东北冷涡背景下一次龙卷过程的观测分析

2012年6月12日在吉林省白城市洮北区发生一次龙卷过程 (简称“612”龙卷),对此次龙卷过程天气形势和雷达资料分析结果表明:龙卷发生在高空冷涡的东南象限、中高空急流北侧、低空急流左侧的对流不稳定区域及地面较暖湿的环境中,大气对流参数计算结果显示龙卷过程低层 (0~1 km) 的垂直风切变较强 (为6.0×10-3s-1),抬升凝结高度较低 (低于1 km),且龙卷发生前对流有效位能较大。同时,龙卷过程超过50 dBZ的强核高度均在4 km以下,为低质心的对流系统,龙卷产生于一条带状回波与一近似团状回波合并加强后的强回波带中,并逐渐演变成“S”型,伴有“V”型缺口,中心最强值达61 dBZ。根据多普勒天气雷达导出产品并结合径向速度图反映出“612”龙卷是发生在以龙卷涡旋特征为主的尺度较小且垂直涡度较大 (约为3.65×10-2~3.83×10-2s-1) 的强对流风暴中,持续时间较短。     

异常东亚冬季风激发ENSO的数值模拟研究

利用中国科学院大气物理研究所发展的热带太平洋环流模式（OGCM）和海－气耦合模式（CGCM）分别就冬半年东亚冬季风异常对赤道太平洋的作用进行了数值模拟研究。结果清楚地表明,无论在 OGCM 中还是在 CGCM 中,持续的冬季风强异常将引起赤道中东太平洋海表水温（SST）的明显正异常,其分布类似观测到的El Ni?o事件;而持续的冬季风弱异常将引起赤道中东太平洋SST的明显负异常,其分布十分类似观测到的La Ni?a事件。因此,数值模拟进一步证实了我们过去从资料诊断和理论分析中得到的结论,即东亚冬季风异常是激发产生 ENSO 的重要机制。对模式资料的分析还清楚表明,异常东亚冬季风将激发异常海洋Kelvin波和使热带大气季节内振荡出现强异常,它们是激发ENSO的重要物理因素,这与观测资料的分析结果相一致。     

Impact of anthropogenic CO 2 on the next glacial cycle

The model of Paillard and Parrenin (Earth Planet Sci Lett 227(3–4):263–271, 2004) has been recently optimized for the last eight glacial cycles, leading to two different relaxation models with model-data correlations between 0.8 and 0.9 (García-Olivares and Herrero (Clim Dyn 1–25, 2012b)). These two models are here used to predict the effect of an anthropogenic CO ₂ pulse on the evolution of atmospheric CO ₂, global ice volume and Antarctic ice cover during the next 300 kyr. The initial atmospheric CO ₂ condition is obtained after a critical data analysis that sets 1300 Gt as the most realistic carbon Ultimate Recoverable Resources (URR), with the help of a global compartmental model to determine the carbon transfer function to the atmosphere. The next 20 kyr will have an abnormally high greenhouse effect which, according to the CO ₂ values, will lengthen the present interglacial by some 25 to 33 kyr. This is because the perturbation of the current interglacial will lead to a delay in the future advance of the ice sheet on the Antarctic shelf, causing that the relative maximum of boreal insolation found 65 kyr after present (AP) will not affect the developing glaciation. Instead, it will be the following insolation peak, about 110 kyr AP, which will find an appropriate climatic state to trigger the next deglaciation.     

大气环流的年代际变化 II.GCM数值模拟研究

类似大气环流模式比较计划（AMIP）的数值模拟,将实际观测的海表水温（SST）资料引入模式进行40多年的数值积分,得到长时间的大气环流模拟结果。分析数值模拟结果发现,无论是大气中的主要涛动和遥相关型,还是重要大气环流系统都极为清楚地存在着年代际变化特征,包括10～20年准周期振荡和可能的30年以上的准周期振荡;而且上述主要环流系统的形势及其年代际变化大都与实际观测资料所给出的结果相一致。顺便分析中国东部气候的模拟结果,年代际变化特征（包括60年代的气候突变）也很清楚,并同大气环流变化配合十分合理。结果也表明,同研究季节和年际变化一样,大气环流模式（AGCM）数值模拟也是研究大气环流和气候年代际变化的有效方法。     

东亚冬季风年际变化的ENSO信息 I.模拟资料分析

系统分析了观测海温强迫９层大气环流模式的模拟资料,结果表明该大气环流模式能够对与ＥｌＮｉｎｏ、ＬａＮｉｎａ事件爆发有关的赤道太平洋异常纬向风和对流活动有很好的模拟;模拟中的东亚冬季风具有明显的年际变化特征,这种变化与观测结果有很好的一致性,而且进一步分析发现这种年际变化具有显著的２～７年的周期,即东亚冬季风异常与ＥＮＳＯ密切相关。     

Impacts of extreme weather on wheat and maize in France: evaluating regional crop simulations against observed data

