Precipitation variability assessment of northeast China: Songhua River basin

Variability in precipitation is critical for the management of water resources. In this study, the research entropy base concept was applied to investigate spatial and temporal variability of the precipitation during 1964–2013 in the Songhua River basin of Heilongjiang Province in China. Sample entropy was applied on precipitation data on a monthly, seasonally, annually, decade scale and the number of rainy days for each selected station. Intensity entropy and apportionment entropy were used to calculate the variability over individual year and decade, respectively. Subsequently, Spearman’s Rho and Mann–Kendall tests were applied to observe for trends in the precipitation time series. The statistics of sample disorder index showed that the precipitation during February (mean 1.09, max. 1.26 and min. 0.80), April (mean 1.12, max. 1.29 and min. 0.99) and July (mean 1.10, max. 1.20 and min. 0.98) contributed significantly higher than those of other months. Overall, the contribution of the winter season was considerably high with a standard deviation of 0.10. The precipitation variability on decade basis was observed to increase from decade 1964–1973 and 1994–2003 with a mean value of decadal apportionment disorder index 0.023 and 0.053, respectively. In addition, the Mann–Kendall test value (1.90) showed a significant positive trend only at the Shangzhi station.     

Phase transition of the Pacific decadal oscillation and decadal variation of the East Asian summer monsoon in the 20th century

This paper focuses on the relationship between the phase transition of the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) and decadal variation of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) in the twentieth century. The first transition occurred in the 1940s, with an enhanced SST in the North Pacific and reduced SST in the tropical eastern Pacific and South Indian Ocean. In agreement with these SST changes, a higher SLP was found in most parts of the Pacific, while a lower SLP was found in the North Pacific and most parts of the Indian Ocean. In this case, the EASM was largely enhanced with a southerly anomaly in the lower troposphere along the east coast of China. Correspondingly, there was less rainfall in the Yangtze River valley and more rainfall in northern and southern China. An opposite change was found when the PDO reversed its phase in the late 1970s. In the tropical Indian Ocean and western Pacific, however, the SST was enhanced in both the 1940s and 1970s. As a result, the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) tended to extend westward with a larger magnitude in the 1970s. The major features were reasonably reproduced by an atmospheric general circulation model (IAP AGCM4.0) prescribed with observed SST and sea ice. On the other hand, the westward extension of the WPSH was exaggerated in the 1970s, while it was underestimated in the 1940s. Besides, the spatial pattern of the simulated summer rainfall in eastern China tended to shift southward compared with the observation.     

台风莫拉菲(2009)登陆前后电荷结构演变的模拟研究

利用中尺度起电放电模式以及卫星和闪电定位等观测资料,对比分析了台风莫拉菲（2009）在登陆前后以及衰亡阶段的电荷结构及形成。结果表明：莫拉菲在登陆前存在近海加强过程,加强中逐渐形成清晰的台风眼并伴随眼壁区闪电活动的多发。眼壁区对流在近海加强阶段呈现正的三极性电荷结构,主负电荷区位于-25℃——10℃层,其上下各有一个正电荷区。而在台风达到最大强度后呈现负的偶极性电荷结构,仅存在云中部的负电荷区和下部的正电荷区。眼壁区对流的电荷结构同台风强度变化密切相关而不受登陆直接影响。在台风发展的不同阶段,外螺旋雨带对流主要表现为正的三极性或正的偶极性电荷结构,之前的研究一般认为外雨带对流只能呈现正的偶极性电结构。外雨带三极性电结构的形成可以类似于眼壁区三极性结构的形成,也存在其他形成机制,即在霰粒子与冰晶组成的正偶极性电荷结构下存在一个由雹粒子组成的正电荷区,从而形成正的三极性电荷结构。台风衰亡阶段对流主要表现负的偶极性电荷结构,对流活动较弱,类似于陆地雷暴消散阶段的特性。不同类型的电荷结构所对应对流的相对强度也在文内进行了讨论。     

Is the interdecadal variation of the summer rainfall over eastern China associated with SST?

The present study examined the major features of the interdecadal variation of the summer rainfall over eastern China (IVRC) and the possible association with sea surface temperature (SST). We noted that the first leading mode of IVRC (accounting for nearly half of the total variance and with maximum loading for the summer rainfall anomalies over South China) may be not forced by SST. On the other hand, the second and third leading modes [accounting for 17.1 and 13.6 % of the total variance and mainly associated with the summer rainfall anomalies over the Yangtze River valley (YRV) and North China, respectively] in some extent are forced by SST anomalies. These observational results are confirmed by atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) simulations forced by observed SST. By eliminating the internal dynamical process driven rainfall though ensemble mean, the simulations further suggest an overall enhancement of the intensity of IVRC in the corresponding ensemble mean, especially in the YRV and North China regions, but not in South China. That implies the different role of SST in driving IVRC over different regions.     

Characteristics of the two active stages of lightning activity in two hailstorms

Two hailstorms that occurred in Beijing and Tianjin, respectively, are investigated, based mainly on the total lightning data observed by the System d’Alerte Fondre par Interferometric Radioelecctrique (SAFIR3000), the cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning data of a CG lightning location system, and the echo data of a Doppler radar. Both hailstorms exhibited two lightning frequency peaks: the first was before the hailfall and the second was after the hailfall, with the second peak greater than the first. The dominant polarity of the CG lightning was positive in the stage around the first frequency peak, but changed to negative in the stage around the second frequency peak. The evolution of radar echoes and the height distribution of lightning radiation sources are explored, revealing that both hailstorms had stronger convection and the main positive charge occurred at mid levels during the stage around the first frequency peak. However, whilst the Beijing hailstorm experienced the enhancement of convection, with the main positive charge at upper levels around the second frequency peak, the Tianjin hailstorm generated its second frequency peak during the period when the convection kept weakening and the main positive charge dropped to mid–lower levels. Through evaluation of the radar parameters, we investigate the mechanisms responsible for the second stage of active lightning discharge. Furthermore, the lightning activity exhibited a close relationship with radar echo parameters and hailfall. Lightning jump signals were found before the hailfall and were associated with the change ratio of the 40-dBZ echo volume above the ?15°C level, which demonstrates the application value of lightning data in severe weather warning.     

