The long-term multiband optical observations and colour index for the quasar 3C 273

The long baseline simultaneous multiband ( BVRI ) observations of blazar 3C 273 are presented. We have made 758 optical multiband observations with the Yunnan Astronomical Observatory (YAO) 103 cm and Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO) 156 cm from 2003 January to 2005 April. In our observational campaign, the average colour indices are   B − V = 0.21, V − R = 0.26  and   R − I = 0.31  . The mean magnitudes in B, V, R and I are 12.895, 12.698, 12.441 and 12.139, respectively. The source is in a steady state over observational campaign. The correlations between colour index and brightness are discussed. We find that the correlations of   B − V   versus B ,   V − R   versus V and   R − I   versus R have significant negative correlation, while   B − V   versus V ,   V − R   versus R and   R − I   versus I have positive correlation. These strong correlations imply that the spectrum becomes bluer (flatter) when the source becomes brighter, and redden (softer) when the source fades both in intraday and long-term variability. The spectral evolution trends of 3C 273 are consistent with those of BL Lac objects.     

Pseudo-Newtonian models for the equilibrium structures of rotating relativistic stars

We obtain equilibrium solutions for rotating compact stars, including special relativistic effects. The gravity is assumed to be Newtonian, but we use the active mass density, which takes into account all energies such as the motion of the fluid, internal energy and pressure energy in addition to the rest-mass energy, in computing the gravitational potential using Poisson's equation. Such a treatment could be applicable to neutron stars with relativistic motions or a relativistic equation of state. We applied Hachisu's self-consistent field (SCF) method to find spheroidal as well as toroidal sequences of equilibrium solutions. Our solutions show better agreement with general relativistic solutions than the Newtonian relativistic hydrodynamic approach, which does not take into account the active mass. Physical quantities such as the peak density and equatorial radii in our solutions agree with the general relativistic ones to within 5 per cent. Therefore our approach can be used as a simple alternative to the fully relativistic one when a large number of model calculations is necessary, as it requires much fewer computational resources.     

Statistical Analysis of the Relationships among Coronal Holes,Corotating Interaction Regions,and Geomagnetic Storms

We have examined the relationships among coronal holes (CHs), corotating interaction regions (CIRs), and geomagnetic storms in the period 1996?–?2003. We have identified 123 CIRs with forward and reverse shock or wave features in ACE and Wind data and have linked them to coronal holes shown in National Solar Observatory/Kitt Peak (NSO/KP) daily He i 10?830 Å maps considering the Sun?–?Earth transit time of the solar wind with the observed wind speed. A sample of 107 CH?–?CIR pairs is thus identified. We have examined the magnetic polarity, location, and area of the CHs as well as their association with geomagnetic storms (Dst≤?50 nT). For all pairs, the magnetic polarity of the CHs is found to be consistent with the sunward (or earthward) direction of the interplanetary magnetic fields (IMFs), which confirms the linkage between the CHs and the CIRs in the sample. Our statistical analysis shows that (1) the mean longitude of the center of CHs is about 8°E, (2) 74% of the CHs are located between 30°S and 30°N (i.e., mostly in the equatorial regions), (3) 46% of the CIRs are associated with geomagnetic storms, (4) the area of geoeffective coronal holes is found to be larger than 0.12% of the solar hemisphere area, and (5) the maximum convective electric field E _y in the solar wind is much more highly correlated with the Dst index than any other solar or interplanetary parameter. In addition, we found that there is also a semiannual variation of CIR-associated geomagnetic storms and discovered new tendencies as follows: For negative-polarity coronal holes, the percentage (59%; 16 out of 27 events) of CIRs associated with geomagnetic storms in the first half of the year is much larger than that (25%; 6 out of 24 events) in the second half of the year and the occurrence percentage (63%; 15 out of 24 events) of CIR-associated storms in the southern hemisphere is significantly larger than that (26%; 7 out of 27 events) in the northern hemisphere. Positive-polarity coronal holes exhibit an opposite tendency.     

