An Optimal Inverse Method Using Doppler Lidar Measurements to Estimate the Surface Sensible Heat Flux

Inverse methods are widely used in various fields of atmospheric science. However, such methods are not commonly used within the boundary-layer community, where robust observations of surface fluxes are a particular concern. We present a new technique for deriving surface sensible heat fluxes from boundary-layer turbulence observations using an inverse method. Doppler lidar observations of vertical velocity variance are combined with two well-known mixed-layer scaling forward models for a convective boundary layer (CBL). The inverse method is validated using large-eddy simulations of a CBL with increasing wind speed. The majority of the estimated heat fluxes agree within error with the proscribed heat flux, across all wind speeds tested. The method is then applied to Doppler lidar data from the Chilbolton Observatory, UK. Heat fluxes are compared with those from a mast-mounted sonic anemometer. Errors in estimated heat fluxes are on average 18 %, an improvement on previous techniques. However, a significant negative bias is observed (on average $-63\,\%$ ) that is more pronounced in the morning. Results are improved for the fully-developed CBL later in the day, which suggests that the bias is largely related to the choice of forward model, which is kept deliberately simple for this study. Overall, the inverse method provided reasonable flux estimates for the simple case of a CBL. Results shown here demonstrate that this method has promise in utilizing ground-based remote sensing to derive surface fluxes. Extension of the method is relatively straight-forward, and could include more complex forward models, or other measurements.     

Numerical simulation of the diurnal cycle of rainfall in SW Amazon basin during the 1999 rainy season: the role of convective trigger function

In continental areas, the maximum rainfall simulated with the Brazilian developments on the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (BRAMS) occurs around 4?h earlier than the one observed with rain gauges. This work presents the successful implementation of a new convective trigger function (CTF) in the convective parameterization scheme used in BRAMS that corrects this misfit between model and observations. The importance of the CTF formulation on the diurnal cycle of rainfall over the Amazon Basin is reflected by the following numbers: Over Rondonia (SW Amazonia), the original version of BRAMS simulates the maximum rainfall at 1400 UTC (1000 LST), with the new CTF maximum shifting to 1800?UTC (1400?LST), while the S-band radar rainfall maximum is at 1900?UTC (1500?LST). This is attributed to two factors: (1) the new CTF is now coupled to the sensible and latent heat fluxes at surface; (2) during the early morning, the convective available potential energy is reduced.     

A three-dimensional numerical sensitivity study of convection over the Florida peninsula

The Florida peninsula has the highest annual number of days with thunderstorms in the United States, partly due to sea breeze convergence. A three-dimensional mesoscale planetary boundary layer (PBL) model with the E- turbulence closure is used to investigate the relationship between sea breeze convergence and convection over the peninsula for two ambient wind cases during typical summer days.It is found that the spatial and temporal variation of the sea breeze convergence zones and the associated convective activities depend to a large extent on the direction and magnitude of the ambient wind. For the case of southeasterly ambient winds, a strong convergence zone and hence significant rainfall occur primarily along the west coast of the peninsula. The convergence zone and the associated rainfall shift towards the east coast for the case of southwesterly ambient winds. These are in agreement with the observations. In contrast to the southeasterly and southwesterly ambient winds, an intense convergence zone and rainfall occur near both coastlines of the peninsula under light ambient winds.It is also found that lake Okeechobee has a substantial influence on south Florida's mesoscale weather. A cloudless region is always present over the lake at least until late afternoon due to its own lake breeze circulation. Finally, increased roughness of the land surface appears to influence the temporal and spatial variation of the convection by determining the intensity of the vertical turbulent transport of heat and momentum.     

Convective and Stratiform Cloud Rainfall Estimation from Geostationary Satellite Data

The Bayes Decision (BD) method was used to distinguish the corrective and stratiform components of cloud sys-tems from GMS-4 satellite data. A technique originally developed by Adler and Negri (1988, hereafter abbreviated AN) was improved for estimating the convective and stratiform cloud precipitation areas and rates of cloud systems from GMS satellite imagery. It has been applied to a tropical cyclonic cloud cluster observed over east coast area of China on September 23, 1992, which brought about flood disaster in that region. Overlaid 6-hour surface rainfall ob-servations show that the rainfall areas and amounts match with results from improved AN technique. The successful application of the Adler and Negri’s technique to convective and stratiform clouds provides encouragement for the use of this method over large region of mid-latitude China where radar data are not fully covered.     

