On cumulus-scale transport of horizontal momentum in monsoon depression over India

A diagnostie method of cumulus parameterization is suggested in which vertical transport of horizontal momentum by cumulus-scale is derived by making use of large-scale vorticity as well as divergence budget equations. Data for composite monsoon depression over India available from our earlier studies used to test the method. As a first approximation, the results are obtained using only the vorticity budget equation.The results show that in the southwest sector of the monsoon depression, which is characterized by maximum cloudiness and precipitation, there is an excess of cyclonic vorticity in the lower troposphere and anticyclonic vorticity in the upper troposphere associated with the large-scale motion. The distribution of eddy vertical transport of horizontal momentum is such that anticyclonic vorticity is generated in the lower troposphere and cyclonic vorticity aloft. Cumulus-scale eddies thus work against the large-scale system and tend to off-set the large-scale imbalance in vorticity.     

The coalescence of water drops II. The coalescence problem and coalescence efficiency

By the use of the model of approaching drops (Arbel and Levin, 1977) the coalescence efficiencies of drops are computed. It is found that for interactions of drops at their terminal velocities the coalescence depends both on the size of the large drop and on the size ratio of the interacting drops in agreement with the experimental results of Whelpdale and List (1971) and Levin and Machnes (1977).The results were found to be sensitive to the assumption of the drops deformation and to the critical separation distance. This distance is defined as the distance at which the drops begin to merge. The variations of the coalescence efficiency with these parameters is discussed.Appendix: List of symbols D distance between the deformed surfaces of the drops - D _o initial value ofD - D _s stop distance, the distance at which the impact velocity vanishes - D _c critical coalescence distance - E collection efficiency - E ₁ collision efficiency - E ₂ coalescence efficiency - E _2R coalescence efficiency for collisions with stationary targets - F _c centrifugal force - p ratio of the radii of the interacting drops - r _o initial distance between drops' centers - R _L radius of larger drop - R _s radius of smaller drop - R _D radius of deformation - v approach velocity of two deformed surfaces - v _o initial value ofv - V _i impact velocity (given negative sign when drops approach each other) - V _c critical impact velocity - W _i velocity of the smaller drop at infinity for it to reachD _o with velocityv _o - x _i impact distance, the distance between the trajectories of the two drops - x _c critical impact distance for coalescence -  average critical impact distance for coalescence - X _c critical impact distance for collisions - coefficient of deformation given in equation 1 - _i impact angle defined byWhelpdale andList (1971) given also inArbel andLevin (1977) - coefficient of deformation given in equation 2 - viscosity of air - _i impact angle used inArbel andLevin (1977) and here - _c critical angle for coalescence - average critical angle for coalescence On sabbatical leave (1976–77) from the Department of Geophysics and Planetary Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

THE STUDY OF RETRIEVAL THEORY AND METHODS FROM SATELLITE REMOTE SENSING FOR METEOROLOGICAL PARAMETERS OVER EASTERN ASIA—PART Ⅱ:ISPRM AND VSPRM2

Based on the practice of improved simultaneous physical retrieval model(ISPRM),in the lightof the functional analysis approach,the variational simultaneous physical retrieval model(VSPRM)has been developed.Its approximation of 1st degree is VSPRM1,which is identicalwith the ISPRM.Its approximation of 2nd degree is VSPRM2,more advanced than the VSPRM1.This paper has analyzed the function of VSPRM2,pointing out the potentiality of synergy retrievalof this model.Also,it has dealt with the problem of parameterization of water vapor's kernelfunctions and retrieval of water vapor remote sensing.Because of the characteristics of this strong ill posed inverse problem,prior information mustbe used wisely in order to get the accurate calculation of radiance R.In the previous paper,wediscussed how to build the best first guess field,the way to determine the P_s and to correct thecalculation of radiance.In this paper,we continue discussing in depth about the calculation oftransmittance,the determination of surface parameters and the selection for an optimumcombination of channels for the low-level sounding.The long-term experiment and comparison work under operational environment have shownthat the ISPRM is useful for retrieval of temperature and water vapor parameters over Chinaincluding the Tibetan Plateau,and it further proves the scientific nature of well-posed inversetheory.     

