对流和层状云系电活动,对流及降水特性的相关分析

通过对６次不同云系电特性、回波、对流及降水特性的综合分析，探讨了它们之间的相关性。结果表明：除不稳定能量外，－１０℃层和０℃层高度以及他们之间的高度差、０℃层与云顶的高度差也是表征雷暴动力和电特性的重要参量；雷暴云起电过程对冰相作用有较强的依赖性；雷暴中的电活动与对流活动成正相关，闪电多发生在３０ｄＢｚ强回波高度大于－１０℃层高度时段内，强烈的电活动与强降雨有很好的对应关系，而与一般性降雨对应关系较差；在雷暴消散期，闪电可能会影响雷暴的特性     

云南省40年降水的基本特征

根据云南省１９５１－１９９０年１８个站的降水资料，用正交函数展开，由方差贡献最大的前三个特征向量场分析了云南省降水距平均的典型分布，指出云南省全省范围内的降水距平同号较少发生，而是较多的发一降水距平异号。进而分析了四十年降水的年际变化特征，并分析了青藏高原积雪对云南降水的影响。     

热带太平洋海表温度年际变化对降水季节内振荡的影响

根据 １９８２—１９９２年期间的日平均 ＭＳＵ（Ｓｐｅｎｃｅｒ, １９９３）海洋降水和 ５天平均的ＣＭＡＰ（Ｘｉｅ＆ Ａｒｋｉｎ, １９９７）降水观测资料,分析了热带太平洋大气季节内振荡（ＭＪＯ）的年际变化特征。在太平洋海表温度（ＳＳＴ）年际变化的正常年份（１９８２—８３年, １９８６—８８年, １９９１—９２年）,均有明显的ＭＪＯ信号传到日界线以东并在中、东太平洋维持数月。热带ＭＪＯ活动强度的年际变化与局地ＳＳＴ的变化存在正相关。中、东太平洋降水的季节内振荡的年际变化与热带太平洋ＳＳＴ的最强正相关在Ｎｉｎｏ３区附近。以观测ＳＳＴ场强迫ＣＣＭ３大气模式的数值试验基本上真实地再现了１１年期间热带太平洋降水季节内振荡的年际变化总趋势,但模拟季节内振荡的强度较观测平均偏弱。对比分别采用周平均和月平均ＳＳＴ强迫场的积分结果,发现在中、东太平洋,二个积分模拟的降水季节内振荡强度的年际变化接近并且趋势与观测基本一致,而在西太平洋二个积分的模拟结果差别较大。这表明在热带中、东太平洋,ＳＳＴ强迫的年际变化对ＭＪＯ强度的变化有强的制约。而在ＭＪＯ总体活跃的热带西太平洋,ＳＳＴ强迫场的季节变化对模拟ＭＪＯ活动也有较大影响。ＣＣＭ３模拟     

大气环流的季节突变与季风的建立II·个别年份南海夏季风的情况

将流的标准化变差度概念应用到各年南海夏季风建立研究中去,并用其作为大气环流调整的客观定量指标。用该指标定义的南海夏季风建立的预兆日期与用传统天气气候学方法确定的南海夏季风的来临日期,在绝大多数具体年份两者均很接近,故可作南海夏季风建立的先兆指标。但有一些年份,南海季风的建立不伴随着低空环流的突变过程,两种方法都可能不准确,可靠的方法也许是用场相似度作指标。此外,南海夏季风建立前,对流层顶和平流层下层就出现了环流调整,该调整为南海夏季风建立打下基础,而南海夏季风爆发则表现为低空环流的大调整。南海夏季风的爆发是高、低空全球大气环流发生显著调整的结果,并非限于南海范围局部,南海夏季风建立不能看作是发生在南海的局部现象。     

On the relationship of thunderstorm ice hydrometeor characteristics and total lightning measurements