Quantitative Analysis of Meso-β-scale Convective Cells and Anvil Clouds over North China

This paper proposes several quantitative characteristics to study convective systems using observations from Doppler weather radars and geostationary satellites. Specifically, in order to measure the convective intensity of each system, a new index, named the ``Convective Intensity Ratio' (CIR), is defined as the ratio between the area of strong radar echoes at the upper level and the size of the convective cell itself. Based on these quantitative characteristics, the evolution of convective cells, surface rainfall intensity, rainfall area and convectively generated anvil clouds can be studied, and the relationships between them can also be analyzed. After testing nine meso-β-scale convective systems over North China during 2006--2007, the results were as follows: (1) the CIR was highly correlated with surface rainfall intensity, and the correlation reached a maximum when the CIR led rainfall intensity by 6--30 mins. The maximum CIR could be at most ～30 mins before the maximum rainfall intensity. (2) Convective systems with larger maximum CIRs usually had colder cloud-tops. (3) The maximum area of anvil cloud appeared 0.5--1.5 h after rainfall intensity began to weaken. The maximum area of anvil cloud and the time lag between maximum rainfall intensity and the maximum area of anvil cloud both increased with the CIR.     

两次暴雨过程模拟对陆面参数化方案的敏感性研究

选取发生在江西和福建境内的两次暴雨个例,利用NCEP再分析资料在对暴雨发生前、后的环境场和物理量场进行诊断和对比分析的基础上,采用中尺度模式WRF V3.3,通过数值模拟探讨了陆面过程对两次暴雨过程的可能影响及其相关的物理过程。结果表明,2012年5月12日江西大暴雨主要受大尺度环流和中尺度天气系统影响,具有范围大、持续时间长等特点,属于大尺度降水为主的暴雨;而2011年8月23日福建暴雨发生在副热带高压控制下的午后,局地下垫面强烈的感热和潜热通量使低层大气不稳定性增强,触发了此次对流性降水为主的暴雨。通过资料诊断分析,可以判断陆面过程对福建暴雨个例的影响程度明显强于江西暴雨个例。通过关闭地表通量试验发现,陆面过程对暴雨模拟十分重要,尤其是对于该个例中对流性降水的发生起到关键性的作用。通过陆面参数化方案的敏感性试验发现,两次暴雨过程对陆面参数化方案均较为敏感。江西暴雨对陆面过程的敏感性主要体现在对流降水的模拟上,而福建暴雨则体现在大尺度降水的模拟方面,即福建暴雨对陆面参数化方案的敏感性强于江西暴雨。敏感性产生机制与降水类型关系紧密,大尺度降水对陆面过程的敏感性主要来源于不同参数化模拟的中高空对流系统的差异,而对流降水的敏感性则与不同参数化模拟的地表通量的差异有关。通过陆面参数的扰动试验进一步发现,相比于地表粗糙度和最小叶孔阻抗,土壤孔隙度和地表反照率则是影响对流降水对陆面过程敏感的关键因子,这在本质上与地表通量是否受到扰动有关。地表通量较风场而言,受扰动引起变化的空间范围广、时间响应快,变化具有明显规律性。所得结果可为深入理解陆面过程影响暴雨等天气过程和改进数值模式对暴雨的模拟能力提供一定的参考。     

Numerical Simulations of a Florida Sea Breeze and Its Interactions with Associated Convection: Effects of Geophysical Representation and Model Resolution

