Downward longwave radiation in general circulation models: a case study at a semi‐arid continental site

The present case study evaluates the downward longwave radiation at the surface (DLR) in several high‐resolution (≈1°) general circulation models (GCMs) using surface observations from a semiarid continental site in New South Wales, Australia (Uardry, 34.39°S, 142.30°E). This site is located on a large grassland plain uniform in both its land use and landcover type, and is therefore particularly well suited for a comparison with GCM grid mean values. Monthly averages of newly constructed clear‐sky and all‐sky DLR climatologies and the resulting cloud‐radiative forcing are compared. It is shown that the GCMs exceed the observed DLR under cloud‐free conditions by 10–20 W m⁻² at this semiarid site on an annual basis, with a strong seasonal dependence. The calculated clear‐sky fluxes are overestimated during the warmer summer season, with large absolute values of DLR, while the biases are reduced in the colder and dryer winter season with smaller fluxes. This gives direct support for recent evidence that the DLR model biases depend systematically on the thermal and humidity structure of the cloudless atmosphere. Fluxes from strongly emitting atmospheres tend to be overestimated, but may be underestimated from atmospheres with smaller emission. This points to common problems inherent in the simulation of the emission from the cloudless atmosphere in current longwave radiation codes.
The comparisons of the all‐sky climatologies at Uardry show that the clear‐sky biases are partly masked in the models with an insufficient cloud‐radiative forcing, thereby counterbalancing the excessive DLR of the cloud‐free atmosphere. On the other hand, when the cloudradiative forcing is improved, the biases in the cloud‐free atmosphere become fully apparent in the all‐sky fluxes.     

Southern Ocean transformation in a coupled model with and without eddy mass fluxes

A coupled air–sea general circulation model is used to simulate the global circulation. Different parameterizations of lateral mixing in the ocean by eddies, horizontal, isopycnal, and isopycnal plus eddy advective flux, are compared from the perspective of water mass transformation in the Southern Ocean. The different mixing physics imply different buoyancy equilibria in the surface mixed layer, different transformations, and therefore a variety of meridional overturning streamfunctions. The coupled‐model approach avoids strong artificial water mass transformation associated with relaxation to prescribed mixed layer conditions. Instead, transformation results from the more physical non‐local, nonlinear interdependence of sea‐surface temperature, air–sea fluxes, and circulation in the model's atmosphere and ocean. The development of a stronger mid‐depth circulation cell and associated upwelling when eddy fluxes are present, is examined. The strength of overturning is diagnosed in density coordinates using the transformation framework.     

Synoptic climatology of Northern Hemisphere available potential energy collapses

Three recurring regional patterns of extratropical baroclinic development associated with synoptic‐scale collapses of Northern Hemisphere available potential energy (APE) are identified using a 1979–95 time series derived from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis. A time series of the intraseasonal signal (from 1.6 to 180 days) of APE is used to discern an average cycle of approximately 3 days in the APE generation rate d A /d t (referred to as APE depletion rate if negative). An APE depletion event is defined as a fall and subsequent rise in the time series of d A /d t associated with this cycle. We define synoptic‐scale APE collapses as APE depletion events with maximum depletion rates (d A /d t _min) and maximum APE falls (Δ A _min) of less than −0.145× 10⁶ J m⁻² day⁻¹ and −0.280×10⁶ J m⁻², respectively. All are cold season (15 October–15 April) events. APE collapses were classified based on the evolution of regional synoptic patterns during the 2 days centered at the time of d A /d t _min . All are accompanied by deep tropospheric warming. The west Pacific warm surge (Type A) is driven by cyclogenesis over Japan and anticyclogenesis over the west‐central North Pacific. The Bering warm surge (Type B) is associated with an intense southerly flow across the Bering Strait brought on by cyclogenesis near the Kamchatka Peninsula and an intense anticyclone over Alaska. The Atlantic Canada warm surge (Type C) is characterized by an onshore flow of warm air ahead of a continental storm track over eastern North America.     

