Modelling the Baltic Sea ocean climate on centennial time scale: temperature and sea ice

This study considers the possible use of different kinds of forcing datasets in Baltic Sea ocean climate modelling on centennial time scales, in particular for the past half millennium. We demonstrate that high-quality station data of the past century and gridded multi-proxy reconstructions for the past 500 years can be used with great success but with various levels of detail. We also demonstrate that output data from the state-of-the-art global climate model EcHo-G are not suitable for modelling the Baltic Sea ocean climate. Two climate properties were studied: the annual maximum ice extent (MIB) and the vertically and horizontally integrated annual water temperature. Centennial time scale results indicate that the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries were the coldest centuries, while the 1690s were the coldest decade and 1695 the coldest year in the last 500 years. The results also indicate that the twentieth century was the warmest century with the least MIB of the last 500 years. On a decadal time scale, the 1990s, 1930s and 1730s were the warmest decades and comparable in terms of both water temperature and MIB. The year 1989 had the minimum observed MIB of only 52,000 km², implying that the Baltic Sea has been partly ice covered in all winters of the past half millennium. Even though different climate forcing mechanisms may operate on the climate system today compared to over the last half millennium, this study cannot clearly state that the region is experiencing climate change outside the natural limits of the past 500 years.     

Variations of sea ice temperature from CHINARE 2003 and its application on sea ice model evaluation

Variation of vertical profiles of sea ice temperature and adjacent atmosphere and ocean temperatures were measured by ice drifting buoys deployed in the northeast Chukchi Sea as part of the 2003 Chinese Arctic Research Expedition.The buoy observations (September 2003 to February 2005) show that the cooling of the ice began in late September,propagated down through the ice,reaching the bottom of the ice in December,and continued throughout the winter.In winter 2003/04,some obvious warmings were observed in the upper portion of the ice in response to major warmings in the overlying atmosphere associated with the periodicity of storms in the northeast Chukchi Sea.It is found that the melt season at the buoy site in 2004 was about 15% longer than normal.The buoy observed vertical ice temperature profiles were used as a diagnostic for sea ice model evaluation.The results show that the simulated ice temperature profiles have large discrepancies as compared with the observations.     

Double-layer structure in the boundary layer over the baltic sea

Double-layered structures found over the Baltic Sea are investigated using radiosoundings and lidar measurements. Situations with double-layer structures are also simulated with the regional model REMO in a realistic manner. The double layer consists of two adjacent well-mixed layers, with a sharp inversion in between.Results from radiosoundings show that the double-layer structure over the Baltic Sea mainly occurs during the autumn with thermally unstable stratification near the surface. The structure is present in about 50 % of the radiosoundings performed during autumn. The presence of the double-layer structure cannot be related to any specific wind direction, wind speed or sea surface temperature.The lidar measurements give a more continuous picture of the time evolution of the double-layer structure, and show that the top of the lower layer is not a rigid lid for vertical transport. Two possible explanations of the double-layer structure are given, (i) the structure is caused by `advection' of land boundary-layer air over the convective marine boundary layer or, (ii) by development of Sc clouds in weak frontal zones connected to low pressure systems. Also the forming of Cu clouds is found to be important for the development of a double-layer structure.     

Impact of a sea breeze on the boundary-layer dynamics and the atmospheric stratification in a coastal area of the North Sea

In-situ sodar and lidar measurements were coupled with numerical simulations for studying a sea-breeze event in a flat coastal area of the North Sea. The study’s aims included the recognition of the dynamics of a sea-breeze structure, and its effects on the lower troposphere stratification and the three-dimensional (3D) pollutant distribution. A sea breeze was observed with ground-based remote sensing instruments and analysed by means of numerical simulations using the 3D non-hydrostatic atmospheric model Meso-NH. The vertical structure of the lower troposphere was experimentally determined from the lidar and sodar measurements, while numerical simulations focused on the propagation of the sea breeze inland. The sea-breeze front, the headwind, the thermal internal boundary layer, the gravity current and the sea-breeze circulation were observed and analysed. The development of a late stratification was also observed by the lidar and simulated by the model, suggesting the formation of a stable multilayered structure. The transport of passive tracers inside the sea breeze and their redistribution above the gravity current was simulated too. Numerical modelling showed that local pollutants may travel backward to the sea above the gravity current at relatively low speed due to the shearing between the landward gravity current and the seaward synoptic wind. Such dynamic conditions may enhance an accumulation of pollutants above coastal industrial areas.     

