Trends of Regional Precipitation and Their Control Mechanisms during 1979–2013

Trends in precipitation are critical to water resources. Considerable uncertainty remains concerning the trends of regional precipitation in response to global warming and their controlling mechanisms. Here, we use an interannual difference method to derive trends of regional precipitation from GPCP(Global Precipitation Climatology Project) data and MERRA(ModernEra Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications) reanalysis in the near-global domain of 60?S–60?N during a major global warming period of 1979–2013. We find that trends of regional annual precipitation are primarily driven by changes in the top 30% heavy precipitation events, which in turn are controlled by changes in precipitable water in response to global warming, i.e., by thermodynamic processes. Significant drying trends are found in most parts of the U.S. and eastern Canada,the Middle East, and eastern South America, while significant increases in precipitation occur in northern Australia, southern Africa, western India and western China. In addition, as the climate warms there are extensive enhancements and expansions of the three major tropical precipitation centers–the Maritime Continent, Central America, and tropical Africa–leading to the observed widening of Hadley cells and a significant strengthening of the global hydrological cycle.     

An algorithm to retrieve precipitation with synthetic aperture radar

This paper presents a new type of rainfall retrieval algorithm, called the model-oriented statistical and Volterra integration. It is a combination of the model-oriented statistical (MOS) and Volterra integral equation (VIE) approaches. The steps involved in this new algorithm can be briefly illustrated as follows. Firstly, information such as the start point and width of the rain is obtained through pre-analysis of the data received by synthetic aperture radar (SAR). Secondly, the VIE retrieval algorithm is employed over a short distance to obtain information on the shape of the rain. Finally, the rain rate can be calculated by using the MOS retrieval algorithm. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm is effective and simple, and can lead to time savings of nearly 50% compared with MOS. An example of application of SAR data is also discussed, involving the retrieval of precipitation information over the South China Sea.     

Factors controlling the interannual variations of MJO intensity

The interannual variations of intensity of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) during boreal winter are investigated by using the observed outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and the reanalysis data of ECMWF and NCEP. The standard deviation of 20-80-day filtered OLR anomaly is used to measure the MJO intensity. The dominant spatial structure of the interannual variability is revealed by an EOF analysis of the MJO intensity field. It is found that the leading mode is associated with eastern Pacific type ENSO, whereas the second mode is related to central Pacific type ENSO. A simple atmospheric model is used to investigate the relative roles of background moisture and wind changes in affecting the overall strength of MJO. The numerical experiments indicate that the background moisture effect is dominant while the background wind change has a minor effect.     

5—6月东北冷涡持续活动及强度特征

利用1960—2012年5—6月NCEP/NCAR逐日再分析资料,基于冷涡经典定义,采取客观识别方法检索东北冷涡活动过程,根据东北冷涡活动时空变化特征给出东北冷涡持续活动过程标准, 通过冷涡强度指数进行定量化分析,该指数对冷涡持续活动过程具有较好表征意义。冷涡活动强对应5月乌拉尔山阻塞高压、贝加尔湖阻塞高压和6月鄂霍次克海阻塞高压活动频繁。通过强弱指数年合成,得到6月强指数年冷涡系统较深厚,集中于对流层中高层,冷心结构明显,具有一定大气斜压特征; 高层存在冷中心,低层有冷空气活动,中高层西风带呈明显的上游分流和下游汇合特征,分汇流之间呈东北高、西南低的偶极子阻塞形势;弱指数年冷涡系统较浅薄,主要集中在对流层中低层,冷心结构不明显,不存在阻塞形势。     

天山南麓雷暴日短期预报研究

利用阿克苏及邻近地区12个气象站1980—2013年雷暴资料,以及同期高空资料,统计了各站年均雷暴日数,对发生区域雷暴天气的环流形势进行分类,归纳出各型的入型指标。通过逐步回归法,建立阿克苏及邻近地区区域雷暴概率回归预报模型,并对2013年进行试预报。结果表明:(1)阿克苏及邻近地区区域雷暴的影响系统主要分为4类:巴湖低槽型、急流型、西北气流型和温度槽型。(2)对2002—2012年5—9月(共1683 d)历史资料进行判别,满足入型条件的样本数为876 d,消空率为48%;对2013年5—9月(共153 d)历史资料进行判别,入型样本数为80 d,消空率为48%。(3)对2002—2012年5—9月所有入型样本进行回代检验,平均准确率为72.0%(平均TS评分为30.1%);对2013年5—9月所有入型样本进行试预报,平均准确率为63.2%(平均TS评分为28.2%)。     

同化FY3B/IRAS资料对GRAPES分析场影响诊断

GRAPES(Globe and Regional Assimilation and Prediction System)变分系统能够同化常规资料和非常规卫星资料,这些被同化的资料究竟对同化系统得到的分析场有何影响,目前国内外尚未见相关的研究文献。为此,首次采用基于信息熵信号自由度思想,诊断风云三号B星(FY3B)红外分光计(Infrared Atmospheric Sounder,IRAS)资料对GRAPES分析场的影响。诊断过程中,采用数值逼近方法,统计2012年12月24日18时到2013年1月22日00时共114个时次IRAS资料对GRAPES分析场影响,结果表明,IRAS中高层通道亮温资料对GRAPES分析场影响比地表通道20观测亮温的影响大,地表通道8和9观测亮温对分析场影响较大。前24个GRAPES变分同化时次每个时次IRAS通道亮温对分析场影响的贡献率分析结果显示,高层通道和H_2O通道贡献率较大。个例分析结果表明,在同化探空资料基础上加入IRAS资料后,温度和湿度增量场变化幅度较大,表明IRAS资料对分析场有降温和增湿作用。     

抚顺地区夏季降水异常的气候特征分析

利用1951—2012年NCEP/NCAR再分析月平均资料及章党观测站月平均降水数据,利用统计学方法从大气环流等方面对抚顺地区夏季降水异常气候特征进行了分析探讨。结果表明:抚顺地区夏季降水存在明显年际尺度周期特征,西太平洋副热带高压北界越偏北、强度越强则抚顺地区降水强度越大。抚顺地区降水强(弱)年,500hPa高度场抚顺地区位于距平低涡(高压)底前部,850hPa风场抚顺地区处于西南(偏北)气流控制之下,海平面气压场抚顺地区位于蒙古气旋底前部(反气旋前部),比湿场抚顺位于比湿距平正值(负值)区内。降水强年的温度场距平低值中心落后于500hPa高度场低值中心,利于高空槽的发展,有利于降水的维持加强,降水弱年的温度场距平低值中心与500hPa高度场低值中心相配合,对高空槽脊的发展无明显的影响。