The Florida peninsula in the USA has a frequent occurrence of sea breeze(SB)thunderstorms.In this study,the numerical simulation of a Florida SB and its associated convective initiation(CI)is simulated using the mesoscale community Weather Research and Forecasting(WRF)model in one-way nested domains at different horizontal resolutions.Results are compared with observations to examine the accuracy of model-simulated SB convection and factors that influence SB CI within the simulation.It is found that the WRF model can realistically reproduce the observed SB CI.Differences are found in the timing,location,and intensity of the convective cells at different domains with various spatial resolutions.With increasing spatial resolution,the simulation improvements are manifested mainly in the timing of CI and the orientation of the convection after the sea breeze front(SBF)merger into the squall line over the peninsula.Diagnoses indicate that accurate representation of geophysical variables(e.g.,coastline and bay shape,small lakes measuring 10-30 km2),better resolved by the high resolution,play a significant role in improving the simulations.The geophysical variables,together with the high resolution,impact the location and timing of SB CI due to changes in low-level atmospheric convergence and surface sensible heating.More importantly,they enable Florida lakes(30 km2 and larger)to produce noticeable lake breezes(LBs)that collide with the SBFs to produce CI.Furthermore,they also help the model reproduce a stronger convective squall line caused by merging SBs,leading to more accurate locations of postfrontal convective systems.     

引发舟曲特大泥石流灾害强降雨过程成因

利用自动气象站观测资料、MTSAT卫星红外亮温资料、NCEP/NCAR再分析资料、AIRS卫星大气温湿资料、MODIS卫星气溶胶光学厚度资料和ECMWF模式预报的地面风、压、温、湿资料,对2010年8月7—8日甘肃省甘南州舟曲县引发特大泥石流灾害的强降雨天气过程的成因进行了天气动力学诊断分析,结果表明:由于地表强烈增温与高空槽后冷空气平流作用,8月7日午后舟曲及其上游 (西北方向) 地区大气不稳定性极强,区域平均对流有效位能 (CAPE) 值为4393 J·kg-1、对流零浮力层 (LNB) 高度达16.54 km;南北气流交汇与局地复杂小地形使得近地面形成多个中小尺度辐合线和辐合中心,于8月7日14:00(北京时) 左右触发了对流的产生;强盛的西北太平洋副热带高压与台风电母之间的偏南气流在23°~30°N纬度带转向西输送水汽直达青藏高原东缘,在高原地形作用下转为向北传输到达舟曲附近区域,为该区域对流发展提供水汽条件;对流云团形成后,在高空西北气流的引导下向东南方向移动,于8月7日夜间到达舟曲地区造成该地区强降雨,引发特大泥石流灾害。     

南海季风区冰相相变潜热对中尺度对流云和降水影响作用的数值模拟研究

利用可分辨云模式及中国南海北部试验区加密探空的平均水平风场、位温场和水汽场模拟分析了1998年5月15日至6月11日中国南海北部地区中尺度对流系统(Mesoscal Convective System,简称MCS)中冰相相变潜热对云和降水、辐射传输以及大尺度环境场的影响作用。研究表明,冰相相变潜热总体上不会引起明显的大气辐射通量的变化,但会引起较明显的下垫面热通量的变化。凝华潜热释放显著地增加了大气稳定度,造成对流和下垫面热通量的减弱,从而导致地面降水减小10.11%。碰冻潜热释放也使得大气稳定度增加,不利于中尺度对流系统对流的发展,区域累积降水量减小2.2%。融化潜热的冷却效应,使得融化层以下的大气降温,从而增加了低层大气的不稳定性,有利于海面热通量的输送,导致MCS降水增加4.1%。因此,冰相相变潜热对降水的影响主要是通过影响大气环境稳定,进而影响洋面感热通量和潜热通量的垂直输送和对流的发展,导致区域降水改变。     

Effect of Length Scale Tuning of Background Error in WRF-3DVAR System on Assimilation of High-Resolution Surface Data for Heavy Rainfall Simulation

We investigated the impact of tuning the length scale of the background error covariance in the Weather Research and Forecasting(WRF) three-dimensional variational assimilation(3DVAR) system.In particular,we studied the effect of this parameter on the assimilation of high-resolution surface data for heavy rainfall forecasts associated with mesoscale convective systems over the Korean Peninsula.In the assimilation of high-resolution surface data,the National Meteorological Center method tended to exaggerate the length scale that determined the shape and extent to which observed information spreads out.In this study,we used the difference between observation and background data to tune the length scale in the assimilation of high-resolution surface data.The resulting assimilation clearly showed that the analysis with the tuned length scale was able to reproduce the small-scale features of the ideal field effectively.We also investigated the effect of a double-iteration method with two different length scales,representing large and small-length scales in the WRF-3DVAR.This method reflected the large and small-scale features of observed information in the model fields.The quantitative accuracy of the precipitation forecast using this double iteration with two different length scales for heavy rainfall was high;results were in good agreement with observations in terms of the maximum rainfall amount and equitable threat scores.The improved forecast in the experiment resulted from the development of well-identified mesoscale convective systems by intensified low-level winds and their consequent convergence near the rainfall area.     

