Upscale effects in simulations of tropical convection on an equatorial beta-plane

A cloud-resolving model is configured to span the full meridional extent of the tropical atmosphere and have sufficient zonal extent to permit the representation of tropical cloud super-clusters. This is made computationally feasible by the use of anisotropic horizontal grids where one horizontal coordinate direction has over an order of magnitude finer resolution than the other direction. Typically, the meridional direction is chosen to have the coarser resolution (40 km grid spacing) and the zonal direction has enough resolution to ‘permit’ crude convective squall line ascent (1 km grid spacing). The aim was to run in cloud-resolving model (CRM) mode yet still have sufficient meridional resolution and extent to capture the equatorial trapped waves and the Hadley circulation. The large-scale circulation is driven by imposed uniform tropospheric cooling in conjunction with a fixed sea surface temperature distribution. At quasi-equilibrium the flow is characterized by sub-tropical jetstreams, tropical squall line systems that form eastward-propagating super-clusters, tropical depressions and even hurricanes.Two scientific issues are briefly addressed by the simulations: what forces the Hadley circulation and the nature of stratospheric waves appearing in the simulation. It is found that the presence of a meridional sea surface temperature gradient is not sufficient on its own to force a realistic Hadley circulation even though convection communicates the underlying temperature gradient to the atmosphere. It is shown in a simulation that accounts for the observed time and zonal-mean momentum forcing effect of large-scale eddies (originating in middle latitudes) that the heaviest precipitation is concentrated near the equator in association with moisture flux convergence driven by the Trade winds.A spectral analysis of the stratospheric waves found on the equator using the dispersion relation for equatorially-trapped waves provides strong evidence for the existence of a domain-scale Kelvin wave together with eastward and westward propagating inertia-gravity waves. The eastward-propagating stratospheric waves appear to be part of a convectively coupled wave system travelling at about 15 ms⁻¹.     

Coupling mechanisms between equatorial waves and cumulus convection in an AGCM

In this study, we focused on the difference in appearances of the convectively coupled equatorial waves (CCEWs) in a simulation with the CCSR/NIES/FRCGC AGCM, between two experiments, one with and the other without implementation of the convective suppression scheme (CSS) in the prognostic Arakawa–Schubert cumulus parameterization. Realistic CCEW modes, i.e., Kelvin, Rossby, mixed Rossby-gravity (MRG), and n = 0 eastward inertio-gravity (EIG) wave modes, were reproduced in the with-CSS experiment, while only Rossby-wave-like signals appeared in the without-CSS experiment.By comparing the structures of the Kelvin wave mode and the Rossby wave mode in two runs, it was suggested that the structural difference between these two modes in conjunction with the difference in the controlling factor of cumulus convection determines the CCEW features. The CSS implemented here is such that cumulus convection is suppressed until the cloud-layer-averaged relative humidity exceeds the threshold of 80%. In the without-CSS model, only Rossby wave modes are coupled with the convection. This is because CAPE controls cumulus convection in this model, and the larger frictional convergence of Rossby wave mode prepares CAPE to generate favorable condition for cumulus convection. In the case of the with-CSS model, on the other hand, cumulus convection is largely controlled by the humidity in the free atmosphere. The convergence associated with the equatorial waves can produce the moisture anomaly to overcome the relative humidity threshold, and maintains the favorable condition for cumulus convection once it starts. In this case, not only Rossby waves but also Kelvin, MRG, and n = 0 EIG waves are reproduced more realistically. It is suggested that inclusion of some kind of mechanism connecting the free tropospheric moisture with the convection under the condition of abundant convective available potential energy could be a key factor for realistic coupling between large-scale atmospheric waves and convection.     

