Numerical Simulation of Roll Vortices in the Convective Boundary Layer

Roll vortices,which often appear when cold air outbreaks over warm ocean surfaces,are an important system for energy and substance exchange between the land surface and atmosphere.Numerical simulations were carried out in the study to simulate roll vortices in the convective boundary layer(CBL).The results indicate,that with proper atmospheric conditions,such as thermal instability in the CBL,stable stratification in the overlying layer and suitable wind shear,and a temperature jump between the two layers in a two-layer atmosphere,convective bands appear after adding initial pulses in the atmosphere.The simulated flow and temperature fields presented convective bands in the horizontal and roll vortices in the crosswind section. The structure of the roll vortices were similar to those observed in the cloud streets,as well as those from analytical solutions.Simulations also showed the influence of depth and instability strength of the CBL, as well as the stratification above the top of the CBL,on the orientation spacing and strength of the roll vortices.The fluxes caused by the convective rolls were also investigated,and should perhaps be taken into account when explaining the surface energy closure gap in the CBL.     

VORTEX MOTIONS IN THE ATMOSPHERIC CONVECTIVE BOUNDARY LAYERM*

Large vortices with scales ranging from hundreds meters to tens of kilometers are generally found in the atmospheric convective boundary layer(CBL).These vortices play important roles in the vertical transport of momentum,heat,water vapor and other tracers in the boundary layer.On the basis of the view of interaction between the convection in CBL and the gravity waves in the upper stable layer the authors developed a convection-wave theory on the formation of large vortices.According to the theory the wavenumber spectrum of the large vortices mainly depends on the atmospheric conditions in both of the upper and lower layers,such as wind speed,wind direction shear,stratification as well as temperature jump.In the present paper satellite image and weather data in a case of cold air outbreak over warm ocean are analyzed to study every stage of the convective processes,such as cloud street,convective cell as well as their transformation.According to the theory the wavenumber compositions for cloud street and convective cell are calculated,respectively,on the basis of the atmospheric conditions at every stage.The distributions of vertical motions,convergent band and disturbed interface are obtained and compared with the cloud patterns in the convective processes.Thus the study seems to offer a likely explanation for the origin of large vortices in CBL.     

VORTEX MOTIONS IN THE ATMOSPHERIC CONVECTIVE BOUNDARY LAYER

Large vortices with scales ranging from hundreds meters to tens of kilometers are generallyfound in the atmospheric convective boundary layer(CBL).These vortices play important roles in the vertical transport of momentum,heat,water vaporand other tracers in the boundary layer.On the basis of the view of interaction between theconvection in CBL and the gravity waves in the upper stable layer the authors developed aconvection-wave theory on the formation of large vortices.According to the theory thewavenumber spectrum of the large vortices mainly depends on the atmospheric conditions in bothof the upper and lower layers,such as wind speed,wind direction shear,stratification as well astemperature jump.In the present paper satellite image and weather data in a case of cold air outbreak over warmocean are analyzed to study every stage of the convective processes,such as cloud street,convective cell as well as their transformation.According to the theory the wavenumbercompositions for cloud street and convective cell are calculated,respectively,on the basis of theatmospheric conditions at every stage.The distributions of vertical motions,convergent band anddisturbed interface are obtained and compared with the cloud patterns in the convective processes.Thus the study seems to offer a likely explanation for the origin of large vortices in CBL.     

大气对流边界层中的涡漩结构

大气边界层中存在尺度从几百米到几十公里的大涡漩运动。它们在边界层中动量、热量、水汽等垂直输送中起重要作用。作者从边界层中对流和上部稳定层中波动相互作用的观点，发展得出大涡结构的对流波动理论。根据此理论，大涡的波谱构成主要由上、下层大气中风向、风速、层结以及两层之间的温度跃变等因素决定。本文根据卫星云图和天气资料分析了一次冷空气爆发流经暖洋面上形成云街、对流单体以及它们之间的相互演化的过程，并用对流波动理论，依据各阶段的大气条件计算出它们的波数构成，并得出了垂直速度、辐合带、界面扰动的分布，解释了云街、对流单体的形成、结构及相互转化的原因     

三维重力内波和对流云街的启动机制

在一个下部为弱不稳定层、上部为稳定层的二层模式中，求解线性化的大气动力—热力学方程组，表明一个孤立山丘所引发的重力内波，在向下游传播过程中与边界层中对流相互作用，形成大气低层的涡漩活动，其图象与观测到的对流云街结构相似。     

Roll Vortices in the Boundary Layer Caused by a Concave Wind Profile: A Theoretical Study

The present study solves a two-layer atmospheric wave equation model with a lower atmosphere concave wind profile and cold-air outbreak over sea, while simultaneously proving that such a wind shear may cause neutral boundary layer roll vortices in the presence of disturbing sources upstream. Without thermal effects, the wind shear-induced waves have band structures at the top of the boundary layer that are similar to cloud street patterns observed over sea. This study proves that dynamic and thermal effects can act independently to initiate the roll vortices in the lower atmosphere. At the same time, a quantitative comparison shows that dynamic effects play a large role in the formation of roll vortices in the initial stage of cold-air outbreak and will be surpassed by thermal effects soon after surface heating commences.     

