Arsenic Speciation in Lichens and in Coarse and Fine Airborne Particulate Matter by HPLC–UV–HG–AFS

A three-step sequential extraction procedure with Milli-Q, CaCl₂ and H₃PO₄ was applied for extraction of arsenic species in lichen transplants and airborne particulate matter (fine and coarse fractions). The samples used in this work were collected in 1994–1995 near coal-fired power plants. Both transplant lichens and airborne particulate matter were submitted to the same environment simultaneously. Arsenic species identification and quantification was performed by HPLC–UV–HG–AFS. Inorganic forms of arsenic (arsenite and arsenate) were present in significant amounts in most of the samples. Only in lichens also organic forms of arsenic (monomethyl arsonic acid and dimethyl arsinic acid) were identified which may indicate biotransformation of inorganic arsenic.     

Monthly air temperature trends in Switzerland 1901–2000 and 1975–2004

Summary We analysed long-term temperature trends based on 12 homogenised series of monthly temperature data in Switzerland at elevations between 316 m.a.s.l. and 2490 m.a.s.l for the 20^th century (1901–2000) and for the last thirty years (1975–2004). Comparisons were made between these two periods, with changes standardised to decadal trends. Our results show mean decadal trends of +0.135 °C during the 20^th century and +0.57 °C based on the last three decades only. These trends are more than twice as high as the averaged temperature trends in the Northern Hemisphere. Most stations behave quite similarly, indicating that the increasing trends are linked to large-scale rather than local processes. Seasonal analyses show that the greatest temperature increase in the 1975–2004 period occurred during spring and summer whereas they were particularly weak in spring during the 20^th century. Recent temperature increases are as much related to increases in maximum temperatures as to increases in minimum temperature, a trend that was not apparent in the 1901–2000 period. The different seasonal warming rates may have important consequences for vegetation, natural disasters, human health, and energy consumption, amongst others. The strong increase in summer temperatures helps to explain the accelerated glacier retreat in the Alps since 1980. Authors’ addresses: Martine Rebetez, WSL Swiss Federal Research Institute, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; Michael Reinhard, Laboratory of Ecological Systems (ECOS), EPFL Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.     

Ocean–atmosphere coupling and the boreal winter MJO

The influence of ocean–atmosphere coupling on the simulation and prediction of the boreal winter Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) is examined using the Seoul National University coupled general circulation model (CGCM) and atmospheric—only model (AGCM). The AGCM is forced with daily SSTs interpolated from pentad mean CGCM SSTs. Forecast skill is examined using serial extended simulations spanning 26 different winter seasons with 30-day forecasts commencing every 5 days providing a total of 598 30-day simulations. By comparing both sets of experiments, which share the same atmospheric components, the influence of coupled ocean–atmosphere processes on the simulation and prediction of MJO can be studied. The mean MJO intensity possesses more realistic amplitude in the CGCM than in AGCM. In general, the ocean–atmosphere coupling acts to improve the simulation of the spatio-temporal evolution of the eastward propagating MJO and the phase relationship between convection (OLR) and SST over the equatorial Indian Ocean and the western Pacific. Both the CGCM and observations exhibit a near-quadrature relationship between OLR and SST, with the former lagging by about two pentads. However, the AGCM shows a less realistic phase relationship. As the initial conditions are the same in both models, the additional forcing by SST anomalies in the CGCM extends the prediction skill beyond that of the AGCM. To test the applicability of the CGCM to real-time prediction, we compute the Real-time Multivariate MJO (RMM) index and compared it with the index computed from observations. RMM1 (RMM2) falls away rapidly to 0.5 after 17–18 (15–16) days in the AGCM and 18–19 (16–17) days in the CGCM. The prediction skill is phase dependent in both the CGCM and AGCM.     

