Diabatic heating and the low frequency dynamics in the tropics

Summary Using a General Circulation Model developed at FSU (FSUGCM), the role of the diabatic heating on the 30–60-day oscillation is investigated. To concentrate on the radiation and the moist convection processes, an aqua planet model is employed in this paper. We have obtained a 40-day oscillation with relatively lower frequency than other GCMs without strong heating in the lower troposphere. Unlike some GCMs and simple models, the convective area does not move eastward along with the oscillation. Adiabatic cooling due to the upward motion is mostly compensated by diabatic heating. This implies that Kelvin CISK theory might not explain our 40-day oscillation. We have also examined the impact of radiative heating on the low frequency oscillation. When we reduce the radiative cooling rate, our 40-day mode does not appear and a Kelvin CISK mode appears with a faster phase speed. The impact of the different convection schemes is also investigated. With an enhanced convection scheme, zonal wave number two with a 40-day period is generated.With 12 FiguresOn leave from Japan Meteorological Agency.     

低纬度涛动——全球热带的甚低频振荡现象

本文在论证所谓“北方涛动”存在性的基础上,分析了这一现象与经典的“南方涛动”的关系和它们的性质,提出了”低纬度涛动”的概念。 研究发现,这两类振荡在低频域内具有相同的振荡频率,处于同一振荡系统内。实质上反映了印度洋和太平洋低纬地区三个主要活动中心——赤道低压和南、北太平洋副热带高压的年际变化之间的联系。 这个振荡系统,在气压场上表现为,横跨赤道南北各约30个纬距的东西向的“跷跷板”(seesaw)现象,且有以赤道为界的两个分量,即南方涛动和北方涛动。在温度、湿度场和低层大气稳定度场上,主要表现为热带太平洋上高温、高湿和强不稳定与低温,低湿和弱不稳定的交替出现;在云量场上表现为主要对流区的东西向位移;在海面温度场上为赤道太平洋增暖和降温的交替出现。它们之间通过热力和动力过程耦合起来,组成了全球热带海洋大气系统的振荡,这是低纬度大气环流年际变化的一个基本特征,我们称它为“低纬度涛动”。 分析表明,它的振荡周期平均约为40个月。为区别于40—60天的热带低频振荡,这一年际尺度的振荡可称为“甚低频振荡”。 作者用全球热带海平面气压第一特征向量的时间系数定义“低纬度涛动指数”,它能客观地同时描写气压场上振荡的两个分量,以及温度、湿度、云量和低层大气稳定度等的甚低频振荡特征。     

一次中层低涡的发展及其MCC结构

1982年7月29日至8月2日黄河中游大暴雨过程,是继1958年7月特大暴雨过程以来最强的一次。其间洛阳地区的陆浑水库站29日12h降水量达544mm。本文对造成该过程后一段强降水的低涡系统进行了研究。用中尺度滤波分析和诊断方法揭示了:该低涡系统不是由登陆台风变性而成,而是在台风外围的东风急流影响下新发展起来的,并取代了原来的台风环流。它的涡旋结构在对流层中层最为清楚,低层的暖湿平流突出,具有较强的斜压性。在对流层高层有明显的流出,形成一个中尺度的辐散中心。因此它的发展过程和结构与Maddox所总结的MCC系统相类似。卫星云图上云团的演变特点证实了上述对发展过程的描述。     

春季热带地区OLR低频振荡及其与长江中下游连阴雨

本文应用NOAA卫星接收的1975—1983年向外长波辐射(OLR)资料研究了春季热带地区低频振荡的基本特征,得出东半球热带地区盛行周期为30天左右的低频振荡,这种振荡最显著的区域在0—10°S、70—90°E的印度洋地区。文章阐述了过渡季节这种低频振荡的经向和纬向传播特征。 本文还进一步指出,在热带低频振荡的不同阶段,ITCZ、北半球副热带以及西风带环流系统也呈现出显著的周期变化,并查证了低频振荡作为长江中下游连阴雨和连晴过程的背景事实。因此本研究工作也为长江中下游连阴雨和连晴天气的中、长期可预报性提供     

Features of ozone quasi-biennial oscillation in the vertical structure of tropics and subtropics

