum drag at the base of the free troposphere is also systematically incorporated into the IPESD models. Both meridional tilts and lower boundary layer drag are shown to meridionally confine the MJO westerly wind burst and drive a planetary scale barotropic flow. Meridionally tilted heating can also greatly strengthen the wind burst at the base of the troposphere and modify its vertical profile. The competing effects of meridionally tilted, and off-equatorial heating can also significantly weaken the MJO winds. Appendices are provided which discuss generalizations and a solution algorithm for the IPESD models.     

A Review of the Nonlinear Dynamics of Intraseasonal Oscillations

In recent years,significant progress has been made regarding theories of intraseasonal oscillations (ISOs) (also known as the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) in the tropics).This short review introduces the latest advances in ISO theories with an emphasis particularly on theoretical paradigms involving nonlinear dynamics in the following aspects:(1) the basic ideas and limitations of the previous and current theories and hypotheses regarding the MJO,(2) the new multi-scale theory of the MJO based on the intraseasonal planetary equatorial synoptic dynamics (IPESD) framework,and (3) nonlinear dynamics of ISOs in the extratropics based on the resonant triads of Rossby-Haurwitz waves.     

A conceptual framework for time and space scale interactions in the climate system

 Interactions involving various time and space scales, both within the tropics and between the tropics and midlatitudes, are ubiquitous in the climate system. We propose a conceptual framework for understanding such interactions whereby longer time scales and larger space scales set the base state for processes on shorter time scales and smaller space scales, which in turn have an influence back on the longer time scales and larger space scales in a continuum of process-related interactions. Though not intended to be comprehensive, we do cite examples from the literature to provide evidence for the validity of this framework. Decadal time scale base states of the coupled climate system set the context for the manifestation of interannual time scales (El Nino/Southern Oscillation, ENSO and tropospheric biennial oscillation, TBO) which are influenced by and interact with the annual cycle and seasonal time scales. Those base states in turn influence the large-scale coupled processes involved with intraseasonal and submonthly time scales, tied to interactions within the tropics and extratropics, and tropical–midlatitude teleconnections. All of these set the base state for processes on the synoptic and mesoscale and regional/local space scales. Events at those relatively short time scales and small space scales may then affect the longer time scale and larger space scale processes in turn, reaching back out to submonthly, intraseasonal, seasonal, annual, TBO, ENSO and decadal. Global coupled models can capture some elements of the decadal, ENSO, TBO, annual and seasonal time scales with the associated global space scales. However, coupled models are less successful at simulating phenomena at subseasonal and shorter time scales with hemispheric and smaller space scales. In the context of the proposed conceptual framework, the synergistic interactions of the time and space scales suggest that a high priority must be placed on improved simulations of all of the time and space scales in the climate system. This is particularly important for the subseasonal time scales and hemispheric and smaller space scales, which are not well simulated at present, to improve the prospects of successfully forecasting phenomena beyond the synoptic scales. Received: 3 April 2000/ Accepted: 6 November 2000     

Space-time structures of earthquakes

Using the United States Geological Survey global daily data sets for 31 years, we have tabulated the earthquake intensities on a global latitude longitude grid and represented them as a finite sum of spherical harmonics. An interesting aspect of this global view of earthquakes is that we see a low frequency modulation in the amplitudes of the spherical harmonic waves. There are periods when these waves carry larger amplitudes compared to other periods. A power spectral analysis of these amplitudes clearly shows the presence of a low frequency oscillation in time with a largest mode around 40 days. That period also coincides with a well-know period in the atmosphere and in the ocean called the Madden Julian Oscillation. This paper also illustrates the existence of a spatial oscillation in strong earthquake occurrences on the western rim of the Pacific plate. These are like pendulum oscillations in the earthquake frequencies that swing north or south along the western rim at these periods. The spatial amplitude of the oscillation is nearly 10,000 km and occurs on an intraseasonal time scale of 20–60 days. A 34-year long United States Geological Survey earthquake database was examined in this context; this roughly exhibited 69 swings of these oscillations. Spectral analysis supports the intraseasonal timescale, and also reveals higher frequencies on a 7–10 day time scale. These space-time characteristics of these pendulum-like earthquake oscillations are similar to those of the MJO. Fluctuations in the length of day on this time scale are also connected to the MJO. Inasmuch as the atmospheric component of the MJO will torque the solid earth through mountain stresses, we speculate the MJO and our proposed earthquake cycle may be connected. The closeness of these periods calls for future study.     

