Turbulence Effects on Precipitation and Cloud Radiative Properties in Shallow Cumulus: an Investigation Using the WRF-LES Model Coupled with Bin Microphysics

Using the large-eddy simulation version of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model coupled with a detailed bin microphysics scheme, the effects of turbulence-induced collision enhancement (TICE) on precipitation and cloud radiative properties in shallow cumulus are investigated. Similar to previous studies, the enhanced droplet collision results in an increase in rainwater content and surface precipitation amount. However, under low aerosol number concentration, the relative frequency of large surface precipitation amount is decreased mainly due to the decreased condensation amount. Due to TICE, the mean drop size increases and the drop number concentration decreases, which results in a decrease in evaporation and hence increasing cloud fraction. However, these changes induce a decrease in cloud optical thickness which largely offsets the increased cloud fraction when the domain-averaged albedo is calculated. Similarly, a decrease in cloud top height caused by the decreased in-cloud vertical velocity largely offsets the increased cloud fraction when the domain-averaged outgoing longwave radiation is calculated. Therefore, the effects of TICE on cloud radiative properties in shallow cumulus do not appear prominently. In addition, TICE results in a decrease in the shear production of turbulent kinetic energy, which indicates that TICE acts to produce a negative feedback.     

Comments on ‘the characteristics of turbulent velocity components in the surface layer under convective conditions’, by H. A. Panofsky,H. Tennekes,D. H. Lenschow,and J. C. Wyngaard

Panofsky et al. (1977) have presented an analysis which seems to show a clear dependence of the dimensionless turbulence statistics _u /u _* and _v/u _* on the planetary boundary-layer stability parameter z _i/L. However it is possible that much of the apparent relationship results from artificial correlations introduced by the use of inter-related dimensionless parameters. Apparent dependencies of similar statistical quantities on z/L in the surface boundary layer might also be contaminated.This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, and is a contribution of the Multistate Atmospheric Power Production Pollution Study (MAP3S).     

Formulation and Evaluation of IMS, an Interactive Three-Dimensional Tropospheric Chemical Transport Model 2. Model Chemistry and Comparison of Modelled CH4, CO, and O3 with Surface Measurements

In part two of this series of papers on the IMS model, we present the chemistry reaction mechanism usedand compare modelled CH₄, CO, and O₃ witha dataset of annual surface measurements. The modelled monthly and 24-hour mean tropospheric OH concentrationsrange between 5–22 × 10⁵ moleculescm^–3, indicating an annualaveraged OH concentration of about 10 × 10⁵ moleculescm^–3. This valueis close to the estimated 9.7 ± 0.6 × 10⁵ moleculescm^–3 calculated fromthe reaction of CH₃CCl₃ with OH radicals.Comparison with CH₄ generally shows good agreementbetween model and measurements, except for the site at Barrow where modelledwetland emission in the summer could be a factor 3 too high.For CO, the pronounced seasonality shown in the measurements is generally reproduced by the model; however, the modelled concentrations are lower thanthe measurements. This discrepancy may due to lower the CO emission,especially from biomass burning,used in the model compared with other studies.For O₃, good agreement between the model and measurements is seenat locations which are away from industrial regions. The maximum discrepancies between modelled results and measurementsat tropical and remote marine sites is about 5–10 ppbv,while the discrepancies canexceed 30 ppbv in the industrial regions.Comparisons in rural areas at European and American continental sites arehighly influenced by the local photochemicalproduction, which is difficult to model with a coarse global CTM.The very large variations of O₃ at these locations vary from about15–25 ppbv in Januaryto 55–65 ppbv in July–August. The observed annual O₃amplitude isabout 40 ppbv compared with about 20 ppbv in the model. An overall comparison of modelled O₃ with measurements shows thatthe O₃seasonal surface cycle is generally governed bythe relative importance of two key mechanisms that drivea springtime ozone maximum and asummertime ozone maximum.     

中国科学院珠穆朗玛峰大气与环境综合观测研究站:一个新的研究喜马拉雅山区地气相互作用过程的综合基地

喜马拉雅山区的高海拔冰雪覆盖使主山体两侧形成下泄流,而在强太阳辐射的加热作用下,无冰雪覆盖的周边山体形成山谷风环流.上述两者叠加形成地气间的强烈交换过程.这种交换过程使得地面的物质和能量与北半球自由大气相联系,将青藏高原置于全球变化的背景中.在本文中作者介绍了中国科学院珠穆朗玛峰大气与环境综合观测研究站的建站背景及其研究喜马拉雅山地气相互作用过程中的作用,同时介绍了台站建设及其在该地区地气相互作用研究中所取得的初步研究成果.