Numerical simulation of vortex roll development during a cold air outbreak

Cold air outbreaks can be identified by the formation of cloud streets downwind from a land-sea boundary, as can be seen in numerous satellite pictures. These cloud streets are caused by horizontal roll vortices which in turn are due to dynamic and convective instability of the planetary boundary layer over sea. The development of these roll vortices is simulated with a numerical model and compared to observations obtained over the Bering Sea. Vertical heat transport is found to be due to turbulent diffusion in the initial stage of a cold air outbreak before organized roll vortices contribute to the heat flux in the higher levels of the boundary layer. The influence of a capping inversion on the dynamic and convective instability is also elucidated.     

Heat fluxes and roll circulations over the western Gulf Stream during an intense cold-air outbreak

Turbulence and heat fluxes in the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) for the roll vortex regime, observed during the Genesis of Atlantic Lows Experiment (GALE) over the western Gulf Stream, have been studied. The spectral analysis suggests that cloud streets (roll vortices) are vertically organized convection in the MABL having the same roll scale for both the cloud layer and subcloud layer, and that the roll spacing is about three times the MABL depth. The roll circulations contribute significantly to the sensible (temperature) and latent heat (moisture) fluxes with importance increasing upward. Near the MABL top, these fluxes are primarily due to roll vortices which transfer both sensible heat and moisture upward in the lower half of the convective MABL. Near the MABL top, the roll circulations transfer sensible heat downward and moisture upward in the clear thermal-street region, but roll vortices influenced by evaporative cooling can transfer sensible heat upward and moisture downward in the cloud-street region. Near the cloud-top, the upward buoyancy flux due to evaporative cooling is highly related to the roll circulations near the inversion.For the lower half of the MABL, the normalized temperature flux decreases upward more rapidly than the humidity flux, which is mainly because potential temperature () increases slightly upward while humidity (q) decreases slightly upward above the unstable surface layer. The gradient production (associated with the gradient) is a source for the temperature flux in the unstable surface layer but changes to a sink in the mixed layer, while the gradient production (associated with the q gradient) acts as a source for the humidity flux in both the unstable surface and mixed layers. The results suggest that the entrainment at the MABL top might affect the budgets of temperature and humidity fluxes in the lower MABL, but not in the unstable surface layer.Caelum Research Corporation, Silver Spring, MD, 20901, U.S.A.     

一次江淮梅雨中的涡旋合并过程分析

利用2003年7月每日4个时次的1°×1°NCEP风场、湿度场、高度场等再分析资料,对2003年7月8—9日江淮流域暴雨过程进行了分析,结果表明:(1)江淮流域上空的中尺度涡旋合并与此次暴雨过程密切相关。涡旋合并使得低层辐合、高层辐散加强,垂直速度、水汽输送、湿螺旋度加强,从而导致暴雨增幅。(2)低层辐合、高层辐散的高低空配置有利于强上升运动的维持,强上升气流所携带的水汽和能量有利于对流云团的发生发展,有利于暴雨的维持。(3)来自孟加拉湾和南海的暖湿气流为江淮流域提供了充足的水汽。     

Coherent Structures in the Atmospheric Surface Layer under Stable and Unstable Conditions

Simultaneous measurements of the instantaneous values of absolute temperatureat seven heights within the lower 36 m of the atmospheric boundary layer underdifferent stability conditions were carried out, accompanied by measurements ofthe wind velocity components at two levels and of solar radiation flux at the surface.The data obtained allow one to investigate individual convective cells known ascoherent structures (CS). Outside the CS, i.e., during quiet periods, an instanttemperature profile is in close agreement with the dry-adiabatic lapse rate, butwithin CS the temperature changes much faster with height, and the shape ofthe profile varies significantly.A method was developed to transform temperature records from sensors atseveral heights into an other form, namely, into temporal variations of theheights of isothermal surfaces. Since coherent structures were found to advectwith the mean wind velocity, these temporal height variations may be transformedinto the spatial ones, i.e., into the xoz-plane section of the temperature field.In such a pictorial presentation coherent structures look like asymmetric columnsof heat, penetrating the whole atmospheric surface layer.Coherent structures also exist in the stable stratified surface layer, but they have aninverse asymmetry and occupy only the lower several metres. Wavelike activitydominates in the upper part of the stable surface layer.The characteristic time of surface-layer adjustment to the rapid changes of solarradiation (due to cloud shadows or cloud gaps) was found to be on the order ofone minute. Such a time interval is required for coherent structure to reach the topof surface layer.     