青藏高原闪电和降水气候特征及时空对应关系

基于1998—2013年的TRMM (tropical rainfall measuring mission) 数据,分析青藏高原闪电活动与降水气候特征及时空对应关系,结果表明:青藏高原 (简称高原) 的闪电活动中心在高原中部和东北部,中部最大闪电密度达到6.2 fl·km-2·a-1;但高原降水最活跃的区域是东南部,年降水量超过800 mm。闪电活动和降水随月份均呈现出先西进再东退的特征,但高原东北部强闪电活动区位置几乎不变化。在固定区域闪电和降水月变化具有一致性,活跃期出现在5—9月,呈单峰结构,除西部和东南部外,闪电与降水峰值月份吻合。结合TRMM降水特征 (简称PFs) 资料研究单个闪电表征降水量 (rainyield per flash,RPF) 的空间分布特征表明,闪电活动可以作为高原深对流的指示因子,而RPF可以有效表征深对流系统在整个降水系统中的比例。高原中西部和东北部深对流系统在整个降水系统中的比例最大,而在高原东南部最小,高原东南部的降水更多由暖云降水系统贡献。     

北京和广州地区云闪初始击穿电场变化特征

对比分析了北京和广州地区各100例云闪初始阶段前30 ms快电场变化波形上初始击穿脉冲的特征。依据脉冲的结构特征,两地区的云闪初始击穿脉冲可分为单极性单峰型、单极性多峰型、双极性单峰型和双极性多峰型脉冲,两地区均以单极性和单峰型脉冲为主。对脉冲参量特征的统计发现,脉冲的10%-90%上升时间、半峰值宽度地区差异性小于脉冲类型差异性;双极性单峰型脉冲的半峰值宽是单极性单峰型的1.2倍。不同类型脉冲过零时间的中值、平均值在10μs左右量级,且广州地区较北京地区的大;云闪初始击穿脉冲宽度平均值显著小于相同地区正地闪的,而脉冲间隔显著大于正地闪的。初始击穿脉冲最为集中的出现在云闪最初的1~2 ms,其比例随时间以显著的负指数分布下降。研究发现,双极性脉冲的过零时间与脉冲宽度之间、起始半周期峰值幅度与过冲幅度之间均存在较好的线性关系。     

新疆西南部一次局地对流性暴雨成因分析

利用常规地面和探空气象资料、NCEP逐6h1°×1°的再分析资料和(CINRAD-CC)多普勒雷达探测资料,对2012年7月19日新疆阿图什罕见的短时对流性暴雨形成原因进行了诊断分析。结果表明:此次天气是在南疆低涡有利的环流背景下、低层中尺度低涡促进上升运动及触发不稳定能量释放产生的;冷空气的入侵是造成对流扰动发展的重要原因,同时地面小尺度系统对触发不稳定能量释放也有一定的作用;涡散场的配置、垂直速度、低层偏东急流和强不稳定能量满足了对流发生的基本条件,而较强的垂直风切变则使风暴明显增强;从喀什探空订正图来看,修正后的探空资料中各要素对开展强对流潜势预报有很好的指示意义,有待进一步总结验证;对多普勒雷达资料的分析表明,此次强降水具有强回波、强的垂直风切变、大的垂直液态水含量和较高回波顶高等,与强对流天气的发生发展及落区有较好的对应关系。     

中国东部夏季暴雨的年代际跃变及其大尺度环流背景

本文利用1960~2011年中国东部地面测站的逐日降水资料和JRA-55再分析资料探讨了夏季暴雨分布的年代际跃变及其相关联的大尺度环流异常特征。基于暴雨频数和占比(夏季暴雨占比是指5~8月暴雨降水量对总降水量的贡献百分比)的分析结果表明:中国东部夏季暴雨分布在20世纪70年代末和90年代初经历两次反相的经向"三极子"跃变。中国东部夏季暴雨的年代际演变过程可分为三个时段:1960~1979年为华南和华北暴雨偏多、江淮流域暴雨偏少的经向"三极子"分布;1980~1991年为南方和华北暴雨偏少、江淮流域暴雨偏多的经向三极子"分布;1992~2011年为南方暴雨显著偏多、华北暴雨持续偏少,逐渐形成经向"偶极子"分布,并导致近十多年我国夏季"南涝北旱"的整体格局。1970年代末(1990年代初)跃变相关联的大尺度环流异常配置:东亚夏季风的减弱(增强),西太平洋副高的增强西伸但南撤(北抬),南亚高压的减弱南缩(增强东扩),以及蒙古高原中低层的气旋式(反气旋式)环流异常。与此同时,低层局地环流也发生调整:华北和黄淮地区以及华南和江南地区均为反气旋式(气旋式)环流异常,而江淮流域和四川盆地受控于风场切变式辐合(辐散)异常;涡度场发生相应变化,南北方大部分地区的负(正)涡度异常不(有)利于低涡的发展,而江淮流域和四川盆地的正(负)涡度异常有(不)利于低涡的发展,进而引发江南和华南暴雨减少(增加)、江淮流域和四川盆地暴雨增加(减少)、黄淮和华北暴雨减少(增加)的经向"三极子"跃变。