Investigations of the development of thunderstorm with hail. Part 1. Cloud development and formation of electric discharges

The results of synchronous radar, radiometric, and lightning-detection measurements are analyzed to reveal interrelations between the parameters of electric discharges and the parameters of cumulonimbus clouds developing in the North Caucasus. The dependences of electric activity of the cloud on radar parameiers as well as on the parameiers reirieved from Meteosat SEVIRI radiometer measurements are considered. Electric discharges (intracloud discharges and lightnings) were registered for 1 hour 40 minutes (the maximum frequency was equal to 448 discharges per minute). The relation ships are identified that connect the parameters of electric discharges with the precipitation rate and with the field of cloud top temperaiure. It was found that the frequency of eleciric discharges increases as the precipitation rate increases. The maximum frequency is reached at the precipitation rate equal to 70 mm/hour. Normalized autocorrelation functions ofthe field ofcloud top temperature retrieved from the satellite data are constructed. The high correlation is revealed between the scale of inhomogeneity of the field of cloud top temperature and the frequency of electrical discharges.     

Investigations of the development of thunderstorm with hail. Part 2. Analysis of methods for the forecast and diagnosis of the electrical properties of clouds

The results of observation of the development of a high-depth thunder-hail storm is presented. The measurements were carried out with the MRL-5 weather radar and LS8000 lightning detection system. The electrical parameters of the investigated cloud obtained with LS8000 as well as their relations to radar-derived cloud characteristics and to the indirect criteria of electrical conditions computed on their basis are analyzed. The possibility to forecast thunderstorm based on different thermodynamic criteria is investigated. The high correlation was revealed between the total lightning current in the LF range and the lightning flash rate in the LF and VHF ranges. The total charge transferred by negative lightnings from this cloud to the ground is equal to 387 C; the average value of charge per one lightning is 0.44 C. Regression equations linking the radar criteria of lightnings and the lightning flash rate are presented.     

云凝结核浓度对南京地区一次冰雹云过程影响的数值研究

采用WRF模式与包含了云凝结核(Cloud Condensation Nuclei,CCN)浓度和霰雹密度预报的NSSL(National Severe Storm Laboratory,国家强风暴实验室)微物理方案,模拟不同CCN初始浓度条件下南京地区的一次冰雹云过程,分析不同CCN初始浓度影响下冰雹云过程的宏微观演变特征,以及对流发展不同阶段的水凝物粒子及流场、温度场的垂直分布特征。研究发现:1)较大的CCN初始浓度虽然抑制了前期对流降水,但对后期对流降水的产生有促进作用;2)CCN初始浓度的增加使得模拟雷达回波的强回波区域(大于40 dBz)缩小,中等强度区域(小于40 dBz)扩张。3)CCN初始浓度增大不利于对流发展初期云雨自动转化过程的发生,但是促进了冰晶与雪的产生,使得冰雹含量峰值出现的时间推迟。4)CCN浓度增大抑制了雨水产生,间接使得霰粒子更倾向于干增长,平均密度更小;5)较大的CCN浓度促使冰雹云单体的发展时间增长。     

Numerical simulation of a low-precipitation supercell thunderstorm

Summary Numerical simulations of thunderstorms using initial conditions from an Oklahoma storm event on 26 April 1984 have been carried out using the Klemp-Wilhelmson cloud model. Two thermodynamic and two horizontal wind profiles are mixed to create four initial storm environments. The two initial thermodynamic profiles are designated as moderately and highly unstable. Both hodographs have considerable vertical wind shear, with the extremely unstable profile having substantially stronger storm-relative curvature shear in the lowest few kilometers, as measured by the helicity of the environment. Storms are initialized with two different temperature-perturbation warm bubbles. A variety of storms, qualitatively covering the range observed on this day, are simulated. With a strongly sheared, moderate instability environment, the two different temperature-perturbation simulations differ qualitatively, unlike the other pairs of simulations.Of particular interest is the simulation carried out with the weaker temperature-perturbation. It displays many of the characteristics of observed low-precipitation (LP) supercell storms. Without artificially suppressing rainfall, this storm produces very little precipitation over the first 6000 s of its lifetime. During this time, there is no strong downdraft at the lowest model level and vorticity at that level is much less than the values aloft. We hypothesize that LP storms can be generated by smaller initial impulses than classic supercells in environments typically associated with a supercell storm, as speculated by Bluestein and Parks (1983), since they are more susceptible to turbulent entrainment in highly sheared environments.With 15 Figures     