Precipitation and evaporation budgets over the Baltic Proper: observations and modelling

Precipitation and evaporation budgets over the Baltic Sea were studied in a concerted project called PEP in BALTEX (Pilot study of Evaporation and Precipitation in the Baltic Sea), combining extensive field measurements and modelling efforts. Eddy-correlation-measurements of turbulent heat flux were made on a semi-continuous basis for a 12 month period at four well-exposed coastal sites in the Baltic Proper (the main basin of the Baltic Sea). Precipitation was measured at land-based sites with standard gauges and on four merchant ships travelling between Germany and Finland with the aid of specially designed ship rain gauges (SRGs). The evaporation and precipitation regime of the Baltic Sea was modelled for a 12 month period by applying a wide range of numerical models: the operational atmospheric High Resolution Limited Area Model (HIRLAM, Swedish and Finnish versions), the German atmospheric REgional-scale MOdel, REMO, the operational German Europe Model (only precipitation), the oceanographic model PROBE-Baltic, and two models that use interpolation of ground-based data, the Swedish MESAN model of SMHI and a German model of IFM-GEOMAR Kiel. Modelled precipitation was compared with SRG measurements on board the ships. A reasonable correlation was obtained, but the regional-scale models and MESAN gave some 20% higher precipitation over the sea than is measured. Bulk parameterisation schemes for evaporation were evaluated against measurements. A constant value of C_HN and C_EN with wind speed, underestimated large fluxes of both sensible and latent heat flux. The limited area models do not resolve the influence of the height of the marine boundary layer in coastal zones and the entrainment (on the surface fluxes), which may explain the observed low correlations between modelled and measured latent heat fluxes. Estimates of evaporation, E, and precipitation, P, for the entire Baltic Proper were made with several models for a 12 month period. While the annual variation was well represented by all predictions, there are still important differences in the annual means. Evaporation ranges from 509 to 625 mm year^-1 and precipitation between 624 and 805 mm year^-1 for this particular 12 month period. Taking the results of model verification from the present study into account, the best estimate of P-E is about 100 ± 50 mm for this particular 12 month period. But the annual mean of P-E varies considerably from year to year. This is reflected in simulations with the PROBE-Baltic model for an 18 year period, which gave 95 mm year^-1 for the 12 month period studied here and 32 mm year^-1 as an average for 18 years.     

Marine Boundary Layer And Turbulent Fluxes Over The Baltic Sea: Measurements And Modelling

Two weeks of measurements of the boundary-layer height over a small island (Christiansø) in the Baltic Sea are discussed. The meteorological conditions are characterised by positive heat flux over the sea. The boundary-layer height was simulated with two models, a simple applied high-resolution (2 km × 2 km) model, and the operational numerical weather prediction model HIRLAM (grid resolution of 22.5 km × 22.5 km). For southwesterly winds it was foundthat a relatively large island (Bornholm) lying 20-km upwind of the measuring site influences the boundary-layer height. In this situation the high-resolution simple applied model reproduces the characteristics of the boundary-layer height over the measuring site. Richardson-number based methods using data from simulations with the HIRLAM model fail, most likely because the island and the water fetch to the measuring site are about the size of the grid resolution of the HIRLAM model and therefore poorly resolved. For northerly winds, the water fetch to the measuring site is about 100 km. Both models reproduce the characteristics of the height of the marine boundary layer. This suggests that the HIRLAM model adequately resolves a water fetch of 100 km with respect to predictions of the height of the marine boundary layer.     

南海海域海-气耦合模式及其数值模拟试验

在ＮＣＡＲ区域气候模式ＲｅｇＧＭ２和普林斯顿海洋模式ＰＯＭ基础上发展适用于区域海－气相互作用研究的区域海－气耦合模式,模式采用同步耦合、海洋模式将海表温度提供给大气模式,大气模式为海洋模式提供太阳短波辐射、感热能量、潜热通量。海洋与大气模式每１５ｍｉｎ交换一次通量。耦合过程没有使用通量校正。使用该模式对中国南海区域１９９５年５－７月大气和海洋进行了模拟试验,将模拟结果与ＣＯＡＤＳ通量强迫的模拟结果     

