Possible sources of forecast errors generated by the global/regional assimilation and prediction system for landfalling tropical cyclones. Part I: Initial uncertainties

This paper investigates the possible sources of errors associated with tropical cyclone (TC) tracks forecasted using the Global/Regional Assimilation and Prediction System (GRAPES). The GRAPES forecasts were made for 16 landfalling TCs in the western North Pacific basin during the 2008 and 2009 seasons, with a forecast length of 72 hours, and using the default initial conditions (“initials”, hereafter), which are from the NCEP-FNL dataset, as well as ECMWF initials. The forecasts are compared with ECMWF forecasts. The results show that in most TCs, the GRAPES forecasts are improved when using the ECMWF initials compared with the default initials. Compared with the ECMWF initials, the default initials produce lower intensity TCs and a lower intensity subtropical high, but a higher intensity South Asia high and monsoon trough, as well as a higher temperature but lower specific humidity at the TC center. Replacement of the geopotential height and wind fields with the ECMWF initials in and around the TC center at the initial time was found to be the most efficient way to improve the forecasts. In addition, TCs that showed the greatest improvement in forecast accuracy usually had the largest initial uncertainties in TC intensity and were usually in the intensifying phase. The results demonstrate the importance of the initial intensity for TC track forecasts made using GRAPES, and indicate the model is better in describing the intensifying phase than the decaying phase of TCs. Finally, the limit of the improvement indicates that the model error associated with GRAPES forecasts may be the main cause of poor forecasts of landfalling TCs. Thus, further examinations of the model errors are required.     

Multi-model assessment of global hydropower and cooling water discharge potential under climate change

Worldwide, 98% of total electricity is currently produced by thermoelectric power and hydropower. Climate change is expected to directly impact electricity supply, in terms of both water availability for hydropower generation and cooling water usage for thermoelectric power. Improved understanding of how climate change may impact the availability and temperature of water resources is therefore of major importance. Here we use a multi-model ensemble to show the potential impacts of climate change on global hydropower and cooling water discharge potential. For the first time, combined projections of streamflow and water temperature were produced with three global hydrological models (GHMs) to account for uncertainties in the structure and parametrization of these GHMs in both water availability and water temperature. The GHMs were forced with bias-corrected output of five general circulation models (GCMs) for both the lowest and highest representative concentration pathways (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5). The ensemble projections of streamflow and water temperature were then used to quantify impacts on gross hydropower potential and cooling water discharge capacity of rivers worldwide. We show that global gross hydropower potential is expected to increase between +2.4% (GCM-GHM ensemble mean for RCP 2.6) and +6.3% (RCP 8.5) for the 2080s compared to 1971–2000. The strongest increases in hydropower potential are expected for Central Africa, India, central Asia and the northern high-latitudes, with 18–33% of the world population living in these areas by the 2080s. Global mean cooling water discharge capacity is projected to decrease by 4.5-15% (2080s). The largest reductions are found for the United States, Europe, eastern Asia, and southern parts of South America, Africa and Australia, where strong water temperature increases are projected combined with reductions in mean annual streamflow. These regions are expected to affect 11–14% (for RCP2.6 and the shared socio-economic pathway (SSP)1, SSP2, SSP4) and 41–51% (RCP8.5–SSP3, SSP5) of the world population by the 2080s.     

变分同化框架通过背景误差协方差构建动力平衡约束的研究进展

通过背景误差协方差构建动力平衡约束是变分同化框架设计的重要环节。它不仅帮助实现变量间的协同分析,提高观测使用效率,还能改善变分极小化问题的性状。本文在系统梳理通过背景误差协方差引入动力平衡约束的方式、流程的基础上,对求解目前全球和有限区域变分同化系统普遍采用的准地转平衡和静力平衡约束的共性问题和存在的不足作了归纳总结。分析了求解准地转平衡约束的三类方案:动力平衡方程方案、统计方案和动力-统计相结合方案的优缺点。对照比较了不同垂直离散方案下求解静力平衡约束时遇到的欠定问题的表现以及解决途径。最后,展望了基于背景误差协方差构建动力平衡约束在赤道等特殊地区、高分辨率同化系统、以及集合-变分混合同化系统发展中面临的挑战和机遇。     