Remote effects of tropical cyclone wind forcing over the western Pacific on the eastern equatorial ocean

An ocean general circulation model （OGCM） is used to demonstrate remote effects of tropical cyclone wind （TCW） forcing in the tropical Pacific. The signature of TCW forcing is explicitly extracted using a locally weighted quadratic least=squares regression （called as LOESS） method from six-hour satellite surface wind data; the extracted TCW component can then be additionally taken into account or not in ocean modeling, allowing isolation of its effects on the ocean in a clean and clear way. In this paper, seasonally varying TCW fields in year 2008 are extracted from satellite data which are prescribed as a repeated annual cycle over the western Pacific regions off the equator （poleward of 10°N/S）; two long-term OGCM experiments are performed and compared, one with the TCW forcing part included additionally and the other not. Large, persistent thermal perturbations （cooling in the mixed layer （ML） and warming in the thermocline） are induced locally in the western tropical Pacific, which are seen to spread with the mean ocean circulation pathways around the tropical basin. In particular, a remote ocean response emerges in the eastern equatorial Pacific to the prescribed off-equatorial TCW forcing, characterized by a cooling in the mixed layer and a warming in the thermocline. Heat budget analyses indicate that the vertical mixing is a dominant process responsible for the SST cooling in the eastern equatorial Pacific. Further studies are clearly needed to demonstrate the significance of these results in a coupled ocean-atmosphere modeling context.     

Low-frequency time-space regimes in tropical convection

Summary The multi-scale time-space regimes of the low-frequency convective activity over the maritime continent and tropical western Pacific are investigated using the monthly infrared radiance black body temperature (IRTBB) over a latitude band of 5S–9S, 80E–160W for the time period of 1980–1993. The complex Morlet wavelet transform and the complex empirical orthogonal function (CEOF) analysis are used. The zonal mean of the monthly IRTBB is dominated by the annual cycle which is influenced by a monsoon regime. An interannual signal around the time scale of 4.8-year and a decadal signal are obvious. In the zonal deviation, each CEOF represents a particular spatial regime; its corresponding principal component exhibits different multi-scale temporal behavior. The first leading component represents the variability due to large scale land-ocean distribution (the maritime continent, the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific) related to monsoon, with a dominant annual time scale. The second leading component represents the fluctuation of Walker circulation, associated with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events having a main time scale around 4.8-year and the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) around 2.4-year. The third leading component represents the variability due to small-scale land-ocean distribution (Java, New Guinea and the surrounding seas), with a dominant annual time scale. The main time scales in all the components seem to be modulated by longer time scales in either amplitude or frequency or both.Different time scales, as well as their in-phase interference, may play different roles in developing an individual ENSO event. The 1982/1983 event is dominated by an enhanced QBO. The 1986/1987 event is dominated by an enhanced 4.8-year oscillation. The 1991 and 1993 events may have resulted from an in-phase interference among several interannual time scales, abnormal annual cycles, and also highfrequency variability.SAIC/General Sciences Corporation.With 6 Figures     

Greenhouse sensitivity experiments with penetrative cumulus convection and tropical cirrus albedo effects

Results are presented from two versions of a global R15 atmospheric general circulation model (GCM) coupled to a nondynamic, 50-m deep, slab ocean. Both versions include a penetrative convection scheme that has the effect of pumping more moisture higher into the troposphere. One also includes a simple prescribed functional dependence of cloud albedo in areas of high sea-surface temperature (SST) and deep convection. Previous analysis of observations has shown that in regions of high SST and deep convection, the upper-level cloud albedos increase as a result of the greater optical depth associated with increased moisture content. Based on these observations, we prescribe increased middle- and upper-level cloud albedos in regions of SST greater than 303 K where deep convection occurs. This crudely accounts for a type of cloud optical property feedback, but is well short of a computed cloud-optical property scheme. Since great uncertainty accompanies the formulation and tuning of such schemes, the prescribed albedo feedback is an intermediate step to examine basic feedbacks and sensitivities. We compare the two model versions (with earlier results from the same model with convective adjustment) to a model from the Canadian Climate Centre (CCC) having convective adjustment and a computed cloud optical properties feedback scheme and to several other GCMs. The addition of penetrative convection increases tropospheric moisture, cloud amount, and planetary albedo and decreases net solar input at the surface. However, the competing effect of increased downward infrared flux (from increased tropospheric moisture) causes a warmer surface and increased latent heat flux. Adding the prescribed cirrus albedo feedback decreases net solar input at the surface in the tropics, since the cloud albedos increase in regions of high SST and deep convection. Downward infrared radiation (from increased moisture) also increases, but this effect is overpowered by the reduced solar input in the tropics. Therefore, the surface is somewhat cooler in the tropics, latent heat flux decreases, and global average sensitivity to a doubling of CO₂ with regard to temperature and precipitation/evaporation feedback is reduced. Similar processes, evident in the CCC model with convective adjustment and a computed cloud optical properties feedback scheme, occur over a somewhat expanded latitudinal range. The addition of penetrative convection produces global effects, as does the prescribed cirrus albedo feedback, although the strongest local effects of the latter occur in the tropics.Portions of this study are supported by the Office of Health and Environmental Research of the U.S. Department of Energy as part of its Carbon Dioxide Research Program, and by the Electric Power Research Institute as part of its Model Evaluation Consortium for Climate Assessment ProjectThe National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation     

