Water vapour transport and vergence patterns over India during two contrasting summer monsoons

Summary Using the daily upper air data of 00 GMT, the values of precipitable water, mean and eddy transport of moisture and the vergence patterns over the Indian sub-continent were evaluated for two contrasting summer monsoon seasons, 1966 and 1967. The precipitable water did not change markedly between the strong and weak monsoons. But there was a marked decrease in the zonal transport, up to 70%, in certain regions in the weak monsoon. In the strong monsoon, the meridional transport increased by a factor of 2 in certain regions and the vergence patterns also strengthened likewise in certain other regions.     

Precipitable water and dew point temperature relationship during the Indian summer monsoon

Two years of contrasting monsoon rainfall over the Indian subcontinent are studied with reference to (a) total precipitable water and precipitation efficiencies during the respective years and (b) the correlation between the dew point temperature at a particular level and the total precipitable water. It is found that the maximum correlation occurs between the dew point temperature at the 850 mb level and the total precipitable water at an individual station. The precipitation efficiencies are less during the year of bad monsoon. A linear regression equation is attempted between the total precipitable water and dew point temperature.     

A preliminary study of precipitable water over Brazil

A preliminary study of precipitable water over Brazil is attempted. Mean values for January are presented in this paper. A regression equation connecting the surface dew-point temperature and the precipitable water was computed along the lines of studies made by Reitan (1963), and the results are presented.     

Spatiotemporal variability of alpine precipitable water over arid northwestern China

For a better understanding of the precipitable water in the arid northwestern China (NWC), we surveyed the water vapour variability on both sides of the alpine range crests based on the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission monthly precipitation data (TRMM 3B43). There were 12 target zones and 23 subzones in six mountain systems representatively selected according to alpine hydrogeomorphology. They were used for comparative analyses in time and space. Comparisons between the two sides of the range crests revealed that there is more precipitable water on the south slopes of the Qilian, Altun, Kunlun, and Altai Mountains, on the north slope of the Tian Mountains, and on the east slope of Helan Mountains. High correlations were detected between precipitable water for both sides of the range crests in target zones, while low correlations were found among precipitable water separately averaged in the Kunlun, Tian, and Qilian Mountains including both sides of the range crests. The proportion of precipitable water during the rainy season gradually increased from west to east along the mountains. Temporally, precipitation presented synchronous increases or decreases on the two sides of the range crests in most of the target zones during the time period from 1998 to 2016, and an overall increase in alpine annual precipitable water was found in the area, except for the decrease in the Altun and western Tian Mountains. The summer decay dominated the decrease in these two target zones, while strengthened conveyance was observed in other seasons, especially in spring and autumn, which compensated for, and led to, total increases in precipitable water in most of the target zones. All of the above findings were indicative of differences in vapour transport from outside areas into diverse alpine systems in the arid NWC, which could be schematically evidenced by the spatial patterns of monthly and annual water vapour conveyance retrieved from the TRMM precipitation data.     

Studies on precipitable water over tropical stations in relation to monsoon flow

Summary The mean monthly precipitable water at four tropical stations Madras (13°00N, 80°11E), Waltair (17°42N, 83°18E), Bombay (18°54N, 72°49E) and Nagpur (21°06N, 79°03E) are evaluated for the layer surface to 500 mb (0–5.4 km) of the atmosphere using radiosonde data available for seven years period (1959–1965). The mean monthly precipitable water for the above four stations is also estimated from dew point temperature.The precipitable water in the air column at any station is examined in relation to monsoon flow. The higher values of precipitable water are found to occur over the regions when there is good supply of moisture by the monsoon flow as well as low level convergence. These studies are believed to provide useful information in forecasting the monsoon circulation over the country.     

利用风云三号微波成像仪资料遥感“桑达”台风降雨云结构

本文利用搭载于我国风云三号B星上的微波成像仪(MWRI)观测亮温数据,结合戈达德廓线反演算法,对1102号"桑达"台风地面雨强和降雨云结构进行反演试验.利用AMSR-E业务降水产品对地面雨强反演结果进行了检验,结果表明,MWRI和AMSR-E反演的地面雨强在空间分布上非常吻合,相关性达76%,均方根误差约2.8 mm/h,二者的观测亮温及地面雨强反演结果具有较好的一致性.提取洋面台风雨区的平均水凝物廓线,其垂直结构显示,雨水和可降冰含量丰富,随高度变化明显,且具有明显峰值高度,云水和云冰含量则较少,且随高度变化不明显;当降水增强时,雨水和可降冰各层含量稳定增加,且峰值高度基本保持不变,云水和云冰含量则增幅不稳,且峰值高度有所改变.地面雨强随距台风中心距离的变化阐释了台风的螺旋结构及降水特点,距台风中心距离0.3°和0.6°附近分别出现了地面雨强峰值和次峰值,且66%的降水集中在距台风中心距离1°的空间范围内.MWRI提供的台风地面雨强和降雨云垂直信息具有较高的可信度,对于我们监测台风降水、分析台风降水结构的时空演变特征以及数值预报模式应用等具有重要的参考价值.     

