Predictability in limited area and global models

Summary Selected small domain LAM forecasts modulated by highly corrugated underlying topography, and driven by different state-of-science outer models suggest that uncertain outer model guidance for LAMs produces large, domain averaged sensitivity. A further literature survey indicates that many LAM forecasts are relatively insensitive to details of the local initial state, and that mesoscales show slight error growth, in contradiction to classical predictability theory. A series of global predictability experiments is presented in order to reconcile the contradiction. The experiments imply that, even in baroclinically unstable atmospheres, the most common sources of local error growth are associated with small uncertainties of the larger spatial scales rather than small uncertainties of the smaller spatial scales. Variable resolution, real-data experiments of barotropic versions of the global model display substantial mesoscale error growth, due principally to the effect of larger scales. The uncertainties possessing largest spatial scale appear as boundary uncertainties in LAMs, and explain the strong boundary sensitivity and weak local initial data sensitivity observed in many LAMs. We infer that accurate depiction of the largest spatial scales is a first order priority for accurate local prediction, and that for the advective portion of the dynamics, errors of the outer model that provides lateral boundary conditions may impose the largest current practical limitation for many LAM predictions.With 10 Figures     

Validation of a limited area model in cases of mediterranean cyclogenesis: Surface fields and precipitation scores

Summary We have examined the performance of a limited-area mesoscale model of our design in cases of winter cyclones over the southern European-central Mediterranean area with particular ticular attention to standard precipitation statistical scores (bias, threat score, false alarms), obtaining results which compare favourably with other state-of-the-art LAM's documented in the literature. The model, which we briefly describe here, uses standard procedures and includes Geleyn's radiation package and Emanuel's moist convective adjustment scheme. We also discuss the model's performance from the viewpoint of individual surface fields, which display a variety of-mesoscale features correctly reproducing, in most cases, those of the observed fields. The latter have been re-analyzed for this purpose using conventional SYNOP data and ECMWF analyses as first guess.With 18 Figures     

An intercomparison between the surface heat flux feedback in five coupled models,COADS and the NCEP reanalysis

The surface heat flux feedback is estimated in the Atlantic and the extra-tropical Indo-Pacific, using monthly heat flux and sea surface temperature anomaly data from control simulations with five global climate models, and it is compared to estimates derived from COADS and the NCEP reanalysis. In all data sets, the heat flux feedback is negative nearly everywhere and damps the sea surface temperature anomalies. At extra-tropical latitudes, it is strongly dominated by the turbulent fluxes. The radiative feedback can be positive or negative, depending on location and season, but it remains small, except in some models in the tropical Atlantic. The negative heat flux feedback is strong in the mid-latitude storm tracks, exceeding 40 W m^–2 K^–1 at place, but in the Northern Hemisphere it is substantially underestimated in several models. The negative feedback weakens at high latitudes, although the models do not reproduce the weak positive feedback found in NCEP in the northern North Atlantic. The main differences are found in the tropical Atlantic where the heat flux feedback is weakly negative in some models , as in the observations, and strongly negative in others where it can exceed 30 W m^–2 K^–1 at large scales, in part because of a strong contribution of the radiative fluxes, in particular during spring. A comparison between models with similar atmospheric or oceanic components suggests that the atmospheric model is primarily responsible for the heat flux feedback differences at extra-tropical latitudes. In the tropical Atlantic, the ocean behavior plays an equal role. The differences in heat flux feedback in the tropical Atlantic are reflected in the sea surface temperature anomaly persistence, which is too small in models where the heat flux damping is large. A good representation of the heat flux feedback is thus required to simulate climate variability realistically.     

An intercomparison of single and dual-source vegetation-atmosphere transfer models applied to transpiration from sahelian savannah

Three models of the partitioning of net radiation into latent and sensible heat fluxes over Sahelian savannah are described. Each model has a different configuration of stomatal and aerodynamic resistances. Their performance was assessed by comparison against field measurements of latent heat flux over savannah vegetation consisting of bushes interspersed with a herbaceous understorey. The modelled results indicate that in dry conditions, a Penman-Monteith based single source model performs adequately when predicting the latent heat flux. However, the models with two sources demonstrate that the bushes and herbs have very different responses to local climate. In all the models, evaporation is highly sensitive to stomatal resistance, suggesting that a better understanding of stomatal response would improve the accuracy of the models.     