1984年夏季张掖地区辐射参数的振荡特征

本文用多维谱分析的方法，研究了1984年夏季张掖地区辐射参数的中短期和超短期振荡特征。1984年夏季，张掖地区辐射等参数存在着3—5天的中短期振荡及30分钟、50分钟和80分钟的超短期振荡。准3天振荡主要存在于热力边界层，振荡是由西向东传播的，影响高度大致为400 hPa。超短期振荡强度有着明显的日际变化，其变化周期也大致为3—5天。在大气中各种时间尺度的振荡之间存在着某种联系。准3天振荡可能是青藏高原地面热力扰动影响的一种反映；准30分钟的超短期振荡强度与天气系统的关系不明显，而与热力状况及主要云状却有一定的关系。     

A Study On Atmospheric Boundary-Layer Characteristics At Anand, India Using Lsp Experimental Data Sets

An attempt is made to study the planetary boundary layer (PBL) characteristics during the winter period at Anand (22.4°N, 72.6°E), a semi-arid region, which is located in the western part of India. A one-dimensional turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) closure model is used for the study. The structure of the PBL,which consists of profiles of zonal and meridional components of wind,potential temperature and specific humidity, is simulated. A one-dimensional soil heat and moisture transport parameterization scheme is incorporated for the accurate representation of the energy exchange processes at the soil-atmosphere interface. The diurnal variation of fluxes of sensible heat, latent heat, shortwave radiation, net radiation and soil flux, soil temperature at different depths, Richardson number and TKE at the height of the constant flux layer is studied. The model predictions are compared with the available observations obtained from a special Land Surface Processes (LSP) experiment.     

热带大气季节内振荡对西北太平洋台风的调制作用

利用澳大利亚气象局的RMM-MJO (Real-time Multivariate MJO) 指数, 分析研究了热带大气季节内振荡 (简称MJO) 对西北太平洋台风的调制作用及其机理, 结果表明MJO活动对西北太平洋台风的生成有比较明显调制作用。在MJO活跃期, 对流中心位于赤道东印度洋 (即MJO第2、3位相) 和对流中心越过海洋性大陆来到西太平洋地区 (即MJO 第5、6位相) 时台风生成的个数比例为2∶1。本文对西太平洋地区的大气环流场进行了多种气象要素的合成分析, 在MJO的不同位相, 西太平洋地区的动力因子分布形势有很明显不同。在第2、3位相, 各种因子均呈现出抑制西太平洋地区对流及台风发展的态势; 而在第5、6位相则明显有促进对流发生发展, 为台风生成和发展创造了有利条件的大尺度环流动力场。这说明MJO 在不断东移的过程中, 将改变大气环流形势, 最终影响了台风的生成和发展。接着, 我们从积云对流这个联系台风和MJO的重要因子出发, 研究了不同MJO位相时凝结加热的水平和垂直分布, 以及与台风环流、 水汽通量的配置情况。结果表明在MJO不同位相, 热源分布明显不同, 而这种水平和垂直方向的不同分布特征必然反映潜热释放和有效位能向有效动能转换的差异, 再与水汽的辐合辐散相配合, 就从台风获得的能量角度揭示了大气MJO调节台风的生成和发展, 造成不同位相时台风生成有根本差别的原因。     

Recent Advance in Understanding the Dynamics of the Madden-Julian Oscillation

The Madden-Julian oscillation （MJO） is a dominant atmospheric low-frequency mode in the tropics. In this review article, recent progress in understanding the MJO dynamics is described. Firstly, the fundamental physical processes responsible for MJO eastward phase propagation are discussed. Next, a recent modeling result to address why MJO prefers a planetary zonal scale is presented. The effect of the seasonal mean state on distinctive propagation characteristics between northern winter and summer is discussed in a theoretical framework. Then, the observed precursor signals and the physical mechanism of MJO initiation in the western equatorial Indian Ocean are further discussed. Finally, scale interactions between MJO and higher- frequency eddies are delineated.     