Extreme weather conditions can strongly affect agricultural production, with negative impacts that can at times be detected at regional scales. In France, crop yields were greatly influenced by drought and heat stress in 2003 and by extremely wet conditions in 2007. Reported regional maize and wheat yields where historically low in 2003; in 2007 wheat yields were lower and maize yields higher than long-term averages. An analysis with a spatial version (10?×?10?km) of the EPIC crop model was tested with regards to regional crop yield anomalies of wheat and maize resulting from extreme weather events in France in 2003 and 2007, by comparing simulated results against reported regional crops statistics, as well as using remotely sensed soil moisture data. Causal relations between soil moisture and crop yields were specifically analyzed. Remotely sensed (AMSR-E) JJA soil moisture correlated significantly with reported regional crop yield for 2002–2007. The spatial correlation between JJA soil moisture and wheat yield anomalies was positive in dry 2003 and negative in wet 2007. Biweekly soil moisture data correlated positively with wheat yield anomalies from the first half of June until the second half of July in 2003. In 2007, the relation was negative the first half of June until the second half of August. EPIC reproduced observed soil dynamics well, and it reproduced the negative wheat and maize yield anomalies of the 2003 heat wave and drought, as well as the positive maize yield anomalies in wet 2007. However, it did not reproduce the negative wheat yield anomalies due to excessive rains and wetness in 2007. Results indicated that EPIC, in line with other crop models widely used at regional level in climate change studies, is capable of capturing the negative impacts of droughts on crop yields, while it fails to reproduce negative impacts of heavy rain and excessively wet conditions on wheat yield, due to poor representations of critical factors affecting plant growth and management. Given that extreme weather events are expected to increase in frequency and perhaps severity in coming decades, improved model representation of crop damage due to extreme events is warranted in order to better quantify future climate change impacts and inform appropriate adaptation responses.     

Mid‐Holocene vegetation dynamics in the Tejo River estuary based on palaeobotanical records from Ponta da Passadeira (Barreiro–Setúbal,Portugal)

This paper presents the results of pollen and charcoal analyses carried out in the sedimentary formation of Ponta da Passadeira, south of the Tejo River estuary, Portugal. The data provide information regarding the evolution of the coastline and ecosystem of the estuary during the mid and late Holocene. The study focuses on a group of upright woody fossilized tree remains that, together with those identified earlier by García‐Amorena et al. (2007), form part of the fossil forest of Ponta da Passadeira. Eight remains were identified as Pinus pinaster, four as Pinus pinea and one as Pinus sp. Two specimens of these species were dated to 6523 and 5805 cal. a BP. Pollen analysis was undertaken in a clay layer located at the same point as the fossil forest, which is currently below sea level; the base of the clay layer was dated to 4906 cal. a BP. The pollen spectra reflect the dynamics of the vegetation that grew on this deposit, whereas the sporopollinic input masks the contribution of the regional vegetation. Wood charcoal remains recovered at an adjacent Final Neolithic settlement were also analysed, and a Pinus sp. specimen was radiocarbon dated to 5050 cal. a BP. The correlation amongst the three records provides key ecological markers for the understanding of the evolution of coastline ecosystems, and helps to clarify and understand the Holocene sea rise on the Atlantic seaboard of Iberia. The geographical location of Ponta da Passadeira is strategic because it enables a more clear definition of the configuration of landscapes that show an inflection point in this area of central Portugal.     

Risk perception and decision-making: do farmers consider risks from climate change?

This paper provides one of the first empirical studies that examine the impact of climate change adaptation practices on technical efficiency (TE) among smallholder farmers in Nepal. An adaptation index is used to explore the impact of farmers’ adaptation on TE using the stochastic frontier analysis framework. Data for six districts of Nepal representing all three agro-ecological regions (terai, hill, and mountain) were collected from a focus group discussion, a stakeholder workshop and a household survey. The survey shows that about 91% of the farming households have adopted at least one practice to minimize the adverse impacts of climate change. Empirical results reveal that adaptation is an important factor explaining efficiency differentials among farming households. Those adopting a greater number of adaptation practices on a larger scale are, on average, found to be 13% more technically efficient than those adopting fewer practices on smaller scale. The empirical results also show that average TE is only 0.72, indicating that there are opportunities for farming households in Nepal to further improve productive efficiency, on average by 28%. Other important factors that explain variations in the productive efficiency across farming households include farmer’s education level, irrigation facilities, market access, and social capital such as farmer’s participations in relevant agricultural organizations and clubs. This study provides empirical evidence to policy makers that small scale adjustments made by farmers in response to climate change impacts are effective in improving farmers’ efficiency in agriculture production. This indicates a need for farmers’ involvement in climate change adaptation planning.     

A New Sensitivity Analysis Approach Using Conditional Nonlinear Optimal Perturbations and Its Preliminary Application

Simulations and predictions using numerical models show considerable uncertainties, and parameter uncertainty is one of the most important sources. It is impractical to improve the simulation and prediction abilities by reducing the uncertainties of all parameters. Therefore, identifying the sensitive parameters or parameter combinations is crucial. This study proposes a novel approach: conditional nonlinear optimal perturbations sensitivity analysis(CNOPSA) method. The CNOPSA method fully consi...     

A look inside the struggle for housing in Buenos Aires,Argentina

Set in the broader context of increasing urban precarity and displacement of the urban poor and working classes, this paper examines the social and collective significance of housing precarity and eviction as it is experienced by Latin American, immigrant families living in informal hotels in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I analyze the internal dynamics, interactions and relationships between residents of informal hotels, the housing organization CIBA (Coordinadora de Inquilinos de Buenos Aires), which fights for housing rights for the poor in the city, and the city government sponsored housing subsidy. I argue that urban precarity severely limits opportunities for collective organization around better housing and political and social change. I show that despite CIBA’s objectives to transform social and political conditions for the poor in Buenos Aires, residents often operate under other assumptions and goals, in part because of the temporal and spatial restraints under which they live. Instead, residents of informal hotels work with CIBA in order to secure access to basic, urgent needs. These different expectations and understandings produce contentious relationships of dependence and subordination that are exacerbated by the eviction process and the city government housing subsidy.