区域海气耦合模式对中国夏季降水的模拟

以区域气候模式RegCM3和普林斯顿海洋模式POM为基础,建立了一个区域海气耦合模式,对1963—2002年中国夏季气候进行模拟,重点分析该耦合模式对中国夏季降水的模拟性能以及降水模拟改进的可能原因。结果表明：耦合模式对中国夏季雨带分布的模拟明显优于控制试验（单独的大气模式）,对长江流域以及华南降水的模拟性能改进尤为明显,同时耦合模式能够更为真实地刻画中国东部地区汛期雨带的移动。对降水的年际变化分析发现,耦合模式模拟的1963—2002年中国夏季降水年际变率与观测吻合,模拟的夏季长江流域降水与观测降水相关系数达到0.48,模拟的华南夏季降水与观测的相关系数达到0.61,而控制试验结果与观测降水的相关系数均较小。对中国东部长江流域夏季降水与近海海温的相关分析表明,用给定海温驱动的大气模式,并不能正确模拟出中国东部夏季降水与海温的关系,而耦合模式能够较好地模拟出长江流域与孟加拉湾、南海以及黑潮区海温的关系,与GISST(全球海冰和海表温度)和观测降水相关关系一致。对水汽输送通量的分析发现,控制试验模拟的水汽输送路径与NCEP/NCAR再分析资料相比差别较大,耦合模式模拟的来自海洋上的水汽输送强度和路径与NCEP/NCAR再分析资料一致,提高了耦合模式对水汽输送的模拟能力,从而改善了模式对华南以及长江流域降水的模拟。     

区域海气耦合模式对华北夏季大气水汽输送模拟结果的检验及其与单独气候模式的比较分析

将区域海气耦合模式RegCM3-POM和区域气候模式RegCM3 40年(1963-2002年)的模拟结果与NCEP/NCAR再分析资料进行对比,检验区域海气耦合模式对中国华北地区夏季大气水汽含量和水汽输送特征的模拟能力,比较耦合模式与单独区域气候模式的差异.结果表明,区域海气耦合模式RegCM3-POM的模拟性能相对于单独区域气候模式RegCM3,大气水汽输送特征的模拟能力有了较大的改进.分析显示两种模式都能够较好地再现东哑地区气候平均夏季大气水汽储量浅红和水汽输送的空间分布特征,而耦合模式对大气水汽输送的模拟更为合理.在对流层中低层更接近观测;耦合模式对中国华北地区夏季平均大气水汽输送通量在垂直方向卜的分布型及水平4个边界水汽输送收支的模拟,相对于单独大气模式有了一定的改进;耦合模式对伴随华北地区夏季早涝的大气水汽异常输送也具有较好的模拟能力,其模拟的水汽输送异常的来源与观测基本一致,尤其是在20°N以北地区,耦合模式结果相对于单独区域气候模式有了很大的改进.但同时耦合模式在低纬度海洋上对气候平均夏季大气水汽含量模拟的偏差比区域气候模式显著;与观测相比,耦合模式对来自孟加拉湾地区的大气水汽输送模拟偏弱,而对西太平洋副热带高压西侧水汽输送模拟偏强,与华北夏季旱涝相联系的水汽输送异常的模拟在低纬度海洋上也存在明显偏差.     

寒潮过程中风浪对黄海海气热量通量和动量通量影响研究

采用2009—2013年CFSR(Climate Forecast System Reanalysis)大气和海洋再分析资料对黄海海气间热量通量和动量通量的特征进行统计分析,并通过FVCOMSWAVE浪流耦合模式对典型寒潮过程中风浪的影响效果进行模拟研究与对比分析。统计结果显示,通量受海表大风、海气温差及海洋环流等因子影响,秋冬季节强烈,春夏季节相对较弱,在寒潮活跃的冷季该海域的海流处于弱流期,风浪对海面通量的作用明显增强。海温特征也显示冷季的不稳定性显著强于暖季,因此该海域冷季具有更强的海气热量通量。沿岸站点的比较显示,南部吕泗站面向更开阔的东海海域,其平均波高高出北部20%左右。这与沿海南部通量强于北部特征对应。数值模拟显示,在寒潮过程中,海气界面热量通量和动量通量输送比多年月平均状态显著增强,动量通量增大1~5倍,热量通量增大1~6倍。寒潮过程入海冷锋走向、强度、移动方向显著影响海面热量通量和动量通量大值区的分布。偏北路寒潮纬向型冷锋入海,其强度东部大于西部,造成通量大值区形成在黄海东北部,而偏西路寒潮经向型冷锋入海,其强度南部大于北部,造成通量大值区形成在黄海南部。同时偏北路径寒潮强度大于偏西路径,海气动量通量响应较偏西路径强约25%,热量通量强约50%。耦合风浪作用的模拟显示,海气间热量通量和动量通量明显增大,对不同强度风浪,浪高增加1.5倍,动量通量最大值增大约2倍,热量通量增大10~160 W/m2;浪高减弱至0.5倍,动量通量最大值则减弱约40%,热量通量减小10~55 W/m2。冷锋及其驱动的风浪强烈影响区域海气通量时空特征。     

