Moon-based Earth observation: scientific concept and potential applications

Although Earth’s surface parameters obtained from satellite data have become more and more precise, it is still difficult to guarantee temporal consistency and spatial continuity for large-scale geoscience phenomena. Developing new Earth observation platforms is a feasible way to improve the consistency and continuity of such data. As the planet’s only natural satellite, the Moon has special advantages as a platform for observing Earth, including long lifetime, whole disk view, tectonic stability and unique perspective. After presenting the observation geometry constructed by using the ephemeris, this paper mainly discusses the characteristics of a lunar platform and the proper Moon-based sensors, as well as the scientific objectives of Moon-based Earth observation. Solid Earth dynamics, the energy budget of Earth, Earth’s environmental elements and the Earth-space environment are four potential applications analysed in this paper.     

水和水蒸气辅助粗晶三水铝石转化为勃姆石的机制研究

在165℃、175℃、185℃和195℃的温度条件下,对水热处理前和处理后的粗晶三水铝石样品分别进行了XRD分析和SEM表征,研究了粗晶三水铝石在水蒸气和热水中转变成勃姆石的相变过程。结果表明,水热条件下粗晶三水铝石转化成勃姆石的过程受控于溶解-再沉淀机制,而并非是通常认为的固体状态下的转变;相对于在热水中,水蒸气环境可以加速三水铝石向勃姆石的转化;所形成的勃姆石的粒径（4~7 μm）明显比前驱体三水铝石的粒径（120~200 μm）要小得多,表明可以利用粗晶三水铝石生产微晶勃姆石。在转化过程中,勃姆石微晶首先生长在三水铝石的晶体表面上,通过控制反应温度和反应时间,可形成壳层为勃姆石、壳下为三水铝石的具有双层结构的铝的氢氧化物颗粒,也有可能形成具有中空结构的勃姆石集合体颗粒。     

两类El Niňo事件次年夏季长江-黄河流域降水低频特征及低频水汽输送途径差异

利用1961年1月—2014年12月Hadley气候预测研究中心的全球海表温度(SST)资料,NECP/NCAR逐日风场、比湿等再分析资料,国家气象信息中心提供的中国753站逐日降水、160站逐月降水资料,对比分析了东部(EP)型和中部(CP)型两类El Niňo事件次年夏季长江-黄河流域降水(简记为EP型和CP型降水)低频特征,以及与之相关的低频水汽输送差异。结果表明,1)平均而言,EP型降水主要有10～20 d(最显著)以及20～30 d(次显著)低频周期;CP型降水主要有10～20 d的低频显著周期。与之相关的纬、经向水汽通量最显著低频周期也为10～20 d。2)影响EP、CP型低频降水共同的低频水汽环流系统主要有:菲律宾群岛附近的异常反气旋式水汽环流和渤海湾附近(日本东南侧)的异常气旋式(反气旋式)水汽环流。另外,影响EP(CP)型低频降水的还有来自巴尔喀什湖东北部异常气旋式水汽环流(孟加拉湾、苏门答腊岛以西的异常气旋式水汽环流对和贝加尔湖西、东两侧的异常气旋式、反气旋式环流)。3)EP型降水暖湿水汽主要源自南海,冷湿水汽主要源自西北太平洋,冷空气来自巴尔喀什湖东北部和贝加尔湖西北侧。CP型降水暖湿水汽少量来自阿拉伯海和印度洋,大量来自热带西太平洋,冷空气主要来自贝加尔湖西北侧。     

An Operational Precipitable Water Vapor Retrieval Algorithm for Fengyun-2F/VISSR Using a Modified Three-Band Physical Split-Window Method