陆气相互作用对中尺度对流系统影响的研究进展

文章回顾了大气对地表性质的敏感性研究,以及陆气相互作用对中尺度天气过程的影响,说明了地表性质与积云对流及对流降水之间的联系。地表性质的改变对行星边界层的热通量、水汽通量、对流有效位能产生影响,并通过湍流的垂直输送,进而影响到其上大气的性质。陆气之间存在着复杂的、非线性的相互作用。性质不均匀的下垫面造成地表向大气感热通量和潜热通量的差异,从而在近地层大气中形成温度和气压梯度,产生局地环流,在条件适合的情况下可以形成对流,并产生降水,而降水的不均匀分布,又维持了下垫面的不均匀性。土壤湿度对对流的影响受到多个因素的制约,其中天气尺度过程的影响是很显著的;由非均匀的下垫面所产生的局地环流能够触发积云对流。     

Convective signals from surface measurements at ARM Tropical Western Pacific site: Manus

Madden?CJulian Oscillation (MJO) signals have been detected using highly sampled observations from the U.S. DOE ARM Climate Research Facility located at the Tropical Western Pacific Manus site. Using downwelling shortwave radiative fluxes and derived shortwave fractional sky cover, and the statistical tools of wavelet, cross wavelet, and Fourier spectrum power, we report finding major convective signals and their phase change from surface observations spanning from 1996 to 2006. Our findings are confirmed with the satellite-gauge combined values of precipitation from the NASA Global Precipitation Climatology Project and the NOAA interpolated outgoing longwave radiation for the same location. We find that the Manus MJO signal is weakest during the strongest 1997?C1998 El Ni?o Southern Oscillation (ENSO) year. A significant 3?C5-month lead in boreal winter is identified further between Manus MJO and NOAA NINO3.4 sea surface temperature (former leads latter). A striking inverse relationship is found also between the instantaneous synoptic and intraseasonal phenomena over Manus. To further study the interaction between intraseasonal and diurnal scale variability, we composite the diurnal cycle of cloudiness for 21-MJO events that have passed over Manus. Our diurnal composite analysis of shortwave and longwave fractional sky covers indicates that during the MJO peak (strong convection), the diurnal amplitude of cloudiness is reduced substantially, while the diurnal mean cloudiness reaches the highest value and there are no significant phase changes. We argue that the increasing diurnal mean and decreasing diurnal amplitude are caused by the systematic convective cloud formation that is associated with the wet phase of the MJO, while the diurnal phase is still regulated by the well-defined solar forcing. This confirms our previous finding of the anti-phase relationship between the synoptic and intraseasonal phenomena. The detection of the MJO over the Manus site provides further opportunities in using other ground-based remote sensing instruments to investigate the vertical distributions of clouds and radiative heatings of the MJO that currently is impossible from satellite observations.     

Sensible heat fluxes during the active and break phases of the southwest monsoon over the Indian region

Based on the theory given by Saltzman and Ashe (1976), sensible heat fluxes are calculated for the active and break phases of the southwest monsoon over the Indian region. The conclusion drawn is that the sensible heat flux is generally larger during the break monsoon situation when compared with that for the active monsoon situation. The synoptic heat flux is negligible when compared with mean and diurnal heat fluxes over the Indian region even during the monsoon season.     

2014年夏季青藏高原狮泉河与林芝降水低频振荡及陆—气过程日变化特征

根据“第三次青藏高原大气科学试验” 2014年7、8月青藏高原西南部狮泉河站、东南部林芝站的3 m涡动相关系统原始数据和10 Hz湍流资料以及中国气象局台站观测资料、JRA-55（Japanese 55-year Reanalysis）逐日再分析资料、GPCP（Global Precipitation Climatology Project）全球降水逐日观测资料,分别讨论了这两个站在10~20天低频振荡的天气背景下其干、湿位相近地层气象要素的日变化特征以及湍流变化特征。结果表明:两站高低空环流场、水汽通量场、热源的10~20天低频分量在其干、湿位相期间的配置相反。低频地表感热和潜热的不同变化对降水的影响分别在高原西部和东部有不同表现。狮泉河站的低频振荡在纬向上自西向东传播,而林芝站的低频振荡在纬向上自东向西传播,结果表明这两个站分别存在两种不同起源的低频振荡。两站干、湿位相的近地面气象要素以及湍流通量具有明显的日变化特征,通常温度极大值出现在午后14时（北京时,下同）,但狮泉河站干、湿位相的温度极大值均出现在夜间20时;由波文比可知,狮泉河站湿位相全天以潜热为主导,干位相期间,06时之前以潜热为主,06时之后以感热为主;林芝站干、湿位相均为08时之前以感热为主,08时之后以潜热为主。两站湍流平均动能与平均风速正相关,垂直动量表现为向下传输,热量和水汽表现为向上传输。     

