The influence of freezing drizzle on wire icing during freezing fog events

Both direct and indirect effects of freezing drizzle on ice accretion were analyzed for ten freezing drizzle events during a comprehensive ice thickness, fog, and precipitation observation campaign carried out during the winter of 2008 and 2009 at Enshi Radar Station (3017'N, 10916'E), Hubei Province, China. The growth rate of ice thickness was 0.85 mm h－1 during the freezing drizzle period, while the rate was only 0.4 mm h－1 without sleet and freezing drizzle. The rain intensity, liquid water content (LWC), and diameter of freezing drizzle stayed at low values. The development of microphysical properties of fog was suppressed in the freezing drizzle period. A threshold diameter (Dc) was proposed to estimate the inuence of freezing drizzle on different size ranges of fog droplets. Fog droplets with a diameter less thanDc would be affected slightly by freezing drizzle, while larger fog droplets would be affected signicantly. Dc had a correlation with the average rain intensity, with a correlation coefficient of 0.78. The relationships among the microphysical properties of fog droplets were all positive when the effect of freezing drizzle was weak, while they became poor positive correlations, or even negative correlations during freezing drizzle period. The direct contribution of freezing drizzle to ice thickness was about 14.5%. Considering both the direct and indirect effects, we suggest that freezing drizzle could act as a catalyst causing serious icing conditions.     

Boundary-Layer Adjustment Over Small-Scale Changes of Surface Heat Flux

Four months of eddy correlation data collected over a grass field and a nearby sage brush community are analyzed to examine the adjustment of the boundary-layer structure as it flows from the heated brush to the snow-covered grass. The grass site includes a 34-m tower with seven levels of eddy correlation data. The midday heat flux over the snow-covered grass and bare ground surfaces is often downward particularly with melting conditions, while the corresponding heat flux over the brush is almost always upward. For most of these cases, a stable internal boundary layer over the snow is well defined in terms of vertical profiles of the buoyancy flux over the snow-covered grass. The stable internal boundary layer is generally embedded within a deeper layer of flux divergence corresponding to increasing upward heat flux with height above the internal boundary layer. With thin snow cover, the surface heat flux over the grass is weak upward due to heating of grass protruding above the snow so that the flow adjusts to a decrease of the upward surface heat flux in the downwind direction. This common case of an adjusting boundary layer contrasts with the formation of an internal boundary layer due to a change of sign of the surface heat in flux the downwind direction. The adjustment of the boundary layer to the decrease of the surface heat flux leads to vertical divergence of the upward heat flux in contrast to the usual heated boundary layer over homogeneous surfaces. The consequences of the cooling due to the vertical divergence of the heat flux are discussed in terms of the heat budget of the adjusting and internal boundary layers.     

Radiative Heat Transfer and Hydrostatic Stability in Nocturnal Fog

We have performed a one-dimensional and transient radiative heat transfer analysis in order to investigate interaction between atmospheric radiation and convective instability within a nocturnal fog. The radiation element method using the Ray Emission Model (REM²), which is a generalized numerical method, in conjunction with a line-by-line (LBL) method, is employed to attain high spectral resolution calculations for anisotropically scattering fog. The results show that the convective instability has a strong dependence on radiative properties of the fog. For the condition of a 20-m droplet diameter and liquid water content of 0.1 × 10^–3 kg m^–3;, the temperature profile within the fog becomes S shaped, and a convective instability layer forms in the middle or lower level of the fog. However, for the same water content and a 40-m diameter droplet, no strong convective instability layer forms, whereas for a 10-m diameter droplet a strong convective instability is observed.     

南京冬季浓雾的演变特征及爆发性增强研究

2007年12月18—19日,南京地区出现了一次持续20h的浓雾过程,其中能见度低于50m的强浓雾几乎占到整个雾过程的1／3。利用同期在南京市北郊的外场观测数据,结合NCEP再分析资料,分析了该次雾的演变过程、微物理结构及边界层特征,探讨了地面雾爆发性增强的成因。结果表明：本次雾在西南平流的增湿作用下触发生成;日出后,平流输送和地表蒸发提供了充足水汽来源,贴地层逆温因高空下沉增温而向上抬升且稳定存在,因此大雾得以维持;整个雾过程中雾滴数浓度、平均直径、含水量随时间的变化趋势基本一致,平均谱曲线均呈指数下降分布,雾滴集中在小滴端;两次地面雾爆发性增强均发生在夜间,其特征为各微物理参量明显增大,滴谱上抬拓宽;爆发性增强的原因是地表气温陡降、贴地层逆温增强及可充当雾滴凝结核的气溶胶大粒子数增多。     

A Numerical Study of the Urban Intensity Effect on Fog Evolution in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region