Electrization and spatial charge separation at the air bubbles exhalation that occurs during the coagulation growth of hail particles in a cloud. Part 2. Generation of thunderstorm electricity due to the charged bubbles exhalation caused by freezing of overcooled cloud drops on the hail particles surface

It has been found that air bubbles, which exhale during freezing of overcooled cloud drops on the hail or graupel particles surface, carry away a great amount of positive charge to the surrounding space while the compensating negative charge remains on the solid particles of hydrometeors. This conception was used for computation of rates of charge accumulation on the hail particles and generation of thunderstorm electricity in deep convective clouds. It is shown that this conception describes the most powerful mechanism of thunderstorm electricity generation and satisfies all the requirements for the theory of thunderstorm electricity.     

Numerical simulation of Cb cloud vorticity

Vertical vorticity characteristics within individual cumulonimbus (Cb) cloud moving over complex terrain are investigated by cloud-resolving mesoscale model. Orography impact on vorticity is recognized by comparison of its characteristics within the storm moving over flat terrain under the same other conditions. In present study, two cases are considered: complex terrain case (referred to as CT case) and flat terrain case (referred to as FT case). A sensitivity study shows that orographical effects on vorticity are important. Main findings are:

– For CT case vortices produced by convective tilting of horizontal vortices are closer to each other and more stretched in form owing to valley configuration. The vortex with positive vorticity is mainly stronger in magnitude compared to its negative counterpart.

– Magnitudes of vorticities for CT case are greater at lowest levels and initial time intervals compared to those for FT case.

– For CT case the vortices with opposite signs of vorticity produced by precipitation appear later than in FT case. Their duration is shorter and they are weaker in intensity compared to those formed within a cloud over flat terrain.

– Complex terrain intensifies the splitting of simulated cloud.

一次伴有雷暴大风的飑线天气过程分析及数值模拟研究

利用NCEP/NCAR(1°×1°)的逐6 h再分析资料、WRF中尺度预报模式,对2014年7月30—31日发生在江淮地区的一次强飑线天气过程进天气学分析和数值模拟研究。研究结果表明,此次飑线过程是在高空槽后有强冷空气输送、中层阶梯槽引导干冷空气南下并叠加在低层暖湿气流之上的有利背景条件下产生的,低空切变线是此次飑线过程的重要触发机制。在飑线成熟阶段,气流下沉速度极大值区在高(低)层与霰(雨水)混合比极大值区有很好的对应关系,水凝物粒子下落时对周围空气的拖曳作用是下沉气流形成的关键。雨水蒸发率影响飑线维持期间地面冷池的强度和分布,雨水蒸发率越大,地面冷池强度越强、范围越广;雨水蒸发率越小,地面冷池越弱,甚至消失。雨水蒸发率与地面风速也有很好的正相关性,增大雨水蒸发率可使地面风速增大,使模拟的地面最大风速更接近实况。     

长春地区雷暴云起电活动的数值模拟研究

利用三维强风暴动力-电藕合数值模式,并结合观测资料分析了长春地区一例雷暴云第一次闪电前云内电场的发展情况及微物理变化过程。结果表明：云发展成熟时,云中电荷呈三极性分布,主负电荷区稳定在-10℃层附近,次正电荷区浓度较大;闪电频数与云发展的高度及回波强度有关。     

盐粉催化积云降水的数值模拟

本文利用二维直角坐标非定常积云降水模式模拟播撒盐粉催化降水过程.播撒是在云中一个网格点中一次引入盐粉,盐粉进云后碰并云滴长大并随云中气流移动和沉降.在计算盐粉成雨的同时还计算自然成雨. 计算结果表明,在合适条件下,盐粉催化后约半小时可出现增雨,增加雨量为10％—50％,它是播撒量的几千倍.盐粉直径小的降雨效率高,但在云中生长时间长,一般采用几十微米至一百微米直径的盐粉为宜.     