Correlation of precipitable water vapour values over the United States with physical and chemical parameters Part I: Seasonal trends with precipitation and its nitrate content. Geographic changes of nitrate

Summary The analysis ofReitan's data on precipitable water vapour in the atmosphere, and data ofJunge on the nitrate content of precipitation, is extended onto a seasonal basis. Computations indicate consistency between precipitable water vapour, precipitation and its nitrate content, within a semiemprical law proposed, and especially for the warmer trimestres of the period July 1956–June 1957. A simple expression correlating the atmospheric content of precipitable water vapour over stations situated between sea level and 580 ft of altitude, with temperature, is suggested and tested. Increasing trends of atmospheric nitrate with latitude are established for all seasons of the period examined.Contribution of the Centro Nucleazione Aerosoli of the National Research Council of Italy, Via Vettore 4 (Monte Sacro),Rome.     

Pole-to-pole moisture conditions for the IGY

Summary A study of the mean atmospheric humidity conditions on a planetary scale during the IGY covering the calendar year 1958 is presented. The fields of mean precipitable water content and of the zonal and meridional transports of water vapor are analyzed for the entire globe. Zonally averaged values of the various quantities at several levels are presented in tabular form and compared whenever possible with previous results or indirectly are analyzed on the basis of information obtained from different sources. The structure of these fields is studied and the corresponding implications for the general circulations of the atmosphere are discussed. Finally the zonal water balance for all the globe is discussed and its implications analyzed.     

热带对流热量与水汽收支的数值模拟研究

应用二维云分辨模式,数值研究了热带地区的对流活动,并诊断了热量和水汽的收支,发现在垂直温度平流和凝结潜热释放之间、垂直水汽平流和降水之间都维持着大体平衡,推断出质量加权平均温度及可降水分的局地变化分别由热量及水汽方程中的剩余项决定.机制研究表明,深对流与浅对流在热量及水汽循环中存在较大差异,深对流中水汽的凝结及潜热释放起着主导作用,而大尺度垂直平流的加湿和冷却在浅对流中发挥主导作用.最后讨论了对流触发后热量及水汽循环的调整机制.     

A global empirical model for mapping zenith wet delays onto precipitable water vapor using GGOS Atmosphere data

The importance of water vapor in research of global climate change and weather forecast cannot be over emphasized; therefore substantial efforts have been made in exploring the optimal methods to measure water vapor. It is well-established that with a conversion factor, zenith wet delays can be mapped onto precipitable water vapor(PWV). However, the determination of the exact conversion factor depends heavily on the accurate calculation of a key variable, weighted mean temperature of the troposphere(T_m). As a critical parameter in Global Positioning System(GPS) meteorology, T_m has recently been modeled into a global grid known as GWMT. The GWMT_model only requires the location and the day of year to calculate T_m. Despite the advantages that the GWMT_model offers, anomalies still exist in oceanic areas due to low sampling resolution. In this study, we refine the GWMT_model by incorporating the global T_m grid from Global Geodetic Observing System(GGOS) and obtain an improved model, GWMT-G. The results indicate that the GWMT-G model successfully addresses the anomaly in oceanic areas in the GWMT_model and significantly improves the accuracy of T_m in other regions.     

Correlation of precipitable water vapour values over the united states with physical and chemical parameters. Part III: Annual and seasonal trends,a further approximation

Summary Deviations from a law previously established, which correlates the precipitable water vapour values in a vertical column of air over a measuring station with the latter's temperature and altitude, are reduced by multiple regression analysis, and implications are discussed.Contribution of the «Centro Nucleazione Aerosoli» of the National Research Council of Italy, Via Vettore 4 (Monte Sacro)Roma.     

On the evaluation of solar radiation in Egypt

Summary A study of the depletion of solar radiation at Helwan Observatory has shown, for Egypt, that:a) Diffuse reflexion and absorption by suspended particles in the atmosphere constitute about 20 percent of the total depletion;b) Absorption by water vapour is the only factor that should be evaluated at any place to give an estimation of the solar radiation received at that place. This can be obtained either from the mean values of the surface water vapour pressure which have been considered in detail, or, for individual cases, from spectroscopic measurements of the precipitable water content whose daily variations have been studied.     

Precipitable water conversion rates over the Qinghai‐Xizang (Tibet) Plateau: changing characteristics with global warming

In this article, the trends and variability of precipitation and precipitable water (PW) over the Qinghai‐Xizang (Tibet) Plateau (QXP) (1970–2009) were analysed by using ERA‐40 (The European Center for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) 40 years Re‐analysis) and NCEP (The National Centers for Environmental Prediction)/NCAR reanalyses data and the ground observed precipitation data from 60 sites. The results showed that the precipitation over the QXP had an overall increasing trend; however, a slight decreasing trend was observed over the southeast. This decreasing precipitation trend might be related to the South Asia monsoon degradation. Since 1970, a decreasing PW trend has occurred over the QXP in which the southeast is the most significant region. Because of the rising temperatures in the QXP, a remarkable PW conversion rate (PWCR) increase of 0.87% per decade has occurred over the past 40 years. Because of its steep terrain, the PWCR in the middle eastern region of the QXP increased faster than that of the other regions. The mean PWCR in the wet southern region of the QXP was higher than that of the dry northern region, which was higher in the winter than that in the summer. Although much precipitation occurred in the summer, in the wet regions, the PWCR was higher in the winter than in the summer. The PWCR peak in the wet and dry regions occurred during the precipitation‐short and precipitation‐sufficient seasons, respectively. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Minimum precipitable water in the atmosphere above Skibotn,Northern Norway

