Dynamics and role of the Durban cyclonic eddy in the KwaZulu-Natal Bight ecosystem

The semi-permanent Durban Eddy is a mesoscale, lee-trapped, cold-core cyclonic circulation that occurs off the east coast of South Africa between Durban in the north and Sezela, some 70 km to the south. When present, strong north-eastward countercurrents reaching 100 cm s^–1 are found inshore. It is hypothesised that the cyclone is driven by the strong south-westward flowing Agulhas Current offshore of the regressing shelf edge near Durban. Analysis of ADCP data and satellite imagery shows the eddy to be present off Durban approximately 55% of the time, with an average lifespan of 8.6 days, and inter-eddy periods of 4 to 8 days. After spin-up the eddy breaks loose from its lee position and propagates downstream on the inshore boundary of the Agulhas Current. The eddy is highly variable in occurrence, strength and downstream propagation speeds. There is no detectable seasonal cycle in eddy occurrence, with the Natal Pulse causing more variability than any seasonal signal. A thermistor array deployed in the eddy centre, together with ship CTD data, indicates upward doming of the thermal structure in the eddy core associated with cooler water and nutrients being moved higher in the water column, stimulating primary production. Together with the use of satellite imagery, our findings indicate a second mechanism of upwelling, viz. divergent upwelling in the northern limb of the eddy. Satellite-tracked surface drifters released in the eddy demonstrated the potential for nutrient-rich eddy water to be transported northwards along the inshore regions of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Bight, thus contributing to the functioning of the bight ecosystem, as well as southwards along the KZN and Transkei coasts – both by the eddy migrating downstream and by eddy water being recirculated into the inshore boundary of the Agulhas Current itself.     

基于无人船的大洋中尺度涡观测系统展望

中尺度涡在大洋中普遍存在,研究发现其能量比大尺度海洋环流的能量大一个量级,在海洋物质能量输运和全球气候变化中起着重要的作用。受观测条件限制,目前对中尺度涡的观测主要通过卫星高度计实现,只能从海面高度来推算中尺度涡大小、分布、强度及其伴随的水体和能量输送,而卫星高度计对中尺度涡垂直结构特征认识不足,也导致了对中尺度涡所引起的上层海洋能量、热量输送估计误差偏大。目前对中尺度涡三维结构观测认识不足,展望未来将会出现基于无人船平台的大洋中尺度涡三维结构自动观测系统,该平台将集成自动水下剖面观测功能等先进技术,以便观测中尺度涡的垂直结构特征及其时空变化特征,进而可对中尺度涡带来的物质和能量输送进行系统认识。     

黑龙江省两次温带气旋暴雪过程对比分析

利用多种资料对黑龙江省两次由江淮气旋和蒙古气旋合并引发的暴雪过程的水汽、热动力条件和中尺度特征进行了对比分析。结果表明：（1）两次暴雪过程都发生在北支槽和短波槽合并、北支槽北部有冷涡的背景下,850 hPa上低涡合并促使江淮气旋和蒙古气旋合并;气旋合并后,低空急流为降雪提供了充足水汽,强暖平流使气旋爆发性发展,导致降雪加强。（2）两次降雪过程都表现出逗点云系的合并发展,"1211 "暴雪过程中高层形成涡旋偏西,700 hPa低涡东部偏南风引导气旋北上西折,低空急流和地形共同作用使暖湿空气强烈辐合上升,产生对流云,暴雪发生在A类逗点云系的头部,降雪强度大,范围广;"1412"暴雪过程高空槽低涡位置偏东,700 hPa低涡东部西南风始终引导气旋向东北方向移动,近地面层具有冷垫,暴雪主要发生在B类气旋逗点云系头部西侧中低云团中,降雪范围和强度较"1211"过程小。（3）低层（0.3 km）冷空气侵入和中高层（5.5 km）转为偏北风对判断降雪开始和结束有很好的表征意义。（4）冷涡前部强高压脊使冷涡移动缓慢,从而延长了降水的持续时间,气旋移动路径与高压脊伸展方向密切相关。     

