Spatial and Temporal Features of Synoptic and Mesoscale Variability of the Baltic Sea Level

The spatial and temporal features of synoptic and mesoscale variability of the Baltic Sea level are studied using long-term hourly data. The spectral analysis revealed significant difference in the structure of the sea level spectra between the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland. The maximum variance of the synoptic sea level variability is observed at the head of the Gulf of Bothnia and in the southwestern part of the Baltic Sea, whereas the maximum variance of mesoscale variability is registered at the head of the Gulf of Finland and in the southwestern part of the sea. The minimum variance of synoptic sea level variability was observed in the Gulf of Bothnia in the 1950s–1960s, and the maximum was recorded at the beginning and at the end of the 20th century. The series of interdecadal variability of synoptic sea level fluctuations have a weak negative trend up to ?0.11 cm²/year in Kungsholmfrost. A significant qualitative and quantitative correlation was detected between the interannual variability of variance of mesoscale sea level variations in the Gulf of Finland (Gornyi Institut) and the Gulf of Riga (Parnu) and the interannual variability of the NAO index.     

Thermal interaction between near-water atmospheric layer and surface water layer on the northeastern shelf of the Black Sea

Thermal interaction between near-water atmospheric layer and surface water layer is considered within long-term, seasonal, synoptic, and mesoscale variability ranges from long-term air and water temperature measurement data. It is established that long-term mean monthly values of water temperature within annual cycle are greater than corresponding values of air temperature. Equations of relationships are obtained for long-term mean annual, mean seasonal, and mean monthly air and water temperature values.     

Analysis of Mesoscale Patterns in Relation to Synoptic Conditionsover an Urban Mediterranean Basin

Summary In this study day by day synoptic conditions are classified over the Attica peninsula for a period of sixteen years. Eight synoptic categories which are demonstrated to be statistically distinct are selected with respect to the atmospheric circulation in the lower troposphere. Furthermore, a methodology is proposed to classify the mesoscale patterns for the same period on the basis of surface wind measurements, and this distinguishes eleven distinct mesoscale categories. In general, the frequency analysis reveals that the anticyclonic circulation dominates while the weak mesoscale flows prevail, with preference in May and June. A day by day cross tabulation of the synoptic flow patterns with the mesoscale categories is then performed in order to identify the association of the synoptic conditions with the mesoscale flow regime. It was found that the synoptic conditions at the level of 850 hPa are closely related to the observed surface local flows and therefore it is suggested that the synoptic categories can be used for the identification of the most favourable mesoscale atmospheric circulation. Received February 28, 1997 Revised May 22, 1997     

Mesoscale moisture variability and its impact on energy transfer through the boundary layer

The impact of mesoscale moisture variability on the vertical energy transfer through a pre-frontal boundary layer is studied with NOPEX aircraft data. The moisture variability relates to a cold front that passed the area 2 1/2 hours after the observations. We find a density front ahead of the cold front. The large vertical divergence of the turbulent moisture flux in the surface layer is partly related to this moisture variability. Large scale horizontal advection contributes to the observed vertical turbulent flux divergence. The estimated horizontal mesoscale advection term in the budget of sensible heat and moisture is on average small but locally it can be large. This term acts to re-distribute moisture in the boundary layer and leads to sub-grid variations of relative humidity, which is an important quantity for boundary-layer cloud models. The distinct spatial variations of specific humidity are mainly related to synoptic forcing and not to heterogeneity in the surface energy balance.     

MM5微机模拟系统的简介和初步应用个例

本文将ＰＳＵ／ＮＣＡＲ ＭＭ５中尺度数值模式移植到微机上,利用改进的空军中尺度数值预报业务系统的前后处理技术,在微机（或工作站）上建立起了ＭＭ５中尺度模式模拟系统,介绍了该系统的各模块技术方案同时对南北方两次性质不同的暴雨个例进行了成功的模拟,并对一次梅雨锋暴雨进行了数值试验。实践表明,ＭＭ５中尺度模式诉建立十分成功,对天气形势、降水特别是暴雨等重大灾害性天气的模拟能力较强,模拟效果与实际基本一致     

琼北强天气触发机制的分析与预报着眼点的初步探讨

通过对 1989年 3～ 6月引发琼北强对流天气的机制分析 ,得出该地强对流天气的发生与锋面、切变线、SSW风与 SSE风的辐合线等中尺度天气系统有关 ,同时提出各类中尺度天气系统下强天气预报的着眼点     

