Investigation of the mei-yu front using a new deformation frontogenesis function

A new frontogenesis function is developed and analyzed on the basis of a local change rate of the absolute horizontal gradient of the resultant deformation. Different from the traditional frontogenesis function, the newly defined deformation frontogenesis is derived from the viewpoint of dynamics rather than thermodynamics. Thus, it is more intuitive for the study of frontogenesis because the compaction of isolines of both temperature and moisture can be directly induced by the change of a flow field. This new frontogenesis function is particularly useful for studying the mei-yu front in China because mei-yu rainbands typically consist of a much stronger moisture gradient than temperature gradient, and involve large deformation flow. An analysis of real mei-yu frontal rainfall events indicates that the deformation frontogenesis function works remarkably well, producing a clearer mei-yu front than the traditional frontogenesis function based on a measure of the potential temperature gradient. More importantly, the deformation frontogenesis shows close correlation with the subsequent(6 h later) precipitation pattern and covers the rainband well, bearing significance for the prognosis or even prediction of future precipitation.     

非均匀饱和广义湿位涡在暴雨分析与预测中的应用

考虑实际大气非均匀饱和特性, 通过引入广义位温及广义湿位涡方程, 对华北暴雨和江淮梅雨锋暴雨的发生及落区进行了广义湿位涡异常的诊断分析, 表明暴雨形成时大气低层有广义湿位涡的异常出现。对广义湿位涡倾向的计算表明:它对暴雨的发生有一定指示作用, 因而可利用广义湿位涡的异常来识别暴雨的出现。     

On the Significance and Use of the Generalized Moist Potential Vorticity Equation

In this paper,the continuity and thermodynamic equations including moisture forcings were derived.Using these two equations and the basic momentum equation of local Cartesian coordinates,the budget equation of generalized moist potential vorticity(GMPV) was derived.The GMPV equation is a good generalization of the Ertel potential vorticity(PV) and moist potential vorticity(MPV) equations.The GMPV equation is conserved under adiabatic,frictionless,barotropic,or saturated atmospheric conditions,and it is closely associated with the horizontal frontogenesis and stability of the real atmosphere.A real case study indicates that term diabatic heating could be a useful diagnostic tool for heavy rainfall events.     

A Review of Potential Vorticity and its Possible Application in the moist Atmospheric Flow

Potential vorticity (PV) has been served as a powerful and useful dynamic tracer for the understanding of the large-scale dynamics and synoptic variations in the atmosphere and oceans. Significant progress has been made on the application of PV. In recent decades there has been a substantial amount of work done on PV in a general moist atmosphere. In this paper PV and the generalized moist potential vorticity (GMPV) and their application in the tropical cyclones and mesoscale meteorological field are reviewed. The GMPV is derived for a real atmosphere (neither totally dry nor saturated) by introducing a generalized potential temperature instead of the potential temperature or equivalent potential temperature. Such a generalization can depict the moist effect on PV anomaly in the non-uniformly saturated atmosphere. A new convective vorticity vector (CVV) is introduced in connection with GMPV in order to diagnose the development of tropical deep convections.     

三种温湿参数下昆明准静止锋锋面位置及锋生函数诊断的对比分析

针对2008年1~2月昆明准静止锋天气过程,讨论了位温、相当位温和广义位温三个温湿参数及其对应的锋生函数,对比分析结果表明:（1）广义位温因其湿度因子权重过大,不适用于分析以温度梯度定义的昆明准静止锋锋面位置和强度;（2）理想状态下的干大气位温和饱和大气相当位温仅与气压和温度有关,均能较好地反映大气温度场特征,适用于昆明准静止锋的分析,比较而言相当位温对温度锋区的描述更为显著;（3）用位温或相当位温计算锋生函数所得结果直接表达了因温度场变化导致的锋面生消状况,而用广义位温计算锋生函数所得结果同时包含温度锋生（消）和湿度锋生（消）两种情况,不能简洁地判断昆明准静止锋锋面生消状况。     

两次陕北暴雨过程热力动力机制诊断

利用常规气象观测资料、NCEP FNL分析资料（水平分辨率为1°×1°,时间分辨率为6 h）,对2013年7月21-22日和2014年7月8-9日两次陕北暴雨过程成因进行热力动力诊断,结果表明:两次陕北暴雨与高低空急流关系密切,暴雨带位于低空急流左侧的水汽辐合区,“0721”过程低空急流更强,在高低空急流耦合的强上升运动区（延安）出现大暴雨。降水前期,两次过程大气均存在对流不稳定,切变线触发对流,产生强降水,而其释放的凝结潜热加热形成中低层大气的热力不连续面,湿斜压性及锋生增强,造成整层饱和大气的抬升,维持强降水。“0721”过程前期对流降水的潜热释放更大,由此反馈的低空急流及锋生更强,出现大暴雨天气。广义对流涡度矢量垂直分量很好地描述了两次暴雨过程高低空急流耦合作用以及凝结潜热释放增强的锋生作用,其变化趋势能够反映降水的发展和减弱过程。暴雨出现在湿热力平流参数垂直积分大值中心及南侧的高梯度区,大值中心出现后约6 h会产生强降水,这对于强降水落区的预报有一定指示意义。     