微波辐射计在对流天气预报中的应用

选取2016—2018年每年4—9月份RPG-HATPRO型42通道微波辐射计观测的不稳定指数参数(K、SI、CAPE、LI)及水汽参数(IWV、LWP),研究得出各参数触发雷雨大风、短时强降水的阈值条件为K>37℃、SI<-1℃、IWV>60 kg/m~2、LWP>400 g/m~2,而LI、CAPE无法对3种天气类型进行区分。利用费舍判别分析方法,将不稳定指数参数及水汽参数作为预报因子,建立预报方程并进行检验,结果表明:二级判别方程预测对流天气的准确率为76%,可以作为预报对流天气的辅助工具;多级判别方程不能很好地区分3种天气类型,但将其作为修正后的二级判别方程使用,能提高对流天气的测中概率。     

基于理想点-可拓云模型的隧道围岩稳定性评价

为了对隧道围岩稳定性进行准确评价并解决研究过程中存在的模糊性和随机性以及评价指标不相容的问题,减少单一的主客观赋权法所带来的误差,将云模型引入可拓理论中,利用可拓理论能够实现矛盾问题向相容问题转化的特点和云模型具有处理事物双重不确定性的优势并结合理想点组合赋权法对隧道围岩进行稳定性评价研究。通过文献调研、数据统计的方式,选取具有代表性的6个指标组成隧道围岩评价指标体系,用理想点法赋予评价指标组合权重,并构建可拓云模型对隧道围岩稳定性进行综合评价。通过将此方法应用于工程实例并与其他方法对比,结果表明:基于理想点-可拓云模型的隧道围岩稳定性评价方法能够减少评价过程中存在的不确定性问题,克服单一赋权方法的不足,具有良好的适用性,可以应用于实际工程中。     

利用地面LiDAR精细化测量活断层微地貌形态——以毛垭坝断裂禾尼处断层崖为例

受地壳内部持续运动和沉积、风化等自然动力及人类生产与生活活动影响,活断层微地貌形态往往比较复杂,传统测量方法较难快速、高效地获取大范围内精细化的活断层微地貌形态,激光雷达扫描技术的出现和发展为活断层微地貌的精细化与定量化研究提供了新的技术手段。以川西理塘毛垭坝盆地北缘的正断层崖为研究对象,利用地面LiDAR获取活断层微地貌高精度点云后,经过点云配准、滤波、重采样和三角构网处理后,建立了0.05 m分辨率的数字高程模型和真彩色三维模型,在此基础上分析了断层崖地貌特征,并获取了正断层错动两期最新地貌面的精确垂直位错量。研究结果表明,地面LiDAR技术是精细测量活断层微地貌形态和量化相关地貌特征参数的有效手段,提高了活断层微地貌形态测量的精度和认识水平。     

四川盆地云和降水观测科学试验设计与实践

2014—2017年四川地区开展了大范围云系观测科学试验。观测对象以盆地层状云系和积层混合云系为主,积状云(对流云)为辅。本文围绕试验目标、区域、观测要素、观测布局设计、观测方案设计、设备技术参数和典型个例等7个方面进行介绍,根据不同类型云系和降水变化特征,设计有针对性的观测方案,获得了不同类型云系和降水的多尺度连续性观测数据,为四川地区开展云和降水关系研究提供详实的综合型外场观测数据。层状降水云典型个例云高可达8km,云强核心部位的云雷达反射率可达28dBz,径向速度可达-6m·s~(-1),在0℃附近,反射率和退偏振因子LDR上有一条明显的亮带,表现为极大值,液态水主要集中于4.5km以下,随着雨强增大,液水含量增加,降水滴谱分布较窄,随着雨强减小,雨滴谱和速度谱变窄,但小粒径数浓度增加,说明对层状云雨强起主导作用的是雨滴直径,而不是数浓度;无降水层状云典型个例云层厚度为3.2km,云顶约为4km,云雷达反射率不超过0dBz,径向速度不超过5m·s~(-1),层状云内整层水汽含量和液水含量较为稳定,云中主要为液态粒子且粒径偏小、小粒径数浓度较高。     