Variations in the atmospheric electric field and Meteorological parameters at a Tropical coastal urban station during 1936–40 and 1962–66

Summary The seasonal and diurnal variations in the vertical component of the atmospheric electric field, air temperature, relative humidity and horizontal wind speed were studied using the surface data for the two periods (1936–40) and (1962–66) recorded at the tropical urban station, Colaba, Bombay (18°51N, 72°49E, 11 m ASL), located on the west coast of India.The atmospheric electric field during the latter period (1962–66) is significantly higher (up to 42.3%) than the earlier period (1936–40). This has been attributed to the enhanced particulate concentrations in the atmosphere. The increase noticed in the atmospheric electric field is a maximum during winter and minimum during the monsoon. The atmospheric electric field exhibited a marked semi-diurnal oscillation with peaks at 0900 LST and 2200 LST during winter, premonsoon and post-monsoon seasons of both the periods. During the monsoon season the double oscillation is not marked.The variations noticed in the surface air temperature and the relative humidity are in agreement with those observed in the atmospheric electric field. The horizontal wind speed showed a decrease which has been attributed to the surface roughness resulting from urbanization.With 7 Figures     

Moisture variability across China and Mongolia: 1951–2005

Moisture variability across China and Mongolia (hereafter, CM) during 1951–2005 was investigated using the recently developed monthly Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) dataset. In total there are 206 PDSI grid points across CM, based on a 2.5° × 2.5° gridding system. For CM as a whole a significant decreasing trend in mean moisture availability was observed during 1951–2005, but with strong decadal (17.1-year) and interannual (5.0-year, 3.2-year, 2.4–2.8 year) variations. The areas affected by moderate and severe moisture deficit over CM have increased significantly since the mid-1950s. In contrast, there is a significant decreasing trend for areas affected by moderate wetness since the mid-1950s, and no significant trend was found for the areas affected by severe wetness. Ten moisture-related spatial patterns were objectively defined for CM using rotated Empirical Orthogonal Function (REOF) analysis. These patterns are related to distinct geographical areas and are associated with distinct temporal variations. Four of these patterns, in Northeast China (NE), North China (NC), Central China (CC), and East China (EC), generally demonstrate a significant decreasing trend in moisture availability. Two patterns located in western areas of Northwest China (NW) and the Tibetan Plateau (TP) show a significant moisture increase, while four patterns in Mongolia (MN), far western China (FW), South China (SC), and Southwest China (SW) do not have significant moisture trends during 1951–2005. Based on REOF results we propose that CM should be divided into ten coherent moisture divisions. Moisture variations within each division are generally coherent, but may show either similar or contrasting covariability with adjacent divisions.     

Parameterization and Micrometeorological Measurement of Air–Sea Gas Transfer

Because of the combination of smallconcentrations and/or small fluxes, the determinationof air–sea gas fluxes presents unusual measurementdifficulties. Direct measurements (i.e., eddycorrelation) of the fluxes are rarely attempted. Inthe last decade, there has been an intense scientificeffort to improve measurement techniques and to placebulk parameterizations of gas transfer on firmertheoretical grounds. Oceanic tracer experiments,near-surface mean concentration profiles, eddyaccumulation, and direct eddy covariance methods haveall been used. Theoretical efforts have focusedprimarily in the realm of characterizing the transferproperties of the oceanic molecular sublayer. Recentmajor field efforts organized by the U.S.A. (GASEX-98) andthe European Union (ASGAMAGE) have yielded atmospheric-derivedresults much closer to those from oceanographicmethods. In this paper, we review the physical basisof a bulk-to-bulk gas transfer parameterization thatis generalized for solubility and Schmidt number. Wealso discuss various aspects of recent sensor andtechnique developments used for direct measurementsand demonstrate experimental progress with resultsfrom ASGAMAGE and GASEX-98. It is clear that sensornoise, sensitivity, and cross talk with other speciesand even ship motion corrections still need improvement foraccurate measurements of trace gas exchange over theocean. Significant work remains to resolve issuesassociated with the effects of waves, bubbles, andsurface films.     

Cairo and climate change: a win–win opportunity

The landmark Program of Action agreed to at the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo calls for a wide range of population-related policies motivated primarily by the improvement of individual well being. Currently, a funding shortfall threatens continued progress toward the Cairo goals. This shortfall risks missing an opportunity not only to improve the lives of individuals around the world, but also to reduce the environmental consequences of population growth. Recent estimates of environmental externalities to childbearing associated with global climate change indicate that climate-related returns to investments in such policies could be of the same order of magnitude as the investments themselves. Thus, continued support of the Cairo program is clearly a “win–win” strategy.     