使用不同的天气尺度初值作强对流暴雨预报的差别及其原因

分别用暴雨开始前和暴雨刚开始两个探空时次的天气尺度初值场作1982年6月19～20日鄂东特大暴雨过程的中尺度模拟预报.前者相当成功,后者完全失败.探究其原因说明中尺度数值预报可以用天气尺度初始场的一个重要条件是模式初始时刻在关注的区域及其附近不存在即将造成或已经造成强降水的强中尺度扰动.如若不然,则可能由于模式起转(Spinup)的延误,实际存在的中尺度扰动对天气尺度变化的强大反馈作用不能体现,会使天气尺度的预报从一开始就显著歧离实际,其带来的结果不是中尺度时、空细节的预报误差,而是全区域性的预报失败.这个试验还进一步证实伴随暴雨的强非绝热反馈作用是暖切变型梅雨锋发展和准静止持续乃至周边区域形势维持的最重要的直接因子.     

南海暖季天气系统与中尺度对流过程研究进展

本文总结了近几十年来暖季(5～10月)南海热带天气系统及中尺度对流过程的相关研究进展.聚焦暖季南海中尺度对流过程,概述性回顾了与南海中尺度对流过程相关的热带大气环流和夏季风的基本特征,影响南海中尺度对流发生、发展的重要天气系统,并着重归纳了南海中尺度对流系统的活动规律、结构特征与形成机理.在此基础上,探讨了当前及未来南...     

一次阵风锋过程的数值模拟与分析

利用中尺度数值模式ARPS,模拟了2006年6月29日发生在南京的一次由强中尺度对流系统引发的阵风锋过程,并分析了该过程的天气形势。结果表明,在对流系统经过南京站之前,近地层出现了明显的逆温,当对流系统经过南京站时中低层湿度一直在加深;背景形势显示有中低层急流和垂直风切变。在这次数值模拟中,虽然未模拟出阵风锋的细线回波...     

长江、黄河流域暴雨预报着眼点

应用天气学和动力学方法诊断研究大尺度环境场对暴雨过程中次天气尺度系统发生发展的影响及机理,并用T42L12全球谱模式及MM4中尺度模式,试验长江流域和黄河流域暴雨过程中大尺度环流系统对次天气尺度系统发生的影响,从不同尺度相互作用出发对长江中下游和黄河中下游的暴雨提出预报着眼点,供有关部门在业务预报中参考。     

Cloud-radiation feedback and atmosphere-ocean coupling in a stochastic multicloud model

Despite recent advances in supercomputing, current general circulation models (GCMs) have significant problems in representing the variability associated with organized tropical convection. Furthermore, due to high sensitivity of the simulations to the cloud radiation feedback, the tropical convection remains a major source of uncertainty in long-term weather and climate forecasts. In a series of recent studies, it has been shown, in paradigm two-baroclinic-mode systems and in aquaplanet GCMs, that a stochastic multicloud convective parameterization based on three cloud types (congestus, deep and stratiform) can be used to improve the variability and the dynamical structure of tropical convection, including intermittent coherent structures such as synoptic and mesoscale convective systems. Here, the stochastic multicloud model is modified with a parameterized cloud radiation feedback mechanism and atmosphere-ocean coupling. The radiative convective feedback mechanism is shown to increase the mean and variability of the Walker circulation. The corresponding intensification of the circulation is associated with propagating synoptic scale systems originating inside of the enhanced sea surface temperature area. In column simulations, the atmosphere ocean coupling introduces pronounced low frequency convective features on the time scale associated with the depth of the mixed ocean layer. However, in the presence of the gravity wave mixing of spatially extended simulations, these features are not as prominent. This highlights the deficiency of the column model approach at predicting the behavior of multiscale spatially extended systems. Overall, the study develops a systematic framework for incorporating parameterized radiative cloud feedback and ocean coupling which may be used to improve representation of intraseasonal and seasonal variability in GCMs.     