Benthic Fluxes of Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen in a Coastal Lagoon of the Northern Adriatic Sea: an Interpretation of Spatial Variability Based on Sediment Features and Infauna Activity

Abstract. Dark respiration rates, dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) fluxes and nitrification rates were measured at two sites in the microtidal Sacca di Goro lagoon in September 2000. DIN fluxes correlated with the biomass of the dominant macrofauna species (the amphipod Corophium spp. at station Giralda and the polychaete Neanthes spp. at station Faro). Respiration (> 6 mmol O₂ m⁻²h⁻¹) and ammonium fluxes (> 80μmol N m⁻²h⁻¹) were higher at station Giralda despite the lower organic matter content (4.5 %) and lower macrofauna biomass (4 g AFDW m⁻²). At both sites ammonium fluxes were significantly correlated with the biomass of the benthic infauna, but Corophium stimulated ammonium NH₄⁺ fluxes 3-fold compared to Neanthes. The amphipod also enhanced nitrification rates (> 300 μmol N m⁻²h⁻¹) due to the high density of its burrows, the higher NH₄⁺ regeneration rates and the enhanced oxygen supply to the bacteria.     

On the thermodynamics of the oceanic general circulation: entropy increase rate of an open dissipative system and its surroundings

The rôle of thermodynamics in the oceanic general circulation is investigated. The ocean is regarded as an open dissipative system that exchanges heat and salt with the surrounding system. A new quantitative method is presented to express the rate of entropy increase for a large‐scale open system and its surroundings by the transports of heat and matter. This method is based on Clausius's definition of thermodynamic entropy, and is independent of explicit expressions of small‐scale dissipation processes. This method is applied to an oceanic general circulation model, and the entropy increase rate is calculated during the spin‐up period of the model. It is found that, in a steady‐state, the entropy increase rate of the ocean system is zero, whereas that of the surroundings shows positive values, for both heat and salt transports. The zero entropy increase rate of the ocean system represents the fact that the system is in a steady‐state, while the positive entropy increase rate in the surroundings is caused by irreversible transports of heat and salt through the steady‐state circulation. The calculated entropy increase rate in the surroundings is 1.9×10¹¹ W K⁻¹, and is primarily due to the heat transport. It is suggested that the existence of a steady‐state dissipative system on the Earth, from a living system to the oceanic circulation, has a certain contribution to the entropy increase in its nonequilibrium surroundings.     

Impact of parameterized lee wave drag on the energy budget of an eddying global ocean model

The impact of parameterized topographic internal lee wave drag on the input and output terms in the total mechanical energy budget of a hybrid coordinate high-resolution global ocean general circulation model forced by winds and air-sea buoyancy fluxes is examined here. Wave drag, which parameterizes the generation of internal lee waves arising from geostrophic flow impinging upon rough topography, is included in the prognostic model, ensuring that abyssal currents and stratification in the model are affected by the wave drag.An inline mechanical (kinetic plus gravitational potential) energy budget including four dissipative terms (parameterized topographic internal lee wave drag, quadratic bottom boundary layer drag, vertical eddy viscosity, and horizontal eddy viscosity) demonstrates that wave drag dissipates less energy in the model than a diagnostic (offline) estimate would suggest, due to reductions in both the abyssal currents and stratification. The equator experiences the largest reduction in energy dissipation associated with wave drag in inline versus offline estimates. Quadratic bottom drag is the energy sink most affected globally by the presence of wave drag in the model; other energy sinks are substantially affected locally, but not in their global integrals. It is suggested that wave drag cannot be mimicked by artificially increasing the quadratic bottom drag because the energy dissipation rates associated with bottom drag are not spatially correlated with those associated with wave drag where the latter are small. Additionally, in contrast to bottom drag, wave drag is a non-local energy sink.All four aforementioned dissipative terms contribute substantially to the total energy dissipation rate of about one terawatt. The partial time derivative of potential energy (non-zero since the isopycnal depths have a long adjustment time), the surface advective fluxes of potential energy, the rate of change of potential energy due to diffusive mass fluxes, and the conversion between internal energy and potential energy also play a non-negligible role in the total mechanical energy budget. Reasons for the <10% total mechanical energy budget imbalance are discussed.     

