Development of a rain‐on‐snow detection algorithm using passive microwave radiometry

Currently observed climate warming in the Arctic has numerous consequences. Of particular relevance, the precipitation regime is modified where mixed and liquid precipitation can occur during the winter season leading to rain‐on‐snow (ROS) events. This phenomenon is responsible for ice crust formation, which has a significant impact on ecosystems (such as biological, hydrological, ecological and physical processes). The spatially and temporally sporadic nature of ROS events makes the phenomenon difficult to monitor using meteorological observations. This paper focuses on the detection of ROS events using passive microwave (PMW) data from a modified brightness temperature (T_B) gradient approach at 19 and 37 GHz. The approach presented here was developed empirically for observed ROS events with coincident ground‐based PMW measurements in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. It was then tested in Nunavik, Quebec, with the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System (AMSR‐E). We obtained a detection accuracy of 57, 71 and 89% for ROS detection for three AMSR‐E grid cells with a maximum error of 7% when considering all omissions and commissions with regard to the total number of AMSR‐E passes throughout the winter period. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The impact of boreal autumn SST anomalies over the South Pacific on boreal winter precipitation over East Asia

The possible mechanism behind the variability in the dipole pattern of boreal winter precipitation over East Asia is analyzed in this study. The results show that the SST anomalies(SSTAs) over the South Pacific Ocean(SPO) in boreal autumn are closely related to the variability in the dipole pattern of boreal winter precipitation over East Asia. The physical link between the boreal autumn SPO SSTAs and the boreal winter East Asian precipitation dipole pattern is shown to mainly be the seasonal persistence of the SPO SSTAs themselves. The seasonal persistence of the SPO SSTAs can memorize and transport the signal of the boreal autumn SSTAs to the following winter, and then stimulates a meridional teleconnection pattern from the SH to the NH, resulting in a meridional dipole pattern of atmospheric circulation over East Asia in boreal winter. As a major influencing factor, this dipole pattern of the atmospheric circulation can finally lead to the anomalous precipitation dipole pattern over East Asia in boreal winter. These observed physical processes are further confirmed in this study through numerical simulation. The evidence from this study, showing the impact of the SPO SSTAs in boreal autumn,not only deepens our understanding of the variability in East Asian boreal winter precipitation, but also provides a potentially useful predictor for precipitation in the region.     

中国中东部冬季霾日的形成与东亚冬季风和大气湿度的关系

利用1961-2013年中国地面台站长期观测资料和同期NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,以华北、江淮和华南为研究区,分析了中国中东部冬季霾日的形成与东亚冬季风以及大气湿度的关系。结果表明:(1)冬季霾日与东亚冬季风强度成显著的负相关。首先,东亚冬季风强度的减弱使得地面风速减小,进而导致冬季霾日增多。其中,华北7-8 m/s最大风速日数和江淮6-8 m/s最大风速日数的减少,及华南≤2 m/s最大风速日数的增多对各区冬季霾日的增多作用较大。其次,东亚冬季风减弱引起冬季气温的持续升高,易导致冬季霾日的增多,这在华北地区较之在江淮和华南更为明显。(2)由于气候变暖,冬季气温升高,使得近地面相对湿度减小。在江淮和华南地区,冬季霾日的增多与近地面相对湿度的减小显著相关,而在华北地区这种相关较弱。(3)冬季气温升高也有利于大气层结稳定度的增强,3个区域冬季霾日的增多均与大气层结稳定度的增强显著相关,特别是与对流层中低层(850-500 hPa)大气饱和度的降低显著相关。(4)冬季霾日数变化与区域水汽输送关系密切。其中,华北地区的冬季霾日数与水汽总收入成显著正相关,江淮地区与纬向水汽收入成显著正相关,与经向水汽收入成显著负相关,华南地区与经向水汽收入成显著负相关。     

A timescale decomposed threshold regression downscaling approach to forecasting South China early summer rainfall

