Monitoring sea level changes

Future sea level rise arouses concern because of potentially deleterious impacts to coastal regions. These will stem not only from the loss of land through inundation and erosion, but also from increased frequency of storm floods, with a rising base level, even with no change in storm climatology, and from saltwater intrusion and greater amounts of waterlogging. Current sea level trends are important in formulating an accurate baseline for future projections. Sea level, furthermore, is an important parameter which integrates a number of oceanic and atmospheric processes. The ocean surface demonstrates considerable variability on diurnal, seasonal, and interannual time scales, induced by winds, storm waves, coastal upwelling, and geostrophic currents. Secular trends in sea level arise from changes in global mean temperature and also from crustal deformation on local to regional scales. The challenge facing researchers is how best to extract the climate signal from this noise.This paper re-examines recent estimates of sea level rise, discusses causes of variability in the sea level records, and describes methods employed to filter out some of these contaminating signals. Evidence for trends in long-term sea level records and in extreme events is investigated. Application of satellite geodesy to sea level research is briefly reviewed.     

山地对流云并合形成积层混合云的过程分析

本文利用贵阳市气象台2005和2006年5-9月的地面、高空观测和雷达资料等,分析了41次山地对流云并合形成积层混合云的降水过程.研究发现如果分散的多单体对流云若距离较近,则很可能出现大范围地跨接、合并,则有可能形成范围宽广的片状或带状云系,即积层混合云系.云系形成以后在移动的过程中,会将前方不断新生的对流单体合并,从而云系前缘强度增强,云系不断维持.整个系统的生命期往往较分散云团更长,并有可能会形成间歇性或连续性降水.本文分析了山地对流云并合形成积层混合云的一些具体特征.     

On the detection of clouds

Abstract

Short‐ and long‐wave sky radiances measured with an all‐sky automatic recording radiometer are used to infer the sky cloud‐cover conditions at 10‐min intervals (night) and 20‐min intervals (day). During the day a simple net short‐wave detector provides supplementary data and can be employed as a clear‐sky indicator. This system of cloud detection is controlled by a PET microcomputer and provides a basis for the automatic computer programmed estimation of cloud cover.     

Wave clouds over mountains

Main characteristics of the atmosphere disturbances over the mountains are calculated with a nonlinear two-dimensional stationary model of the airstream over mountains depending on the properties of the unperturbed upstream. A spatial humidity distribution over mountains is defined under assumption that water vapor is transported with airstreams like a passive pollutant. The derived humidity fields and calculated temperature distribution are used for determining the spatial relative humidity distribution over mountains. Critical values of the relative humidity in the interval of 70–100% are used for identifying the cloud zone boundaries. The analysis is performed on the cloud zone dependence on vertical distribution of relative humidity in the upstream and on the mountain form characteristics. The studies are conducted with a special reference to a complicated mountain relief in Southern Zagros (Iran).     

云的观测中存在的问题

根据工作实际,指出在地面气象观测工作中观测云时经常存在的问题,并结合实例进行分析,找出了存在问题的原因,强调观测员应当加强学习,不断总结经验,使云的观测符合客观实际,真实地反映大气状况,才能为天气预报、气候研究等提供可靠的依据。     

钟形地形动力抬升和重力波传播与地形云和降水形成关系研究

为更好地理解和认识小尺度地形对降水特性的影响,利用位于云贵高原地区相近的两个国家基准站太华山和昆明站2006—2018年雨季（5—10月）小时降水资料,统计分析了两站降水精细化的时空特征。结果表明,两站的海拔高度差约500 m、站距约5 km,暖季降水量差异不大,但降水的精细特征却存在明显差异,主要表现为：（1）两站的降水量和平均降水强度年际差异不明显,但太华山站多数年份的降水频次远多于昆明站;（2）降水日变化上,太华山站在11—20时的累积降水量要高于昆明站;两站降水频次均具有双峰型特征,但在03—09时和11—17时太华山站的降水频次要明显高于昆明站,00—13时和21—23时昆明站的平均降水强度高于太华山站。（3）两站的降水事件特征不同,太华山站的降水事件次数和累积降水量都明显多于昆明站,主要由持续时间在6 h以上的降水事件贡献。（4）两站降水事件主要为共有降水事件,降水特性差异也主要由共有降水事件造成。太华山站先开始（结束）降水的共有降水事件次数比昆明站多（少）,持续时间（降水频次）比昆明站长（多）,短、长时降水事件的降水量（降水频次）比昆明站大（多）,平均降水持续时间比昆明站多0.36 h。（5）两站单独降水事件占总降水事件的39.9%,太华山站的单独降水事件数是昆明站的1.83倍,而且平均持续时间长于昆明站。

     

Microphysics of clouds at Kleiner Feldberg

During a field measuring campaign at Kleiner Feldberg (Taunus) in 1990, microphysical characteristics of clouds have been measured by Forward Scattering Spectrometer Probes (FSSP). The aim was to study the influence of aerosol and meteorological factors on droplet size and number. The results are: More mass in the accumulation size range of the aerosol leads to more droplets in stratocumulus clouds and to higher soluble masses in droplets of stratus clouds. However, the aerosol distribution was coarser in the stratus clouds compared to the stratocumulus clouds. Within the first 200 m from cloud base, the droplets grow while their number decreases. The growth results in a stable size of about 14 µm diameter over a large distance from cloud base in many stratocumulus clouds. Two types of mixing processes were observed: processes with reductions in the number of droplets (inhomogeneous mixing) and with reductions in the size of the droplets (homogeneous mixing).     