GOES-16 ABI观测和ERA5全天空模拟亮温揭示的热带对流水平特征尺度对比分析

本研究通过将GOES-16 ABI观测亮温和ERA5再分析资料的全天空模拟亮温进行对比分析,发现观测亮温和模拟亮温对流低值区位置大体接近,也能够定性反映出对流从发展到减弱的日变化过程,但亮温低值区域的强度存在较大差异。即使把高分辨率ABI通道13观测亮温平均到ERA5分辨率(0.25°×0.25°),在热带对流区的低亮温强度仍然高于ERA5全天空模拟亮温。因此利用主成分分析(Principal Component Analysis,PCA)和离散傅里叶变换(Discrete Fourier Transform,DFT)对任意选择的两对流区域内的观测和模拟亮温进行了尺度分析和对比。在其中对流较强的区域内,当ABI观测亮温的主成分分量从1增加到9时,水平特征尺度从700 km逐渐减小到150 km。ERA5全天空模拟亮温从主成分1增加到4时,水平特征尺度从950 km减小到270 km空间尺度,但当主成分4增加到9时,特征尺度几乎不变。在对流较弱的另一区域也能够发现ERA5模拟亮温对对流水平特征尺度有明显高估。ERA5模拟亮温各主成分的相位和观测亮温存在2 h以内的误差。由于ERA5全天空...     

Upscale feedback of high-frequency winds on seasonal SST change over the tropical western North Pacific during boreal summer

Climate Dynamics - Present study compares the contribution of low-frequency (> 90-day) and high-frequency (< 90-day) variation-related latent heat flux (LHF) to seasonal...     

Added value of convection permitting seasonal simulations

In this study the added value of a ensemble of convection permitting climate simulations (CPCSs) compared to coarser gridded simulations is investigated. The ensemble consists of three non hydrostatic regional climate models providing five simulations with ~10 and ~3 km (CPCS) horizontal grid spacing each. The simulated temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, and global radiation fields are evaluated within two seasons (JJA 2007 and DJF 2007–2008) in the eastern part of the European Alps. Spatial variability, diurnal cycles, temporal correlations, and distributions with focus on extreme events are analyzed and specific methods (FSS and SAL) are used for in-depth analysis of precipitation fields. The most important added value of CPCSs are found in the diurnal cycle improved timing of summer convective precipitation, the intensity of most extreme precipitation, and the size and shape of precipitation objects. These improvements are not caused by the higher resolved orography but by the explicit treatment of deep convection and the more realistic model dynamics. In contrary improvements in summer temperature fields can be fully attributed to the higher resolved orography. Generally, added value of CPCSs is predominantly found in summer, in complex terrain, on small spatial and temporal scales, and for high precipitation intensities.     

