Persistent, Widespread, and Strongly Absorbing Haze Over the Himalayan Foothills and the Indo-Gangetic Plains

We examine the impact of the Atmospheric Brown Clouds on the direct radiative forcing of the Himalayan foothills and the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) regions, home for over 500 million S. Asians. The NASA-Terra MODIS satellite data reveal an extensive layer of aerosols covering the entire IGP and Himalayan foothills region with seasonal mean AODs of about 0.4 to 0.5 in the visible wavelengths (0.55 micron), which fall among the largest seasonal mean dry season AODs for the tropics. We show new surface data which reveal the presence of strongly absorbing aerosols that lead to a large reduction in solar radiation fluxes at the surface during the October to May period. The three-year mean (2001 to 2003) October to May seasonal and diurnal average reduction in surface solar radiation for the IGP region is about 32 (±5) W m⁻² (about 10% of TOA insolation or 20% of surface insolation). The forcing efficiency (forcing per unit optical depth) is as large as −27% (note that the forcing is negative) of top-of-atmosphere (TOA) solar insolation, and exceeds the forcing efficiency that has been observed for other polluted regions in America, Africa, East Asia, and Europe. General circulation model sensitivity studies suggest that both the local and remote influence of the aerosol induced radiative forcing is to strengthen the lower atmosphere inversion, stabilize the boundary layer, amplify the climatological tendency for a drier troposphere, and decrease evaporation. These aerosol-induced changes could potentially increase the life times of aerosols, make them more persistent, and decrease their single scattering albedos, thus potentially leading to a detrimental positive feedback between aerosol concentrations, aerosol forcing, and aerosol persistence. In addition, both the model studies and observations of pan evaporation suggest that the reduction in surface solar radiation may have led to a reduction in surface evaporation of moisture. These results suggest the vulnerability of this vital region to air pollution related direct and indirect (through climate changes) impacts on agricultural productivity of the region.     

过去2 000年中国东南地区气温与降水的集成重建与分析

筛选和利用中国东南地区（大致范围为105o E以东、30o N以南）16个站点的多种气候代用指标序列,重建了东南地区过去2 000年以来的气温与降水变化过程,并探讨了其可能的影响机制。研究发现,东南地区气温集成序列与其他学者重建的中国温度序列、北半球温度序列等均具有较好的可比性,一些百年尺度的典型特征气候时期,如黑暗时代冷期、中世纪暖期、近代小冰期以及20世纪现代暖期等均有显著的体现;降水集成序列显示东南地区在过去2 000年中干湿阶段性变化较为明显,特别是在中世纪暖期时降水整体上较为偏多,而在小冰期的前半段降水偏少、后半段降水偏多。总体来看,近2 000年来我国东南地区的气温与降水变化经历了较为多样的水热组合过程。值得指出地是,东南地区降水集成序列与已有的中国北方地区多条降水重建序列相互间可比性较弱,反映了中国东部季风区由南到北降水变化及其影响机制具有很大的区域性差异。分析认为,大尺度海—气相互作用、火山活动以及太阳辐射量变化等对我国东南地区过去2 000年的气候环境变化具有显著影响。     

双偏振雷达产品在福建强对流天气过程中的应用分析

利用高空地面资料和厦门双偏振雷达资料对2016年12月21—22日福建东南部沿海出现的一次冰雹、短时强降水强对流天气过程进行分析。结果表明,21日午后的冰雹天气是在暖区内西南气流暖湿强迫背景下产生的,21日夜里的强降水天气则是斜压锋生类强对流天气。利用双偏振雷达产品可分析出冰雹的相态演变:明显的冰雹特征(Z_(DR)≤0、回波强度≥55 dBz)首先出现在0℃层附近,后向上向下发展,高层出现三体散射现象,但由于干湿球0℃层高度相当,融化层厚度厚,午后地面温度超过20℃,冰雹在下降过程中Z_(DR)、K_(DP)由负值转正值,表明冰雹逐渐融化成大雨滴或外包水膜的冰雹;三体散射回波强度15～20 dBz区域,对应的Z_(DR)出现由负极值到正极值的突变区,CC0. 7,呈现非气象回波的特征。短时强降水对应Z_(DR)、K_(DP)随反射率因子的增大而增大,CC0. 97,说明强降雨是由大量粒子较大的雨滴造成的。     