Ideal shocks in 2‐layer flow Part II: Under a passive layer

In this second part of the study, ideal shock theory in two‐layer stratified flow is extended to include a third passive layer (i.e., a two and a half layer system). With the presence of a passive layer, two linear wave modes and "viscous tail modes" exist, complicating the solubility conditions and uniqueness proofs for two layer shocks. It is found however, that shocks can be unambiguously classified as external or internal based on the states of criticality that they connect. The steepening condition, while still necessary, provides a less restrictive constraint than it did with a rigid lid. Thus, we have to rely more on solutions to the full viscous shock equations to establish shock existence. The detailed structure, momentum exchange, and Bernoulli loss in a viscous shock are examined using an analytical weak shock solution and a set of numerical solutions for shocks with finite amplitudes. A shock regime diagram ( F ₁ by F ₂) is constructed based on the numerical integration of the full viscous shock equations. For strong external jumps, a cusp region (i.e., in the sense of catastrophe theory) is identified on the regime diagram. For pre‐shock states within the cusp, three end states are possible and two of these are realizable. The cusp has several physical implications. It indicates that an equal distribution of dissipation between the two layers in shocks is mathematically possible but physically inaccessible. It also allows hysteresis in time varying flows, and promotes the occurrence of double shocks (i.e., closely spaced shocks of different character). The results are compared with classical shock solutions and a set of time dependent numerical experiments.     

Observed and modelled sea‐ice drift response to wind forcing in the northern Baltic Sea

The wind dependence of sea‐ice motion was studied on the basis of ice velocity and wind observations, and weather model output. The study area was a transition zone between open water and the ice‐covered ocean in the northern Baltic Sea. In the centre of the basin the sea‐ice motion was highly wind‐dependent and the linear relationship between the wind and the drift velocities explained 80% of the drift's variance. On the contrary, the wind‐drift dependence was low near the coast. The wind‐drift coherence was significant over a broader frequency range in the central part of the basin than for the coastal drift. The ice motion was simulated by a numerical model forced with five types of wind stress and with two types of current data, and the outcome was compared with the observed buoy drift. The wind and the wind‐induced surface current were the main factors driving the ice in the basin's centre, while internal ice stresses were of importance in the shear zone near the fast ice edge. The best wind forcing was achieved by applying a method dependent on atmospheric stability and ice conditions. The average air–ice drag coefficient was 1.4×10⁻³ with the standard deviation of 0.2×10⁻³. The improvement brought about by using an accurate wind stress was comparable with that achieved by raising the model grid resolution from 18 km to 5 km.     

Changes in average and extreme precipitation in two regional climate model experiments

Two regional climate model experiments for northern and central Europe are studied focussing on greenhouse gas‐induced changes in heavy precipitation. The average yearly maximum one‐day precipitation P _max shows a general increase in the whole model domain in both experiments, although the mean precipitation P _mean decreases in the southern part of the area, especially in one of the experiments. The average yearly maximum six‐hour precipitation increases even more than the one‐day P _max, suggesting a decrease in the timescale of heavy precipitation. The contrast between the P _mean and P _max changes in the southern part of the domain and the lack of such a contrast further north are affected by changes in wet‐day frequency that stem, at least in part, from changes in atmospheric circulation. However, the yearly extremes of precipitation exhibit a larger percentage increase than the average wet‐day precipitation. The signal‐to‐noise aspects of the model results are also studied in some detail. The 44 km grid‐box‐scale changes in P _max are very heavily affected by inter‐annual variability, with an estimated standard error of about 20% for the 10‐year mean changes. However, the noise in P _max decreases sharply toward larger horizontal scales, and large‐area mean changes in P _max can be estimated with similar accuracy to those in P _mean. Although a horizontal averaging of model results smooths out the small‐scale details in the true climate change signal as well, this disadvantage is, in the case of P _max changes, much smaller than the advantage of reduced noise.     