Productivity response of climax temperate forests to elevated temperature and carbon dioxide: a north american comparison between two global models

We assess the appropriateness of using regression- and process-based approaches for predicting biogeochemical responses of ecosystems to global change. We applied a regression-based model, the Osnabruck Model (OBM), and a process-based model, the Terrestrial Ecosystem Model (TEM), to the historical range of temperate forests in North America in a factorial experiment with three levels of temperature (+0 °C, +2 °C, and +5 °C) and two levels of CO₂ (350 ppmv and 700 ppmv) at a spatial resolution of 0.5° latitude by 0.5° longitude. For contemporary climate (+0 °C, 350 ppmv), OBM and TEM estimate the total net primary productivity (NPP) for temperate forests in North America to be 2.250 and 2.602 × 10¹⁵ g C ? yr^?1, respectively. Although the continental predictions for contemporary climate are similar, the responses of NPP to altered climates qualitatively differ; at +0 °C and 700 ppmv CO₂, OBM and TEM predict median increases in NPP of 12.5% and 2.5%, respectively. The response of NPP to elevated temperature agrees most between the models in northern areas of moist temperate forest, but disagrees in southern areas and in regions of dry temperate forest. In all regions, the response to CO₂ is qualitatively different between the models. These differences occur, in part, because TEM includes known feedbacks between temperature and ecosystem processes that affect N availability, photosynthesis, respiration, and soil moisture. Also, it may not be appropriate to extrapolate regression-based models for climatic conditions that are not now experienced by ecosystems. The results of this study suggest that the process-based approach is able to progress beyond the limitations of the regression-based approach for predicting biogeochemical responses to global change.     

Uncertainty of global summer precipitation in the CMIP5 models: a comparison between high-resolution and low-resolution models

Worldwide, the majority of rapidly growing neighborhoods are found in the Global South. They often exhibit different building construction and development patterns than the Global North, and urban climate research in many such neighborhoods has to date been sparse. This study presents local-scale observations of net radiation (Q _* ) and sensible heat flux (Q _H ) from a lightweight low-rise neighborhood in the desert climate of Andacollo, Chile, and compares observations with results from a process-based urban energy-balance model (TUF3D) and a local-scale empirical model (LUMPS) for a 14-day period in autumn 2009. This is a unique neighborhood-climate combination in the urban energy-balance literature, and results show good agreement between observations and models for Q _* and Q _H . The unmeasured latent heat flux (Q _E ) is modeled with an updated version of TUF3D and two versions of LUMPS (a forward and inverse application). Both LUMPS implementations predict slightly higher Q _E than TUF3D, which may indicate a bias in LUMPS parameters towards mid-latitude, non-desert climates. Overall, the energy balance is dominated by sensible and storage heat fluxes with mean daytime Bowen ratios of 2.57 (observed Q _H /LUMPS Q _E )–3.46 (TUF3D). Storage heat flux (ΔQ _S ) is modeled with TUF3D, the empirical objective hysteresis model (OHM), and the inverse LUMPS implementation. Agreement between models is generally good; the OHM-predicted diurnal cycle deviates somewhat relative to the other two models, likely because OHM coefficients are not specified for the roof and wall construction materials found in this neighborhood. New facet-scale and local-scale OHM coefficients are developed based on modeled ΔQ _S and observed Q _* . Coefficients in the empirical models OHM and LUMPS are derived from observations in primarily non-desert climates in European/North American neighborhoods and must be updated as measurements in lightweight low-rise (and other) neighborhoods in various climates become available.     

An intercomparison of meteorological data taken by aircraft,radiosondes and a Laser-Doppler-Anemometer

Theoretical and Applied Climatology - This paper describes an intercomparison experiment between airborne measurement systems, radiosondes and a Laser-Doppler-Anemometer (LDA). The aircraft are a...     