北京局地降水中地形和边界层辐合线的作用

利用常规观测资料、地面加密自动站资料、雷达探测资料与NCEP 1°×1°再分析资料等,对低层偏东气流影响下贵州铜仁梵净山东侧4次强降水天气过程进行了分析,重点探讨了在低层偏东气流与地形共同作用下的强降水形成机制,并归纳低层偏东气流影响下的梵净山东侧强降水概念模型。结果表明：（1）高空槽、低层切变线、地面中尺度辐合线是影响梵净山东侧强降水的主要天气系统;（2）低层浅薄偏东气流对梵净山东侧强降水起着关键作用,当低空气流u分量随高度减小时,地形迎风坡气流辐合上升,而气流v分量随高度增加时,地形迎风坡会产生与山脉垂直的水平涡管,在地形抬升作用下涡管向上凸起形成两个涡管环流圈,涡度垂直分量使山脚附近上升气流加强而有利于山脚产生强降水;（3）梵净山东侧强降水区的形成存在三种机制,即迎风坡山脚多次触发对流形成雨量叠加效应、地面中尺度辐合线自身触发组织对流、回波沿地面中尺度辐合线东移形成“列车效应”,三种机制产生的降水带与地面中尺度辐合线走向一致。

     

The role of clouds in tropospheric photochemistry

We show that photochemical processes in the lower half of the troposphere are strongly affected by the presence of liquid water clouds. Especially CH₂O, an important intermediate of CH₄ (and of other hydrocarbon) oxidation, is subject to enhanced breakdown in the aqueous phase. This reduces the formation of HO _x -radicals via photodissociation of CH₂O in the gas phase. In the droplets, the hydrated form of CH₂O, its oxidation product HCO₂ ^–, and H₂O₂ recycle O₂ ^– radicals which, in turn, react with ozone. We show that the latter reaction is a significant sink for O₃. Further O₃ concentrations are reduced as a result of decreased formation of O₃ during periods with clouds. Additionally, NO _x , which acts as a catalyst in the photochemical formation of O₃, is depleted by clouds during the night via scavenging of N₂O₅. This significantly reduces NO _x -concentrations during subsequent daylight hours, so that less NO _x is available for O₃ production. Clouds thus directly reduce the concentrations of O₃, CH₂O, NO _x , and HO _x . Indirectly, this also affects the budgets of other trace gases, such as H₂O₂, CO, and H₂.     

基于CloudSat资料对中国低纬度陆地区域卷云物理特征的研究

利用2008年9月—2016年8月的CloudSat卫星资料对发生在我国低纬度陆地区域(5°～36.5°N, 78°～124°E)的卷云物理特征进行统计分析,并分别讨论东部沿海、中部、西部3个子区域的卷云物理特征的季节变化。结果表明：卷云的整层发生率西部地区整体低于中部与东部沿海地区。3个子区域整层发生率均在夏季最高、冬季最低。卷云的主要发生高度在5.04～18.71 km,垂直分布中卷云发生率的最大值出现在春季中部地区,为15.34%,高度为9.83 km。冰水路径最大值出现在夏季的东部沿海,液水路径最大值在秋季的西部地区。冰水含量、冰粒数浓度、冰粒有效半径的主要分布高度与卷云的发生高度一致,液水含量、液滴数浓度、液滴有效半径的主要分布高度在5.04～9.35 km。3个子区域卷云冰水含量、冰粒数浓度、冰粒有效半径垂直分布中大多集中在中上部;液水含量垂直分布主要集中在分布高度的中下部。四季卷云雷达反射率因子的最大值在-19.89～-16.78 dBZ,分布高度在7.19～10.55 km。     