Statistics of shallow convection on Mars based on large-eddy simulations. Part 2: effects of wind shear

Effects of wind on quasi-steady, shallow convection in the Martian boundary layer are studied using a large-eddy simulation model. Convection in the model is generated by the radiative flux divergence and the strength of the surface heat flux, which do not vary in time. The resulting convective boundary layer exhibits transient, irregular, horizontal cellular structures, transported by wind, and a lack of well-pronounced regular horizontal rolls, observed for analogous conditions on Earth. The dimensionless statistics of turbulence are generally similar to those generated in the windless conditions, and depend on the ratio F, defined in terms of the integrated radiative and turbulent heating rates in the boundary layer. The simulations show that variations of the radiative heating influence the temperature statistics, while their effects on the wind velocity are relatively small. The horizontal velocity variances do not show a strong dependence on parameter F, in contrast with the vertical velocity variances, which are strongly dependent on F.     

赤道东太平洋海温异常对6月中国南方降水影响的数值模拟

利用NCAR CAM3.0大气环流模式,研究6月长江流域及以南地区降水对前期赤道东太平洋海温异常的响应.首先,在赤道东太平洋1997年9月至1998年6月实际海温异常基础上构造的理想化海温异常,依据持续时间不同叠加相应的海温异常值在气候平均外强迫场上,设计第1组敏感性试验;其次,在上组试验中的前期9月至次年6月持续有海温异常的敏感性试验基础上,改变加入模式中的海温异常强度,设计不同强度海温异常对大气环流和降水影响的第2组试验;最后将上述海温异常值取反加入相应的赤道东太平洋区域,设计一组拉尼娜事件的试验.以(25°-30°N,110°-120°E)区域平均的降水距平值代表整个长江流域及其以南地区降水,模拟结果表明:(1)不同的持续时间强迫得到的降水距平峰值在11月,次年6月其值为最小,整体上降水距平有随持续时间的缩短而减小的趋势.表明前期秋季赤道东太平洋较强的厄尔尼诺事件发生时对6月降水有重要影响,证实了前期诊断分析的结论;(2)模式中加入不同强度的厄尔尼诺事件,在长江流域及其以南地区均有明显的降水正距平(最小降水距平为0.287 mm/d,最大为1.98 mm/d),降水正距平范围与实际情况接近,表明模式在模拟该地区异常降水时有较好的稳定性,模拟结果值得信任.另外模拟的降水距平有随着海温异常强度的增强而增大的趋势;(3)当模式中加入不同强度拉尼娜事件的海温异常时,模拟结果不稳定,与厄尔尼诺的影响结果不完全相反,与前期诊断分析结果不符.而只有在拉尼娜相当强时模式才能在长江流域及以南地区模拟出一定范围的降水负距平.     

The potential impacts of warmer-continent-related lower-layer equatorial westerly wind on tropical cyclone initiation

Global climate models predict that the increasing Amazonian-deforestation rates cause rising tempera- tures (increases of 1.8℃ to 8℃ under different conditions) and Amazonian drying over the 21st century. Observations in the 20th century also show that over the warmer continent and the nearby western South At- lantic Ocean, the lower-layer equatorial westerly wind (LLEWW) strengthens with the initiation of tropical cyclones (TCs). The warmer-continent-related LLEWW can result from the Coriolis-force-induced deflection of the cross-equatorial flow (similar to the well-known heat-island effect on sea breeze) driven by the enhanced land-sea contrast between the warmer urbanized continents and relatively cold oceans. This study focuses on the processes relating the warmer-continent-related LLEWW to the TC initiation and demonstrates that the LLEWW embedded in trade easterlies can directly initiate TCs by creating cyclonic wind shears and forming the intertropical convergence zone. In addition to this direct effect, the LLEWW combined with the rotating Earth can boost additional updraft vapor over the high sea-surface temperature region (factor 1), facilitating a surface-to-midtroposphere moist layer (factor 2) and convective instability (factor 3) followed by diabatic processes. According to previous studies, the diabatic heating in a finite equatorial region also activates TCs (factor 4) on each side of the Equator with weak vertical shear (factor 5). Factors 1-5 are favorable conditions for the initiation of severe TCs. Statistical analyses show that the earliest signal of sustained LLEWW not only leads the earliest signal of sustained tropical depression by >3 days but also explains a higher percentage of total variance.     