Infrared observations and numerical modelling of grassland fires in the Northern Territory, Australia

Summary This paper reports on a small-scale pilot experiment held early in the dry season near Darwin, Australia, in which fine-scale observations of several prescribed fires were made using infrared digital video. Infrared imaging is used routinely to locate fires as infrared radiation suffers little attenuation as it propagates through the smoke that normally obscures visible imagery. However, until now, little use has been made of digital video imagery in analyzing the convective-scale structure of prescribed (or wild) fires. The advantage of digital video imagery is that the individual frames can be objectively analyzed to determine the convective motion in the plane viewed by the camera. The infrared imagery shows mostly rising plumes, much like convective clouds. The flow is highly convective, and the vertical transport of heat is confined to relatively narrow thermals. The updrafts range from a few ms^–1 to around 15ms^–1. A numerical model is used to simulate one of the prescribed fires at very high-resolution. For the most part, the model predictions compare well to the observations. The model produces plumes that are around 7m high, and spaced around 5m apart, which is similar to that observed. The model correctly predicts the mean rate of spread of the fire to be 1.3ms^–1. Perhaps the most serious limitations to using infrared observations of the type presented here are the difficulties in interpreting precisely the relationship between the observed infrared temperature field and the air temperature calculated by the model, and the exact connection between the infrared camera derived flow field and that calculated by the model.     

Turbulence in Continental Stratocumulus,Part I: External Forcings and Turbulence Structures

Comprehensive, ground-based observations from the US Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurements program Southern Great Plains site are used to study the variability of turbulence forcings and cloud-scale turbulence structures in a continental stratocumulus cloud. The turbulence observations are made from an upward facing cloud (35 GHz) Doppler radar. Cloud base and liquid water path are characterized using a lidar at the surface and a microwave radiometer. The turbulence characterizations are compared and contrasted with those observed in marine stratocumulus clouds. During the 16-h observation period used in this study the cloud-base and cloud-top heights evolve with time and changes in liquid water path observed by the radiometer are consistent with variations in cloud depth. Unlike marine stratocumulus clouds, a diurnal cycle of cloud thickness and liquid water path is not observed. The observed surface latent, sensible, and virtual sensible heat fluxes and the radiative fluxes exhibit a diurnal cycle with values increasing from sunrise to afternoon and decreasing afterwards. During the night, the sensible heat, virtual sensible heat and the net radiative fluxes at the surface are slightly negative. Solar radiative heating prevails in the cloud layer during the day and strong radiative cooling exists at cloud top even during the day. Unlike marine stratocumulus, surface heating described by the convective velocity scale \(W_\mathrm{s}^{*}\) and cloud-top cooling described by \(W_\mathrm{r}^{*}\) are both important in driving the in-cloud turbulence during the day, whereas cloud-top cooling is the exclusive contributor during the night. The combined \(W_\mathrm{s}^{*}\) and \(W_\mathrm{r}^{*}\) (the total velocity scale \(W_\mathrm{t}^{*})\) provides a useful way to track the evolution of the turbulence structure in the cloud. The variance of the radar-measured radial velocity, which is related to resolved turbulence, follows the diurnal cycle and is consistent with the total velocity scale \(W_\mathrm{t}^{*}\) variations. It is higher during the day and lower during the night, which is contrary to that in marine stratocumulus. The \(W_\mathrm{t}^{*}\) values are lowest around sunset when the radiative cooling is also small due to upper-level clouds observed above the low-level stratus. The vertical distribution of the variance results from the surface heating during the day and cloud-top cooling during the night. The squared spectrum width, which is related to turbulence structures within the radar sampling volume (unresolved turbulence) also follows the diurnal cycle. Its vertical distribution indicates that the unresolved turbulence more closely relates to the processes near cloud top. Turbulence in the cloud requires about an hour to respond to the external forcings of surface heating and cloud-top radiative cooling. Positive skewness prevails during the day and negative skewness prevails at night with a sharp transition around sunset. Resolved turbulence dominates near cloud base whereas unresolved turbulence dominates near cloud top. The turbulence characteristics and variability defined in this study can be used to evaluate the time evolution of turbulence structures in large eddy simulation forced by surface and cloud-top radiative forcings.     