Summary Latitude-altitude structure of ozone QBO over the tropical-subtropical stratosphere (40° S–40° N) has been explored by analyzing Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) aboard Upper Atmospheric Research Satellite (UARS) data for the period 1992–1999 using the multifunctional regression model. The inferred ozone QBO shows two maxima located at 22 hPa and 10 hPa with coefficient of 2–3% per 10 m/s centered at the equator. The equatorial maxima are out of phase with each other. Subtropics exhibit two peak structure near 14 hPa but of opposite sign to that of equatorial maximum near 10 hPa. Over the equatorial region, positive (zonal winds westerly) coefficients overlay negative (zonal winds easterlies) coefficients which descend with time. A pattern of equatorial maximum and two subtropical minima appears in the months December to February near 10 hpa and it propagates upward with progression of seasons. Equatorial QBO is seasonally asynchronous while subtropical QBO is seasonally synchronous. Correspondence: Suvarna Fadnavis, Physical Meteorology and Aerology Division, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pashan, Pune 411008, India     

Thunderstorm frequency and amount of precipitation in the tropics,especially in the African and Indian monsoon regions

Summary An increase of rainfall at tropical stations is associated with an increase of thunderstorms only up to a certain amount of rain beyond which the thunderstorm frequency decreases. This is shown for monthly and annual means and is possibly true also for much shorter periods.The ratio of the number of days with thunderstorm divided by the amount of rainfall is large in continental, small in oceanic climates with maxima in West Africa, in the Rocky Mountains, and in Tibet.Tropical rainfall exhibits both extremes, many thunderstorms producing little rain, and much rain connected with few, if any, thunderstorms. All kinds of transitions between these extremes can be found, depending probably on the moisture content and/or the stability of the middle troposphere (high moisture means few thunderstorms).Basic differences between the African and the Indian summer monsoons are discussed.

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Zusammenfassung Eine Zunahme des Niederschlages tropischer Stationen ist nur bis zu einem gewissen Betrag mit Zunahme der Gewitterhäufigkeit verbunden; darüber werden die Gewitter weniger zahlreich. Dies wird an Monats- und Jahresmitteln gezeigt, scheint aber auch für wesentlich kürzere Zeiträume zuzutreffen.Der Quotient der Zahl der Gewittertage durch Niederschlagsmenge ist groß in kontinentalen, klein in ozeanischen Klimaten mit Höchstwerten in Westafrika, in dem Felsengebirge und in Tibet.Bei tropischen Niederschlägen gibt es die Extreme: a) Viele Gewitter bringen wenig Regen oder b) viel Regen ist mit wenigen oder keinen Gewittern verbunden. Alle Arten von Übergang zwischen a) und b) kommen vor. Ihre Ausbildung hängt wahrscheinlich von der Feuchte und/oder der Stabilität der mittleren Troposphäre ab, da hohe Feuchte der Ausbildung von Gewittern entgegenwirkt.Grundsätzliche Unterschiede zwischen dem afrikanischen und dem indischen Monsun werden erörtert.

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Résumé Un acroissement de la précipitation tropicale est associée avec une augmentation de la fréquence d'orages seulement jusqu' à une certaine valeur au-delà de laquelle la fréquence d'orages décroît quand la quantité de pluie s'accroît. Ceci est démontré pour les mois et pour l'année, mais probablement il est aussi valuable pour des périodes plus courtes.Le rapport du nombre des jours orageux à la quantité des précipitations est grande dans les climats continentaux et petite dans les climats océaniques. Nous rencontrons les maxima en Afrique occidentale, dans les Rocky Mountains et en Thibet.La précipitation tropicale montre deux extrêmes: beaucoup d'orages produisent une petite quantité de pluie, tandis qu' une grande quantité de pluie peut être associée avec peu ou sans orages. Toutes les sortes de transitions entre eux peuvent être trouvées qui dépendent probablement de l'humidité et/ou de la stabilité de la troposphère moyenne quisqu'une grande humidité correspond à une fréquence réduite d'orages.Des différences fondamentaux entre les moussons africaine et indienne sont discutées.

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With 7 Figures

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Sponsored by the U.S. Army Signal Corps, Contract No. DA-36-039 SC 89179.     

Surface layer turbulence spectra and dissipation rates during low winds in tropics

Spectral characteristics of surface layer turbulence in an urban atmosphere are investigated. The observations used for this purpose represent low wind conditions in the tropics. The normalized power spectral shapes exhibit the usual characteristics in the inertial subrange and obey Monin-Obukhov scaling. However, the low-frequency behaviours do not conform to the previous observed relations. For horizontal components, large energy is contained in the low frequencies in contrast to the vertical component where roll-off to zero frequency is faster.The turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate estimated from the spectra using Kolmogorov's inertial subrange law is found to be isotropic unlike the velocity variances. The expressions for the dimensionless dissipation rate do not seem to work well in low winds in an urban atmosphere. For the data considered, the dissipation rate exhibits a power law relationship with the mean windspeed and the friction velocity.     