Satellite-borne and ground-based devices for the detection of lightning offer the opportunity to explore relationships–on all significant scales up to global–between lightning frequency, f, and other thundercloud parameters. Calculations predict that f is proportional to the product of the downflux p of solid precipitation and the upward mass flux, I, of ice crystals. This prediction has received support from limited computational studies. The physical reasons for such a relationship are explained in terms of the paramount role of ice in the electrification of thunderstorms. Herein, this prediction is subjected to further, preliminary examination through analysis of lightning and dual-polarimetric radar data collected during the STERAO experiment conducted in Northern Colorado during the summer of 1996. The analysis has yielded some highly provisional support for this flux hypothesis. Computed trends of radar derived hydrometeor fractions of solid precipitation and small ice show correlation to the total lightning frequency and raise the possibility of determining values of p and/or I from lightning measurements.It is shown that the extent to which the observed correlations between f and both solid precipitation and small ice trends are or are not strong can provide an indication as to whether the lightning activity is limited by the available concentrations of precipitating or non-precipitating ice in the upper regions of the charging zone of the thundercloud, where most of the charge transfer occurs. It is demonstrated that the most accurate determinations of precipitation rate p from measurements of lighting frequency f are likely to be for conditions where the field-growth is limited by the availability of graupel pellets. It is shown that the simultaneous time variations of f and solid precipitation trends of the type obtained in the STERAO experiment could enable us to determine the nature of the dominant glaciation process operative in the thunderclouds studied.     

Verifying warnings for point precipitation

Short-term risk forecasts of point precipitation are obtained with COTREC/RainCast, a technique for extrapolation of radar images. The risk forecasts are updated every 5 min for the next 0–2 h. Risk levels are defined for moderate, heavy and extreme precipitation. Warning messages are generated if, at the locations of 23 rain gauges, these risk levels are reached or exceeded. The time-resolved gauge data are used to judge if the warning messages are in time, early or late.Data over a period of 4 months (summer 2002) are used for verification. The largest number of warnings (1790) was obtained for moderate precipitation. About 55% of these warnings were in time, 23% were early and 22% were late. This finding is in a good agreement with the defined risk level for warnings (50%), indicating that the model for calculating the risk factors is reliable. Less warnings in time, and more late warnings were found for heavy and extreme precipitation. Hence, the risk levels need to be lowered for heavy and extreme precipitation, in order to reduce the number of late warnings.     

Calibration of tipping bucket rain gauges in the Graz urban research area

The Institute of Urban Water Management and Landscape Water Engineering of the Graz University of Technology (Austria) operates a hydrological research area in the City of Graz. In this urban research area precipitation and runoff data are collected by order of the municipality of Graz. At present precipitation data are measured by seven tipping bucket rain gauges. Comparative measurements have shown a deviation between the recorded and the actual precipitation intensity. This made the institute calibrate the rain gauges periodically. In the middle of the 1990s, the development of a field calibration kit was started. Based on the experiences with the first field calibration kit, a microprocessor controlled device was developed. With this calibration device, the tipping bucket rain gauges are calibrated at regular intervals. In this paper the calibration process and the current results for seven rain gauges are discussed. The calibration process is dynamic calibration and uses a peristaltic pump. Not all of the tipping buckets investigated underestimate the rain intensity in the whole measuring range. Several rain gauges have a positive relative deviation, not exceeding 22%, in the low intensity range up to 0.5 mm/min. Positive deviation can be explained by retention of water in the buckets between tips. The reason for the negative deviation is the loss of water during the tips. It leads to the underestimate of the actual intensity. The largest relative deviation in the range of underestimate exceeds 30%. In the range of extreme intensities, the larger buckets (5 cm³) show a lower relative deviation than the smaller (2 cm³) buckets. The gauge characteristic can change in favourable or unfavourable directions after several years. Therefore, the calibration of tipping buckets is recommended at least every 2 to 3 years.     