On the Nature of the Transition Between Roll and Cellular Organization in the Convective Boundary Layer

Both observational and numerical studies of the convective boundary layer (CBL) have demonstrated that when surface heat fluxes are small and mean wind shear is strong, convective updrafts tend to organize into horizontal rolls aligned within 10–20\(^\circ \) of the geostrophic wind direction. However, under large surface heat fluxes and weak to negligible shear, convection tends to organize into open cells, similar to turbulent Rayleigh-Bénard convection. Using a suite of 14 large-eddy simulations (LES) spanning a range of \(-z_i/L\) between zero (neutral) and 1041 (highly convective), where \(z_i\) is the CBL depth and L is the Obukhov length, the transition between roll- and cellular-type convection is investigated systematically for the first time using LES. Mean vertical profiles including velocity variances and turbulent transport efficiencies, as well the “roll factor,” which characterizes the rotational symmetry of the vertical velocity field, indicate the transition occurs gradually over a range of \(-z_i/L\); however, the most significant changes in vertical profiles and CBL organization occur from near-neutral conditions up to about \(-z_i/L \approx \) 15–20. Turbulent transport efficiencies and quadrant analysis are used to characterize the turbulent transport of momentum and heat with increasing \(-z_i/L\). It is found that turbulence transports heat efficiently from weakly to highly convective conditions; however, turbulent momentum transport becomes increasingly inefficient as \(-z_i/L\) increases.     

Development and structure of a maritime continent thunderstorm

Summary The evaluation of a maritime continent thunderstorm complex (Hector) occurring over Bathurst and Melville Islands north of Darwin, Australia (12° S, 131° E) is investigated primarily using Doppler radar data. Thunderstorm formation follows the development of sea breeze circulations and a period of shallow non-precipitating convection. Evidence exists for initiation of long-lived and organised convection on the sea breeze fronts, although short-lived, scattered convection is apparent earlier in the day. Merging of the convective systems is observed in regions of enhanced low-level convergence related to sea breeze circulations. The merged convective complex is initially aligned in an almost east-west direction consistent with the low-level forcing. The merged complex results in rapid vertical development with updraughts reaching 40 m s^– and echo tops reaching 20 km height. Maximum precipitation production occurs during this merger phase. On the perimeter of the merged convective complex, evidence exists for front-to-rear updraughts sloped over lower-level downdraughts with rear-to-front relative flow and forward propagating cold pools. The mature phase is dominated by this convection and the complex re-orientates in the prevailing easterly vertical shear to an approximate north-south direction, then moves westward off the islands with the classic multicellular squall-like structure.The one-dimensional cloud model of Ferrier and Houze (1989) used with a four class ice formulation reproduced the cloud top height, updraught structure and echo profile very well. To test the importance of ice physics upon thunderstorm development, several sensitivity tests were made removing the effects of the ice phase. All of these model clouds reached nearly 20 km, although simulations without the effects of ice had updraughts reduced from about 40 m s^–1 to 30 m s^–1. The simulated convection was more sensitive to changes in environmental conditions and parameterised cloud dynamics. The strong intensity of the convection was largely accounted for by increasing equivalent potential temperatures due to diurnal heating of the surface layer. The vertical velocity and radar structure of the island thunderstorm has more similarity with continental rather than oceanic convection. Maximum vertical velocities, in particular are almost an order of magnitude greater than typical of oceanic convection. With the intense updraughts, even in the low shear environment, there is evidence for mesoscale circulations within the convection.With 17 Figures     

Orographic effects on a conditionally unstable flow over an idealized three-dimensional mesoscale mountain