Giant thunderstorm cloud at the Far East of Russia

The process of the development of the giant thunderstorm cloud of 500 × 700-km size at the Far East of Russia is considered. Its formation is explained by the intensification of the electromagnetic radiation from Earth’s crust fractures before the earthquake in Amur region.     

雷暴云宏观特性对其电过程影响的数值模拟研究

利用一维雷暴云起电放电模式,初步模拟了STEPS(夏季雷暴降水与闪电研究计划)一次雷暴个例的一些基本电学特性。模拟的电荷结构为:雷暴云上部为正电荷,下部为负电荷,即符合典型雷暴云的偶极性电场分布特征,放电层电场随时间变化规律呈锯齿状分布。在此基础上,对云底高度和温度垂直递减率进行了敏感性试验,研究这两种因子对雷暴电过程的影响。结果表明:当云底高度降低时,放电高度升高,闪电频数增加,首次放电时间随之提前,即放电过程变强。温度垂直递减率增大,闪电频数降低,首次放电时间随之延后,正负电荷的分布范围减小。     

Numerical simulation of plume-advection over a hill with coupled models. Part I: Numerical solution of the transport-equation

Summary Four numerical methods suitable for the calculation of transport are compared on a linear two-dimensional advection equation. It is found that a mass-compensation algorithm which removes negative values has also a beneficial effect on the accuracy of schemes which are of higher order but are not positive. It is shown by numerical experiments, that the upstream spline advection scheme combined with a mass compensation is prefereable for some applications rather than other high accurate positive schemes like the flux-corrected transport scheme.With 3 Figures     

风沙流中风速廓线的数值模拟与实验验证

如何描述风沙流中被风沙运动改变了的风速廓线是风沙相互作用研究中的关键问题之一.该文中将跃移风沙流视为一种颗粒拟流体,将跃移颗粒对气流产生的阻力用颗粒流的阻力系数来表达,建立了描写两场相互作用的数学模型.颗粒流的阻力系数采用了前人在液态流化床研究中得出的阻力系数表达形式,通过引入一个修正系数,使其适用于风沙流(气-固两相流).将风沙边界层划分为跃移颗粒所产生的阻力不可忽略的内边界层和跃移颗粒阻力可以忽略但受内边界层影响的外边界层,分别建立了内边界层和外边界层的风速廓线表达式.应用所建立的数学模型,根据由风洞实验测定的跃移风沙流的浓度分布和速度分布资料,计算了跃移风沙流中的风速廓线,并与风洞实测结果进行了对比.结果表明,计算风速廓线与实测风速廓线吻合得比较好,在半对数图上均为上凸的曲线,有别于无风沙运动时的直线.跃移边界层外风速分布可较好地用对数函数来描述.对风沙流中风速廓线的进一步分析证实了风沙物理学奠基人Bagnold在其早期观测风沙流中的风速廓线时提出的"结点现象"(Bagnold结),该结点的高度随风速的增大而升高,随颗粒粒径的增大而降低.根据数值模拟和模拟实验,可以认为有风沙运动的动床剪切风速是综合反映风场与跃移层以及地表之间相互作用的物理量.     

2010年6月18日苏北一次强降雹过程及其催化数值模拟

结合实况资料,应用三维对流云模式,对2010年6月18日苏北地区一次持续时间长达5h的强降雹过程进行数值模拟研究.结果表明,模式模拟出了雹云的3次涌升、降雹过程及雷达回波特征.冰雹来自霰的转化,主要靠碰冻过冷云水和雨水增长.催化试验表明,地面降雹刚形成或降雹强度刚增强时,在过冷雨水中心区播撒AgI,减雹效果显著,最大减雹量可达21.1％;催化后,霰的数量增加、尺度减小,导致霰向雹的自动转化减少,且大量小尺度霰成为雹胚后,争食云水,增长受阻.     

