Stratospheric radiative feedback limited by the tropospheric influence in global warming

Whether the stratospheric radiative feedback amplifies the global warming remains under debate. The stratospheric water vapor (SWV), one of the primary feedbacks in the stratosphere, is argued to be an important contributor to the global warming. On the other hand, the overall stratospheric feedback, which consists of both the SWV feedback and the stratospheric temperature (ST) feedback, does not amount to a significant value. The key to reconciling these seemingly contradictory arguments is to understand the ST change. Here, we develop a method to decompose the ST change and to quantify the decomposed feedbacks. We find that the SWV feedback, which consists of a 0.04 W m⁻² K⁻¹ direct impact on the top-of-the-atmosphere radiation and 0.11 W m⁻² K⁻¹ indirect impact via ST cooling, is offset by a negative ST feedback of − 0.13 W m⁻² K⁻¹ that is radiatively driven by the tropospheric warming. This compensation results in an insignificant overall stratospheric feedback.

     

The polar form of the spherical harmonic spectrum: implications for filtering <Emphasis Type="BoldSmallCaps">grace</Emphasis> data

Representing the spherical harmonic spectrum of a field on the sphere in terms of its amplitude and phase is termed as its polar form. In this study, we look at how the amplitude and phase are affected by linear low-pass filtering. The impact of filtering on amplitude is well understood, but that on phase has not been studied previously. Here, we demonstrate that a certain class of filters only affect the amplitude of the spherical harmonic spectrum and not the phase, but the others affect both the amplitude and phase. Further, we also demonstrate that the filtered phase helps in ascertaining the efficacy of decorrelation filters used in the grace community.     

What Can be Expected from the GRACE-FO Laser Ranging Interferometer for Earth Science Applications?

The primary objective of the gravity recovery and climate experiment follow-on (GRACE-FO) satellite mission, due for launch in August 2017, is to continue the GRACE time series of global monthly gravity field models. For this, evolved versions of the GRACE microwave instrument, GPS receiver, and accelerometer will be used. A secondary objective is to demonstrate the effectiveness of a laser ranging interferometer (LRI) in improving the satellite-to-satellite tracking measurement performance. In order to investigate the expected enhancement for Earth science applications, we have performed a full-scale simulation over the nominal mission lifetime of 5 years using a realistic orbit scenario and error assumptions both for instrument and background model errors. Unfiltered differences between the synthetic input and the finally recovered time-variable monthly gravity models show notable improvements with the LRI, on a global scale, of the order of 23 %. The gain is realized for wavelengths smaller than 240 km in case of Gaussian filtering but decreases to just a few percent when anisotropic filtering is applied. This is also confirmed for some typical regional Earth science applications which show randomly distributed patterns of small improvements but also degradations when using DDK4-filtered LRI-based models. Analysis of applied error models indicates that accelerometer noise followed by ocean tide and non-tidal mass variation errors are the main contributors to the overall GRACE-FO gravity model error. Improvements in these fields are therefore necessary, besides optimized constellations, to make use of the increased LRI accuracy and to significantly improve gravity field models from next-generation gravity missions.     

Effect of snow cover on pan-Arctic permafrost thermal regimes

This study quantitatively evaluated how insulation by snow depth (SND) affected the soil thermal regime and permafrost degradation in the pan-Arctic area, and more generally defined the characteristics of soil temperature (T_SOIL) and SND from 1901 to 2009. This was achieved through experiments performed with the land surface model CHANGE to assess sensitivity to winter precipitation as well as air temperature. Simulated T_SOIL, active layer thickness (ALT), SND, and snow density were generally comparable with in situ or satellite observations at large scales and over long periods. Northernmost regions had snow that remained relatively stable and in a thicker state during the past four decades, generating greater increases in T_SOIL. Changes in snow cover have led to changes in the thermal state of the underlying soil, which is strongly dependent on both the magnitude and the timing of changes in snowfall. Simulations of the period 2001–2009 revealed significant differences in the extent of near-surface permafrost, reflecting differences in the model’s treatment of meteorology and the soil bottom boundary. Permafrost loss was greater when SND increased in autumn rather than in winter, due to insulation of the soil resulting from early cooling. Simulations revealed that T_SOIL tended to increase over most of the pan-Arctic from 1901 to 2009, and that this increase was significant in northern regions, especially in northeastern Siberia where SND is responsible for 50 % or more of the changes in T_SOIL at a depth of 3.6 m. In the same region, ALT also increased at a rate of approximately 2.3 cm per decade. The most sensitive response of ALT to changes in SND appeared in the southern boundary regions of permafrost, in contrast to permafrost temperatures within the 60°N–80°N region, which were more sensitive to changes in snow cover. Finally, our model suggests that snow cover contributes to the warming of permafrost in northern regions and could play a more important role under conditions of future Arctic warming.     