亚运气象服务需求调查及产品开发探讨

2010年广州亚运会的气象工作,是广东气象部门承接的一次重大气象保障服务,借助良好的网络和气象手机短信等信息传播基础,开展了亚运气象服务需求的调查,并根据调查结果,努力拓宽气象信息发布渠道,多方面开发各种针对性极强的亚运气象产品,为公众提供专项的亚运气象信息服务,极大地提高了亚运气象保障水平。     

Evaluation of wind resource using numerically optimized data in the southwestern Korean Peninsula

The wind distribution over the Korean Peninsula was analyzed using numerically optimized wind data to reduce the uncertainties in estimating the wind resources. The simulated data were validated by a comparison with surface wind observations and three statistical indexes. According to the simulated surface winds, mesoscale circulation, such as land-sea breeze and mountain-valley winds affect the wind characteristics of the hub height at coastal and inland regions. However, the prevailing winds are strongly associated with the synoptic forcing at the island and mountainous regions, not the regional circulation. On the other hand, the atmospheric stability definitely affects the strength of the daytime and nocturnal wind speed at a hub height. Overall, there was a significant difference between the numerical and logarithmic method to estimate the wind energy at hub height. Moreover, the discrepancy in the wind density estimated using the two methods becomes clear over inland and mountainous areas.     

Modification of nocturnal drainage flow due to urban surface heat flux

Dense observations and numerical experiments were carried out to estimate the modification of mesoscale circulation, particularly cold drainage wind. It was confirmed that nocturnal drainage flow can develop on clear calm summer day and change due to orographical forcing and the heterogeneity of heat flux induced by the discontinuity of land-use. The temperature of nocturnal drainage flow at Sungji Valley, Busan Korea, tended to increase as it passed over the urban surface due to anthropogenic heat. The increase in temperature reached 2.9 K at night. The roughness associated with the exchange of momentum flux alone and the pass of nocturnal drainage flow is important for modifying the characteristics of flow Numerical simulations carried out under various surface conditions showed good agreement with the observations. Urban heat fluxes from the surface during the day are fundamental causes of the changes in the urban mesoscale circulation. In addition, the impact of a discontinuity of surface heat flux on mesoscale flow modification tends to be greater at night than during the day because the direction of urban surface heat fluxes at night is different from that in rural areas. In addition, the criterion to estimate the increase in temperature nocturnal drainage flow was also proposed, and provided results that generally agreed with the numerical results.     

Regional-scale relationships between aerosol and summer monsoon circulation, and precipitation over northeast Asia

We investigated the regional-scale relationships between columnar aerosol loads and summer monsoon circulation, and also the precipitation over northeast Asia using aerosol optical depth (AOD) data obtained from the 8-year MODIS, AERONET Sun/sky radiometer, and precipitation data acquired under the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP). These high-quality data revealed the regional-scale link between AOD and summer monsoon circulation, precipitation in July over northeast Asian countries, and their distinct spatial and annual variabilities. Compared to the mean AOD for the entire period of 2001–2008, the increase of almost 40–50% in the AOD value in July 2005 and July 2007 was found over the downwind regions of China (Yellow Sea, Korean peninsula, and East Sea), with negative precipitation anomalies. This can be attributable to the strong westerly confluent flows, between cyclone flows by continental thermal low centered over the northern China and anticyclonic flows by the western North Pacific High, which transport anthropogenic pollution aerosols emitted from east China to aforementioned downwind high AOD regions along the rim of the Pacific marine airmass. In July 2002, however, the easterly flows transported anthropogenic aerosols from east China to the southwestern part of China in July 2002. As a result, the AOD off the coast of China was dramatically reduced in spite of decreasing rainfall. From the calculation of the cross-correlation coefficient between MODIS-derived AOD anomalies and GPCP precipitation anomalies in July over the period 2001–2008, we found negative correlations over the areas encompassed by 105–115°E and 30–35°N and by 120–140°E and 35–40°N (Yellow Sea, Korean peninsula, and East Sea). This suggests that aerosol loads over these regions are easily influenced by the Asian monsoon flow system and associated precipitation.     

