A complementary depiction of the interannual variation of atmospheric circulation associated with ENSO events: Research note

Abstract

A simple diagnostic scheme, which combines a low‐pass temporal filter (with an 18‐month cutoff time) with a regular empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis, is used to delineate the synchronous evolution of El Nino‐Southern Oscillation‐related (ENSO‐related) modes in various variables of the ocean‐atmosphere system. Based on the causal relation chain of diabatic heating, divergent circulation and rotational flow, the diagnostic scheme extracts ENSO modes from the following data sources: the Pacific sea surface temperature (SST), the past 14‐years (1979–1992) of data generated by the Global Data Assimilation System of the National Meteorological Center, and a 10‐year (1979–1988) general circulation model climate simulation made at the Goddard Laboratory for Atmospheres. The analysis reveals the following: (a) the eigencoefficient time series of the first eigenmodes of selected filtered variables, which explain about 40–50% of their total variance, synchronize with the filtered SST averaged over Area NINO‐3; (b) the spatial structures of the first eigenmodes resemble the ensemble departures associated with ENSO events of these variables from their long term means; and (c) the results show that the proposed scheme can be easily applied to isolate and illustrate the time evolution of ENSO modes which exist in the long term observational database as well as in climate simulations.     

ENSO发展和衰减阶段的陕西夏季降水异常特征

利用1961—2008年陕西78个气象站夏季 (6—8月) 降水资料、NCEP/NCAR位势高度场和风场月平均再分析资料,采用合成及相关分析方法探讨ENSO发展和衰减阶段对陕西夏季降水异常的影响,以期为陕西夏季降水的气候预测提供线索和依据。结果表明:陕西夏季降水异常对ENSO发展和衰减阶段的响应存在显著差异,El Ni?o发展阶段和La Ni?a衰减阶段,陕西夏季降水偏少; El Ni?o衰减阶段和La Ni?a发展阶段,陕西夏季降水偏多; ENSO不同阶段对陕西7月降水影响最为显著。比较而言,El Ni?o事件对陕西夏季降水的影响更加显著。在El Ni?o衰减、La Ni?a发展阶段,西太平洋副热带高压偏强、偏西,东亚夏季风偏弱,而在El Ni?o发展、La Ni?a衰减阶段,西太平洋副热带高压偏弱、偏东,东亚夏季风偏强,El Ni?o过程对东亚夏季风强弱的影响更加显著。ENSO发展和衰减阶段通过影响大气环流变化和东亚夏季风的强弱,进而影响陕西夏季降水。     

The spatial–temporal variations in optical properties of atmosphere aerosols derived from AERONET dataset over China

The spatial–temporal properties of aerosol types over China are studied using the radiance measurements and inversions data at four Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) stations in China. Based on a cluster analysis, five aerosol classes were identified including a coarse-sized dominated aerosol type (presumably dust) and four fine-sized dominated aerosol types ranging from non-absorbing to highly absorbing fine aerosols. The optical properties and seasonal variations of these aerosol types are investigated. The results of analysis show that: (1) the highly absorbing aerosols usually occur in winter, (2) non-absorbing aerosols are frequently observed in summer; (3) coarse-sized dominated aerosols are frequently occurred in spring.     

不同参数化方案对风预报效果影响个例研究

中尺度气象模式对风场的预报效果与参数化方案的适应性紧密相关.以内蒙古高原丘陵地形、江苏平缓的海陆交界地形2种典型下垫面试验风电场为模拟区域,分别用WRFV3.2 （Weather Research and Forecast Model）模式自带的6种物理过程参数化组合方案预报了2010年1月和7月两个风电场区域的风速和风向,对比分析了参数化组合方案差异对风场预报的影响.结果表明：①内蒙古试验区,边界层MRF方案描述的边界层结构较MYJ方案合理;微物理方案WSM3在夏季的风速预报能力优于WSM6,而冬季相反;复杂地形区域的风场预报需考虑陆面过程参数化方案,尤其是夏季降水发生后,陆面过程对于边界层结构的影响增大,选用Noah优于无陆面过程.②江苏试验区,边界层MRF方案描述的边界层结构较MYJ方案合理;1月陆面过程RUC方案优于陆面热量扩散和Noah;7月陆面热量扩散方案优于RUC和Noah.③风向预报6个方案的预报风向统计与实际记录风向统计有较好的一致性,风向概率分布相似,盛行风向一致且稳定.     