Changes in a modeled MJO with idealized global warming

This study estimates how the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) will change with uniform global warming of 2 and 4 K at the Earth surface using an aqua-planet version of the NCAR CAM2 implemented with the Tiedtke convection scheme. Solar insolation is specified at the vernal equinox with a diurnal cycle. Thirty-year integrations are carried out for each case and the last 20-year’s results are used for analysis. For the warmer cases, the modeled MJO’s eastward propagation remains dominant at zonal wave numbers 1–4, and notable increase occurs in variance, power spectra, and the number of prominent MJO events. The convective heating is enhanced more in upper troposphere, and the MJO power spectra increase more on 20–30 days than on 30–60 days. In all cases, composite life cycles of prominent MJO events show that the anomalous surface latent heat flux lags precipitation by about 90° in phase, characterizing the nonlinear wind induced surface heat exchange (WISHE) to destabilize the MJO. Interacting with a warmer surface in the 4 K case, perturbations of zonal wind and temperature at bottom model level contribute to the nonlinear WISHE coherently with the latent heat flux. Meanwhile anomalous boundary layer convergence leads precipitation by some 45° in phase, indicating the frictional moisture convergence to maintain the enhanced MJO.     

Modulation of Madden-Julian Oscillation Activity by the Tropical Pacific-Indian Ocean Associated Mode

In this study, the impacts of the tropical Pacific–Indian Ocean associated mode(PIOAM) on Madden–Julian Oscillation(MJO) activity were investigated using reanalysis data. In the positive(negative) phase of the PIOAM, the amplitudes of MJO zonal wind and outgoing longwave radiation are significantly weakened(enhanced) over the Indian Ocean, while they are enhanced(weakened) over the central and eastern Pacific. The eastward propagation of the MJO can extend to the central Pacific in the positive ...     

Turbulent carbon exchange in very stable conditions

Turbulent fluxes obtained using the conventional eddy covariance approach result in erratic results with large time fluctuations in extremely stable conditions. This can limit efforts to estimate components of the nocturnal energy budget and respiratory CO₂ fluxes. Well-organized fluxes that show a clear dependence on turbulent intensity were obtained when multiresolution decomposition was used to estimate turbulent exchanges. CO₂, heat and water vapour fluxes were observed at a site in the eastern Amazon basin that had been cleared for agricultural purposes. Temporal scales of the carbon transfer were determined and shown to be similar to those of latent heat, but as much as three times larger than those of sensible heat. CO₂ eddy diffusivities at the temporal scales on which most of the vertical CO₂ exchange occurs are shown to be 50 times larger than the eddy diffusivity for heat. A process associated with the vertical scale of the scalar accumulation layer is suggested to explain these different scales and turbulent diffusivities of carbon and sensible heat transfer. For an appreciable range of turbulence intensities, the observed vertical turbulent carbon exchange is insufficient to account for the locally respired CO₂ estimated independently. Evidence that shallow drainage currents may account for this is given.     