A timescale decomposed threshold regression(TSDTR) downscaling approach to forecasting South China early summer rainfall(SCESR) is described by using long-term observed station rainfall data and NOAA ERSST data. It makes use of two distinct regression downscaling models corresponding to the interannual and interdecadal rainfall variability of SCESR.The two models are developed based on the partial least squares(PLS) regression technique, linking SCESR to SST modes in preceding months on both interannual and interdecadal timescales. Specifically, using the datasets in the calibration period 1915–84, the variability of SCESR and SST are decomposed into interannual and interdecadal components. On the interannual timescale, a threshold PLS regression model is fitted to interannual components of SCESR and March SST patterns by taking account of the modulation of negative and positive phases of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation(PDO). On the interdecadal timescale, a standard PLS regression model is fitted to the relationship between SCESR and preceding November SST patterns. The total rainfall prediction is obtained by the sum of the outputs from both the interannual and interdecadal models. Results show that the TSDTR downscaling approach achieves reasonable skill in predicting the observed rainfall in the validation period 1985–2006, compared to other simpler approaches. This study suggests that the TSDTR approach,considering different interannual SCESR-SST relationships under the modulation of PDO phases, as well as the interdecadal variability of SCESR associated with SST patterns, may provide a new perspective to improve climate predictions.     

2012/2013年冬季中国气温异常成因分析

2012/2013年冬季,我国平均气温为-3.8℃,较常年同期(-3.4℃)偏低0.4℃,就空间分布来看,我国东北、华北、黄淮、江淮和新疆北部气温较常年同期偏低。利用1951-2013年国家气候中心整理的全国160站月平均气温资料、英国Hadley中心全球海温资料、NCEP/NCAR再分析大气环流资料、德国不莱梅大学提供的海冰卫星遥感资料,通过EOF分析、回归分析、合成分析、相关分析方法研究了引起2012/2013年冬季我国气温异常的东亚中高纬大气环流异常,并从海洋环境要素异常的角度分析造成这种环流异常的原因。分析结果表明:2012/2013年冬季我国气温异常分布主要是由于北极涛动(AO,Arctic Oscillation)呈负位相,西伯利亚地区高度场异常偏高,东亚大槽明显偏深的环流形式引起的。而太平洋年代际振荡(PDO,Pacific Decadal Oscillation)负位相是引起西伯利亚高压强度偏强和东亚冬季风强度偏强的年代际海洋背景,前期9月海冰范围异常偏小是导致2012/2013年冬季AO呈现负位相及我国东北和新疆北部呈现异常低温的主要原因。     

Internal Microanatomy and Zoological Affinity of the Early Cambrian Olivooides

The early Cambrian pentamerous microfossil Olivooides/Punctatus in South China, which is characterized by a diagnostic stellate tubular apex, has been well-known for its almost complete development sequence that can be confidently traced from embryos and hatched juveniles, to conical adults. However, its zoological affinity remains highly controversial. Here we describe the internal microanatomic structures of the soft-body inside the peridermal theca of Olivooides multisulcatus Qian, 1977, including interradial pairs of tentacles, adradial and perradial frenula, perradial oral marginal lappets and twins of perradial gastric saccule-like humps as well as a circular velarium with striated coronal muscles. Particularly, one specimen shows bifurcated velarial canals along the bell aperture. Both the components of the soft-body and the external theca (or cyst) are arranged in perfect pentaradial symmetry. These characteristics are more compatible with those of living cubomedusans and co-occurring Cambrian athecate embryonic cubozoans. Concerning the presence of peridermal theca, Olivooides most likely represents an extinct thecate stem-group cubomedusae but devoid of both perradial eyes and specialized pedalia. The well-grown soft body inside the peridermal tube displays a set of mixed features of both polyp and medusa.     