Detection of large color variation in the potentially hazardousasteroid （297274） 1996 SK

Low-inclination near-earth asteroid(NEA)(297274) 1996 SK,which is also classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid,has a highly eccentric orbit.It was studied by multi-wavelength photometry within the framework of an NEA color survey at Lulin Observatory.Here,we report the finding of large color variation across the surface of(297274) 1996 SK within one asteroidal rotation period of4.656 ± 0.122 hours and classify it as an S-type asteroid according to its average colors of B- V = 0.767 ± 0.033,V- R = 0.482 ± 0.021,V- I = 0.801 ± 0.025and the corresponding relative reflectance spectrum.These results might be indicative of differential space weathering or compositional inhomogeneity in the surface materials.     

Viscous relaxation on comets

Three Jupiter family comets have now been observed by spacecraft with the surprising result that these comets lack unambiguous impact craters. Large-scale topography generally appears to be softened on these comets, although sharp topography is preserved at small scales. We find that viscous relaxation of water ice may explain these observations, given reasonable assumptions about ice grain size and temperatures attained in the interiors. We suggest that both the shapes and the cratering records of Jupiter family comets may be substantially modified and no longer reflect cometary formation processes or collisional evolution in the Kuiper Belt.     

Beaming Effects in GRBs and Orphan Afterglows

The overall dynamical evolution and radiation mechanism of γ-ray burst (GRB) jets are briefly introduced. Various interesting topics concerning beaming in GRBs are discussed, including jet structures, orphan afterglows and cylindrical jets. The possible connection between GRBs and neutron stars is also addressed.     

Modelling water infiltration in cracked paddy field soil

Periodic paddy field flooding is a major source of groundwater recharge. Many paddy fields thus are used as groundwater recharge ponds after harvesting the first crop of the summer. Following rice harvesting, paddy field surfaces may crack into fissures as a result of drainage and exposure to sunlight. Field observation indicates that applying precipitation to the paddy field can increase the rate of infiltration. To quantitatively evaluate the amount of infiltration in a cracked paddy field, this study sets up a simple soil crack model to simulate the field infiltration process. A three‐dimensional groundwater model FEMWATER is adopted to simulate water movement in the paddy field subjected to various crack conditions. Using the field and laboratory data of irrigation water requirements, soil physical properties, hydraulic conductivities and soil profiles obtained from Ten‐Chung, FEMWATER simulates the water movement in the dry cracked paddy. Simulation results show that if the cracks develop extensively and penetrate the ploughed soil, the infiltration rate may increase significantly. The infiltration fluxes of crack with depths of 80, 60 and 27·5 cm are 18·77, 14·50 and 8·06 times higher than that of 20 cm, respectively. The simulation results of cracks with 80 cm depth correlated closely with field observations. The results of the study elucidate the processes of unsaturated water movement in a dry cracked paddy field. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

上海天文台CHAMP掩星资料处理结果的统计分析

随着GPS全球定位系统的发展,已经有可能使用GPS掩星技术反演精确的大气温度,压强和湿度剖面．在概要地描述上海天文台(SHAO)开发的GPS掩星数据资料反演地球大气流程模块以后,分析了2002年8月1日至2002年8月17日期间2700多次CHAMP掩星数据资料的结果,并且与欧洲中尺度天气预报分析(ECMWF)资料进行比较和统计分析,讨论了CHAMP掩星数据的质量,并分析了CHAMP掩星数据的观测误差和ECMWF的分析模型误差．提出了一种优化的统计分析方法,它能更客观地反映GPS掩星技术的外部符合．统计分析结果表明GPS掩星数据将有可能成为数值天气预报和长期监测地球气候的非常有价值的数据资料．