台风麦莎与赤道穿透对流云团的初步比较分析

利用TRMM卫星的测雨雷达、微波成像仪、可见光和红外扫描仪资料详细分析比较了麦莎台风和位于南海南部的赤道穿透对流云团(EPCC)的云高以及降水结构特征.首先,对热带地区对流层到平流层的过渡带(TTL)以及进入TTL的穿透对流云团进行了阐述和定义.然后,分析对比了赤道穿透对流云团和台风麦莎不同生命史阶段的云高、降水结构特征,分析对比结果表明:(1)在强降水区:麦莎台风和EPCC的云顶上部均出现了冰粒子散射现象,但EPCC的散射强度强,微波亮温值均低于180 K,并且其雷达云高和红外云顶亮温云高相差较大、云顶亮温曲线平缓.(2)EPCC的深对流数量四分比、穿透对流数量百分比、尤其是穿透对流数量占深对流数量比,都比麦莎台风各阶段的高;在麦莎台风和EPCC(10-20 km)云体中大部分云高集中在10-12 km,但EPCC(10-20 km)的云高谱相对具有连续性、相对较宽.(3)麦莎台风以层云降水为主,对总降水量的贡献中也是从云降水贡献大,但是EPCC中却是对流性降水的贡献大,且EPCC对流降水与层云降水的像素数量比值和降水量比值也比麦莎台风的3个时次都高.(4)EPCC的降水廓线深度无论是从云降水还是对流降水都比麦莎台风深,层云廓线深度达11 km,对流廓线深度达18 km.另外,从EPCC的穿透对流数量百分比比麦莎台风多,层云、对流降水廓线比麦莎台风深这几方面,一定程度上说明了EPCC的局部垂直对流强度比麦莎台风强.     

Energy and pseudomomentum of propagating disturbances on the beta-plane

The far-field amplitude of the waves generated by a steadily propagating radially symmetric disturbance on the beta-plane is calculated using Lighthill's method. From this can be obtained the fluxes of quantities such as wave energy which are radiated away from the disturbance. The radiated wave power is computed for a variety of forms of the disturbance. The rate of change of pseudomomentum in the system is also calculated: the component parallel to the motion of the disturbance is the radiated wave power divided by velocity. Results are compared to previous work and some physical issues are discussed.     

Statistical analysis of tropical climate anomaly simulations

The statistical analysis of two atmospheric general circulation simulations using the ECHAM3 GCM in permanent January conditions are presented. The two simulations utilize different oceanic surface temperatures in the Atlantic as boundary conditions: the cold simulation has SST representing the anomalous cold conditions during the decade 1904-13 while the warm simulation has SST representative for the decade 1951-60 where anomalous warm conditions have been observed. The analysis concentrates on the simulated differences between both experiments within the tropical belt to test the working hypothesis whether changes in the deep tropical heating initiated by the anomalous SST are responsible for the anomalies in the flow and mass field. We present a method which extracts the significant and dynamically consistent signal of the total difference using a multivariate statistical test based on the amplitudes of an a-priori specified mode expansion. These expansion modes are defined from a variant of the Matsuno-Gill linearized reduced gravity model for the tropical atmosphere. The application of the method shows a clear and well defined tropical signal in the flow and mass field which can be understood as the reponse of the ECHAM3 model to a deep heating anomaly not in the vicinity of the anomalous SST but on the neighboring continents especially South America and with opposite sign in remote areas between Indonesia and the dateline. The signal can be summarized as an enhancement of the GCM's tropical East-West circulation with the ascending branch over South America in the warm simulation compared to the cold run.     