Dynamics of a closed low-parameter compartment model of the global carbon cycle

A closed dynamic compartment model of the global carbon cycle and its modifications with a small number of external parameters, which are constructed on the basis of data on the current and preindustrial carbon fluxes and reserves in reservoirs, are studied. The first possible controlling parameter is the amount of anthropogenic CO₂ emission into the atmosphere. Closure in substance allows a decrease in the dimensionality of dynamic models and yields another variable parameter—the system’s total mass, whose change reflects the level of uncertainty in the knowledge of the amount of reserves. The calibration of unsaturated fluxes in each of the models is based on an algorithm developed earlier for local ecosystems, and the measured differences between the fluxes opposite in sign for several times are used to calculate the coefficients of saturated fluxes. The model’s modifications make it possible to estimate the degree to which the oceanic active layer may be involved in rapid exchange with the atmosphere and to introduce the factor of land use as an additional anthropogenic effect. The time trajectories of carbon reserves in reservoirs are calculated until 2100 under variations in anthropogenic emissions in accordance with the IPCC basic scenarios until 2100 for the basic model and its modifications.     

Doppler radar radial winds in HIRLAM. Part II: optimizing the super-observation processing

Doppler radar radial wind observations are modelled in numerical weather prediction (NWP) within observation errors which consist of instrumental, modelling and representativeness errors. The systematic and random modelling errors can be reduced through a careful design of the observation operator (Part I). The impact of the random instrumental and representativeness errors can be decreased by optimizing the processing of the so-called super-observations (spatial averages of raw measurements; Part II).
The super-observation processing is experimentally optimized in this article by determining the optimal resolution for the super-observations for different NWP model resolutions. A 1-month experiment with the HIRLAM data assimilation and forecasting system is used for radial wind data monitoring and for generating observation minus background (OmB) differences. The OmB statistics indicate that the super-observation processing reduces the standard deviation of the radial wind speed OmB difference, while the mean vector wind OmB difference tends to increase. The optimal parameter settings correspond at a measurement range of 50 km (100 km) to an averaging area of 1.7 km² (7.3 km²).
In conclusion, an accurate and computationally feasible observation operator for the Doppler radar radial wind observations is developed (Part I) and a super-observation processing system is optimized (Part II).     

Once again: once again—tidal friction

Topex/Poseidon (T/P) altimetry has reopened the problem of how tidal dissipation is to be allocated. There is now general agreement of a M₂ dissipation by 2.5 Terawatts (1 TW = 10¹² W), based on four quite separate astronomic observational programs. Allowing for the bodily tide dissipation of 0.1 TW leaves 2.4 TW for ocean dissipation. The traditional disposal sites since (1920) have been in the turbulent bottom boundary layer (BBL) of marginal seas, and the modern estimate of about 2.1 TW is in this tradition (but the distribution among the shallow seas has changed radically from time to time). Independent estimates of energy flux into the marginal seas are not in good agreement with the BBL estimates.T/P altimetry has contributed to the tidal problem in two important ways. The assimilation of global altimetry into Laplace tidal solutions has led to accurate representations of the global tides, as evidenced by the very close agreement between the astronomic measurements and the computed 2.4 TW working of the Moon on the global ocean. Second, the detection by and (1996) of small surface manifestation of internal tides radiating away from the Hawaiian chain has led to global estimates of 0.2 to 0.4 TW of conversion of surface tides to internal tides. Measurements of ocean microstructure yields 0.2 TW of global dissipation by pelagic turbulence (away from topography). We propose that pelagic turbulence is maintained by topographic scattering of barotropic into baroclinic tidal energy, via internal tides and internal waves. Previous estimates by (1974); , (1982)) of this conversion along 150,000 km of continental coastlines gave a negligible 0.02 TW; evidently the important conversion takes place along mid-ocean ridges.The maintenance of the abyssal global stratification requires a much larger expenditure of power. 2 TW versus 0.2 TW. This is usually attributed to wind forcing. If tidal power is to play a significant role here, then the BBL estimates need to be reduced. The challenge is to estimate dissipation from the energy flux divergence in the T/P adjusted tidal models, without prior assumptions concerning the dissipation processes.     