Coupled weather research and forecasting–stochastic time-inverted lagrangian transport (WRF–STILT) model

This paper describes the coupling between a mesoscale numerical weather prediction model, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, and a Lagrangian Particle Dispersion Model, the Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport (STILT) model. The primary motivation for developing this coupled model has been to reduce transport errors in continental-scale top–down estimates of terrestrial greenhouse gas fluxes. Examples of the model’s application are shown here for backward trajectory computations originating at CO₂ measurement sites in North America. Owing to its unique features, including meteorological realism and large support base, good mass conservation properties, and a realistic treatment of convection within STILT, the WRF–STILT model offers an attractive tool for a wide range of applications, including inverse flux estimates, flight planning, satellite validation, emergency response and source attribution, air quality, and planetary exploration.     

Estimating the trends and variability of atmospheric action centers over the Asian-Pacific region in summer in 1950–1979 and 1980–2012

The trend significance and the residual variability of integral atmospheric characteristics in the atmospheric action centers in the Asian-Pacific region in summer in 1950-1979 and 1980-2012 are computed. Basic differences are revealed between trends in circulation and residual variability in the atmo spheric action centers in the surface pressure field and in the field of geopotential H ₅₀₀ for these time periods. Increase in significant trends for the whole period and decrease in residual variability were found in the area of the Asian low in 1980-2012. A significant trend was observed in June and September in the area of the Hawaiian high. The summer Far Eastern low has intensified in recent years. The Okhotsk high strengthened in May and weakened in June, August, and September in the 2000s.     

Equatorial disturbances,monsoons, and 1982–1983 ENSO

Summary Interannual modes are described in terms of three-month running mean anomaly winds (u,v), outgoing longwave radiation (OLR), and sea surface temperature (T _* ). Normal atmospheric monsoon circulations are defined by long-term average winds (u _n,v _n) computed every month from January to December. Daily winds are grouped into three frequency bands, i.e., 30–60 day filtered winds (u _L,v _L); 7–20 day filtered winds (u _M,v _M); and 2–6 day filtered winds (u _S,v _S). Three-month running mean anomaly kinetic energy (signified asK _L , K _M , andK _S , respectively) is then introduced as a measure of interannual variation of equatorial disturbance activity. Interestingly, all of theseK _L , K _M , andK _S perturbations propagate slowly eastward with same phase speed (0.3 ms^–1) as ENSO modes. Associated with this eastward propagation is a positive (negative) correlation between interannual disturbance activity (K _L , K _M , K _S ) and interannualu (OLR) modes. Namely, (K _L , K _M , K _S ) becomes more pronounced than usual nearly simultaneously with the arrival of westerlyu and negativeOLR (above normal convection) perturbutions. In these disturbed areas with (K _L , K _M , K _S >0), upper ocean mixing tends to increase, resulting in decreased sea surface temperature, i.e.T _* 0. Thus, groups (not individual) of equatorial disturbances appear to play an important role in determiningT _* variations on interannual time scales. HighestT _* occurs about 3 months prior to the lowestOLR (convection) due primarily to radiational effects. This favors the eastward propagation of ENSO modes. The interannualT _* variations are also controlled by the prevailing monsoonal zonal windsu _n, as well as the zonal advection of sea surface temperature on interannual time scales. Over the central Pacific, all of the above mentioned physical processes contribute to the intensification of eastward propagating ENSO modes. Over the Indian Ocean, on the other hand, some of the physical processes become insignificant, or even compensated for by other processes. This results in less pronounced ENSO modes over the Indian Ocean.With 10 FiguresContribution No. 89-6, Department of Meteorology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii.     

A Hybrid Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Model and Its Simulation of ENSO and Atmospheric Responses

A new hybrid coupled model(HCM) is presented in this study, which consists of an intermediate tropical Pacific Ocean model and a global atmospheric general circulation model. The ocean component is the intermediate ocean model(IOM)of the intermediate coupled model(ICM) used at the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences(IOCAS). The atmospheric component is ECHAM5, the fifth version of the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology atmospheric general circulation model. The HCM integrates its atmospheric and oceanic components by using an anomaly coupling strategy. A100-year simulation has been made with the HCM and its simulation skills are evaluated, including the interannual variability of SST over the tropical Pacific and the ENSO-related responses of the global atmosphere. The model shows irregular occurrence of ENSO events with a spectral range between two and five years. The amplitude and lifetime of ENSO events and the annual phase-locking of SST anomalies are also reproduced realistically. Despite the slightly stronger variance of SST anomalies over the central Pacific than observed in the HCM, the patterns of atmospheric anomalies related to ENSO,such as sea level pressure, temperature and precipitation, are in broad agreement with observations. Therefore, this model can not only simulate the ENSO variability, but also reproduce the global atmospheric variability associated with ENSO, thereby providing a useful modeling tool for ENSO studies. Further model applications of ENSO modulations by ocean–atmosphere processes, and of ENSO-related climate prediction, are also discussed.     