Entrainment Processes in the Convective Boundary Layer with Varying Wind Shear

Large-eddy simulations (LES) are performed to investigate the entrainment andthe structure of the inversion layer of the convective boundary layer (CBL) withvarying wind shears. Three CBLs are generated with the constant surface kinematicheat flux of 0.05 K m s^-1 and varying geostrophic wind speeds from 5 to 15m s^-1. Heat flux profiles show that the maximum entrainment heat flux as afraction of the surface heat flux increases from 0.13 to 0.30 in magnitude withincreasing wind shear. The thickness of the entrainment layer, relative to the depthof the well-mixed layer, increases substantially from 0.36 to 0.73 with increasingwind shear. The identification of vortices and extensive flow visualizations nearthe entrainment layer show that concentrated vortices perpendicular to the meanboundary-layer wind direction are identified in the capping inversion layer for thecase of strong wind shear. These vortices are found to develop along the mean winddirections over strong updrafts, which are generated by convective rolls and to appearas large-scale wavy motions similar to billows generated by the Kelvin–Helmholtzinstability. Quadrant analysis of the heat flux shows that in the case of strong windshear, large fluctuations of temperature and vertical velocity generated by largeamplitude wavy motions result in greater heat flux at each quadrant than that inthe weak wind shear case.     

Observations of longitudinal roll vortices during arctic cold air outbreaks over open water

An evolving convective Arctic planetary boundary layer (PBL) containing longitudinal roll vortices (rolls) was observed with aircraft data during the 1983 Marginal Ice Zone Experiment and the 1984 Arctic Cyclone Experiment.The PBL is observed to grow rapidly as the very cold and dry air flows off the ice over the relatively warm water. There is very large sensible heat flux, a result of the large surface-air temperature differences. Coherent structures were identified in these PBL's by use of power, coherence squared and phase spectra of the data. A systematic method of separating the rolls from organized thermal plumes was devised, based on theoretical characteristics for roll circulations and the resulting modified mean wind profile. The rapid mixing by the rolls aids in the establishment of equilibrium and an observed adiabatic modified mean Ekman layer. Rolls that form in a thermally neutral atmosphere over ice have different characteristics than those that appear in the unstable stratification over water. The rolls become increasingly more convective in character with distance from the ice edge. They have aspect ratios (wavelength/PBL height) that decrease with distance from the ice edge in agreement with linear theory. This is in contrast to the cloud street wavelength to inversion height ratio which is observed to increase downwind from the ice edge.     

双多普勒雷达观测在一次雹云结构中的应用北大核心

利用常州站和泰州站双多普勒天气雷达探测数据,结合常规观测资料和ERA5再分析资料,综合分析了2019年7月6日一次强对流天气过程的天气形势、雷达回波强度演变特征和双多普勒雷达反演的三维流场信息。重点利用双多普勒雷达径向速度资料反演出格点流场,并结合回波特征分析雹云的结构。结果表明:强对流天气过程中,江苏受高空冷涡影响,在高空冷槽、高空急流、低层切变线和地面辐合线的配置条件下,形成了上干冷、下暖湿的层结不稳定结构。本次过程中,雹云不仅具有典型的强对流单体雷达回波特征,在中层强回波中心处,还有明显的“S”型水平流场结构。雹云的低层,是明显的辐合与旋转配置的水平流场。深厚的零线结构是成雹的典型特征。     

Role of a meso-γ vortex in Meiyu torrential rainfall over the Hangzhou Bay,China: An observational study

A mesoscale torrential rainfall event that occurred over eastern China in June 2013 is analyzed by using observational data. The results show that a mesoscale convergence line and a weak convective cloud line formed over the northern part of the Hangzhou Bay during the onset of the torrential rainfall event. A meso-vortex appeared over the confluence point of northeasterly flow associated with the Yellow-Sea high, easterly flow from rainfall area, and southeasterly flow from the Hangzhou Bay. The meso-vortex with a horizontal scale of 10–20 km lasted for about 1 h for stable surface circulations. The analysis of radar retrieval reveals that the meso-vortex in the boundary layer occurred at the south of strong radar echo. The formation of the meso-vortex turned to enhance convergence and cyclonic vorticity in the lower troposphere, which strengthened updrafts that are tilted into convective clouds and caused torrential rainfall. Thus, the occurrence of the meso-vortex in boundary layer is one of the mechanisms that are responsible for the enhancement of convective development.     