Energy budget of surface waves in the global ocean

Mechanical energy input from atmosphere and losses from wave-breaking dissipation of sea surface waves are estimated by a direct scheme. This scheme is based on the integration in the wavenumber space of the wind input and breaking dissipation source functions of the MASNUM wave model. The global amount of wind energy input, averaged in 2005, is about 57 TW, and the wave-breaking dissipation summed in deep-water is about 33 TW, over a half of the wind energy input. The residual may be dissipated by beach processes. Global distributions of the energy input and breaking dissipation concentrate in the westerlies of the Southern Hemisphere.     

Feeding of the Sparid Fish Sarpa salpa in a Seagrass Ecosystem: Diet and Carbon Flux

Abstract. In Revellata Bay Gulf of Calvi, Corsica, France, the sparid fish Sarpa salpa L. is the main macro-consumer of Posidonia oceanica L. D elile leaf. Stomach contents were analysed and ¹³C/¹²C isotopic ratios were measured in fish muscle and potential food sources algae, P. oceanica leaf and its epiphytes to determine their relative contribution to the fish diet. S. salpa has an age-related mixed diet: juveniles are plankton feeders, young, sub-adults and adults are herbivorous, and, the older the individuals, the higher the relative contribution of P. oceanica to the diet. Our results and former studies of carbon stocks and fluxes in the P. oceanica bed of Revellata Bay have enabled an estimation of the general impact of S. salpa grazing on infralittoral communities: the studied species consumes 24 g C.m^-2 -a^-1 from P. oceanica leaf, 4.8 from epiphytes and 13 from epilithic algae. The fish net production and biomass turnover in that zone have been estimated to be 1.2gC.m^-2.a^-1 and 1.5 a^-1, respectively.     

四川盆地雷四3亚段油气勘探方向

近年来,中石油和中石化在四川盆地雷口坡组雷四³亚段的勘探陆续取得重要进展,展示了良好的勘探前景。笔者结合新钻探井和最新研究成果,从地层、沉积相、烃源岩、储层和成藏等多方面采用烃源对比、埋藏史及烃源岩热演化史、包裹体测温等方法对四川盆地雷四³亚段的含油气地质条件进行了进一步分析,总结了其油气成藏特征,提出了有利勘探区带,以期有助于拓展四川盆地雷口坡组的勘探领域。研究结果表明:雷四³亚段天然气以雷口坡组和须家河组烃源岩混合来源气为主;储集空间以粒间溶孔、晶间溶孔为主,属低孔低渗储层;雷四³亚段气藏为2期成藏,烃源岩于中、晚侏罗世进入生烃高峰;雷四³亚段具有构造和构造-岩性地层2种气藏类型,龙门山山前断褶带为构造气藏的有利勘探区,新津-邛崃斜坡带与梓潼-盐亭斜坡带是构造-岩性地层气藏的有利勘探区。     

The use of taxonomic distinctness indices in assessing patterns of biodiversity in modular organisms