For the site of the astronomical observatory operated by The University of Tromsø in Skibotn, Northern Norway, the distribution of very small amounts of atmospheric water vapour is estimated from aerological data. For 5 winter months through a period of 11 years, during at least 6 per cent of the time, the precipitable water is likely not to exceed 3.0 mm, i.e. observations at wavelengths as long as 25 and a little short of 1 mm are possible. For a mountain site at 1250 m altitude, the corresponding amount is estimated to be 1.8 mm. The small amounts considered, were observed in the subsidence of tropospheric ridges. The Skibotn site is compared with other sites for infrared measurements in the Subtropics and in the Arctic.     

Correlation of atmospheric occurences over the United States with some physical and chemical parameters. Part I: Frequences of thunderstorms

Summary A multiple regression analysis has been carried out to obtain some approximate insight into conditions which might favour the occurence of thunderstorms, in terms of certain parameters measured on the ground. It is thought that annual thunderstorm frequencies may largely depend on local temperature parameters and deviations of precipitable water vapour from equilibrium values.Contribution of the «Centro Nucleazione Aerosoli» of the National Research Council of Italy, Via Vettore 4 (Monte Sacro),Roma.     

Solar forcing on antarctic terrestrial climate: A study by means of GPS observations

With a view to difficulties with explaining the physical mechanism of solar forcing on the Earth’s climate, we applied a new approach of determining and quantifying an influence of solar-related events on water vapor variability by correlating the total electron content (TEC) and precipitable water vapor (PWV), both derived from ground-based GPS observations. In this study, ionospheric TEC and atmospheric PWV values are employed as solar activity and terrestrial climate parameters, respectively. Three-year GPS data at five stations in Antarctica are analyzed on a daily mean basis. Results show significant correlation between TEC and PWV differences during storms-affected days. The high correlation between the daily mean values of TEC and PWV, both of which follow the seasonal signals and subsisting downward trend, suggests an influence of solar activity on climate variability in Antarctica. These quantities are determined by changes of the upper-atmosphere level, which varies in conformity with the zenith angle of the Sun.     

Interannual variability of precipitable water

The 12-month running means of the surface-to-500 mb precipitable water obtained from analysis of radiosonde data at seven selected locations showed three types of variability viz: (1) quasi-biennial oscillations; these were different in nature at different latitudes and also different from the QBO of the stratospheric tropical zonal winds; (2) decadal effects; these were prominent at middle and high latitudes and (3) linear trends; these were prominent at low latitudes, up trends in the Northern Hemisphere and downtrends in the Southern Hemisphere.     

Correlation of atmospheric occurences over the United States with some physical and chemical parameters. Part III: Frequencies of precipitation

Summary Correlation between some physical and chemical variables, measured at 28 stations of the United States Weather Bureau Network, and seasonal and annual frequencies of precipitation, has been attempted with the aim of gaining insight into the bearing of such variables, on occurrence of precipitation. — Concurrent trends of frequencies with local temperature functions, altitude parameters, precipitable water vapour increments, and some chemical species have been found.Contribution of the «Centro Nucleazione Aerosoli» of the National Research Council of Italy, Via Vettore 4 (Monte Sacro),Roma.     

Correlation of precipitable water vapour values over the United States with physical and chemical parameters Part II: Seasonal trends with physical variables

Summary Reitan's data on precipitable water vapour over about 45 stations of the U.S.W.B. network are correlated with altitude and average station temperature values. Computations are carried out following a simple proposed model which is found to be obeyed with reasonably good approximation on average monthly and seasonal scales.Contribution of the Centro-Nucleazione Aerosoli of the National Research Council of Italy,Rome, Via Vettore 4.     

A case study of relationship between GPS PWV and solar variability during the declining phase of solar cycle 23

Water vapor plays an important role in the global climate system. A clear relationship between water vapor and solar activity can explain some physical mechanisms of how solar activity influences terrestrial weather/climate changes. To gain insight of this possible relationship, the atmospheric precipitable water vapor (PWV) as the terrestrial climate response was observed by ground-based GPS receivers over the Antarctic stations. The PWV changes analyzed for the period from 2003 to 2008 coincided with the declining phase of solar cycle 23 exhibited following the solar variability trend. Their relationship showed moderate to strong correlation with 0.45 < R ² < 0.93 (p < 0.01), on a monthly basis. This possible relationship suggests that when the solar-coupled geomagnetic activity is stronger, the Earth’s surface will be warmer, as indicated by electrical connection between ionosphere and troposphere.