太平洋赤道纬圈环流在热带海洋影响中纬度西风强度中的作用

近年来,大尺度海气作用与长期天气过程的关系已普遍引起人们的注意,其中Bjerkness分析了位于赤道太平洋中部坎顿岛的资料后指出,赤道太平洋中部及东部的海表温度为暖水时,其上空的纬圈环流(沃克环流)西端的上升分支将东移到坎顿岛附近,并获得加强,这一上升分支同时成为太平洋哈德莱环流的上升分支,这样由于加强了角动量的向北输送,将使得付热带高压、太平洋中部低压槽及东北太平洋中纬度的西风均增强;反之,当赤道太平洋中部与东部的海表为冷水时,则对大气影响的效果相反。但是,需要指出的是,Bjerkness所分析的是赤道海表冷暖与冬季东北太平洋中纬度大气环流间的联系,没有注意到对西北太平洋中纬度大气环流的影响,同时在他的工作中也没有应用资料揭露赤道太平洋上空的纬圈环流与经圈输送之间的相互制约的关系。 由于西北太平洋中纬度大气环流的长期变化将直接关系到我国旱涝、低温等天气的长期预报,所以,有必要分析热带海洋的热状况对西北太平洋中纬度大气环流的影响。     

Impact of the equatorial Atlantic sea surface temperature on the tropical Pacific in a CGCM

Many coupled general circulation models (CGCMs) suffer from serious model bias in the zonal gradient of sea surface temperature (SST) in the equatorial Atlantic. The bias of the equatorial Atlantic SST (EASST) may affect the interannual variability of the equatorial Atlantic, which in turn may influence the state of the tropical Pacific. In this paper we investigate the impact of the bias and the interannual variability of the EASST on the tropical Pacific in a CGCM. To determine the impact of the interannual variability of the EASST on the tropical Pacific, we compare a run in a fully coupled mode (CTL run) and a run in which the EASST is nudged toward the climatological monthly mean of the SST in the CTL run, but full air-sea coupling is allowed elsewhere (AT_m run). We find that, when the interannual variability of the EASST is excluded, the thermocline depth in the eastern equatorial Pacific is deepened, and the amplitude of the El Niño/Southern Oscillation is reduced by 30 % compared to the CTL run. The impact of the bias of the EASST on the tropical Pacific is investigated by comparing the AT_m run and a run in which the EASST is nudged toward the observed climatological monthly mean SST (AT_o run). It is found that, when the bias of the EASST is removed (i.e. AT_o run), the Gill–Matsuno type response to the warm SST anomalies in the western equatorial Atlantic induces low-level cyclonic anomalies in the eastern South Pacific, which leads to a deeper thermocline and colder SST in the South Pacific as compared to AT_m. The colder SST in the South Pacific reduces the precipitation along the South Pacific convergence zone. Our results of the model experiments demonstrate the importance of the EASST to the tropical Pacific climate.     

热带西太平洋季内震荡相关的赤道开尔文波对厄尔尼诺事件影响的初步探索

从海洋Kelvin波的角度研究了热带西太平洋季节内振荡（Madden-Julian Oscillation,MJO）对厄尔尼诺（El Nio）事件的影响。通过资料处理确定了热带西太平洋MJO相关的风应力强迫产生的海洋Kelvin波指数K,该指数代表了Kelvin波的强度。通过对比指数K与温跃层深度的变化,分析指出当El Nio事件发展过程中出现强MJO相关的海洋Kelvin波,并且该东传波动传递的是温跃层异常下沉信号时,会增大El Nio事件的振幅,对El Nio事件的发展起到重要的促进作用（1997/1998年El Nio事件）;当MJO相关的海洋Kelvin波较弱时对El Nio事件影响不大,而且当传递的是温跃层异常上升信号时反而会对El Nio事件的发生与发展起到阻碍作用。总之,热带西太平洋MJO事件对El Nio事件在特定的情况下有重要影响,但并不能决定El Nio事件的发生或终结。     

A modeling study on the effects of MJO and equatorial Rossby waves on tropical cyclone genesis over the western North Pacific in June 2004