Estimating diversity of modular organisms may be problematic due to actual difficulties in discriminating between 'individuals' and quantifying their abundances. Quantitative data, when available, are collected through methods that could preclude the application of classical diversity indices, making comparisons among studies difficult. Taxonomic distinctness indices, such as the 'Average Taxonomic Distinctness' (Δ⁺) and the 'Variation in Taxonomic Distinctness' (Λ⁺) may represent suitable tools in investigating diversity beyond the simple species number. The potential usefulness of such indices has been explored almost exclusively on unitary organisms, neglecting modular ones. In this study, we employed Δ⁺ and Λ⁺ to analyse patterns of diversity of epiphytic hydroid assemblages living on Cystoseira seaweeds at a hierarchy of spatial scales, along 800 km of rocky coast (SE Italy). ANOVA on species richness and Λ⁺ showed no significant difference in sample diversity at the investigated spatial scales. In contrast, there were significant differences at the scale of 10s of km in Δ⁺. Analyses based on simulations detected significant variations at all spatial scales in Δ⁺. Such findings underline the potential of Δ⁺ in highlighting relevant spatial scales of variation in patterns of hydroid diversity. Our results also suggest that the interplay between natural environmental variations and the complex ecological traits of modular organisms might affect taxonomic distinctness indices. We stress the need for further investigations focusing on modular organisms before any generalizations on the use of taxonomic relatedness measures in examining marine biodiversity can be made.     

The Energetic and Nutritional Contribution of Glucose and Glycine Taken up from Natural Sea Water by Adult Marine Mussels

Abstract. The removal of glycine and glucose by freshly collected adult Mytilus edulis was determined using radiolabeled substances added to ambient concentrations of dissolved organic materials in freshly collected natural sea water. Uptake rates were calculated for substrate concentrations of 0.5 μM glycine and 1.0 μM glucose and were compared with the animals' energy and nitrogen demands as measured by oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion rates. Respiration and ammonia excretion rates as well as cither glycine or glucose removal were all determined for the same animals. The mean respiration rate was 670μl O₂ g^-1h^-1, the mean ammonia excretion rate 1.95 μg-at NH₄-g^-1 h^-1. The calculated uptake rates were 0.48 μmol -g^-1-h^-1 for free amino acids and 0.44 μmol-g^-1 h^-1 for free simple sugars. Such uptake rates could have contributed roughly 13% of the mussels' energy requirements or 10% of the mussels' nitrogen requirements assuming the following conditions: 0.5 μM concentration of free amino acids, 1.0μM concentration of simple sugars, uptake of total amino acids at a rate based on a weighted removal rate of glycine, alanine, serine, and glutamic acid, and uptake of simple sugars at a rate equal to that of glucose removal. It is apparent that simple organic substances dissolved in sea water may be of some benefit to mussels, especially when the substances occur in concentrations typical of coastal sea water.     

An experiment demonstrating that marine slumping is a mechanism to transfer methane from seafloor gas-hydrate deposits into the upper ocean and atmosphere

The scientific community is engaged in a lively debate over whether and how venting from the gas-hydrate reservoir and the Earth’s climate is connected. The various scenarios which have been proposed are based on the following assumptions: the inventory of methane gas-hydrate deposits is locally enormous, the stability of marine gas-hydrate deposits can easily be perturbed by temperature and pressure changes, enough methane can be released from these deposits to contribute adequate volumes of this isotopically distinct greenhouse gas to alter the composition of oceanic or atmospheric methane reservoirs, and the mechanisms exist for the transfer of methane from deeper geologic reservoirs to the ocean and/or atmosphere. However, some potential transfer mechanisms have been difficult to evaluate. Here, we consider the possibility of marine slumping as a mechanism to transfer methane carbon from gas hydrates within the seafloor into the ocean and atmosphere. Our analyses and field experiments indicate that large slumps could release volumetrically significant quantities of solid gas hydrates which would float upwards in the water column. Large pieces of gas hydrate would reach the upper layers of the ocean before decomposing, and some of the methane would be directly injected into the atmosphere.     

Dynamics of Biotic Carbon Fluxes under Different Scenarios of Forest Area Changes

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - This paper estimates the global biotic carbon fluxes into the atmosphere under various scenarios of changes in forest area for temperate/boreal and...