Summary Idealized numerical simulations using the Weather and Research Forecast (WRF) model indicate that three flow regimes, based on the moist Froude number, can be identified for a conditionally unstable, rotational, horizontally homogeneous, uniformly stratified flow over an idealized, three-dimensional, mesoscale mountain stretched spanwise to the impinging flow: (I) a quasi-stationary upslope convective system and an upstream-propagating convective system, (II) a quasi-stationary upslope convective system, and (III) a stationary upslope convective system and a quasi-stationary downstream convective system. Several major differences from a similar type of flow with no rotation over a two-dimensional mountain range are found. One important finding is that relatively strong mean flow produces a quasi-stationary mesoscale convective system (MCS) and maximum rainfall on the windward slope (upslope rain), instead of on the mountain peak or over the lee side.We found that the Coriolis force helps produce heavy upslope rainfall by making transition from flow-around the eastern part of the upslope to flow-over the western part of the upslope (transits to a higher flow regime) by deflecting the incident southerly flow to become east–southeasterly barrier winds. We found that the addition of the western flank of the arc-shaped mountain helps slow down the barrier wind from east and causes the maximum rainfall to move east of the windward slope. A lower-Froude number flow tends to produce a rainfall maximum near the concave region.Several other important facts can also be found in this study. The ratio of the maximum grid scale rainfall to the sub-grid scale rainfall increases when the moist Froude number increases. When the CAPE decreases, it is found that the upstream moist flow tends to shift to a higher Froude-number regime. Therefore, the Froude number cannot solely be used to define a moist flow regime when different CAPEs are considered. In another word, other parameters, such as CAPE, might play an important role in determining moist flow regimes.     

Statistics of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis>–<Emphasis Type="Italic">R</Emphasis> Relationship for Strong Convective Weather over the Yangtze–Huaihe River Basin and Its Application to Radar Reflectivity Data Assimilation for a Heavy Rain Event

The relationship between the radar reflectivity factor (Z) and the rainfall rate (R) is recalculated based on radar observations from 10 Doppler radars and hourly rainfall measurements at 6529 automatic weather stations over the Yangtze–Huaihe River basin. The data were collected by the National 973 Project from June to July 2013 for severe convective weather events. The Z–R relationship is combined with an empirical q_r–R relationship to obtain a new Z–q_r relationship, which is then used to correct the observational operator for radar reflectivity in the three-dimensional variational (3DVar) data assimilation system of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to improve the analysis and prediction of severe convective weather over the Yangtze–Huaihe River basin. The performance of the corrected reflectivity operator used in the WRF 3DVar data assimilation system is tested with a heavy rain event that occurred over Jiangsu and Anhui provinces and the surrounding regions on 23 June 2013. It is noted that the observations for this event are not included in the calculation of the Z–R relationship. Three experiments are conducted with the WRF model and its 3DVar system, including a control run without the assimilation of reflectivity data and two assimilation experiments with the original and corrected reflectivity operators. The experimental results show that the assimilation of radar reflectivity data has a positive impact on the rainfall forecast within a few hours with either the original or corrected reflectivity operators, but the corrected reflectivity operator achieves a better performance on the rainfall forecast than the original operator. The corrected reflectivity operator extends the effective time of radar data assimilation for the prediction of strong reflectivity. The physical variables analyzed with the corrected reflectivity operator present more reasonable mesoscale structures than those obtained with the original reflectivity operator. This suggests that the new statistical Z–R relationship is more suitable for predicting severe convective weather over the Yangtze–Huaihe River basin than the Z–R relationships currently in use.     