Simulating tropical instability waves in the equatorial eastern Pacific with a coupled general circulation model

Satellite observations of SSTs have revealed the existence of unstable waves in the equatorial eastern Pacific and Atlantic oceans. These waves have a 20-40-day periodicity with westward phase speeds of 0.4-0.6 m s-1 and wavelengths of 1000-2000 km during boreal summer and fall. They are generally called tropical instability waves (TIWs). This study investigates TIWs simulated by a high-resolution coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model (AOGCM). The horizontal resolution of the model is 120 km in...     

Impact of barrier layer on typhoon-induced sea surface cooling

Both Argo measurements and satellite sea surface temperature (SST) data revealed that there was less-than-usual surface cooling during the passage of typhoons Kaemi and Cimaron in the tropical Northwest Pacific. In the present study, it is found that SST cooling induced by typhoon can be greatly suppressed by a barrier layer with a thickness of 5–15 m. Such a barrier layer could reduce the entrainment cooling by 0.4–0.8 °C/d during typhoon passage, according to a diagnostic mixed layer model. The pre-existing barrier layer leads to a reduction in typhoon-induced surface cooling, and favors typhoon development. The average SST anomaly under barrier layer condition is 0.4–0.8 °C less than that under no-barrier-layer condition. Due to the reduced cooling, the available maximum potential intensity (MPI) under barrier layer condition are higher 6 and 9.34 m/s than those under no-barrier-layer condition according to SST-dependent MPI formulation for Kaemi and Cimaron. In addition, the results from Price–Weller–Pinkel (PWP) model indicate that stratification due to salinity may significantly influence both entrainment and the upper ocean heat content during typhoon passage in the tropical Northwest Pacific.     

近20 a孟加拉湾海表温度变化对南海夏季风爆发早晚的影响

基于美国NOAA现代极高分辨率辐射仪(Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer)提供的1993—2012年逐日海表温度(SST)资料,利用季节经验正交函数(S-EOF)和相关分析等统计方法,研究了孟加拉湾海表温度变化对南海夏季风爆发的影响。结果表明,孟加拉湾的(6~14°N,85~95°E)海区海表温度变化对南海夏季风爆发早晚具有重要指示意义,该海区海表温度异常(SSTA)与南海夏季风的爆发日期存在密切的正相关,通过了0.05信度的显著性检验,即当孟加拉湾海表温度正(负)异常时,南海夏季风晚(早)爆发。应用德国马普气象研究所的ECHAM5全球大气环流模式在孟加拉湾关键海区进行了敏感性数值试验,发现在关键海区降低其5月海表温度02℃的情况下,南海夏季风爆发日期相应提前5 d左右,而在升高02℃情况下,南海夏季风推后10 d左右爆发。在孟加拉湾5月海表温度降低的情况下,促使80~100°E的越赤道气流增强,南海区域西风分量增强,进而促使南海夏季风提前爆发。     

WAVEWATCHIII模式在渤海海浪预报的应用与检验

大连黄海、渤海海浪数值预报系统采用WAVEWATCHIII模式进行海浪预报,预报产品包括48 h内浪高、周期、浪向的逐3 h预报,并对其进行检验。结果表明：WAVEWATCHIII模式对渤海中部浪高模拟较好,浪高预报TS为71.7 %,对近岸海区浪高模拟相对差些。个例的检验表明,浪高最大值模拟较好,模拟浪高最大值出现的时间与实况基本吻合,浪高变化趋势预报也较好。AVEWATCHIII模式对两个周期个例进行检验,预报误差最低可达到0.17 s,预报效果较好。     

Ensemble data assimilation in a simple coupled climate model: The role of ocean-atmosphere interaction