冬季北太平洋风暴轴纬向变化特征及其与我国极端低温频次的可能联系

采用NCEP/NCAR和ERA40再分析资料,分析了垂直方向上冬季北太平洋风暴轴纬向结构的时空演变特征,揭示了北太平风暴轴纬向结构具有显著年际、年代际变化特征。冬季北太平洋风暴轴纬向结构主要呈现出全区一致、东西反相两种分布型("A"型和"B"型),细分为整体一致性强型("A+"型)、整体一致性弱型("A-"型)、东弱西强型("B+"型)和东强西弱型("B-"型)。研究表明:冬季北太平洋风暴轴的纬向结构与我国极端低温频次的关系密切,风暴轴呈"A+"("A-")型纬向结构时,我国整体区域极端低温频次偏少(多);风暴轴呈"B+"("B-")纬向结构时,我国全区极端低温频次偏多(少)。     

Effects of the low-frequency zonal wind variation on the high frequency atmospheric variability over the tropics

Recently, there is increasing evidence on the interaction of atmospheric high-frequency (HF) variability with climatic low-frequency (LF) variability. In this study, we examine this relationship of HF variability with large scale circulation using idealized experiments with an aqua-planet Atmospheric GCM (with zonally uniform SST), run in different zonal momentum forcing scenarios. The effect of large scale circulation changes to the HF variability is demonstrated here. The HF atmospheric variability is enhanced over the westerly forced region, through easterly vertical shear. Our study also manifests that apart from the vertical wind shear, strong low-level convergence and horizontal zonal wind shear are also important for enhancing the HF variance. This is clearly seen in the eastern part of the forcing, where the HF activity shows relatively maximum increase, in spite of similar vertical shear over the forced regions. The possible implications for multi-scale interaction (e.g. MJO–ENSO interaction) are also discussed.     

Some phenomena of the interaction between vegetation and a atmosphere on multiple scales

This article studies the response of the distribution pattern and the physiological characteristics of the ecosystem to the spontaneous precipitation and the interaction between vegetation and the atmosphere on multiple scales in arid and semi-arid zones, based on measured data of the ecological physiological parameters in the Ordas Plateau of northern China. The results show that the vegetation biomass and the energy use efficiency of photosynthesis are especially sensitive to the annual precipitation; strong and complex interactions exist between the vegetation and the atmosphere on multiple scales leading to supernormal thermal heterogeneity of the underlying surface, the strong vortex movement and turbulence. This study can facilitate understanding of the land surface processes and the influences of global climate change as well as human activities on the human environment in the arid and semi-arid zones. It also aids in improving the parameterization schemes of turbulent fluxes of a heterogeneous underlying surface for land surface processes in climate models.     

我国东部夏季降水季节内振荡与低频大气环流演变特征分析

利用1979—2017年夏季逐日气象数据,使用经验正交函数（Empirical Orthogonal Function,EOF）分解和超前滞后回归方法分析了我国东部地区夏季降水季节内振荡（Intra-seasonal Oscillation,ISO）的时空特征及其与低纬和北太平洋中高纬度低频大气环流的联系。结果表明：EOF分解的第一模态表现为我国东南部地区ISO降水显著偏多,而我国北方地区偏少的空间型,相应的低频向外长波辐射（Outgoing Long wave Radiation,OLR）场表现为我国东南部地区低频对流异常活跃,而北方地区异常不活跃的南北偶极子型分布。位于南海至副热带西太平洋上空的低频对流异常活跃区与低频上升气流和低频水汽辐合带协同北传和西北传,在我国东南部地区ISO降水异常偏多位相峰值之前一周抵达华南上空,我国东部地区ISO降水开始呈现出南北偶极子空间型;与此同时,200 hPa低频经向风在北太平洋中高纬度表现为一个纬向低频波列形式,并向西传播,当低频波列中的低频南风异常西传到东亚—日本岛上空时,与低纬北传的高层异常北风形成经向对比,造成我国东南部地区上空出现强的低频散度异常。以上低纬度低频信号西北传与北太平洋中高纬度低频波列西传的协同作用,使得异常活跃的对流活动、水汽异常辐合区、异常上升运动和高层异常辐散区均锚定在我国东南部上空,形成该地区ISO降水异常偏多位相。     

西北太平洋热带气旋频数的气候变化及其与环境要素间的联系

使用Emanuel和Nolan完善的潜在生成指数(GPI)的计算方法,利用美国联合台风警报中心提供的热带气旋(TC)资料和欧洲中期数值天气预报中心提供的全球ERA-40再分析资料,比较了1970-2001年西北太平洋海域的TC生成频数和GPI的气候特征,分析了包含于GPI中的环境要素对西北太平洋TC频数年代际变化空间分布的影响.结果表明:GPI能近似地表述西北太平洋TC频数的季节变化和空间分布.各环境要素对TC、较弱类TC和较强类TC生成频数的影响有显著差异,相对湿度随着TC强度的增强而减弱,风速垂直切变则相反.西北太平洋TC频数年代际变化空间分布的正异常主要分布于130°E以东,(15°N,140°E)附近最大的正异常频数中心主要受绝对涡度和相对湿度正异常变化的影响;负的风速垂直切变和正的相对湿度异常变化引起了(10～15°N,160°E)附近的TC频数正异常.     