Nonlinear kinetic energy interactions and their contributions to the growth and decay of atmospheric waves in the lower troposphere during summer monsoon, 1979

Summary Lower tropospheric (1000–500) hPa kinetic energy (KE), temporal variations of KE and nonlinear KE transfer of rotational and divergent flows and energy conversion between them, partitioning further into stationary and transient components in the Fourier spectral domain and the mechanism for the evolution of significant transient waves for the month July 1979 in the latitudinal belt 10° S–30° N are studied.Divergent zonal and eddy KE show their maxima at the lowest level 1000 hPa. Lower tropospheric monsoon motion provides a non-divergent level close to 850 hPa. The daily flow patterns bear little resemblence to the climatology over tropics at 500 hPa. Although the transient mode of synoptic scale waves is stronger than that of planetary scale waves they are comparable. Analysis of energetics over global tropics can get signature of transient activities embedded in the large scale system. Summer momentum flux in the lower troposphere is essentially associated with stationary planetary and transient synoptic scale waves. Waves 1, 3 and 6 are the most preferred transient waves. Divergent to rotational KE conversion is the most dominating mechanism for the maintenance of planetary and synoptic scale waves. All categories of waves contribute towards the maintenance of zonal flows. The primary source of energy for transient synoptic scale waves is the transient divergent rotational KE transfer whereas the interaction between zonal stationary and transient wave is likely to be secondary source. Transient KE and all transient interactions, stationary KE and all stationary interactions are found to be strongest at 500 hPa and 850 hPa respectively. Growth and decay of transient waves 1 and 3 are mainly controlled by divergent-rotational KE conversions whereas those of transient wave 6 are controlled by KE transfer due to zonal-wave interaction.With 13 Figures     

Land response to atmosphere at different resolutions in the common land model over East Asia

Towards a better understanding of hydrological interactions between the land surface and atmosphere, land surface models are routinely used to simulate hydro-meteorological fluxes. However, there is a lack of observations available for model forcing, to estimate the hydro-meteorological fluxes in East Asia. In this study, Common Land Model (CLM) was used in offline-mode during the summer monsoon period of 2006 in East Asia, with different forcings from Asiaflux, Korea Land Data Assimilation System (KLDAS), and Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS), at point and regional scales, separately. The CLM results were compared with observations from Asiaflux sites. The estimated net radiation showed good agreement, with r =0.99 for the point scale and 0.85 for the regional scale. The estimated sensible and latent heat fluxes using Asiaflux and KLDAS data indicated reasonable agreement, with r = 0.70. The estimated soil moisture and soil temperature showed similar patterns to observations, although the estimated water fluxes using KLDAS showed larger discrepancies than those of Asiaflux because of scale mismatch. The spatial distribution of hydro-meteorological fluxes according to KLDAS for East Asia were compared to the CLM results with GLDAS, and the GLDAS provided online. The spatial distributions of CLM with KLDAS were analogous to CLM with GLDAS, and the standalone GLDAS data. The results indicate that KLDAS is a good potential source of high spatial resolution forcing data. Therefore, the KLDAS is a promising alternative product, capable of compensating for the lack of observations and low resolution grid data for East Asia.     

Characteristics of the synoptic time scale variability over the South China Sea based on Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission

Characteristics of the synoptic time scale variability over the South China Sea (SCS) are explored based on the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and auxiliary atmospheric data. Unlike the intraseasonal oscillations, which are significant only during the summer monsoon season (May–September), the synoptic timescale disturbances are active not only during the periods of the South China Sea Summer Monsoon (SCSSM), but also after summer monsoon retreat (October–December). The maximum synoptic time scale signals occur in September. The synoptic time scale variabilities over the SCS are strong modulated by the ENSO events, especially after the retreat of the SCSSM. The synoptic timescale signals in October–December are much stronger during the La Nina years than those in the El Nino years. Moreover, the synoptic time scale variabilities over the SCS are also related the activities of the SCSSM. The synoptic time scale signals in the monsoon onset periods and the early summer are much stronger during the strong SCSSM years than during the weak SCSSM years.     

人工植被和流动沙丘近地面层湍流通量的计算

提出了由Ｂｕｓｉｎｇｅｒ建议的无量纲廓线通用函数形式的近地面层稳定度参数ζ的相似方程分析解。代替了以往采用数值迭代法求ζ，并应用于沙漠人工植被和裸露流动沙丘上的实例资料分析。采用目前广泛应用的空气动力学方法，分别计算了动量和热量交换系数，感热和潜热通量，并由波文比－能量平衡方法进行了验证。结果表明：采用Ｂｕｓｉｎｇｅｒ无量纲通量廓线关系形式的近地面层稳定度参数ζ的相似方程分析解，代替以往惯用的数值