Computer modelling of clouds at Kleiner Feldberg

The airflow, cloud microphysics and gas- and aqueous-phase chemistry on Kleiner Feldberg have been modelled for the case study of the evening of 1 November 1990, in order to calculate parameters that are not easily measured in the cloud and thus to aid the interpretation of the GCE experimental data-set. An airflow model has been used to produce the updraught over complex terrain for the cloud model, with some care required to ensure realistic modelling of the strong stable stratification of the atmosphere. An extensive set of measurements has been made self-consistent and used to calculate gas and aerosol input parameters for the model. A typical run of the cloud model has calculated a peak supersaturation of 0.55% which occurs about 20 s after entering cloud where the updraught is 0.6 m s^–1. This figure has been used to calculate the efficiency with which aerosol particles were scavenged; it is higher than that calculated by other methods, and produces a cloud with slightly too many droplets. A broad cloud droplet size spectrum has been produced by varying the model inputs to simulate turbulent mixing and fluctuations in cloud parameters in space and time, and the ability of mixing processes near cloud-base to produce a lower peak supersaturation is discussed. The scavenging of soluble gases by cloud droplets has been observed and departures from Henry's Law in bulk cloud-water samples seen to be caused by variation of pH across the droplet spectrum and the inability of diffusion to adjust initial distributions of highly soluble substances across the spectrum in the time available. Aqueous-phase chemistry has been found to play a minor role in the cloud as modelled, but circumstances in which these processes would be more important are identified.     

Radiation transfer in finite cylindrical clouds

Summary An analytical method is developed for determining radiation transport in finite cylindrical clouds. The cylindrical form is taken as the idealized shape of cumulus clouds. In the shortwave part of the spectrum illumination by the direct solar beam is considered. In the infrared the cloud's emission as well as the radiation emitted by an underlying ground is taken into account. Numerical computations are carried out to illustrate the applicability of the technique developed in the present study. For a cloud in an absorbing midlatitude summer atmosphere results are shown for the shortwave region including spectral integration. Cloud transmission and albedo are presented as a function of solar zenith angle and as a function of the cloud's dimensions. The results are in agreement with published results from Monte Carlo calculations as far as a comparison is possible. Vertical profiles of the solar heating rate in the cylindrical cloud indicate the effect of the cloud's finite dimensions. Similarity as well as differences are found from comparison with results obtained for a cuboidal cloud from a finite analytical model that was tested successfully against Monte Carlo calculations.With 5 Figures     

水云的长波光学性质参数化

在研究水云的微物理性质与光学性质关系的基础上，提出了三种用于长波区域窄带和宽带水云光学性质计算的参数化方案，研究了应用不同的水云光学性质参数化方案和不同的宽带数目对云辐射性质的影响。分析了云滴的散射作用对有云大气中长波辐射通量和冷却率的影响。     

The scavenging of nitrate by clouds and precipitation

A model with spectral microphysics was developed to describe the scavenging of nitrate aerosol particles and HNO₃ gas. This model was incorporated into the dynamic framework of an entraining air parcel model with which we computed the uptake of nitrate by cloud drops whose size distribution changes with time because of condensation, collision-coalescence and break-up. Significant differences were found between the scavenging behavior of nitrate and our former results on the scavenging behavior of sulfate. These reflect the following chemical and microphysical differences between the two systems:

1. nitrate particles occur in a larger size range than sulfate particles.
2. HNO₃ has a much greater solubility than SO₂ and is taken up irreversibly inside the drops in contrast to SO₂.
3. nitric acid in the cloud water is formed directly on uptake of HNO₃ gas whereas on uptake of SO₂ sulfuric acid is formed only after the reaction with oxidizing agents such as e.g., H₂O₂ or O₃.
4. nitrate resulting from uptake of HNO₃ is confined mainly to small drops, whereas sulfate resulting from uptake of SO₂ is most concentrated in the largest, oldest drops, which have had the greatest time for reaction.

Sensitivity studies showed that the nitrate concentration of small drops is significantly affected by the mass accommodation coefficient.     

Large aerosol particles in cirrus type clouds

Research flights in November 1990 over the central parts of the United States, Wyoming and Colorado, were aimed to the investigation of the properties and microstructure of cirrus clouds (mainly cirrocumulus lenticularis). Among the other parameters measured on board the NCAR Saberliner were the concentration and size distribution of submicron particles and, in some cases, the particle deliquescence. For coarse insoluble particles found inside and outside of cloud elements, size distributions and morphology information were obtained by evaluating inertial impactor samples with an optical microscope and scanning electron microscope. In addition, the coarse particle composition was determined by x-ray energy spectrum analysis. The following conclusions from these measurements are:The large and coarse particle size distribution can be roughly simulated by a log-normal function with the modus around r=0.5 μm. Particle concentrations are very variable between several tenths and several particles per cm³. Particle volume distribution features a distinct maximum around 0.75 μm without a broad plateau which was observed in the case of sampling at lower altitude. Aerosol composition heterogeneity at cirrus cloud level is well documented by the evaluation of the fine particle sampling taken with the UMR sampling system. This heterogeneity can be partly explained by the interaction between aerosol and cloud elements, which is documented by the measured particle size distribution curves inside and outside of cloud elements. Assuming that particle deliquescence is caused by H₂SO₄ and/or by (NH₄)₂SO₄, particle soluble mass fractions were found to be around 30% in the first case and about 40% in the second. The most frequently occurring elements in large and coarse particles at cirrus cloud level were Si, Cl, Ba, S, Ca and C.