东亚大气环流的低频振荡及与韵律的关系

本文根据北半球500hPa高度场30年(1951—1980)平均的逐候格点资料,对气候平均的东亚各主要大气环流系统的年内变化进行了谐波分析和天气学分析.结果表明,东亚大气环流系统存在着三种主要的大气低频波:年波、半年波和30—50天的季内波;中、高纬度的大气环流以年波振荡为主,低纬度的大气环流以半年波振荡为主;30—50天的季内波是北半球各纬度上都存在的一种波,但它对总方差的贡献在低纬比中、高纬度大.此外,还讨论了年波和半年波这两种大气低频波与我国长期预报中常用的各种韵律指标特别是隔季相关现象的关系.     

热带大气运动的长波和超长波(一)

对热带干大气运动的长波、纬向超长波(纬向扰动尺度L_1～10~4公里,经向扰动尺度L_2～10~3公里)和经向超长波(L_1～10~3公里,L_2～10~4公里)进行了尺度分析,得到了适合这些运动的近似方程。对于纬向超长波,与长波的情况一样为正压无辐散运动;但在经向超长波时,则涡度方程中存在辐散项,这一结果与Matsuno得到的在热带存在Rossby波和惯性-重力波混合的情况是一致的。同时,在存在基本气流切变的情况下,对线性化扰动方程进行了频率分析,结果指出,当n≥1时,Rossby波和惯性-重力波是可分的;当n=0,而纬向尺度L_1～1000公里时,存在混合Rossby-重力波,这就证实了上述尺度分析的结果是正确的。于是,把尺度分析的结果与热带波动运动中Rossby波和惯性-重力波是可分的或混合的特性统一了起来。     

The Propagation of Disturbances Excited by Low-Frequency Oscillations in the Tropics

The propagation of disturbances excited by low-frequency oscillations in the tropics is investigated by applying the theory of wave packet dynamics. For simplicity, a linearized barotropic model is adopted and the zonal circulation is taken as basic current. Suppose that the disturbances or waves are superimposed on jet-like westerly basic cur-rent and excited by the forcing in the tropics. We have (1) only the eastward propagating (m>0, n>0 and σ>0) low-frequency disturbances and the stationary (σ = 0) waves can propagate into the middle and high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere; the others, such as the westward propagating low-frequency wave (m>0, n<0, σ<0) and the high-frequency waves, are restricted only in the vicinity of source region; (2) a stationary wave (σ = 0) reaches a given latitude even more quickly than some low-frequency ones (σ>0) due to the fact that the group velocity of stationary wave is larger; (3) there is a whole wave train excited by the forcing in the tropics and extended into the middle and high latitudes, if the amplitude of the source is independent on time, especially, the low-frequency wave (σ > 0) is of travelling type propagating along the ray; (4) if the source lasts only for an interval of time, namely, its amplitude also has the character of low-frequency oscillation, the excited wave train is not always a whole one, but is restricted in the vicinity of source region in the beginning, extended from the source region to the middle and high latitudes in its saturated stage, after that it gradually becomes weaker and weaker and is detectable only in some area at high latitude, and eventually disappears. Undoubtedly, case (4) is closer to the reality, even though case (3) gives a more impressive wavy pattern.     

西太平洋地区信风的振动及其与北太平洋热带环流的关系

一、前言 近年来,发现热带和付热带地区的风场存在一种周期约为15天的振动。这种风场的振动,反映了热带大型流场存在周期约为15天的变动,研究这种振动的变化机制对热带大型环流的中期演变预告是很有帮助的。     

大气低频振荡对广西持续性区域性暴雨的可能影响

使用1961~2013年广西80个气象观测站的日降水资料和NOAA OLR、NCEP/NCAR风场、高度场再分析资料。分析持续性区域性暴雨异常年份大气低频活动特征,得到结果:广西持续性区域性暴雨异常多(少)的年份,中高纬度地区高空大气温度30~60天周期振荡强度弱(强),位置偏北(南),广西及其以南低纬度地区OLR 30~60天周期振荡有明显(相对不明显或不连续)的向东传播。