A conceptual coupled ocean-atmosphere model was used to study coupled ensemble data assimilation schemes with a focus on the role of ocean-atmosphere interaction in the assimilation. The optimal scheme was the fully coupled data assimilation scheme that employs the coupled covariance matrix and assimilates observations in both the atmosphere and ocean. The assimilation of synoptic atmospheric variability that captures the temporal fluctuation of the weather noise was found to be critical for the estimation of not only the atmospheric, but also oceanic states. The synoptic atmosphere observation was especially important in the mid-latitude system, where oceanic variability is driven by weather noise. The assimilation of synoptic atmospheric variability in the coupled model improved the atmospheric variability in the analysis and the subsequent forecasts, reducing error in the surface forcing and, in turn, in the ocean state. Atmospheric observation was able to further improve the oceanic state estimation directly through the coupled covariance between the atmosphere and ocean states. Relative to the mid-latitude system, the tropical system was influenced more by ocean-atmosphere interaction and, thus, the assimilation of oceanic observation becomes more important for the estimation of the ocean and atmosphere.     

Sea-breeze scaling from numerical model simulations,part II: Interaction between the sea breeze and slope flows

Numerical model simulations of sea-breeze circulations in the presence of idealized topography are subjected to dimensional analysis in order to capture the dynamics of the sea-breeze circulation combined with an upslope-flow circulation. A secondary objective is to reconcile previous results based on observations. The analysis is based on a scaling analysis of sea-breeze speed, depth and volume flux. This study is motivated by the fact that the literature of sea breezes interacting with upslope flows is generally qualitative. Results show clear scaling regimes and strong interaction between the two thermally driven circulations. We distinguish three regimes, depending on slope length, slope angle, stability and surface heat flux. The first and third regimes obey the scaling laws of pure sea-breeze scaling. The second regime shows a significant decrease in the scaled volume flux relative to pure sea-breeze scaling. Dynamical relations in the second regime show a strong influence on the circulation of upslope stable air advection.     

海浪和海洋飞沫对“珊珊”台风影响的数值研究

台风是剧烈的天气系统,在开放的海上强风激起大浪,改变了海表粗糙度,同时,海浪顶端的白泡沫破碎,在海-气界面处会出现大量的海洋飞沫。基于共享内存的进程间通信技术应用到区域大气和海浪模式的耦合中,大气模式引入了Fairall和Andreas两种海洋飞沫参数化方案,对2006年珊珊台风进行了模拟对比试验,结果表明:耦合模式通过海-气相互作用,对台风的强度产生影响,由于耦合模式在海表粗糙度的计算上考虑了海表状况,使得耦合模式模拟的台风强度更接近实况,而对台风的移动路径影响不大;耦合模式中海-气相互作用主要通过动力因素来对台风产生影响,海表状况影响了海表粗糙度,从而使台风的动量输送发生变化,具体的台风强度增强还是减弱主要取决于海表状况与实况的符合程度;海洋飞沫参数化主要通过热力场的改变来影响动力场,Fairall方案中潜热通量和感热通量得到很大程度的加强,使得台风的热力结构得以改变,台风强度明显加强,从而影响了动力场结构;Andreas方案由于其界面通量算法在高相对湿度条件下计算界面通量时得到的量值较小,虽然高风速条件下感热通量加大,但总的潜热通量、感热通量较Fairall方案为弱,因此,模拟的台风强度不强;海洋飞沫参...     

Sea-breeze scaling from numerical model simulations,Part I: Pure sea breezes

Numerical model simulations of sea-breeze circulations under idealized conditions are subjected to dimensional analyses in order to resolve sea-breeze dynamical relations and unify previous results based on observations. The analysis is motivated by the fact that sea-breeze depth scaling and volume flux scaling are only partially understood. The analysis is based on nonlinear numerical modelling simulations in combination with recent observational scaling analyses. The analysis confirms scaling laws for sea-breeze strength dependence on governing variables and shows how the sea-breeze speed scale is controlled by surface heat flux. It also shows that the sea-breeze depth scale is controlled by stability. By combining sea-breeze speed and depth scales, the sea-breeze volume flux scale is determined by an equilibrium between the accumulated convergence of heat over land since sunrise and stable air advection from the sea surface.     

Determination of parameters of low-frequency internal waves in the coastal zone of a fringing sea using field measurements and basing on the nonlinear theory

A method is presented to determine the quadratic nonlinearity parameter and amplitude of low-frequency internal gravity waves in the coastal zone of a fringing sea, based upon their propagation rate dependence on local value of pycnocline vertical displacement produced by the waves. To test the method, the internal wave field observations in the coastal zone of the Sea of Japan are used. The testing results show that the internal wave parameters calculated using the proposed method and the experimental data are in a good agreement with those calculated from theoretical formulas.