Atmospheric Circulation and Dynamic Mechanism for Persistent Haze Events in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Region

In this study, regional persistent haze events(RPHEs) in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei(BTH) region were identified based on the Objective Identification Technique for Regional Extreme Events for the period 1980–2013. The formation mechanisms of the severe RPHEs were investigated with focus on the atmospheric circulation and dynamic mechanisms. Results indicated that:(1) 49 RPHEs occurred during the past 34 years.(2) The severe RPHEs could be categorized into two types according to the large-scale circulation, i.e. the zonal westerly airflow(ZWA) type and the high-pressure ridge(HPR) type. When the ZWA-type RPHEs occurred, the BTH region was controlled by near zonal westerly airflow in the mid–upper troposphere.Southwesterly winds prevailed in the lower troposphere, and near-surface wind speeds were only 1–2 ms~(-1). Warm and humid air originating from the northwestern Pacific was transported into the region, where the relative humidity was 70% to 80%, creating favorable moisture conditions. When the HPR-type RPHEs appeared, northwesterly airflow in the mid–upper troposphere controlled the region. Westerly winds prevailed in the lower troposphere and the moisture conditions were relatively weak.(3) Descending motion in the mid-lower troposphere caused by the above two circulation types provided a crucial dynamic mechanism for the formation of the two types of RPHEs. The descending motion contributed to a reduction in the height of the planetary boundary layer(PBL), which generated an inversion in the lower troposphere. This inversion trapped the abundant pollution and moisture in the lower PBL, leading to high concentrations of pollutants.     

Historical Changes and Future Projections of Extreme Temperature and Precipitation along the Sichuan–Tibet Railway

Based on multiresource high-resolution in situ and satellite merged observations along with model simulations from the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment(CORDEX), this study first investigated historical changes in extreme temperature and precipitation during the period of 1979–2018 in areas along the Sichuan–Tibet Railway, and then projected the future changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme temperature and precipitation under the RCP(Representative Concentration Pathway) 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios. This paper is expected to enhance our understanding of the spatiotemporal variability in the extreme temperature and precipitation along the Sichuan–Tibet Railway, and to provide scientific basis to advance the Sichuan–Tibet Railway construction and operation. The results show that temperatures in the Sichuan–Tibet region display a noticeable warming trend in the past40 years, and the increase of minimum temperature is significantly higher than that of maximum temperature in the northwest of the region. Significant increase of precipitation is found mainly over the northwest of the Tibetan Plateau. Except for Lhasa and its surrounding areas, precipitation over other areas along the Sichuan–Tibet Railway shows no significant change in the past 40 years, as indicated in five datasets; however, precipitation along the railway has shown a remarkable decrease in the past 20 years in the TRMM satellite dataset. The warm days and nights have clearly increased by 6 and 5 day decade1-for 1979–2019, while cold days and nights have markedly decreased by about 6.6 and 3.6 day decade-1, respectively. In the past 20 years, the areas with increased precipitation from very wet days and extremely wet days are mainly distributed to the north of the Sichuan–Tibet Railway, while in the areas along the railway itself, the very wet days and extremely wet days are decreasing. Under RCPs 4.5 and 8.5, the temperature in the Sichuan–Tibet region will increase significantly, and the frequency of extreme high(low) temperature events in the late 21 st century(2070–2099) will greatly increase(decrease) by about 50%–80%(10%) compared with occurrences in the late 20 th century(1970–1999). Meanwhile, the frequency of very wet days and extremely wet days in the Sichuan–Tibet region will increase by about 2%–19% and 2%–5%, respectively, and the areas along the Sichuan–Tibet Railway will be affected by more extreme high temperature and extreme precipitation events.     