A PCSWMM/GIS-based water balance model for the Reesor Creek watershed

This paper presents the results of a study of a watershed experiencing the pressures of land-use change resulting from urban development. The study was undertaken to facilitate an understanding of the water balance of the watershed by developing and implementing watershed procedures that are to be addressed in a watershed plan. There were three components to the research: firstly, observation of the effects of spatially distributed rainfall measurements and their effect on modelling were assessed. Secondly, the model was then calibrated by observing how differing techniques can discretize both the landscape (e.g. land-use and soil type) and incoming precipitation. Finally, a modelling methodology was developed to integrate a Geographic Information System and a hydrologic model (e.g. Storm Water Management Model) in a water balance analysis on a watershed basis. Results show that, under certain conditions, kriging spatially distributed rainfall values can help predict rainfall at ungauged (virtual) sites. Discretization of a watershed was found to affect the differences between measured and generated runoff volumes; however, this can be refined with calibration. It was seen that a strong correlation between measured and predicted rainfall values did not always guarantee a strong relationship between measured and generated runoff Recommendations include the use of a longer time series of rainfall, streamflow and predicted rainfall to observe temporal variations, and the need to assess the differences in modelled rainfall values generated by various surface interpolation methods (e.g. Inverse Distance Weighting and other kriging options) currently available in GIS packages.     

A MASCOTTE-based characterization of MCSs over Spain, 2000–2002

A 3-year Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCSs) database, which extends from 2000 to 2002, has been built for the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands using the objective method MASCOTTE (MAximum Spatial COrrelation Technique). It was originally developed to track the evolution of convective systems over the Amazon region; after modifications, it is able to track MCS evolution even with an hour and a half of missed images and provides essential information of both dynamical and morphological characteristics of MCSs. MASCOTTE is tested against a visual and subjective method, and is found to offer advantages such as automation and a simple and efficient operation that make it very useful for building large MCS databases.Thirty-five MCSs were found between June and October, most of them originated along the Mediterranean coast and near the Pyrenees, showing an increasing occurrence from June to September, when the maximum is found. The regions most influenced by MCS occurrences are Balearic Islands, Valencia, Catalonia, Murcia and the Basque Country. The MCSs tend to be small, short-lived and linear, usually moving eastward or northeastward with low velocities.The MCSs-associated precipitation presents high variability, ranging from 80 to 0 mm h⁻¹ as maximum hourly records. Two different convective regions are identified based on MCS behavior in extreme precipitation events: Northern Spain (the Basque Country) with abundant and continuous precipitation regime but little MCS influence, and the Mediterranean coast, where precipitation is sporadic but much more intense.     

Tracing infiltration and recharge using stable isotope in Taihang Mt., North China

The groundwater in headwater region is an important recharge source for the adjacent mountain-front plain. In order to reveal the relationship among precipitation, soil water and groundwater, from June to September in 2004, stable isotopes (deuterium and oxygen-18) in precipitation and soil waters at the depths of 10, 20, 30, 50, 70, 90, and 110 cm were analyzed at two sites covered by black locust (Robinia Pseudoacia L.) (Site A) and grass predominated by Themeda triandra (T. japonica (Willd.) Tanaka) and Bothriochloa ischaemum (B. ischaemum (L.) Keng) (Site B) in an experimental catchment at Taihang Mt., North China, respectively. The δ¹⁸O of precipitation in daily rain events shows large variations (−13.3 to −4.3‰) with a mean of 8.1‰. The δ¹⁸O and δ D of soil waters along profiles in two sites suggest that the influence of canopy cover was just up to 10 cm in top soil water. The soil water moved over the zero flux plane at 70 cm in-depth is expected to escape the evaporative effect at the end of September in both sites. The results show that the stable isotope, instead of tritium as tradition, can be used to trace the soil water behaviors based on the movement of isotopic peak along the vertical profiles in this semi-arid and semi-humid mountainous region. The infiltration depths of soil water in Taihang Mt. are 12 and 10 mm/day from June to September in 2004 in Site A and Site B, respectively. Tracing by stable isotope, recharge fluxes of soil water to local groundwater are of 3.8 and 3.2 mm/day in Site A and Site B, respectively. The results provide desirable information for assessment of local groundwater resources. An erratum to this article can be found at