Five young star clusters in the outer region of the Small Magellanic Cloud

Colour–magnitude diagrams in the Washington system are presented for the first time for five star clusters projected on to the outer region of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). The clusters are found to have ages in the range 0.1–1.0 Gyr, as derived from the fit of isochrones with   Z = 0.004  . This sample increases substantially the number of young clusters in the outer SMC – particularly in the south-east quadrant – with well-derived parameters. We combine our results with those for other clusters in the literature to derive as large and homogeneous a data base as possible (totalling 49 clusters) in order to study global effects. We find no conclusive evidence for a dispersion in the cluster ages and metallicities as a function of their distance from the galaxy centre, in the SMC outer region. L 114 and 115, although very distant, are very young clusters, lying in the bridge of the SMC and therefore most likely formed during the interaction which formed this feature. We also find very good agreement between the cluster age–metallicity relation (AMR) and the prediction from a bursting model from Pagel & Tautvaišienė with a burst that occurred 3 Gyr ago. Comparing the present cluster AMR with that derived by Harris & Zaritsky for field stars in the main body of the SMC, we find that field stars and clusters underwent similar chemical enrichment histories during approximately the last couple of Gyr, but their chemical evolution was clearly different between 4 and 10 Gyr ago.     

Impacts of Two Ice Parameterization Schemes on the Cloud Microphysical Processes and Precipitation of a Severe Storm in Northern China

A severe storm that occurred over Beijing in northern China on 23 June 2011 was simulated with two different ice crystal parameterization schemes(the DeMott scheme and Meyers scheme) by using the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System. Compared with the DeMott scheme, the simulation results with the Meyers scheme have the following characteristics:(1) Updrafts are stronger and more numerous;(2) The cloud is better organized and contains a greater peak of ice-phase hydrometeor mixing ratios;(3) Cloud water and hail mixing ratios increase while graupel mixing ratios decrease;(4) The surface precipitation is initially greater. However, at the end of the simulation, less precipitation is produced. In short, the differences between the two schemes are not obvious, but the De Mott scheme has a relatively more reasonable result.     

2008年1月贵州冻雨的数值模拟和层结结构分析

针对2008年初发生在贵州地区的严重冻雨过程,分别从环流背景、低空急流和水汽输送条件等方面分析了准静止锋维持的原因,并选取本次灾害最严重的第3次过程为典型个例,利用WRF模式针对准静止锋影响下的贵州冻雨进行数值模拟来研究冻雨的发生机制。模拟结果较好地反映出高低空环流形势场特征,强雨雪降水带的走向、落区,以及地面温度的分布,均与观测基本吻合。通过分析高分辨率模式的模拟结果,揭示了准静止锋上贵州地区冻雨的层结结构特征及云物质在冻雨区的分布特征。研究结果表明,贵州中部的冻雨区除一般的三层结构(包含冰晶层、暖层和冷层)外,还具有典型的两层结构特征,即:高空的固体降水粒子稀少,900~600 h Pa深厚的逆温层和0℃以上的暖层使中低空存在大量液态粒子,下落的液滴经过近地面的浅薄冷层,形成大量过冷却雨滴,而后降落至地面迅速冻结。     

基于双多普勒雷达及闪电资料分析一次强降水过程

为进一步了解多普勒雷达及闪电资料在中小尺度天气系统方面的应用以及降水系统动力结构的研究,利用合肥和阜阳两部S波段多普勒雷达资料,通过两步变分反演法反演双雷达,并采用模糊逻辑算法进行云类型识别,再结合垂直累计液态水含量VIL、降水和闪电分布特征,分析了2010年6月7-10日发生在安徽合肥和阜阳的一次持续性强降水过程。结果表明:此次持续性强降水过程与风场的低层辐合和高层辐散、风场的气旋性旋转以及水平风切变相关;此次降水过程是以层状云降水为主的积云混合云降水;另外,以降水为主的层状云,其闪电频数低且以负闪为主,闪电之后20 min左右出现强降水;此次暴雨的VIL值不是很大,强降水区对应的VIL值基本3 kg·m-2;云识别结果、降水区、VIL值与雷达回波强度之间的对应关系较好。     

THE LIMITATION OF CLOUD-BASE MASS FLUX IN CUMULUS PARAMETERIZATION AND ITS APPLICATION IN A HIGH-RESOLUTION MODEL

A large area of unrealized precipitation is produced with the standard convective parameterization scheme in a high-resolution model, while subgrid-scale convection that cannot be explicitly resolved is omitted without convective parameterization. A modified version of the convection scheme with limited mass flux at cloud base is introduced into a south-China regional high-resolution model to alleviate these problems. A strong convection case and a weak convection case are selected to analyze the influence of limited cloud-base mass flux on precipitation forecast. The sensitivity of different limitation on mass flux at cloud base is also discussed. It is found that using instability energy closure for Simplified Arakawa- Schubert Scheme will produce better precipitation forecast than the primary closure based on quasi-equilibrium assumption. The influence of the convection scheme is dependent on the upper limit of mass flux at cloud base. The total rain amount is not so sensitive to the limitation of mass flux in the strong convection case as in the weak one. From the comparison of two different methods for limiting the cloud-base mass flux, it is found that shutting down the cumulus parameterization scheme completely when the cloud-base mass flux exceeds a given limitation is more suitable for the forecast of precipitation.     