中国气象科学研究院深化科技体制改革

2003年，是中国气象科学研究院深化科技体制改革关键的一年，也是我院通过改革，全院职工奋发向上，精神面貌发生重大变化，各项工作取得可喜成绩的重要一年。《中国气象科学研究院深化改革实施方案》经2002年12月1117t中国气象局党组通过后，于2003年开始全面实施。领导班子明确分工，责任到人，抓好组织落实，积极稳妥地推进了我院的深化改革。     

新矿物—盈江铀矿

新矿物产于云南盈江县的一个铀矿点氧化带,与多种铀矿物共生。该矿物为致密状集合体,黄色,透明至半透明。斜方晶系,空间群C222_1,晶胞参数a=13.73(1),b=15.99(1),c=17.33(2);V=3804(5);Z=8。计算比重4.17。二轴晶负光性,2V计算=83°,α=1.669;β=1.692;γ=1.710。紫外光照射发弱绿黄色荧光。化学成分UO_376.54,P_2O_511.10,K_2O 2.46,CaO 1.57,ThO 0.51,RE_2O_3 0.45,H_2O 7.37%。矿物化学式为(K_(1-x),Ca_x)(UO_2)_3 (PO_4)_2 (OH)_(1+x)·4H_2O,文中还给出X射线粉晶衍射数据。     

模式识别及其在地图制图中的发展现状分析

模式识别在地图制图中的应用，是实现地图制图自动化的重要研究内容。通过对模式识别，地图制衅，以及地图模式识别的发展回顾和现状分析，阐述了开展地图模式识别研究的重要意义，并指出了其研究重点。     

The Spatial Characteristics of a Line and Their Application to Line Simplification

This paper discusses the spatial knowledge related to a line,and the characteristic points of lines is detected.According to the requirements of line generalization,new algorithms for identifying characteristic line points are presented.These characteristic points are used to improve the algorithms of line generalization.An algorithm for identifying bends is shown.In this paper,improved algorithms based on those by Douglas-Peucker,Visvalingam and Whyatt are shown.In this test,the progressive process of line generalization is emphasized.     

人类活动对气候影响的研究Ⅱ.对东亚和中国气候变化的影响

系统总结和介绍了20世纪90年代以来作者所开展的有关人类活动对东亚和中国气候影响的一系列研究活动.其中包括温室气体辐射强迫及其气候效应,大气微量气体的全球增温潜能,对流层和平流层气溶胶的辐射气候效应,气候系统外部因子对中国气候影响的总体评估,人类活动对中国和东亚地区未来气候变化的影响,以及20世纪和21世纪东亚及中国的气候变化.同时给出了一系列研究成果,这些研究成果对于正确认识和准确预测东亚地区以及中国气候变化具有十分重要的意义.     

Multi-proxy paleolimnological assessment of biogeochemical versus food web controls on the trophic states of two shallow,mesotrophic lakes

The frequency of nuisance algal blooms has been increasing during the last two decades in the shallow, headwater East Pond (Smithfield, Maine, USA). Meanwhile, the hydrologically linked North Pond has not experienced an increase in algal blooms, despite similar morphometry and higher external nutrient loads. Possible explanations for this difference include stronger trophic cascade effects from planktivorous white perch (Morone americana) in East Pond as well as differences in phosphorus (P) release from the sediments of these two lakes. We conducted a paleolimnological investigation of these two lakes to assess whether sedimentary evidence supported trophic cascade effects based on cladoceran ephippia size, diatom fossils, and fossil pigments or biogeochemical controls based on potential sedimentary P release as the primary driver of these increased algal blooms in East Pond. At the time of white perch introduction (~1930–1950), ephippia size increases in East Pond, although no changes are observed in either diatom abundance or trends in the algal pigments. Instead, algal pigments increase in recent decades (~1980 to present) along with an increase in diatom taxa with higher TP optima These results suggest that predation by white perch is not resulting in top-down effects on algal abundance in East Pond, as predicted by the trophic cascade hypothesis. While the P content of sediments from both lakes is relatively equal, the releasable P in the top 10 cm of sediment in East Pond constitutes a greater percentage of the P extracted. Also, North Pond sediments exhibit a greater capacity to permanently bury P via the mechanisms of sorption to Al(OH)_3(s) and a slower mineralization of organic P compounds. The results of this investigation suggest that the ultimate driver of the recent algal blooms in East Pond is internal P release from the sediments instead of trophic cascade effects.