广义湿位涡与暴雨落区预报的诊断分析

探讨了广义湿位涡理论及其倾向方程在暴雨落区预报方面的可应用性,为非均匀饱和广义湿位涡理论的业务应用提供了新的思路。 资料诊断结果表明, 非均匀饱和大气中的广义湿位涡虽然不具有守恒性, 但由于其体现了实际大气的非均匀饱和特性,尤其是水汽梯度效应的引入,使得广义湿位涡的异常在对流层低层能比较清楚地反映出暴雨发生时期的高水汽集中的特性和机制,有效地反映出暴雨区以及暴雨落区的变化。      

Present-day concepts of atmospheric frontogenesis. Part 1. Theoretical ideas

Presented is a review of quantitative characteristics of atmospheric frontogenesis that describe it as the process of variations of the vector of the horizontal temperature gradient (both in value and in direction) in an individual particle. The frontogenesis that strives for recovering the thermal wind balance disturbed in the case of inhomogeneous advection, generates vertical circulation which is both thermally direct (warm air ascends relative to cold air) and thermally opposite (upward motions in the cold air). Given are the expressions for computing frontogenesis using the data on temperature, pressure, and wind. Used is the resolution of the frontogenetic vector function into components along the isoline of potential temperature both on and across the constant-pressure surface. The first component describes the change in the temperature gradient vector due to the rotation of isotherms (rotational frontogenesis), and the second component, the variations of the absolute value of the gradient (scalar frontogenesis). Quantitative characteristics of frontogenesis are efficient diagnostic parameters both for understanding weather processes and weather forecast specification and for the verification and enhancement of numerical models.     

Generalized available potential energy

The kinetic energy generation in either the dry or moist atmosphere may be estimated by the same relationships if we introduce the new concept of generalized available potential energy. The largest magnitude of generalized availa-ble potential energy and corresponding reference state of either dry or moist atmosphere are calculated in terms of the initial conditions and entropy variation of the atmosphere. The obtained relationships are applicable for the statically unstable atmosphere as well. The generalized available potential energy associated with reversible processes reaches the maximum with respect to same initial state. While the generation of kinetic energy in irreversible processes is characterized by sudden changes. When the reference state is assumed to be saturated, we may predict the final tem-perature and moisture fields corresponding to provided initial state and entropy variation.     

梅雨锋动力锋生方程组及其应用

利用湿静力温度Tσ作为参数，导出梅雨锋锋生的方程组，并用该方程组计算了1991年江淮梅雨锋强降水的个例。结果表明:该方程组可分析梅雨锋的动力锋生；在梅雨锋中存在近似垂直分布的对称的横向次级环流，环流中干冷侧的横向穿锋环流可建立湿状态的稳定性；非地转变形项对梅雨锋锋生（消）起主导作用，同时次级环流的上升运动与锋生有正反馈关系。另外，梅雨锋中Tσ水平锋生对未来6小时降水具有一定的指示意义。     

Application of Generalized Moist Potential Vorticity to the Analysis of a Torrential Rain Case

Considering the non-uniform saturation of the real atmosphere,a diagnostic study of a torrential rain event is performed from the perspective of the anomaly of the generalized moist potential vorticity(GMPV) after introducing the generalized potential temperature into the thermodynamic frame of the real atmosphere. The results show that the anomaly appeared at mid-lower levels of the troposphere when the torrential rain happened.Analysis of the magnitudes and locations of maximum values of the tendency o...     

Diagnostic Analyses of the Modified Convective Vorticity Vector in Non-uniformly Saturated Moist Flow

Because the real atmosphere is non-uniformly saturated, the generalized potential temperature is introduced. The convective vorticity vector, which can depict the occurrence and development of mesoscale deep convective systems, is modified and re-derived in a nonuniformly saturated moist atmosphere （C^＊）. Then, a case study is performed for a frontal rainfall event which occurred near the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China. The diagnostic results of C^＊ show that, in the lower troposphere, the vertical component of C^＊ （ Cz^＊ ） can diagnose developments and movements of precipitation and convection better than those of Cm （Cmz, in saturated moist flow） and C （Cz, in dry flow）. Cz^＊ is a good predictor for precipitation analyses as well.     