东北大三江盆地群早白垩世存在统一湖盆的沉积学证据

大三江盆地群位于黑龙江省东部,中生代以来经历了多期构造运动,形成现今各自分割的10余个残余盆地。由于缺乏关键性证据,前人对大三江地区早白垩世是否存在统一湖盆存在争议。本次研究通过野外地质调查和钻井岩心观察,认为盆地总体缺乏边缘相沉积,并且主要以三角洲平原亚相和滨浅湖亚相为主。古水流恢复和重矿物特征显示,研究区主要存在西部和西北部、东部以及东南部三大物源体系,并且平面上具有由四周向中心汇聚的特征。地震资料反射特征显示下白垩统具有典型的断陷-坳陷复合结构,坳陷时期地层由各盆地中心至边部未出现明显的地层减薄现象,现今的盆地边界断裂多为后期对盆地进行改造、破坏的逆冲断裂。这些证据都是对大三江地区早白垩世存在统一湖盆的有力支撑。本研究不仅能为大三江盆地群原型盆地的恢复提供重要依据,也将为东北盆地群油气资源远景评价和进一步的勘探部署提供参考。     

延庆千家店地区硅化木赋存层位及形成时代分析

北京延庆千家店土城子组中的硅化木自发现以来,得到了众多学者的关注,但关于硅化木的赋存层位和形成时代一直未有定论,目前主流观点认为硅化木广泛发育于土城子组一段和二段的下部,关于其形成时代则自侏罗纪早期至白垩纪早期的论述均有,这种争论显然不利于木化石的保护、科普和进一步深化认识。在千家店土城子组进行的考察结果展现出与前人观点不同的线索。实地考察、剖面测量和年龄测试结果显示:原位埋藏硅化木形成时代应为晚侏罗世早期,赋存层位为土城子组一段下部,而土城子组二段下部的沉积特征反应出当时水位频繁升降,水体能量剧烈变化,火山活动暂时陷入沉寂的沉积环境,较难满足形成木化石的基本要求。     

北极秋季海冰密集度与中国初冬降雨之间的关系

本文通过对中国地区实测降水及北极海冰卫星数据的分析,研究了北极秋季海冰密集度与中国初冬降雨的关系。合成分析的研究结果表明2000年之前中国南方和北方冬季降水偏少,中部降水偏多,这之后中国南方和北方冬季降水增加,中部降水减少。SVD研究结果显示,北极海冰减少使得近三十年来中国南方和北方冬季降雨呈现逐渐增多,中部地区(从青藏高原向东北方向至日本)降雨逐步减少的趋势。随着北极海冰的进一步减少,如遇合适的气候条件,南方冻雨出现的概率会加大。北极秋季海冰异常的回复过程加之冬季海冰异常的延续信号在中国、蒙古及日本北部激发一个阻塞高压,以巴伦支海/卡拉海为中心激发一个异常低压。这使得来自北冰洋大西洋扇区的冷空气南下至欧洲大陆和亚洲北部,在阻塞高压的影响下,冷空气进一步南下,进入东亚地区。这不仅使得亚洲冬季温度降低,也为中国北部降水增加提供条件。     

黄东海夏、冬季颗石藻群落及其分布研究

2009年作者对中国黄东海海域夏季(7月20日至9月1日)与冬季(12月23日至2月5日)的两个季度月的颗石藻群落与分布进行调查研究。2009年夏季,中国黄东海海域调查区共发现21种颗石藻,其优势物种分别为赫氏艾密里藻(Emiliania huxleyi)、大洋桥石藻(Gephyrocapsa oceanica)、纤细伞球藻(Umbellosphaera tenuis)和深水花球藻(Florisphaera profunda)。颗石藻细胞丰度为0.23×103~17.62×103个/L,平均值为2.84×103个/L。2009年冬季,中国黄东海海域调查区共发现20种颗石藻,其优势物种分别为赫氏艾密里藻(E.huxleyi)、大洋桥石藻(G.oceanica)、深水花球藻(F.profunda)和纤细伞球藻(U.tenuis)。颗石藻的细胞丰度为0.12×103~35.35×103个/L,平均值为3.84×103个/L。本文系统地研究了颗石藻在我国黄、东海陆架海域的分布(特别是垂直分布),并对其作出了描述与分析,以期为关于中国海颗石藻群落分布等基础性研究提供可靠资料。