The influence of urban intensity on fog evolution in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region (China) is investigated numerically with the the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model coupled with the urban canopy parameterization-building energy model (UCP- BEM) urban physics scheme. The experiments were designed with a focus on the influence of different urban intensities, which are represented by a different fractional coverage of natural land, buildings, and energy consumption inside buildings in an urban environment. The results of this study indicate that urban areas notably influence fog evolution when natural land is reduced to a small fraction (e.g., less than 10%). Developed land changes fog evolution through urban effects. Higher urban intensity (HUI) generally results in warmer temperatures and lower wind speeds throughout the day, while inhibiting morning specific humidity loss and afternoon specific humidity gain because of the HUI effect on surface heat flux, surface roughness, and surface moisture flux. HUI leads to later and weaker liquid water content formation, with a higher liquid water content base, primarily due to its effect on near surface temperatures. This finding implies that HUI may inhibit the conditions for fog formation. In addition, urban areas with equal natural and developed land coverage seem to greatly enhance the upward surface moisture flux, which is attributed to the combination of a relatively large potential evaporation on developed land and an ample moisture supply from natural land. As a result, the specific humidity increases in the afternoon.     

Fog Detection over China’s Adjacent Sea Area by using the MTSAT Geostationary Satellite Data

A fog threshold method for the detection of sea fog from Multi-function Transport Satellite (MTSAT1R) infrared (IR) channel data is presented.This method uses principle component analysis (PCA),texture analysis,and threshold detection to extract sea fog information.A heavy sea fog episode that occurred over China’s adjacent sea area during 7 8 April 2008 was detected,indicating that the fog threshold method can effectively detect sea fog areas nearly 24 hours a day.MTSAT-1R data from March 2006,June 2007,and April 2008 were processed using the fog threshold method,and sea fog coverage information was compared with the meteorological observation report data from ships.The hit rate,miss rate,and false alarm rate of sea fog detection were 66.1%,27.3%,and 33.9%,respectively.The results show that the fog threshold method can detect the formation,evolution,and dissipation of sea fog events over period of time and that the method has superior temporal and spatial resolution relative to conventional ship observations.In addition,through MTSAT-1R data processing and a statistical analysis of sea fog coverage information for the period from 2006 to 2009,the monthly mean sea fog day frequency,spatial distribution and seasonal variation characteristics of sea fog over China’s adjacent sea area were obtained.     

一次广东省大雾过程的数值模拟分析

利用美国国家大气研究中心（NCAR）和宾夕法尼亚州立大学联合研制的第5代中尺度气象模式系统MM5,对广东省地区春季出现的一次大雾过程进行了数值模拟研究。模式模拟结果与实际温湿探空的对比表明,模式很好地模拟了大雾过程的流场变化特征及表征大雾的液态水含量分布。对这次大雾生消过程起决定性作用的是925 hPa风场的变化。当925 hPa转为偏南风控制时,暖湿的海洋性空气流经较冷的下垫面从而形成大范围的平流雾;而当925 hPa转为干冷的偏北风控制时,原本形成的大雾很快就消散了。同时模式也很好地模拟了伴随此次平流雾出现的逆温过程。逆温层高度约在900 hPa附近,具有相当的厚度,这对于大雾的形成和维持有一定作用。另外,利用模式模拟的液态水含量值估算的能见度水平分布情况与实况的观测结果也较为一致。     

河南省北部一次大雾天气过程分析

利用地面观测和探空资料以及NCEP1°×1°再分析资料,分析了2007年12A25-27日河南省北部大雾的成因,结果表明：由于降水后低层相对湿度较大,大气层结稳定,地面处在均压场里,风速较小,且大气低层为弱的上升运动、中高层为强的下沉运动,有利于低层水汽聚集,使湿层达到一定的厚度,从而使垂直能见度变差,雾的浓度变大。     

石河子地区一次大雾天气的诊断分析

应用实测资料、NCEP／NCAR再分析资料对2007年2月8—13日石河子地区出现的大雾天气进行诊断分析。结果显示：地面高压、高空暖脊与大雾的形成与消散有着直接的关系;逆温层的存在是大雾出现的必要条件;与大气层结稳定度有关的物理量对大雾天气也有一定的指示意义。     

基于城市交通脆弱性核算的大雾灾害风险评估

选用大雾观测资料测算城市地区的雾灾危险性指数,以规则网格作为评估单元,逐网格计算网格区域内的路网密度,以此作为雾灾的空间脆弱性指标,并针对重点设施的分布情况对脆弱性指数进行空间叠加订正;选用网格内的人口密度作为雾灾的易损性指标;危险性、脆弱性及易损性3项指标按5:2:1的分配比例综合测算雾灾的风险指数。实例研究选用北京地区1996年1月—2006年12月的大雾资料,按空间网格化方法对大雾灾害风险进行评估,结果表明:北京地区雾灾脆弱性指数的高值区域与高速路及环城路延伸方向一致,城市中心为人口集中分布地区,其综合风险指数高,与高速路段、环城路及机场等地段均为雾灾的高风险区域,北京东南部地区年平均雾日数相对较多,危险性指数值也较高,是雾灾较高风险区域。