Numerical simulation of plume-advection over a hill with coupled models. Part II: Results

Summary Two-dimensional simulations of plume advection over a hill are presented. The calculations are carried out in two steps. In a first step the flow is calculated by a mesoscale-model. This model solves the equations of motions in a cartesian grid. In a second step, the transport equation is solved using the calculated flow-parameters of the mesoscale model. The numerical formulation of the transport-equation was presented in Part I. This calculation is performed in a coordinatetransformed grid. The merit of this combination is discussed in the paper.With 11 Figures     

Numerical simulation of the structure and evolution of a polar mesocyclone over the Kara Sea. Part 1. Model validation and estimation of instability mechanisms

Numerical experiments based on the WRF model were conducted to analyze the structure and evolution of the polar mesoscale cyclone developed over the Kara Sea on September 29-30, 2008. It was found that baroclinic instability in the lower troposphere and convective instability (including that due to the wind-induced surface heat exchange) did not play a significant role. Significant contribution was made by the downward advection of potential vorticity from the upper troposphere and by the conditional instability of second kind. It is demonstrated that if water phase transitions are not taken into account, the mesocyclone intensity is reduced by 7-20% and the time of its development increases by 4 hours. The advection of potential vorticity was not the only process causing the intensification of the lower potential vorticity anomaly associated with cyclonic circulation.     

基于高分辨率中尺度气象模式的实际雷暴过程的数值模拟试验

雷暴数值预报的实际应用离我们还有多远？本文对此进行了尝试, 即利用一个复杂的高分辨率中尺度气象模式驱动一个三维雷电模式, 在只采用常规气象观测资料的条件下, 对北京的一次实际雷暴过程进行模拟试验, 分析了雷暴云的宏观动力、 微物理过程及电结构的时空变化特征以及其可能的相互作用机制。结果表明: 利用高分辨中尺度模式预报出的三维气象场作为雷电模式的初始场, 完全可以不需添加虚假的扰动来触发雷暴云的发展, 高分辨中尺度模式的预报场本身所包含的水平非均匀、 垂直强非静力性及较强的对流不稳定信息足够促发雷暴云的剧烈发展; 用较为真实的三维气象场作为初始场模拟产生的电场分布特征与云微物理分布特征及环境气象要素的分布结构非常协调, 得到的雷暴云的电荷结构特征以及电结构随时间的演变特征更为复杂, 更真实的体现了实际雷暴云本身发展的复杂性, 同时, 模式能够模拟出合理的云闪及正负云地闪, 且模拟的闪电频数随时间发展演变趋势基本与观测实况基本吻合, 从而表现了对雷电天气潜在的预报能力。本次模拟的北京雷暴云在发展过程中, 水物质霰的最大质量比、 最大正电场强度及闪电频数随模拟时间的演变发展趋势非常相似。     

Sensitivity study of the influence of cloud droplet concentration on hail suppression effectiveness

A cloud-resolving mesoscale model with a two-moment microphysical scheme has been used. The software package for cloud seeding and two categories of precipitation elements (graupel and frozen raindrops) are incorporated in the model. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of cloud droplet concentration on hail suppression effectiveness. The concentration level of cloud droplets is prescribed in the model. We performed sensitivity tests of precipitation amounts (rain and hail) on the cloud droplet concentration in unseeded and seeded cases. We demonstrated for the unseeded case that increasing the concentration of cloud droplets created a reduction in rain accumulation, while the amount of hail accumulation increased. It is necessary to understand whether natural diversity in the cloud droplet concentration can affect the effectiveness of hail suppression. For operational cloud seeding activities, it would be helpful to determine whether it is possible to suppress hail if we know the optimal level of concentration for cloud droplets. Our study showed that hail suppression effectiveness had the greatest influence on lowering cloud droplet concentration levels; suppression effectiveness decreased as the cloud droplet concentration increased.     

河北一次层状云系降水的微物理机制数值模拟与分析

利用一维层状云模式,详细分析了2009年5月1日中国中东部地区一次层状云系的微物理结构和降水过程。结果表明：此次降水为层状云系降水,云系垂直结构符合顾震潮三层概念模型和“播种云-供给云”机制,其中第一层（上层：4.7-7.0 km）存在冰雪晶,雪主要通过冰晶自动转化和凝华增长。第二层（中层：2.6-4.6 km）有冰晶、雪、霰、云水、雨滴,此层贝吉龙过程作用明显。第三层（下层：1.3-2.5 km）主要粒子为云滴、雨滴、从上层融化的雪和霰,霰的融化对于雨滴的形成贡献最大。云体发展成熟时,各层之间存在一定的播种－供应关系,如第一层向第二层顶部播撒雪和冰晶,第二层向第三层顶部播撒霰和雪。