This study investigates the influence of the Madden Julian oscillations (MJO) and equatorial Rossby (ER) waves on tropical cyclone (TC) formation in western Pacific during June 2004 through one control and three wave experiments for each of the five TCs. The control experiment reasonably simulates the formation of five TCs. In the corresponding wave experiments, the MJO, ER waves, and both the MJO and ER waves are removed, from the initial fields and lateral boundary conditions, respectively. The differences of simulated TC intensity between the control and corresponding wave experiments provide a quantitative assessment of the relative contribution of each wave to TC formation.In the wave experiments with the MJO removed, three of the five TCs are weakened, and the remaining two (TC A and B) grow stronger due to an altered background flow that steered the TCs into more favorable oceanic regions. For the wave experiments with ER waves removed, three of the five simulated TCs become weaker (TC A, C, and E). TC D develops into a tropical storm because of a dominant influence from active synoptic-scale disturbance. The results indicate that both the MJO and ER waves have an important modulating effect on TC formation. In addition to the influence from the MJO, ER and synoptic-scale waves, local processes may dominate in TC formation; for the example of TC B, none of the waves positively influence the formation in significant ways. The present modeling approach provides a quantitative assessment of the relative contribution of tropical wave disturbances to TC formation.     

Diurnal Variation of Tropical Convection during TOGA COARE IOP

Diurnal variation of tropical convection and kinematic and thermodynamic conditions was investigated for different large-scale environments of the convectively active and inactive periods by using satellite observations and surface measurements during the Intensive Observation Period （IOP） of the Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere/Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Response Experiment （TOGA/COARE）. During the convectively active period, the features of nocturnal convection appear in vertical profiles of convergence, vertical velocity, heat source, and moisture sink. The specific humidity increases remarkably in the middle troposphere at dawn. On the other hand, the altitude of maximum convergence and that of the upward motion is lower during the convectively inactive period. The specific humidity peaks in the lower troposphere in the daytime and decreases in the middle troposphere. Spectral analyses of the time series of the infrared （IR） brightness temperature （TBB） and amounts of rainfall suggest multiscale temporal variation with a prominent diurnal cycle over land and oceanic regions such as the Intensive Flux Array （IFA） and the South Pacific Convergence Zone （SPCZ）. Over land, the daily maximum of deep convection associated with cloud top temperature less than 208 K appears at midnight due to the daytime radiative heating and the sea-land breeze. Over the ocean, convection usually tends to occur at dawn for the convectively active period while in the afternoon during the inactive period. Comparing the diurnal variation of convection with large-scale variables, the authors inferred that moisture in the middle troposphere contributes mostly to the development of nocturnal convection over the ocean during the convectively active period.     

Some studies of tropical/equatorial waves over Indian Tropical Middle Atmosphere: Results of tropical wave campaign

Summary During the last phase of the Indian Middle Atmosphere Programme everyday launchings of high altitude balloons were carried out at three locations i.e. Trivandrum (8.5°N, 77.5°E), Hyderabad (17.2°N, 78.3°E) and Bhubaneshwar (21.3°N, 85.5°E) for measuring winds and temperature between 1 and 30 km altitude in a campaign mode from 23 January 1989 to 31 March 1989. The data thus obtained have been examined to determine the characteristics of tropical/equatorial waves. Spectral analysis of the time series (68 points) of both zonal and meridional wind components using Maximum Entropy Method (MEM) reveal the presence of waves with periods between 4–30 days.Strong oscillations centered around 5 days and 18 days seem to dominate in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere at all the three stations. While 5 day wave has an amplitude of about 2 m/s, the 18 day wave has an amplitude between 8–10 m/s in the zonal and 5–6 m/s in meridional component around tropopause. Its amplitude is maximum over Hyderabad and decreases somewhat on either side i.e. over Trivandrum and Bhubaneshwar. Weekly rocket wind data from Balasore near Bhubaneshwar show that 18–20 day wave continues to propagate vertically in the altitude range of 30–60 km. Temperature data also exhibits similar oscillations with amplitude of about 1 K for 4–5 day wave and 2–3 K for 18 day wave maximising just above tropopause ( 18 km).It is found that some of the observed wave modes, particularly the 18 day wave have characteristics matching those of forced Rossby wave rather than Kelvin wave while the 5 day and 9 day waves have characteristics matching those of mixed Rossby-gravity waves. The latter may be generated due to convective forcing in the troposphere while the former may be penetrating from the midlatitudes.With 15 Figures