Kontur: Observations of cloud streets and open cellular structures

In September and October 1981 the experiment KonTur (Convection and turbulence) was conducted over the North Sea. Its objectives were to investigate organized convective patterns, like cloud streets (boundary layer rolls) and cellular cloud structures. Two aircraft (British Hercules C-130 and German Falcon 20) performed detailed measurements within these patterns. Several cases of cloud streets and open cells were observed.Boundary layer rolls appear to be connected with an inflection point in the cross-roll wind component. The aspect ratio of the rolls (wavelength versus depth) is between three and four in accordance with other observations and linear stability analysis. Four scales of motion are involved: the mean flow, the roll circulation, individual clouds and turbulence. The vertical transport are dominated at lower levels by turbulence and at higher levels by roll-scale motions.Open cellular cloud structures are connected with large air-sea temperature differences due to cold air outbreaks from the northwest. The aspect ratio of the cells is of the order of 10. The bulk contribution to the total transport of heat and momentum originates from the cloudy walls of the cells. A vertical cross section through a composite open cell is presented.     

一次弱对流天气降雹成灾的雷达回波特征分析

通过对新疆玛河流域一次冰雹天气雷达资料及地面实况资料的分析,研究弱对流云降雹的雷达反射率因子与径向速度场的回波特征,进一步探讨弱对流云降雹与0℃层高度较低及垂直风切变的关系：弱对流天气当日零度层高度值可作为分析弱冰雹云的依据;高低空风速的差异形成的风切变造成的动压力产生垂直加速度,使对流运动得到加强和维持,也是此次降雹的动力机制。分析此次天气,揭示了新疆玛河流域弱对流云降雹天气过程生消的一些重要特征和变化,对雹云的识别和分析具有一定的指导意义。     

一次降雪过程持续原因分析

利用多种观测资料和中尺度数值模拟资料,对2011年2月14日发生在江淮地区的一次预报失误的持续性降雪过程进行较为全面的分析.结果表明:前期的降水导致近地面维持较大湿度,补充南下的冷平流促使低层大气接近饱和,降雪持续期间,水汽集中在对流层低层浅薄的层次中;对流层中层发展和维持的强冷平流导致降水区上空迅速降温减湿,从而在对流层中低层,逐渐建立起弱对流不稳定层结.而叠置其上的稳定层则将对流活动和水汽的向上输送限制在对流层低层内,使得水汽和能量得以在一定范围内集中;不断补充南下的冷空气强迫近地层风场发生扰动,形成的中尺度切变线,为这种浅薄层次下的弱对流活动提供了触发条件.尽管辐合抬升较弱,但与其它季节相比,气温较低的冬季,在抬升凝结高度较低的大气中,水汽易凝结成云致降水.造成这次预报失误的原因,是忽略了近地层系统的变化.另外,对补充冷空气的影响作用考虑不充分.     

韶关"7.19"暴雨成因分析

通过对常规气象资料、卫星云图和多普勒雷达资料的分析，发现在西南季风爆发的背景下，当高空槽超前于低层切变和地面锋面，在高空槽附近有不稳定能量积累，华南中部生成的中尺度对流云团往北发展造成了韶关南部的连续暴雨；而韶关北部的强降水则属于典型的锋面低槽降水。     

The role of convection in surface property and velocity fluctuations

Time series of temperature, humidity and horizontal wind speed are presented from data collected at two tower sites during the 1968 Barbados Experiment. Marked and periodic fluctuations on the convective scale are evident in the traces. It is postulated that these fluctuations are due to moderate cumulus convection. Estimates show that departures in temperature and humidity at the surface must be due to downward mixing from near or above the convective cloud base. Such cloud layer-subcloud layer mixing must change the thermodynamic character of the subcloud layer. This in turn suggests that cloud convection may play an important part in governing the transport of energy across the air-sea interface.     

十堰一次强对流天气雷达回波特征

利用十堰714C天气雷达回波资料,结合其它天气资料,分析了2004年7月6日发生在十堰境内的强对流天气过程。结果表明,这次强对流天气是在有利的大尺度天气形势下产生的,局地环境CAPE指数大,水平风的垂直切变较强。强降雹由多单体强风暴造成,回波强度强,高度较高,顶部有旁瓣假回波,低层存在弱回波区（WER）。雹云移动明显右偏于高空风,属右移风暴,以右后侧和右前侧传播方式发展。强降雹由后一种传播方式造成,初始回波从半空生成,云顶高度较高,强中心位于云体中上层。