Aerosol Optical Properties and Radiative Impacts in the Pearl River Delta Region of China during the Dry Season

Aerosol optical properties and direct radiative effects on surface irradiance were examined using seven years(2006–2012)of Cimel sunphotometer data collected at Panyu—the main atmospheric composition monitoring station in the Pearl River Delta(PRD) region of China. During the dry season(October to February), mean values of the aerosol optical depth(AOD)at 550 nm, the ?ngstr?m exponent, and the single scattering albedo at 440 nm(SSA) were 0.54, 1.33 and 0.87, respectively.About 90% of aerosols were dominated by fine-mode strongly absorbing particles. The size distribution was bimodal, with fine-mode particles dominating. The fine mode showed a peak at a radius of 0.12 μm in February and October(~0.10μm~3μm~(-2)). The mean diurnal shortwave direct radiative forcing at the surface, inside the atmosphere(FATM), and at the top of the atmosphere, was-33.4 ± 7.0, 26.1 ± 5.6 and-7.3 ± 2.7 W m~(-2), respectively. The corresponding mean values of aerosol direct shortwave radiative forcing per AOD were-60.0 ± 7.8, 47.3 ± 8.3 and-12.8 ± 3.1 W m~(-2), respectively. Moreover,during the study period, FATMshowed a significant decreasing trend(p 0.01) and SSA increased from 0.87 in 2006 to 0.91 in 2012, suggesting a decreasing trend of absorbing particles being released into the atmosphere. Optical properties and radiative impacts of the absorbing particles can be used to improve the accuracy of inversion algorithms for satellite-based aerosol retrievals in the PRD region and to better constrain the climate effect of aerosols in climate models.     

A High-Resolution Modeling Study of the 19 June 2002 Convective Initiation Case during IHOP 2002: Localized Forcing by Horizontal Convective Rolls

The initiation processes of one of the initial convective cells near and on the east side of a dryline on 19 June 2002 during the IHOP 2002 field experiment in the central United States is analyzed in detail based on a high-resolution numerical simulation. Prominent horizontal convective rolls and associated near-surface moisture convergence bands [called roll convergence bands(RCBs) here] develop within the convective boundary layer(CBL) due to surface heating, in the hours leading to convective initiation(CI). The RCBs east of the dryline are advected toward the primary dryline convergence boundary(PDCB) by the southerly moist flow as the CBL deepens with time. Backward trajectories of air parcels forming the initial precipitating updraft of the convective cell are found to primarily originate at about 1–1.5 km above ground, within the upper portion of the shallower CBL earlier on. The representative air parcel is found to follow and stay on top of a surface RCB as the RCB moves toward the PDCB, but the RCB forcing alone is not enough to initiate convection. As this RCB gets close to the PDCB, it moves into a zone of mesoscale convergence and a deeper CBL that exhibits an upward moisture bulge associated with the PDCB. The combined upward forcing of the RCB and the mesoscale PDCB convergence quickly lifts the representative air parcel above its level of free convection to initiate convection. A conceptual model summarizing the CI processes is proposed.     

Mechanisms of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) Variability in a Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere GCM简

The mechanisms involved in the variability of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation （AMOC） are studied using a 2000-yr control simulation of the coupled Fast Ocean-Atmosphere Model （FOAM）.This study identifies a coupled mode between SST and surface heat flux in the North Atlantic at the decadal timescale,as well as a forcing mode of surface heat flux at the interannual timescale.The coupled mode is regulated by AMOC through meridional heat transport.The increase in surface heating in the North Atlantic weakens the AMOC approximately 10 yr later,and the weakened AMOC in turn decreases SST and sea surface salinity.The decreased SST results in an increase in surface heating in the North Atlantic,thus forming a positive feedback loop.Meanwhile,the weakened AMOC weakens northward heat transport and therefore lowers subsurface temperature approximately 19 yr later,which prevents the AMOC from weakening.In the forcing mode,the surface heat flux leads AMOC by approximately 4 yr.     