Baltic Sea climate in the late twenty-first century: a dynamical downscaling approach using two global models and two emission scenarios

A regional ocean circulation model was used to project Baltic Sea climate at the end of the twenty-first century. A set of four scenario simulations was performed utilizing two global models and two forcing scenarios. To reduce model biases and to spin up future salinity the so-called Δ-change approach was applied. Using a regional coupled atmosphere–ocean model 30-year climatological monthly mean changes of atmospheric surface data and river discharge into the Baltic Sea were calculated from previously conducted time slice experiments. These changes were added to reconstructed atmospheric surface fields and runoff for the period 1903–1998. The total freshwater supply (runoff and net precipitation) is projected to increase between 0 and 21%. Due to increased westerlies in winter the annual mean wind speed will be between 2 and 13% larger compared to present climate. Both changes will cause a reduction of the average salinity of the Baltic Sea between 8 and 50%. Although salinity in the entire Baltic might be significantly lower at the end of the twenty-first century, deep water ventilation will very likely only slightly change. The largest change is projected for the secondary maximum of sea water age within the halocline. Further, the average temperature will increase between 1.9 and 3.2°C. The temperature response to atmospheric changes lags several months. Future annual maximum sea ice extent will decrease between 46 and 77% in accordance to earlier studies. However, in contrast to earlier results in the warmest scenario simulation one ice-free winter out of 96 seasons was found. Although wind speed changes are uniform, extreme sea levels may increase more than the mean sea level. In two out of four projections significant changes of 100-year surge heights were found.     

Effects of cloudiness on global and diffuse UV irradiance in a high-mountain area

Summary At the high-mountain station Jungfraujoch (3576 m a.s.l., Switzerland), measurements of the radiation fluxes were made during 16 periods of six to eight weeks by means of a Robertson—Berger sunburn meter (UVB data), an Eppley UVA radiometer and an Eppley pyranometer. Cloudiness, opacity and altitude of clouds were recorded at 30-minute intervals. A second set of instruments was employed for separate measurement of the diffuse radiation fluxes using shadow bands. The global and diffuse UVA- and UVB radiation fluxes change less with cloudiness than the corresponding total radiation fluxes. When the sun is covered by clouds, the global UVA- and UVB radiation fluxes are also affected less than the global total radiation flux. The roughly equal influence of cloudiness on the UVA- and UVB radiation fluxes suggests that the reduction is influenced more by scattering than by ozone. Also, the share of diffuse irradiance in global irradiance is considerably higher for UVA- and UVB irradiance than for total irradiance. At 50° solar elevation and 0/10 cloudiness, the share is 39% for UVB irradiance, 34% for UVA irradiance and 11% for total irradiance. The increased aerosol turbidity after the eruptions of El Chichon and Pinatubo has caused a significant increase in diffuse total irradiance but has not produced any significant changes in diffuse UVA- and UVB irradiances.With 7 Figures     

初始方程数值模式的一个计算格式在有限区域预报的试验

本文是将我组提出的初始方程数值预报模式的一个计算格式,在有限区域进行预报的试验。 本文主要叙述了侧边界条件试验的情况,初值温度的计算方案,最后给出一次24小时的预报结果。     

有限区域流函数和速度势的计算及其在台风中应用

在Endlich提出求解旋转风和辐散风基础上,本文给出了直接利用风场迭代计算流函数和速度势的方法,该方法不但能求解流函数和速度势,还可将原始风场直接分解为旋转风和辐散风。此方法在有限区域中,能大大降低边界条件对计算结果的影响,不仅能计算准确的涡度和散度,还能很好的重建原始风场。采用此方法,对"0808"号台风"凤凰"进行了诊断分析,得到了台风不同时期的流函数和速度势、旋转风和辐散风。结果发现在台风的不同时期,流函数与高度场相似,可用其低值中心来分析台风移动路径和强度的变化,速度势存在高值区,其中心与高度场低值中心不吻合;旋转风的涡旋中心也可用来反映台风中心,台风南侧辐散风较大,故可用来反映南方水汽供应对台风发展、成熟、衰退的影响。     

