A new DRP-4DVar-based coupled data assimilation system for decadal predictions using a fast online localization technique

Climate Dynamics - A new coupled data assimilation (CDA) system based on dimension-reduced projection four-dimensional variational data assimilation (DRP-4DVar) for decadal predictions is developed...     

Hiatus of wetland methane emissions associated with recent La Niña episodes in the Asian monsoon region

The variability of methane emissions from wetlands in the tropics and northern temperate regions can explain more than 70% of the interannual variation in global wetland methane emissions, which are largely driven by climate variability. We use climate reanalysis, remote sensing wetland area dataset and simulations from 11 land models contributing to Global Methane Budget to investigate the interannual variation and anomalies of wetland methane emissions in the Asian Monsoon region. Methane emissions in this region steadily increased over 2000–2012. However, abnormally low methane emissions were found in equatorial fully humid (Af), warm temperate winter dry (Cw), and warm temperate fully humid (Cf) Asian Monsoon climate sub-regions in 2008, 2009 and 2011, respectively. These spatially-shifting low emissions occurred simultaneously with observed wetland area shrinkage due to abnormally low precipitation. Interannual variability of wetland methane emissions in Asian Monsoon region are primarily driven by South Asian Monsoon system. However, the abnormally low emissions are related to strong La Niña events, and its accompanying effect of weakened East Asian Monsoon system and eastward Western Pacific subtropical high, which drives the shifting pattern of rainfall, and thus the spatial pattern of methane emission anomalies.     

Tropical Cyclone Size Change under Ocean Warming and Associated Responses of Tropical Cyclone Destructiveness: Idealized Experiments

The power dissipation index (PDI), which is defined as the sum of the cube of tropical cyclone (TC) maximum wind speed during TC lifetime, is widely used to estimate the TC destructive potential. However, due to the lack of high-resolution observations, little attention has been paid to the contribution of TC size change to TC destructive potential in response to ocean warming. In this study, sensitivity experiments are performed by using the high-resolution Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to investigate the responses of TC size and TC destructive potential to prescribed sea surface temperature (SST) increase under the present climate condition. The results show that TC size increases with the ocean warming. Possible reasons for TC size change are investigated with a focus on the outer air-sea moisture difference (ASMD). As SST increases, ASMD in the outer zone of the TC is larger than that in the inner zone, which increases the surface entropy flux (SEF) of the outer zone. This change in the radial distribution of SEF causes the increase of tangential wind in the outer zone, which further increases SEF, resulting in a positive feedback between outer-zone SEF and outer-zone tangential wind. This feedback leads to the increase of the radius of gale-force wind, leading to the expansion of TC size. Moreover, to estimate the contribution of TC size change to TC destructiveness, we calculate TC size-dependent destructive potential (PDS) as the storm size information is available in the model outputs, as well as PDI that does not consider the effect of TC size change. We find that PDS increases exponentially as SST increases from 1 to 4°C, while PDI increases linearly; hence the former is soon much greater than the latter. This suggests that the growth effect of TC size cannot be ignored in estimating destructiveness under ocean warming.     

城市热岛效应和迁址对赤峰站温度的影响

选取赤峰站和周围3个站1959-2007年年平均气温资料,分析了热岛效应和迁址对赤峰站温度的影响.结果认为,迁址前赤峰站受到了城市热岛效应的影响,热岛效应使得赤峰站平均温度上升了0.7℃.热岛效应强度呈增强的趋势,增温率为0.29℃/10年.迁址后热岛效应消失,升温幅度减小,使得温度变化趋势出现了不连续现象,同时导致了气候变暖突变点的变化.     

Observed changes of drought/wetness episodes in the Pearl River basin, China, using the standardized precipitation index and aridity index

Monthly precipitation data of 42 rain stations over the Pearl River basin for 1960–2005 were analyzed to classify anomalously wet and dry conditions by using the standardized precipitation index (SPI) and aridity index (I) for the rainy season (April–September) and winter (December–February). Trends of the number of wet and dry months decided by SPI were detected with Mann-Kendall technique. Furthermore, we also investigated possible causes behind wet and dry variations by analyzing NCAR/NCEP reanalysis dataset. The results indicate that: (1) the Pearl River basin tends to be dryer in the rainy season and comes to be wetter in winter. However, different wetting and drying properties can be identified across the basin: west parts of the basin tend to be dryer; and southeast parts tend to be wetter; (2) the Pearl River basin is dominated by dry tendency in the rainy season and is further substantiated by aridity index (I) variations; and (3) water vapor flux, moisture content changes in the rainy season and winter indicate different influences of moisture changes on wet and dry conditions across the Pearl River basin. Increasing moisture content gives rise to an increasing number of wet months in winter. However, no fixed relationships can be observed between moisture content changes and number of wet months in the rainy season, indicating that more than one factor can influence the dry or wet conditions of the study region. The results of this paper will be helpful for basin-scale water resource management under the changing climate.     

南疆西部大降水天气过程的统计分析

对南疆西部1970－1999年大降水天气过程的分析表明，大降水集中出现在夏季，中亚低涡是造成南疆西部大降水的主要影响系统。     

年代际气候变率问题的研究

对年代际气候变率的研究工作和主要结果作了综合评述，并对该领域的研究前景作了一定的阐述。     

一次干冷锋过程的边界层风场结构和尺度分析

本文利用南京北郊164米气象塔实测资料对一次非降水弱冷锋过程的边界层风场结构一三维风速、横锋向水平散度、湍流通量和能量的时空分布，以及多尺度时空分布进行了计算分析。结果表明，在冷暖空气的过渡区（锋区）风场各参量具有明显的梯度，锋区前线的强上升气流与强冷锋相近，但锋区宽度较强冷锋宽得多，其时间尺度为30分钟，水平距离为35公里。锋面过境对风温场的影响时段为24小时，在这期间，出现阵风浪涌和多种中、小尺度（时间尺度为3－4小时、1－20分钟）的湍涡活动。     

史灌河流域水量平衡研究

建立了一个水量平衡模型,并用1998、1999年淮河流域能量和水循环试验(HUBEX)期间获得的史灌河流域(HUBEX水文试验区)加密观测资料来率定模型中的参数.结论表明:(1)水量平衡的要素计算合理;(2)梅山、鲇鱼山、蒋集土壤含水量的平均值系列基本上反映了流域蓄水量的变化过程;(3)流域蓄水量的衰减系数、蒸发能力的折算系数比较稳定,不应通过调整这些系数来实现水量平衡.     

大气臭氧与气溶胶垂直分布的高空气球探测

本文给出了1993年9月12日利用高空科学气球在河北省香河地区探测到的大气臭氧和气溶胶的垂直分布。结果发现:(1) 大气臭氧的数密度在整个对流层较低(～10[12]mol/cm3)，并从地面到对流层顶略有下降；对流层顶以上开始快速增加，极值层高度在～24 km，其值为4.78×10[12]mol/cm3；臭氧分压有类似的分布特征，极值146×10[-4]Pa，位于同一高度；(2) 在平流层低层，臭氧分压有一个次极值62×10[-4]Pa，位于15～16 km；(3) 0～30 km大气气溶胶数密度呈现出三个峰值:143，8和1.1 个/cm[3]，分别位于近地面、5 km和21 km；（4）气溶胶的数密度谱在对流层为双模态；在平流层，次峰消失。同时，我们还与其他观测结果作了比较分析。