High-resolution summer rainfall prediction in the JHWC real-time WRF system

The WRF-based real-time forecast system (http://jhwc.snu.ac.kr/weather) of the Joint Center for High-impact Weather and Climate Research (JHWC) has been in operation since November 2006; this system has three nested model domains using GFS (Global Forecast System) data for its initial and boundary conditions. In this study, we evaluate the improvement in daily and hourly weather prediction, particularly the prediction of summer rainfall over the Korean Peninsula, in the JHWC WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) model system by 3DVAR (three-Dimensional Variational) data assimilation using the data obtained from KEOP (Korea Enhanced Observation Program). KEOP was conducted during the period June 15 to July 15, 2007, and the data obtained included GTS (Global Telecommunication System) upper-air sounding, AWS (Automatic Weather System), wind profiler, and radar observation data. Rainfall prediction and its characteristics should be verified by using the precipitation observation and the difference field of each experiment. High-resolution (3 km in domain 3) summer rainfall prediction over the Korean peninsula is substantially influenced by improved synoptic-scale prediction in domains 1 (27 km) and 2 (9 km), in particular by data assimilation using the sounding and wind profiler data. The rainfall prediction in domain 3 was further improved by radar and AWS data assimilation in domain 3. The equitable threat score and bias score of the rainfall predicted in domain 3 indicated improvement for the threshold values of 0.1, 1, and 2.5 mm with data assimilation. For cases of occurrence of heavy rainfall (7 days), the equitable threat score and bias score improved considerably at all threshold values as compared to the entire period of KEOP. Radar and AWS data assimilation improved the temporal and spatial distributions of diurnal rainfall over southern Korea, and AWS data assimilation increased the predicted rainfall amount by approximately 0.3 mm 3hr^?1.     

Beta gyres in global analysis fields

A three-component decomposition is applied to global analysis data to show the existence of a beta gyre, which causes Tropical Cyclone (TC) to drift from a large-scale environmental steering current. Analyses from the Global Data Assimilation and Prediction System (GDAPS) of the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), the Global Forecast System (GFS) of NCEP, and the Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System (NOGAPS) are used in this study. The structure of the beta gyre obtained in our analyses is in good agreement with the theoretical structure, with a cyclonic circulation to the southwest of the TC center, an anticyclonic circulation to the northeast, and a ventilation flow directed northwestward near the center. The circulation of the beta gyre is strongest at the 850-hPa level where the cyclonically swirling primary circulation is strongest, and decreases with height, in a pyramid shape similar to the primary circulation. The individual structure of the beta gyre is case- and model-dependent. At a certain analysis time, one model may clearly reveal a well-defined beta gyre, but the other models may not. Within one model, the beta gyre may be well defined at some analysis times, but not at other times. The structure of the beta gyre in the analysis field is determined by the nature of the vortex initialization scheme and the model behavior during the 6-h forecast in the operational data assimilation cycle.     

Assessing 4D-VAR for dynamical mapping of coastal high-frequency radar in San Diego

The problem of dynamically mapping high-frequency (HF) radar radial velocity observations is investigated using a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model of the San Diego coastal region and an adjoint-based assimilation method. The HF radar provides near-real-time radial velocities from three sites covering the region offshore of San Diego Bay. The hydrodynamical model is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model (MITgcm) with 1 km horizontal resolution and 40 vertical layers. The domain is centered on Point Loma, extending 117 km offshore and 120 km alongshore. The reference run (before adjustment) is initialized from a single profile of T and S and is forced with wind data from a single shore station and with zero heat and fresh water fluxes. The adjoint of the model is used to adjust initial temperature, salinity, and velocity, hourly temperature, salinity and horizontal velocities at the open boundaries, and hourly surface fluxes of momentum, heat and freshwater so that the model reproduces hourly HF radar radial velocity observations. Results from a small number of experiments suggest that the adjoint method can be successfully used over 10-day windows at coastal model resolution. It produces a dynamically consistent model run that fits HF radar data with errors near the specified uncertainties. In a test of the forecasting capability of the San Diego model after adjustment, the forecast skill was shown to exceed persistence for up to 20 h.