多普勒雷达观测在北京7.21暴雨数值模拟中的三维变分同化研究

基于背景误差的特征长度理论,研究调整背景误差水平分辨率对多普勒雷达资料三维变分同化的影响。首先利用NMC方法针对暴雨落区统计不同水平分辨率的背景误差协方差,分析两种不同分辨率的背景误差的结构特征,研究水平分辨率对背景误差特征长度的影响。将其应用于雷达资料同化中,研究背景误差水平分辨率变化对雷达资料同化的影响。结果表明:背景误差水平分辨率由27 km提高到3 km时,在大气低层体现出更细致的动力场信息,其动力场水平特征长度按水平分辨率的二次根递减,而温度场与水汽场水平特征长度变化不明显。在将不同分辨率的背景误差用于三维变分同化时,更高分辨率的背景误差可以在分析场增量中体现更细致的中小尺度信息,能够明显改善雷达径向速度资料同化效果,并在随后的暴雨数值模拟中雨量及其分布形态更接近实况。     

基于部分最小二乘岭估计的粗差定值定位

在利用部分最小二乘原理进行粗差定值定位时,模型的法方程矩阵可能存在病态性,使得到的粗差定值定位结果不可靠。文中针对观测数据包含多个粗差且法方程病态问题,利用岭估计处理病态问题,建立部分最小二乘岭估计的粗差定值定位方法,给出粗差搜索步骤,利用迭代算法实现多个粗差的定值和定位。通过模拟算例分析部分最小二乘法、部分最小二乘岭估计在粗差搜索方面的效果,从另一个角度探讨粗差处理方法,推广现有的误差理论,证明文中方法的有效性。     

一种提高精密单点定位实时性的方法

由于要获取PPP需要的精密钟差文件至少有2d的时间延迟,因此通过提取IGS当天发布的超快星历中的卫星钟差数据,并对钟差数据进行插值,将插值结果做成标准格式钟差数据文件应用到PPP中,可以将精密单点定位的实时性提高为3~9h。基于Bernese软件,采用生成的钟差文件以及当天的超快星历文件对大量实测数据进行PPP。结果表明,对于4h的观测数据,该方法解算精度达到厘米级;当观测时间大于6h时,解算精度基本能够稳定在1~5cm。     

重力场数学拟合模型解的影响因素探究

为了提高地球重力场模型不适定方程求解的精度,该文采用谱分析方法从级数展开阶数、数据采样率及数据缺失量3个方面探索影响数学拟合效果的根本因素:从常用的三角级数及勒让德级数模型出发,引出重力场拟合模型球谐函数模型,观察在改变级数展开阶数、数据采样率及数据缺失量等情况下所对应设计矩阵谱结构的变化,并从微观上研究影响误差分配的有关因素及最小奇异值对误差的决定性作用,为探求重力场模型解不准的原因及实现更高精度的全球重力场模型的建立提供参考。     

港珠澳大桥沉管隧道贯通误差预计

针对港珠澳大桥沉管隧道的安全贯通问题,该文从隧道外GPS网的布设及施测方法出发,通过多期复测数据评价GPS网具有可靠的测量精度;通过对GPS网点的稳定性分析,阐明了沉管隧道地面控制点位无法长期保留、稳定性差的特点;最后就GPS网引起的贯通误差影响值进行了估算。     

流域坡面汇流研究现状述评

对当前坡面汇流计算方法的研究进展进行了较为系统的总结与分析,并对坡面汇流的非线性效应以及城市低影响开发中的雨水入渗与蓄集对坡面汇流的控制作用进行了简要分析。从模型简单实用的角度出发,认为以流域时间-面积关系与线性水库相串联的ModClark法等为代表的概念性分布式坡面汇流模型具有良好的发展前景;考虑到基于等流时单元的变动等流时线法在反映雨强非线性影响中存在的问题,认为根据水文响应单元在不同雨强条件下汇流时间的变化,调整其汇流参数以反映坡面汇流的非线性效应,对于流域坡面汇流的分布式模拟更具有实际意义;针对目前低影响开发设施长时间序列大空间尺度的室外降雨径流监测资料普遍较为缺乏的现状,给出了后期应积极选择合适的技术以加强低影响开发性能监测工作的建议。     

国产抛弃式温度剖面仪(XBT)资料质量分析

国家海洋技术中心根据科研需求研发了抛弃式温度剖面仪(XBT)等一系列抛弃式产品.针对2014年8月份在西太平洋海域投放的XBT和XCTD所获取的温度数据进行对比分析,单剖面结果显示两者相关系数达到了0.95,在温跃层处出现温度差,断面标准差分析结果为200 m以上温跃层处较大而200m以下标准差较小,最大和最小标准差值分别为0.39和0.08.温度断面分析结果显示两者在同样的位置出现等值线的凹凸现象,对大洋水团特殊物理海洋现象描述基本一致.分析温跃层处两者温度存在偏差的原因有3个:不同传感器的不同响应时间引起的误差、深度测量公式的误差以及传感器本身的测量误差影响.国产XBT的数据质量较好,总体上性能能满足对环境复杂海域的快速走航观测,数据质量准确度和可靠性都较好.