The Visible and Infrared Spin-Scan Radiometer(VISSR) onboard the Fengyun-2(FY-2) satellite can provide valuable thermal infrared observations to help create a precipitable water vapor(PWV) product with high spatial and temporal resolutions. The current FY-2/VISSR PWV product in operation is produced by using a traditional two-band physical split-window(PSW) method, which produces low quality results under dry atmospheric conditions. Based on the sensitivity characteristics of FY-2 F/VISSR water vapor channel and two split-window channels to atmospheric water vapor, this study developed a new, robust operational PWV retrieval algorithm for FY-2 F to improve the operational precision of the current PWV product. The algorithm uses a modified three-band PSW method, which adds a scale for the water vapor channel in the improved three-band PSW method. Integrated PWV products from the radiosonde data in 2016 are used here to validate the precision of the PWV retrieved by the modified three-band and traditional two-band PSW methods. The mean bias, root mean square error(RMSE), and correlation coefficient of the PWV retrieved by the modified three-band PSW method are 0.28 mm, 4.53 mm, and 0.969, respectively. The accuracy is much better than the PWV retrieved by the two-band method, whose mean bias, RMSE, and correlation coefficient are 12.67 mm, 29.35 mm, and 0.23. Especially, in mid-or high-latitude regions, the RMSE of the PWV is improved from 10 to 2 mm by changing the inversion in the two-band method to the modified three-band PSW method. Furthermore, the modified three-band PSW results show a better consistency with the radiosonde PWV at any zonal belt and season than the two-band PSW results. This new algorithm could significantly improve the quality of the current FY-2 F/VISSR PWV product, especially at sites where the actual PWV are lower than 15 mm.     

三江源区大气可降水量时空特征及其与降水关系

利用1979—2016年欧洲中期天气预报中心(ECMWF) ERA-Interim (1°×1°)再分析资料中的经、纬向水汽通量和大气可降水量(precipitation water vapor,PWV)数据,采用相关性分析、趋势分析法、累积距平、IDW等方法,分析三江源地区PWV与水汽通量的时空分布特征、降水转化率(precipitati-on conversion efficiency,PCE)变化规律。结果表明:过去的38 a,经、纬向多年平均水汽通量分别为50. 2、196. 7 kg·m-1·s^(-1),纬向水汽通量气候倾向率比经向大。南边界为纬向主要水汽输入边界,东边界为经向主要水汽输出边界,纬向水汽输送大于经向输送。多年平均PWV为1998. 3 mm,近38 aPWV呈现微弱增加趋势,1979—1997年,PWV呈下降趋势,1998年后PWV呈增加趋势,同期降水也在增加,说明该时段三江源地区气候转湿。PWV与水汽通量的年际变化趋势和转折年相一致。三江源区多年平均PCE为24. 57%,1989年PCE最高,达32. 76%,各季节平均PCE空间分布与年平均PCE分布一致,均表现出南部、东南部高,西部、东北部低的变化特征,各季节PCE大小差异明显,春季多年平均PCE为15. 92%,夏季25. 67%,秋季21. 01%,冬季仅7. 03%。     

内蒙古东北部地区一次极端降雪过程的水汽输送特征

利用内蒙古呼伦贝尔市常规观测资料和GDAS、NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,采用欧拉方法分析了2016年春季内蒙古东北部地区一次极端暴雪过程的水汽输送及收支特征,利用HYSPLIT模式和聚类分析模拟计算了此次暴雪天气过程的水汽源地、主要水汽输送通道及其对水汽输送的贡献,并与传统的欧拉方法结果进行对比。结果表明:(1)有3支不同源地的水汽流在内蒙古东北部地区交汇,对呼伦贝尔地区暴雪的发生与维持有重要影响;(2)经向和纬向输送为此次暴雪天气的发生提供了充足的水汽,暴雪区水汽主要源于中高层的南边界和随西风气流的西边界;(3)利用HYSPLIT模式模拟发现,在此次暴雪天气过程中水汽主要来源于新地岛以西洋面、日本海以及巴尔喀什湖,且三者贡献率大致相当。     