On the Generalized Ertel--Rossby Invariant

A new invariant called the generalized Ertel-Rossby invariant(GER) was developed in this study.The new invariant is given by the dot product of the generalized vorticity and the generalized velocity.The generalized vorticity is the absolute vorticity minus the cross-product of the gradient of Lagrangian-time integrated temperature and the gradient of entropy.The generalized velocity is the absolute velocity minus the sum of the gradient of Lagrangian-time integrated kinetic potential and the Lagrangian-time integrated temperature multiplied by the gradient of entropy.In addition to the traditional potential vorticity,the GER invariant may provide another useful tool to study the atmospheric dynamic processes for weather phenomena ranging from large scales to small scales.     

Meso-beta scale numerical simulations of terrain drag-induced along-stream circulations Part I: Midtropospheric frontogenesis

Summary The problem of along-stream ageostrophic frontogenesis is studied by employing a numerical model at meso-alpha and meso-beta scales in simulations of the downstream circulations over the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Three-dimensional real data simulations at these two scales of motion are used to diagnose the transition from semigeostrophic cross-stream frontogenesis accompanying a propagating baroclinic upper-level jet streak to midtropospheric along-stream ageostrophic frontogenesis. This along-stream ageostrophic frontogenesis results from the perturbation of the jet streak by the Rocky Mountain range. The case study represents an example of internal wave dynamics which are forced by the drag of the Rocky Mountains on a strong jet streak in the presence of a low-level inversion.The simulation results indicate that, unlike semi-geostrophic frontogenesis, a front (which is alligned perpendicular to the axis of the jet stream) may form when significant adiabatic heating occurs within a stratified shear flow over horizontal length scales shorter than the Rossby radius of deformation. The mechanism responsible for the frontogenesis is the growth of the divergent along-stream wind velocity component which becomes coupled to the front's along-stream pressure gradient force. This nonlinear interaction produces hydrostatic mesoscale frontogenesis as follows: 1) vertical wind shear in the along-stream plane strengthens resulting in the increasingly nonuniform vertical variation of horizontal temperature advection as the ageostrophic wind component grows in magnitude downstream of the meso-scale terrain-induced adiabatic heating, 2) increasing along-stream differential vertical motions (i.e., along-stream thermally indirect circulation with warm air sinking to the west and cold air rising to the east) tilt the vertical gradient of isentropes into the horizontal as the vertical temperature gradient increases due to the previous process in proximity to horizontal gradients in the along-stream component of the ageostrophic wind, 3) as tilting motions act to increase the along-stream horizontal temperature gradient, the along-stream confluence acts to nonuniformly increase the along-stream frontal temperature gradient which increases the along-stream pressure gradient force resulting in further accelerations, ageostrophy, and frontal steepening as part of a scale contraction process.The evolution of the aforementioned processes results in the three-dimensional hydrostatic frontogenesis accompanying the overturning of isentropic surfaces. These adjustments act to turn air parcels to the right of the southwesterly geostrophic wind vector at successively lower atmospheric levels as the scale contraction continues. This simulated along-stream front is verified from diagnostic analysis of the profiler-derived temperature and wind fields.With 17 Figures     

2012年7月北京一次大暴雨过程的湿Q矢量和湿位涡分析

利用NCEP 1°×1°的6 h再分析资料和常规气象观测资料,对2012年7月21日发生在北京地区的一次大暴雨天气过程进行非地转湿Q矢量(Q*)和湿位涡等物理量诊断分析,研究暴雨期间Q*散度、锋生函数和湿位涡的时空分布特征,以及它们与强降水之间的关系。结果表明,Q*在850 hPa高度层上对暴雨表现出良好的诊断特性,冷、暖气流的汇聚加强了锋生作用,强锋生中心出现几小时后即出现暴雨。暴雨区位于Q*辐合区内,Q*散度对6 h后暴雨的落区有很好的指示意义。暴雨落区基本位于MPV1正、负值交界处的等值线密集带上以及MPV2负值区内。暴雨区上空,从近地面到对流层低层的对流性不稳定与条件性对称不稳定同时存在,两者共同作用,这很可能是此次暴雨的中尺度对流系统发生发展的重要条件之一。     