一次突发性中尺度暴雪天气过程分析

对2004年12月丹东地区一次突发性中尺度暴雪天气过程的成因进行了分析。结果表明:造成此次暴雪天气过程的影响系统除天气尺度的冷锋外,其直接影响系统是中尺度海岸锋,它在有利的天气尺度环境下发展加强并向内陆移动,其上的中尺度环流形成的低云与冷锋云系的叠加是产生暴雪的主要原因。     

Waterspouts of the Adriatic, Ionian and Aegean Sea and their meteorological environment

The synoptic and mesoscale conditions associated with waterspout occurrence in the Adriatic, Ionian and Aegean Sea are examined in an attempt to quantitatively assess the meteorological environment favourable to the development of waterspouts. For this study, synoptic circulation patterns have been examined for 28 waterspout events in the central-eastern Mediterranean. The waterspouts were reported within the summer and fall of 2002, from July to November, a period of unusually high whirlwind activity. The Adriatic was most active during July, August and September and the Ionian and Aegean during September, October and November. Of the examined waterspout cases, 13 out of the total of 28 were found to be fair-weather waterspouts, while 15 represent tornadic events. For waterspout days, the frequency and distribution of four basic synoptic types, namely, south-west flow (SW), long-wave trough (LW), closed low (CLOSED) and short-wave trough (SWT), were investigated. The particular synoptic features that contributed to the development of waterspout activity were examined, based on five selected waterspout case studies. The mesoscale environment was explored using thermodynamic indices, moisture and wind parameters as derived by operational soundings from the nearest sites (preferably upwind) and closest in time to the waterspout occurrences. The results present an analysis of waterspout types in conjunction to thermodynamic and wind parameters for the purpose of determining synoptic patterns and mesoscale conditions most relevant to waterspout occurrences in these sea areas of the Mediterranean.     

海陆风环流在天津2009年9月26日局地暴雨过程中的作用

利用常规天气资料、地面加密自动站资料、天津中尺度模式产品资料以及卫星云图和多普勒雷达等资料,对2009年9月26日出现在天津地区的局地暴雨过程进行天气学、动力学诊断分析和中尺度分析.结果表明,本次暴雨的天气尺度主要的影响系统是500 hPa高空槽,中尺度系统是由海陆风环流形成的地面中尺度辐合线.降水前天津市具有较好的热力不稳定条件,较好的能量储备,有利的动力条件,一定量级的水汽辐合,边界层的东风将渤海的水汽输送至天津市,是本次过程的主要水汽来源.天气尺度的积云对流与海风锋的碰撞触发不稳定能量的释放,引发第一阶段的强降水,边界层东风急流再度加强所产生的抬升效应引发第二阶段的降水.中尺度切变线通过提供带状辐合上升运动起着胚胎和组织积云对流的作用,使得降水回波和对流云团沿中尺度切变线发展、加强和移动,产生了明显的列车效应,导致了这场历史罕见的秋季局部暴雨过程,也充分凸显出海陆风环流对本次暴雨的重要作用.     

Impacts of Oceanic Fronts and Eddies in the Kuroshio-Oyashio Extension Region on the Atmospheric General Circulation and Storm Track

This paper reviews the progress in our understanding of the atmospheric response to midlatitude oceanic fronts and eddies,emphasizing the Kuroshio-Oyashio Extension(KOE)region.Oceanic perturbations of interest consist of sharp oceanic fronts,temperature anomalies associated with mesoscale eddies,and to some extent even higher-frequency submesoscale variability.The focus is on the free atmosphere above the boundary layer.As the midlatitude atmosphere is dominated by vigorous transient eddy activity in the storm track,the response of both the time-mean flow and the storm track is assessed.The storm track response arguably overwhelms the mean-flow response and makes the latter hard to detect from observations.Oceanic frontal impacts on the mesoscale structures of individual synoptic storms are discussed,followed by the role of oceanic fronts in maintaining the storm track as a whole.KOE fronts exhibit significant decadal variability and can therefore presumably modulate the storm track.Relevant studies are summarized and intercompared.Current understanding has advanced greatly but is still subject to large uncertainties arising from inadequate data resolution and other factors.Recent modeling studies highlighted the importance of mesoscale eddies and probably even submesoscale processes in maintaining the storm track but confirmation and validation are still needed.Moreover,the atmospheric response can potentially provide a feedback mechanism for the North Pacific climate.By reviewing the above aspects,we envision that future research shall focus more upon the interaction between smaller-scale oceanic processes(fronts,eddies,submesoscale features)and atmospheric processes(fronts,extratropical cyclones etc.),in an integrated way,within the context of different climate background states.     