1960—2017年沈阳地区春播期降水变化特征

基于1960—2017年沈阳市5个气象观测站4—5月降水量资料,采用线性趋势法和累积距平分析了沈阳市春播期(4—5月)降水量演变特征,并分析首场透雨及最大连续无有效降水日数演变特征及对春播期降水量影响,对春播期降水量资源变化特征进行相关分析。结果表明:近58a沈阳春播期降水量整体呈现弱的增加趋势,平均每10a增加3.1mm,2004年开始降水量迅速增加,且波动性较大,降水量异常偏多或偏少年份较多,易诱发春旱春涝事件。春播期首场透雨出现日期平均每10a偏晚0.051d,首场透雨日期偏晚,将导致春播期前期雨水条件不足,引起土壤干旱,不利于春播开展。最大连续无有效降水日数呈波动性增加趋势,平均每10a增加0.56d,对4月降水量影响较大,虽然春播期降水资源总量增加,但存在降水资源时间分配不均的问题,且长时间无有效降水事件频发,将导致春播期干旱灾害事件发生风险加大,导致适播期延后。     

The Extra-Area Effect in 71 Cloud Seeding Operations during Winters of 2008–14 over Jiangxi Province,East China

Effects of weather modification operations on precipitation in target areas have been widely reported, but little is specifically known about the downwind (extra-area) effects in China. We estimated the extra-area effect of an operational winter (November-February) aircraft cloud-seeding project in northern Jiangxi Province in eastern China by using a revised historical target/control regression analysis method based on the precipitation data in winter. The results showed that the overall seasonal average rainfall at the downwind stations increased by 21.67%(p=0.0013). This enhancement effect was detected as far as 120 km away from the target area. Physical testing was used to compare the cloud characteristics before and after seeding on 29 November 2014. A posteriori analysis with respect to the characteristics of cloud units derived from operational weather radar data in Jiangxi was performed by tracking cloud units. Radar features in the target unit were enhanced relative to the control unit for more than two hours after the operational cloud seeding, which is indicative of the extra-area seeding effect. The findings could be used to help relieve water shortages in China.     

A Numerical Investigation on Microphysical Properties of Clouds and Precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau in Summer 2014

In order to improve our understanding of microphysical properties of clouds and precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau (TP), six cloud and precipitation processes with different intensities during the Third Tibetan Plateau Atmospheric Science Experiment (TIPEX-Ⅲ) from 3 July to 25 July 2014 in Naqu region of the TP are investigated by using the high-resolution mesoscale Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The results show unique properties of summertime clouds and precipitation processes over the TP. The initiation process of clouds is closely associated with strong solar radiative heating in the daytime, and summertime clouds and precipitation show an obvious diurnal variation. Generally, convective clouds would transform into stratiform clouds with an obvious bright band and often produce strong rainfall in midnight. The maximum cloud top can reach more than 15 km above sea level and the velocity of updraft ranges from 10 to 40 m s-1. The simulations show high amount of supercooled water content primarily located between 0 and -20℃ layer in all the six cases. Ice crystals mainly form above the level of -20℃ and even appear above the level of -40℃ within strong convective clouds. Rainwater mostly appears below the melting layer, indicating that its formation mainly depends on the melting process of precipitable ice particles. Snow and graupel particles have the characteristics of high content and deep vertical distribution, showing that the ice phase process is very active in the development of clouds and precipitation. The conversion and formation of hydrometeors and precipitation over the plateau exhibit obvious characteristics. Surface precipitation is mainly formed by the melting of graupel particles. Although the warm cloud microphysical process has less direct contribution to the formation of surface precipitation, it is important for the formation of supercooled raindrops, which are essential for the formation of graupel embryos through heterogeneous freezing process. The growth of graupel particles mainly relies on the riming process with supercooled cloud water and aggregation of snow particles.