An Overview of the Studies on Black Carbon and Mineral Dust Deposition in Snow and Ice Cores in East Asia

Black carbon （BC） is the most eff ective insoluble light-absorbing particulate （ILAP）, which can strongly absorb solar radiation at visible wavelengths. Once BC is deposited in snow via dry or wet process, even a small amount of BC could signifi cantly decrease snow albedo, enhance absorption of solar radiation, accelerate snow melting, and cause climate feedback. BC is considered the second most important component next to CO2 in terms of global warming. Similarly, mineral dust （MD） is another type of ILAP. So far, little attention has been paid to quantitative measurements of BC and MD deposition on snow surface in the midlatitudes of East Asia, especially over northern China. In this paper, we focus on reviewing several experiments performed for collecting and measuring scavenging BC and MD in the high Asian glaciers over the mountain range （such as the Himalayas） and in seasonal snow over northern China. Results from the surveyed literature indicate that the absorption of ILAP in seasonal snow is dominated by MD in the Qilian Mountains and by local soil dust in the Inner Mongolian region close to dust sources. The detection of BC in snow and ice cores using modern techniques has a large bias and uncertainty when the snow sample is mixed with MD. Evidence also indicates that the reduction of snow albedo by BC and MD perturbations can signifi cantly increase the net surface solar radiation, cause surface air temperature to rise, reduce snow accumulation, and accelerate snow melting.     

Aerosol Direct Radiative Forcing over Shandong Peninsula in East Asia from 2004 to 2011

Recent vigorous industrialization and urbanization in Shandong Peninsula,China,have resulted in the emission of heavy anthropogenic aerosols over the region.The annual means of aerosol optical depth（AOD）,Angstrom exponent（α）,single-scattering albedo（SSA）,aerosol direct radiative forcing（ARF）,surface radiative forcing（SRF）,and top-of-the atmospheric radiative forcing（TOA） recorded during 2004–2011 were respectively 0.67±0.19,1.25±0.24,0.93±0.03,47±9 W m^-2,-61±9 W m^-2,and-14±8 W m^-2.The aerosol optical properties and ARF characteristics showed remarkable seasonal variations due to cycle changes in the aerosol components and dominance type.The atmosphere-surface system was cooled by ARF in all years of the study due to anthropogenic sulfate and nitrate emission and sea salt aerosols.The magnitude of TOA cooling was larger in summer（-15±17 W m^-2） and autumn（-12±7 W m^-2） than that in spring（-8±4 W m^-2） and winter（-9±10 W m^-2）.     

典型站点气溶胶对云特性的影响

结合Cloud Sat对云的主动观测和MODIS(MODerate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer)对气溶胶的被动反演,研究了典型站点气溶胶对云的宏观、微观和辐射特性的影响。结果表明,气溶胶对大陆性和海洋性站点的云均有显著影响。1)随气溶胶光学厚度(Aerosol Optical Depth,AOD)增加,水汽含量较弱站点的低层(高层)云量呈减小(增加)趋势,而水汽条件较强站点的各层云量均增大,且具有较高(较低)云顶的云层发生概率在各个站点都呈增加(减小)趋势。2)AOD的增大导致各站点云滴和冰晶粒子的有效半径均减小、大气层顶的短波和长波云辐射强迫均增强、短波云辐射强迫绝对值的加强更显著、长波云辐射强迫增加的幅度相对更大。3)气象要素在AOD大(小)值情况下的变化表明,大尺度动力条件并不能解释云的上述特性随AOD的显著改变。