Marine cold-air outbreaks in the North Atlantic: temporal distribution and associations with large-scale atmospheric circulation

The spatial and temporal distributions of marine cold air outbreaks (MCAOs) over the northern North Atlantic have been investigated using re-analysis data for the period from 1958 to 2007. MCAOs are large-scale outbreaks of cold air over a relatively warm ocean surface. Such conditions are known to increase the severity of particular types of hazardous mesoscale weather phenomena. We used a simple index for identifying MCAOs: the vertical potential temperature gradient between the sea surface and 700 hPa. It was found that atmospheric temperature variability is considerably more important than the sea surface temperature variability in governing both the seasonal and the inter-annual variability of MCAOs. Furthermore, a composite analysis revealed that a few well-defined and robust synoptic patterns are evident during MCAOs in winter. Over the Labrador and Irminger Seas the MCAO index was found to have a correlation of 0.70 with the North Atlantic Oscillation index, while over the Barents Sea a negative correlation of 0.42 was found.     

Mesoscale Variability in the Summer Arctic Boundary Layer

Observations from the summer Arctic Ocean Experiment 2001 (AOE-2001) are analysed with a focus on the interactions between mesoscale and boundary-layer dynamics. Wavelet analyses of surface-pressure variations show daylong periods with different characteristics, some featuring episodes of pronounced high-frequency surface-pressure variability, here hypothesized to be caused by trapped gravity waves. These episodes are accompanied by enhanced boundary-layer turbulence and an enhanced spectral gap, but with only minor influence on the surface stress. During these episodes, mesoscale phenomena were often encountered and usually identified as front-like features in the boundary layer, with a peak in drizzle followed by changing temperature. These phenomena resemble synoptic fronts, though they are generally shallow, shorter-lasting, have no signs of frontal clouds, and do not imply a change in air mass. Based on this analysis, we hypothesize that the root cause of the episodes with high-frequency surface-pressure variance are shallow, mesoscale fronts moving across the pack ice. They may be formed due to local-to-regional horizontal contrasts, for example, between air with different lifetimes over the Arctic or with perturbations in the cloud field causing differential cooling of the boundary layer. Thermal contrasts sharpen as the air is transported with the mean flow. The propagating mesoscale fronts excite gravity waves, which affect the boundary-layer turbulence and also seem to favour entrainment of free tropospheric air into the boundary layer.     

局地强对流系统发展多样性的个例研究

在北京"7.18"强降水天气过程中,中尺度对流系统的启动、发展方式较为复杂,造成对流系统发展多样性特征的机制也存在差别。天气尺度动力条件和局地层结不稳定结构都表明,此次局地强天气的发生有良好的环境条件。通过高分辨率中尺度观测的分析表明,怀柔—密云地区存在孤立发展的对流系统,最终发展为多单体雷暴群;而在北京西南部线状对流的不连续传播发展特征十分显著。数值模拟结果表明,地面中尺度切变线的活动对北京东北部怀柔—密云地区对流系统的启动起了关键作用;在环境场与对流的相互作用机制下,北京西南部的中尺度对流系统的发展传播与重力波活动有密切关系。对流系统的表现形式和发展演变的多样性特征,体现了起支配作用的物理机制的差异。     

Wind variability in the northwestern part of the Black Sea from the offshore fixed platform observation data

The statistically ensured estimates of characteristics of temporal variability of wind speed and wind direction are obtained on the basis of observations carried out in 1996–2001 at the offshore fixed platform in the northwestern part of the Black Sea. The maximum values of monthly mean wind speed (more than 8 m/s) are registered in the cold half-year and the minimum ones (～4 m/s), in summer. The moderate winds of northern and southern directions dominate during the whole year. Using the Pearson’s chi-squared test, it is demonstrated that the wind speed follows the normal distribution law during the most part of observation period. The largest deviations from the normal law are timed to the periods of existence of intensive large-scale anomalies in the ocean-atmosphere system. A significant alternation of both synoptic and lower-frequency intramonthly wind speed fluctuations with typical periods of ～10–15 days is revealed. Their peak amplitude was registered in the fall and winter season of 1997/98, i.e., it was observed during the mature phase of one of the most intensive El Niños during the whole period of instrumental observations. At that time, the energy of intramonthly low-frequency wind speed fluctuations (～4 m²/s²) was equal to the energy of fluctuations within the synoptic range of the spectrum.