基于全球及区域气候模式的江苏省降水变化趋势预估

利用气象观测资料,8个全球耦合气候系统模式的集合平均以及区域气候模式(RegCM4)的结果,通过方差分析、相关分析、趋势分析、扰动法等方法对模式性能进行了评估,并对江苏省在未来RCP8.5高端排放情景下降水的变化趋势进行了预估。结果表明,在RCP8.5情景下,至2020、2030和2050年,全球模式模拟的江苏省年平均降水在未来有逐渐增加的趋势,线性增加率约为7 mm/(10 a)。至2050年,江苏省年平均降水量将增加2%左右;区域模式模拟的年平均降水在未来线性增加率为1.5 mm/(10 a),变化不显著。区域模式模拟的夏季降水在未来有所增加,最多可增加20%～30%,但增幅随时间逐渐减小;全球模式模拟的夏季降水比现在有所减少,至2050年,减少了大约10%。区域模式模拟的冬季降水在未来不同时间段均比现在有所减少,同现在相比,最多可减少30%～40%;而全球模式模拟的冬季降水在未来则是先减少,后增加,至2050年,比现在大约增加10%。对于不同季节,总体而言,南部地区降水量的变化较北部地区显著。对于极端降水事件来说,江苏省未来小雨日数将减少,而暴雨日数则微弱增加。但由于全球模式本身的性能、区域模式对全球模式的依赖性以及温室气体排放的不确定性使上述预估结果仍具有不确定性。     

有限区域湿有效能量的层结、斜压、正压分量及其收支方程

本文探讨了将湿有效能量分解成层结、斜压、正压分量的方法,并讨论了它们的收支方程式.其中层结分量与实际大气中对流不稳定有较好的对应关系,但在干有效位能中分解不出这一项.在斜压、正压分量的收支方程中,除附加项外都与干有效位能的方程类似.由三个分量的收支方程看出,湿有效能量向动能的转换只可能发生在层结不稳定或(与)有斜压存在的大气中.这与天气分析经验以及经典的马古列斯(M.Margules)模式是一致的.     

温湿统计平衡约束关系对GRAPES全球湿度分析的作用

为改进GRAPES全球三维变分同化系统(GRAPES-3DVar)的湿度分析,借鉴Hólm等(2002)的思想,在背景误差协方差结构中引入湿度与温度的统计平衡约束关系。通过扣除湿度变化中与温度有关的平衡部分获取非平衡拟相对湿度,并引入非线性对称变换对其做标准化处理,将处理后的变量作为新的湿度控制变量。统计结果表明,温湿统计平衡约束主要出现在中高纬度对流层中层相对湿度大于80%的区域,与大尺度抬升凝结加热有关;新的湿度控制变量能满足无偏、高斯分布特征。单点理想观测试验结果表明,新的湿度分析具备了流依赖特征,并能有效地抑制负水汽与超饱和水汽的出现。同化循环与预报试验结果表明,新方案给出的湿度分析的偏差和均方根误差均有所减小。而针对降水预报的检验结果表明,引入新方案后的0.1-10 mm降水预报,在ETS评分没有显著降低的情况下,BIAS评分更靠近1,降水空报有所减缓。然而60-84 h的25 mm以上的降水漏报现象更为明显,表明湿度同化分析方案还有改进空间。通过引入温湿统计平衡约束关系,完善了GRAPES-3DVar分析框架,为全球湿度分析的持续改进奠定了坚实基础。      

An advection scheme based on the combination of particle mesh method and pure Lagrangian approach

Possibility of using pure Lagrangian approach in modeling transport phenomena is described in this paper. The application of pure Lagrangian approach in real atmospheric field induces highly irregular spatial distribution of grid points, after only a few time steps. In order to avoid problems caused by that irregularity, a quasi interpolation procedure is proposed. Proposed interpolation procedure is similar to the radial basis functions interpolation and does not impose any demands about spatial distribution of the grid points or about continuity and differentiability of the field that needs to be interpolated. Besides that, proposed procedure is explicitly mass conserving. Combination of particle mesh method and pure Lagrangian approach creates efficient transport scheme that does not produce any new local maxima and minima in advected field. In proposed advection scheme motion of points are performed in Lagrangian manner while spatial derivatives are evaluated on the basis of values interpolated onto regular grid. Applicability of proposed advection scheme in an unambiguous way is proved by performing “standard” numerical tests with (i) the slotted cylinder under solid body rotation, (ii) the test with Doswell’s idealized cyclogenesis as well as (iii) integration of shallow water equations.     