2000年后中国北方东部地区夏季极端降水减少及水汽输送特征

本文研究了1961～2016年中国北方东部地区夏季极端降水日数和极端降水贡献率的年代际变化特征,并进一步分析了该地区极端降水和普通降水的大气环流和水汽输送的差异。主要的研究结果表明:1961～2016年中国北方东部地区夏季极端降水日数和极端降水贡献率在2000年前后发生显著年代际变化,2000年后夏季极端降水天数和极端降水贡献率显著减少。与1984～1999年相比,2000～2016年在对流层高层从欧洲大陆、中亚到东北—蒙古地区,位势高度异常呈现出“正—负—正”的大气波列,从而造成北方东部地区上空为正压的位势高度正异常控制,伴随着下沉运动,大气层结趋于稳定,这些环流条件不利于极端降水发生。2000年后负位相的太平洋年代际振荡（PDO）和正位相的北大西洋多年代际振荡（AMO）共同加强了北方东部地区上空的正位势高度异常。进一步研究表明,极端降水与普通降水的水汽输送和收支以及关键的局地大气系统存在着显著差异,较普通降水而言,极端降水在南北向水汽输送和收支上更强;北方东部地区低空为较强的闭合低压控制,并不断受到高层高位涡空气下传的影响。     

一次梅雨暴雨的动能谱特征分析及收支诊断

利用WRF模式和NCEP再分析资料,对一次梅雨暴雨个例进行了数值模拟,基于高分辨率的模拟结果计算了水平动能谱、涡旋动能谱及辐散动能谱,诊断了动能收支谱方程。结果表明:在暴雨发展阶段,各个高度上都有中尺度动能增长,其显著增加始于中尺度低端,这导致了在中尺度波段出现谱转折特征,但在不同高度转折尺度不同;对流层高层涡旋动能大于辐散动能,平流层低层反之;不同降水阶段、不同高度和不同尺度上动能的来源不同,对流层高层,中尺度动能倾向由非线性项和气压项贡献;平流层低层,气压项的作用更为明显。     

Interannual Salinity Variability in the Tropical Pacific in CMIP5 Simulations

Salinity variability and its causes in the tropical Pacific are analyzed using observations, reanalysis products and model simulations. The mixed-layer salinity(MLS) budget analyses from observations and reanalysis products indicate that its interannual evolution is closely related to ENSO and is predominantly governed by surface forcing and surface advection in the western-central equatorial Pacific. It is found that the observed MLS tendency leads Nin?o3.4 by about 12 months due to the effect of negative freshwater flux(evaporation minus precipitation). These observation-based analyses are used to evaluate the corresponding simulation using GFDL-ESM2 M. It is evident that the model can simulate the spatiotemporal variations of MLS with some discrepancies compared to observations. In the warm pool of the equatorial Pacific the MLS tendency in the model is sensitive to ocean dynamics, however model biases cause the tendency to be underestimated. In particular, the freshwater flux is overestimated while the ocean surface zonal current and vertical velocity at the base of the mixed layer are underestimated. Due to model biases in representing the related physics, the effects of surface forcing on the simulated MLS budget are overestimated and those of subsurface and surface advection are relatively weak. Due to weaker surface advection and subsurface forcing than observed, the simulated compensations for surface forcing are suppressed, and the simulated MLS tendency that leads Nin?o3.4 by 8–10 months, which is shorter than the observed lead time. These results are useful for the interpretation of observational analyses and other model simulations in the tropical Pacific.     

Kinetic energy budget and moisture flux convergence analysis during interaction between two cyclonic systems: Case study

An analysis of the kinetic energy budget during a case of interaction between middle latitude and extratropical cyclones has been made in this work. Horizontal flux convergence constitutes a major energy sink. Generation of kinetic energy via cross-contour flow is a persistent source throughout the growth and decay periods. Dissipation of kinetic energy from subgrid to grid scales is an important source during the pre-storm period; it acts as a sink during the growth and decay periods. The major contribution to kinetic energy comes from a persistent upper tropospheric jet stream activity throughout the period of the cyclone development. The characteristics of moisture-flux components (divergent and rotational) along with precipitable water content for different tropospheric layers throughout the life cycle of our cyclone are also studied in this work. It is found that most of required humidity for our cyclone are initiated from Arabian Sea and then to some extent are reinforced over Gulf of Aden and east of central Africa and then by passing over Red sea enter to the south and south east of Mediterranean Sea. The rotational component of the moisture transport brings moisture from two regions; the first which is considered the main region is the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden and north east of Sudan. The second source region is the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. In the middle troposphere, the primary moisture source is found over central Africa, which in turn is traced to the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Sea. The upper-level moisture fluxes are weak and play a minor role over the area of interaction between two cyclones.