An analysis of daily and monthly precipitation seasonality and regimes in Iran and the associated changes in 1951–2014

Daily and monthly total precipitation of 155 synoptic stations with relatively regular distribution over Iran, covering the 1990–2014 period, were used to investigate the spatial pattern of precipitation seasonality and regimes over Iran, using a set of precipitation seasonality indices. The results suggest a strong agreement between the indices computed at monthly time scale. The result also shows a latitudinal decreasing gradient from the lower index values in the north to the highest values in the south of Iran, suggesting a strong negative relationship between the latitude and the indices. A weak but statistically significant association was also found between the indices and the longitude, showing a gradual west-east contrast between the mountainous western Iran and the central-eastern lowlands and deserts of the country. The spatial patterns of the indices well agree in revealing different precipitation regimes in Iran, in spite of the observed discrepancies in their areal extent of the regions identified. All the indices characterized northern Iran by a precipitation regime having a moderate seasonality, while the mountainous areas of the western and northern Iran are featured by a marked precipitation regime possessing a longer dry season. However, the most seasonal precipitation regime with the longest dry period describes the southern country and some spot areas of the central-eastern Iran. The spatial distribution of the seasonal precipitation regimes and the month and season of maximum precipitation amounts across Iran was also identified, suggesting that from the 24 possible precipitation regimes over the globe, eight were found in Iran, from which a precipitation regime with the highest precipitation amount in winter, followed by autumn, spring, and summer characterized most parts of the country. January and JFM were also found as the month and season of maximum precipitation in a majority of stations distributed over Iran, respectively. The precipitation concentration index (DPCI) computed using daily precipitation data ranges between 0.56 and 0.76 across the country; nonetheless, the values between 0.64 and 0.70 characterized a majority of stations distributed over most parts of Iran. Contrarily to the indices computed at monthly time scale, the DPCI does not show a clear latitudinal pattern over the country. The Mann–Kendal trend test and the Sen slope estimator were applied to the computed indices relative to 16 stations with the longest and complete precipitation records during 1951–2014 time period. The indices time series showed no significant trend in the majority of the stations, indicating that the precipitation regimes of the studied stations did not change over 1951–2014 period.     

Validation of ECMWF and NCEP–NCAR Reanalysis Data in Antarctica

The European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) Re-Analysis (ERA-40) and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction-National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP-NCAR) ECMWF (ERA-40) and NCEP-NCAR reanalysis data were compared with Antarctic station observations, including surface-layer and upper-layer atmospheric observations, on intraseasonal and interannual timescales. At the interannual timescale, atmospheric pressure at different height levels in the ERA-40 data are in better agre...     

SST and ice sheet impacts on the MIS–13 climate

As a first qualitative assessment tool, LOVECLIM has been used to investigate the interactions between insolation, ice sheets and the East Asian Monsoon at the Marine Isotopic Stage 13 (MIS–13) in work by Yin et?al. (Clim Past 4:79–90, 2008, Clim Past 5:229–243, 2009). The results are in need of validation with a more sophisticated model, which is done in this work with the ARPEGE atmospheric general circulation model. As in the Earth system Model of Intermediate Complexity, LOVECLIM, ARPEGE shows that the northern hemispheric high insolation in summer leads to strong MIS–13 monsoon precipitation. Data from the Chinese Loess Plateau indicate that MIS–13 was locally a warm and humid period (Guo et?al. in Clim Past 5:21–31, 2009; Yin and Guo in Chin Sci Bull 51(2):213–220, 2006). This is confirmed by these General Circulation Model (GCM) results, where the MIS–13 climate is found to be hotter and more humid both in the presence and absence of any added ice sheets. LOVECLIM found that the combined effects of the ice sheets and their accompanying SSTs contribute to more precipitation in eastern China, whilst in ARPEGE the impact is significant in northeastern China. Nonetheless the results of ARPEGE confirm the counter-intuitive results of LOVECLIM where ice sheets contribute to enhance monsoon precipitation. This happens through a topography induced wave propagating through Eurasia with an ascending branch over northeastern China. A feature which is also seen in LOVECLIM. The SST forcing in ARPEGE results in a strong zonal temperature gradient between the North Atlantic and east Eurasia, which in turn triggers an atmospheric gravity wave. This wave induces a blocking Okhotskian high, preventing the northwards penetration of the Meiyu monsoon front. The synergism between the ice sheets and SST is found through the factor separation method, yielding an increase in the Meiyu precipitation, though a reduction of the Changma precipitation. The synergism between the ice sheets and SST play a non-negligible role and should be taken into consideration in GCM studies. Preliminary fully coupled AOGCM results presented here further substantiate the finding of stronger MIS–13 monsoons and a reinforcement from ice sheets. This work increases our understanding of the signals found in the paleo-observations and the dynamics of the complex East Asian Summer Monsoon.