边界层参数化方案在“灰色区域”尺度下的适用性评估

随着数值预报模式分辨率的提高,当模式网格距与含能湍涡的长度尺度相当时,模式动力过程可解析一部分湍流运动,而剩余的湍流运动仍需参数化,此时便产生了湍流参数化的“灰色区域”问题。对传统的PBL（Planetary Boundary Layer）方案在“灰色区域”下的适用性评估,是改进PBL方案以使其能够适应分辨率变化的前提和基础。本研究基于干对流边界层的大涡模拟试验,比较了WRF（Weather Research and Forecast Model）模式中四种常用的边界层参数化方案[YSU（Yonsei University）、MYJ（Mellor-Yamada-Janjic）、MYNN2.5（Mellor-Yamada-Nakanishi-Niino Level 2.5）、MYNN3）]在“灰色区域”尺度下的表现。研究表明,混合层内总热通量对所使用的参数化方案和水平分辨率均不敏感。不同参数化方案中次网格与网格通量的比例表现出对水平网格距不同的依赖性。局地PBL方案（MYJ、MYNN2.5）在混合层内的平均位温随网格距减小而增大,次网格通量随网格距减小而减小,较参考湍流场对次网格通量有所低估。YSU方案的非局地项几乎不随水平格距改变而变化,对次网格通量的表征并未表现出较强的分辨率依赖性,且过强的非局地次网格输送使混合层内温度层结呈弱稳定,抑制了可分辨湍流输送,不易于激发次级环流。MYNN3方案的非局地次网格通量（负梯度输送项）随网格距减小而减小,使其对次网格通量的表征具有较好的分辨率依赖性。PBL方案在“灰色区域”尺度下的适用性与具体分辨率有关。以分辨率500 m为例,四种PBL方案中不存在一种最佳方案,能对边界层的热力结构和湍流统计特征均有准确的描述。     

Effects of prescribed initial cloud droplet spectra on convective cloud and precipitation developments under different thermodynamic conditions: A modeling and observational study

A two-dimensional cloud model with bin microphysics was used to investigate the effects of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations and thermodynamic conditions on convective cloud and precipitation developments. Two different initial cloud droplet spectra were prescribed based on the total CCN concentrations of maritime (300 cm^− 3) and continental (1000 cm^− 3) air masses, and the model was run on eight thermodynamic conditions obtained from observational soundings. Six-hourly sounding data and 1-hourly precipitation data from two nearby weather stations in Korea were analyzed for the year 2002 to provide some observational support for the model results.For one small Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) ( 300 J kg^− 1) sounding, the maritime and continental differences were incomparably large. The crucial difference was the production of ice phase hydrometeors in the maritime cloud and only water drops in the continental cloud. Ice phase hydrometeors and intrinsically large cloud drops of the maritime cloud eventually lead to significant precipitation. Meanwhile negligible precipitation developed from the continental cloud. For the three other small CAPE soundings, generally weak convective clouds developed but the maritime and continental clouds were of the same phases (both warm or both cold) and their differences were relatively small.Model runs with the four large CAPE ( 3000 J kg^− 1) soundings demonstrated that the depth between the freezing level (FL) and the lifting condensation level (LCL) was crucial to determine whether a cloud becomes a cold cloud or not, which in turn was found to be a crucial factor to enhance cloud invigoration with the additional supply of freezing latent heat. For two large CAPE soundings, FL–LCL was so deep that penetration of FL was prohibitive, and precipitation was only mild in the maritime clouds and negligible in the continental clouds. Two other soundings of similarly large CAPE had small FL–LCL, and both the maritime and continental clouds became cold clouds. Precipitation was strong for both but much more so in the maritime clouds, while the maximum updraft velocity and the cloud top were slightly higher in continental clouds. Although limited to small CAPE cases, more precipitation for smaller FL–LCL for a selected group of precipitation and thermodynamic sounding data from Korea was in support of these model results in its tendency.These results clearly demonstrated that the CCN effects on cloud and precipitation developments critically depended on the given thermodynamic conditions and not just the CAPE but the entire structure of the thermodynamic profiles had to be taken into account.