梅雨锋暴雨中尺度对流系统触发和组织化的观测分析

利用观测和NCEP再分析资料,对2015年6月26-28日江淮流域梅雨锋暴雨天气对流的触发和中尺度对流系统（MCS）的组织方式进行了分析。结果表明:梅雨锋附近发展的2个线状中尺度对流系统是暴雨的直接制造者。MCS2的发展有2种组织方式,26日夜间到27日凌晨,东西向雨带的不断后部建立和随后对流单体的列车效应是其发展的主要方式。27日凌晨到白天,初期新单体不断在线状MCS2的南缘触发,形成多个近乎平行的东北-西南向短雨带,后期梅雨锋锋面雨带从西部不断东移,经过强降水区;对流元有2种尺度的组织方式:新生对流单体沿着单个雨带向东北方向的列车效应以及东北-西南向雨带沿线状中尺度对流系统向东平移的"列车带"效应;持续的后部建立型和沿着同一路径不断的"列车带"效应使MCS2发展和维持。梅雨锋前不稳定空气的地形抬升和边界层辐合上升是初始对流的主要触发机制;26日夜间对流产生的冷池对对流的触发和MCS2的组织化及维持起重要作用,中尺度对流系统的组织特征和发生、发展受近地面环境场制约。      

Etude de la couche limite convective sahelienne en presence de brumes seches (Expérience ECLATS)

The ECLATS experiment was conducted in order to investigate the influence of radiative processes on the dynamics of the atmospheric boundary layer during its diurnal evolution. This experiment was carried out over Niger, near Niamey, by measuring continuously the energy balance at ground level and by using an instrumented aircraft for turbulence, radiative fluxes and aerosol measurements in the boundary layer during dusty conditions (brumes sèches). This paper is restricted to an analysis of the turbulent structure in the homogeneous and stationary convective boundary layer. The turbulence moments for kinetic energy and the spectral characteristics of the vertical velocity are discussed. These results are compared with a set of data obtained for clear convective boundary layers. The differences observed are quite important and seem, at least in part, due to radiative processes (infrared radiative divergence in the surface layer and absorption of solar radiation in the boundary layer).     

新疆地区一次对流性降水的三维中尺度风场研究

利用2004年外场试验获得的乌鲁木齐和五家渠C波段双多普勒雷达资料, 分析了双多普勒雷达风场反演方法和资料的可靠性, 研究了2004年8月8日发生在乌鲁木齐和五家渠的一次强对流性降水的回波和风场中尺度结构及演变过程。结果表明:这两部雷达观测的回波强度相关很好, 雷达基线上的径向速度基本一致, 资料可靠, 适合进行双多普勒雷达观测; Cressman插值的影响半径的变化对风场的中尺度结构基本没有影响, 径向速度误差引起的风场反演误差与该点所处的位置有关, 1 m/s径向速度误差也不会改变风场的中尺度结构。该过程为对流单体发展为对流带状回波的过程, 在对流单体的左侧生成新的对流单体, 逐步发展为长度约90 km范围的带状对流系统, 该系统恰与较强的东北风和较弱的西风形成的辐合相对应, 上升气流与强对流回波相对应, 不同对流单体有各自相独立的风场结构。用双多普勒雷达观测得到对流系统的内部风场有利于了解对流系统的内部动力过程, 从而探讨降水的形成和演变机理。     

Diurnal Variations of the Flux Imbalance Over Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Landscapes

It is well known that the sum of the turbulent sensible and latent heat fluxes as measured by the eddy-covariance method is systematically lower than the available energy (i.e., the net radiation minus the ground heat flux). We examine the separate and joint effects of diurnal and spatial variations of surface temperature on this flux imbalance in a dry convective boundary layer using the Weather Research and Forecasting model. Results show that, over homogeneous surfaces, the flux due to turbulent-organized structures is responsible for the imbalance, whereas over heterogeneous surfaces, the flux due to mesoscale or secondary circulations is the main contributor to the imbalance. Over homogeneous surfaces, the flux imbalance in free convective conditions exhibits a clear diurnal cycle, showing that the flux-imbalance magnitude slowly decreases during the morning period and rapidly increases during the afternoon period. However, in shear convective conditions, the flux-imbalance magnitude is much smaller, but slightly increases with time. The flux imbalance over heterogeneous surfaces exhibits a diurnal cycle under both free and shear convective conditions, which is similar to that over homogeneous surfaces in free convective conditions, and is also consistent with the general trend in the global observations. The rapid increase in the flux-imbalance magnitude during the afternoon period is mainly caused by the afternoon decay of the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE). Interestingly, over heterogeneous surfaces, the flux imbalance is linearly related to the TKE and the difference between the potential temperature and surface temperature, ΔT; the larger the TKE and ΔT values, the smaller the flux-imbalance magnitude.