An annual cycle of vegetation in a GCM. Part II: global impacts on climate and hydrology

The Met Office Hadley Centre Unified Model (HadAM3) with the tiled version of the Met Office Surface Exchange Scheme (MOSES2) land surface scheme is used to assess the impact of a comprehensive imposed vegetation annual cycle on global climate and hydrology. Two 25-year numerical experiments are completed: the first with structural vegetation characteristics (Leaf Area Index, LAI, canopy height, canopy water capacity, canopy heat capacity, albedo) held at annual mean values, the second with realistic seasonally varying vegetation characteristics. It is found that the seasonalities of latent heat flux and surface temperature are widely affected. The difference in latent heat flux between experiments is proportional to the difference in LAI. Summer growing season surface temperatures are between 1 and 4 K lower in the phenology experiment over a majority of grid points with a significant vegetation annual cycle. During winter, midlatitude surface temperatures are also cooler due to brighter surface albedo over low LAI surfaces whereas during the dry season in the tropics, characterized by dormant vegetation, surface temperatures are slightly warmer due to reduced transpiration. Precipitation is not as systematically affected as surface temperature by a vegetation annual cycle, but enhanced growing season precipitation rates are seen in regions where the latent heat flux (evaporation) difference is large. Differences between experiments in evapotranspiration, soil moisture storage, the timing of soil thaw, and canopy interception generate regional perturbations to surface and sub-surface runoff annual cycles in the model.     

Assessing the performance of two models on calculating maize actual evapotranspiration in a semi-humid and drought-prone region of China

The two-step and one-step models for calculating evapotranspiration of maize were evaluated in a semi-humid and drought-prone region of northern China. Data were collected in the summers of 2013 and 2014 to determine relative model accuracy in calculating maize evaopotranspiration. The two-step model predicted daily evaoptranspiration with crop coefficients proposed by FAO and crop coefficient calibrated by local field data; the one-step model predicted daily evapotranspiration with coefficients derived by other researcher and coefficients calibrated by local field data. The predicted daily evapotranspiration in 2013 and 2014 growing seasons with the above two different models was both compared with the observed evapotranspiration with eddy covariance method. Furthermore, evapotranspiration in different growth stages of 2013 and 2014 maize growing seasons was predicted using the models with the local calibrated coefficients. The results indicated that calibration of models was necessary before using them to predict daily evapotranspiration. The model with the calibrated coefficients performed better with higher coefficient of determination and index of agreement and lower mean absolute error and root mean square error than before. And the two-step model better predicted daily evapotranspiration than the one-step model in our experimental field. Nevertheless, as to prediction ET of different growth stages, there still had some uncertainty when predicting evapotranspiration in different year. So the comparisons suggested that model prediction of crop evapotranspiration was practical, but requires calibration and validation with more data. Thus, considerable improvement is needed for these two models to be practical in predicting evapotranspiration for maize and other crops, more field data need to be measured, and an in-depth study still needs to be continued.     

西北涡与登陆台风相互作用个例的诊断分析

利用常规高空、地面观测资料以及每日4次的1°×1°NCEP/NCAR再分析全球格点资料,以2010年7月23日发生在陕西、甘肃东部以及陕西南部与四川交界地区一次区域性大暴雨过程为例,对远距离台风与西北涡相互作用对西北涡发展和暴雨发生的影响及其原因进行了诊断分析。结果表明:(1)远距离台风和西北涡相互作用,改变了西北涡的斜压结构、温湿结构和动量结构,也增强了西北涡附近对流不稳定程度和动力抬升作用;(2)西北涡中心强度及其附近环境场的改善对暴雨的发生和发展起到正反馈作用,即延长了由台风和西太平洋副热带高压建立起来的水汽通道,增强了暴雨区低层的动力抬升,这在一定程度上增大了暴雨强度和暴雨范围;(3)西北涡和台风远距离相互作用与低空急流的建立是同时的,这对大范围短时强降水的发生位置与强度变化具有一定的指示意义。