A numerical study of geostrophic adjustment and frontogenesis

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不同定义的湿位涡分析及在台风中的诊断

本文对不同定义的湿位涡做了理论分析,并利用1522号台风“彩虹”的数值模拟结果对各种湿位涡进行了诊断。主要结论有:经典湿位涡、广义湿位涡和改进湿位涡的差异主要是由不同定义的位温造成的,相当位温、广义位温和修改位温的构成均是在位温基础上添加一显含水汽的附加量;经典湿位涡、广义湿位涡和改进湿位涡的构成均能分为干、湿分量两部分,其干分量表达式相同,都与Ertel干位涡的定义一样,水物质相变潜热的影响隐含在位温中;不同定义湿位涡的本质差异表现在不同的湿分量上,湿分量的表达式中显含了水物质的作用。对台风的诊断分析发现,改进湿位涡分布与Ertel干位涡非常相似,呈现中空分布的位涡塔结构,大值区对应眼墙内侧,改进湿位涡湿分量与经典湿位涡的湿分量分布相似,只是湿分量的绝对值更小,这反映了改进湿位涡既能保持干位涡的分布特征,其分布和演变可反映台风的结构和演变,又能合理地体现水汽分布的影响,所以在台风诊断中有更广泛的应用前景。经典湿位涡在低层表现为负值,这与水汽梯度的分布关系很大,但与垂直速度、潜热加热大值区等都没有很好的匹配关系,用其分析台风结构和演变具有一定局限性;广义湿位涡其形式较复杂,仅在近饱和区域才能发挥其诊断优势。     

Turbulence frontogenesis

Summary The frontogenesis function in terms of the time derivative of the gradient of any relevant airborne quantity comprises all processes contributing to frontogenesis. Thus the various terms of this function are able to reveal processes of frontal development and their structure. Therefore the evaluation of these terms from measurements or in the frame of model simulations offers the chance of gaining more insight in frontal processes. If frontogenesis is evaluated from average basic data representative for a certain time-or space-scale, the result will be a kind of average frontogenesis, which naturally contains turbulence terms in the form of covariances. The processes described by these terms are called turbulence frontogenesis.This paper describes the basic formalisms of turbulence frontogenesis, offers cross-sections of these terms gained in experiments flown in sea-breeze fronts and gives some hints about their general behaviour.With 4 Figures     

应用NASA MERRA再分析资料对一次高原切变线的诊断分析

利用2016年6月29—30日地面及高空常规观测资料、CMORPH融合降水资料以及时空分辨率较高的NASA MERRA 0.625°×0.5°逐3 h再分析资料,对一次高原切变线过程进行了天气动力学诊断分析。运用广义位温、广义湿位涡和涡生参数等诊断量对切变线系统的生成及其降水分布进行分析。结果显示:广义位温等值线梯度大值区与大气水汽的聚集区相对应。切变线降水的发生、发展与广义湿位涡的分布及演变有较好的对应关系,低层大气广义湿位涡的正异常大值对降水发生有一定关联。广义湿位涡正负异常值之间的零线可较好表征高原切变线的位置。广义湿位涡中心强度对切变线生成与发展有一定指示意义。涡生参数可作为高原切变线生成和加强的一个明显前兆信号。     

北京“7.21”暴雨过程中变形场引起的锋生与倾斜涡度发展诊断分析

从变形场驱动锋生及通过锋生引起倾斜涡度发展的角度对变形场在北京“7.21”暴雨发生、发展过程中的可能作用机制进行了初步探讨。诊断结果发现：北京地区降水产生时,变形向量与等位温线走向一致或有较小夹角,北京地区有较强的变形场局地锋生过程。锋生函数分析发现,变形项对引发暴雨的低层锋生有重要贡献。锋生能够引发大气动力、热力结构的调整,伴随大气锋生过程的高空急流加强和转竖使得北京地区处于高空急流入口区右侧的辐散区中,其带动低层空气辐合,有助于暴雨的加强维持。分析还发现,“7.21”暴雨过程中,垂直涡度存在爆发性发展,尤其是锋面降水阶段,而大气斜压度的增长趋势与垂直涡度增长趋势十分一致。分析全型涡度方程中与变形场有关的斜压度个别变化项发现,与变形场相关的垂直涡度驱动项异常正值区与垂直涡度爆发性增长区相对应,表明变形场在北京“7.21”暴雨过程中对垂直涡度发展有重要贡献。基于变形场沿其压缩轴方向气流汇合的特点,进一步分析了加入水汽作用的水汽通量变形场与暴雨发生、发展的关系。分析结果发现,低层水汽通量变形场的正值区与暴雨具有很强的相关,且水汽通量变形场包含两部分,一部分为比湿平流,其对未来暴雨区位置有很好的指示意义;一部分为变形场项,其对水汽通量变形场分布起主要贡献。