THE FORMULATION OF FIDELITY SCHEMES OF PHYSICAL CONSERVATION LAWS AND IMPROVEMENTS ON A TRADITIONAL SPECTRAL MODEL OF BAROCLINIC PRIMITIVE EQUATIONS FOR NUMERICAL PREDICTION

In this paper,two formulation theorems of time-difference fidelity schemes for generalquadratic and cubic physical conservation laws are respectively constructed and proved,with earliermajor conserving time-discretized schemes given as special cases.These two theorems can providenew mathematical basis for solving basic formulation problems of more types of conservative time-discrete fidelity schemes,and even for formulating conservative temporal-spatial discrete fidelityschemes by combining existing instantly conserving space-discretized schemes.Besides.the twotheorems can also solve two large categories of problems about linear and nonlinear computationalinstability.The traditional global spectral-vertical finite-difference semi-implicit model for baroclinicprimitive equations is currently used in many countries in the world for operational weatherforecast and numerical simulations of general circulation.The present work,however,based onTheorem 2 formulated in this paper,develops and realizes a high-order total energy conservingsemi-implicit time-difference fidelity scheme for global spectral-vertical finite-difference model ofbaroclinic primitive equations.Prior to this,such a basic formulation problem remains unsolved forlong,whether in terms of theory or practice.The total energy conserving semi-implicit schemeformulated here is applicable to real data long-term numerical integration.The experiment of thirteen FGGE data 30-day numerical integration indicates that the newtype of total energy conserving semi-implicit fidelity scheme can surely modify the systematicdeviation of energy and mass conserving of the traditional scheme.It should be particularly notedthat,under the experiment conditions of the present work,the systematic errors induced by theviolation of physical laws of conservation in the time-discretized process regarding the traditionalscheme designs(called type Z errors for short)can contribute up to one-third of the totalsystematic root-mean-square(RMS)error at the end of second week of the integration and exceedone half of the total amount four weeks afterwards.In contrast,by realizing a total energyconserving semi-implicit fidelity scheme and thereby eliminating corresponding type Z errors,roughly an average of one-fourth of the RMS errors in the traditional forecast cases can be reducedat the end of second week of the integration,and averagely more than one-third reduced at integraltime of four weeks afterwards.In addition,experiment results also reveal that,in a sense,theeffects of type Z errors are no less great than that of the real topographic forcing of the model.The prospects of the new type of total energy conserving fidelity schemes are very encouraging.     

Scaling of the Sea-Breeze Strength with Observations in the Netherlands

In this study we evaluate recently proposed scaling relations for the sea-breeze strength using independent data for a relatively homogeneous area in The Netherlands. We show that several of the scaling relations in the literature incorporate hidden correlation. Furthermore, it appears that the estimate for the sea-breeze strength is better made on the basis of the time-integrated rather than of the instantaneous sensible heat flux. It also turns out that for similar forcing the sea breeze in The Netherlands is about twice as strong as the sea breeze in the Vancouver area of Canada.     

The remarkable wide range spatial scaling of TRMM precipitation

The advent of space borne precipitation radar has opened up the possibility of studying the variability of global precipitation over huge ranges of scale while avoiding many of the calibration and sparse network problems which plague ground based rain gage and radar networks. We studied 1176 consecutive orbits of attenuation-corrected near surface reflectivity measurements from the TRMM satellite PR instrument. We find that for well-measured statistical moments (orders 0 < q < 2) corresponding to radar reflectivities with dBZ < 57 and probabilities > 10^− 6, that the residuals with respect to a pure scaling (power law) variability are remarkably low: ± 6.4% over the range 20,000 km down to 4.3 km. We argue that higher order moments are biased due to inadequately corrected attenuation effects. When a stochastic three — parameter universal multifractal cascade model is used to model both the reflectivity and the minimum detectable signal of the radar (which was about twice the mean), we find that we can explain the same statistics to within ± 4.6% over the same range. The effective outer scale of the variability was found to be 32,000 ± 2000 km. The fact that this is somewhat larger than the planetary scale (20,000 km) is a consequence of the residual variability of precipitation at the planetary scales. With the help of numerical simulations we were able to estimate the three fundamental parameters as α ≈ 1.5, C₁ = 0.63 ± 0.02 and H = 0.00 ± 0.01 (the multifractal index, the codimension of the mean and the nonconservation parameter respectively). There was no error estimate on α since although α = 1.5 was roughly the optimum value, this conclusion depended on assumptions about the instrument at both low and high reflectivities. The value H = 0 means that the reflectivity can be modeled as a pure multiplicative process, i.e. that the reflectivity is conserved from scale to scale. We show that by extending the model down to the inner “relaxation scale” where the turbulence and rain decouple (in light rain, typically about 40 cm), that even without an explicit threshold, the model gives quite reasonable predictions about the frequency of occurrence of perceptible precipitation rates.While our basic findings (the scaling, outer scale) are almost exactly as predicted twenty years ago on the basis on ground based radar and the theory of anisotropic (stratified) cascades, they are incompatible with classical turbulence approaches which require at least two isotropic turbulence regimes separated by a meso-scale “gap”. They are also incompatible with classical meteorological phenomenology which identifies morphology with mechanism and breaks up the observed range 4 km–20 000 km into several subranges each dominated by different mechanisms. Finally, since the model specifies the variability over huge ranges, it shows promise for resolving long standing problems in rain measurement from both (typically sparse) rain gage networks and radars.     

一个物理守恒保真全球谱模式的发展—从动力框架发展至全模式

The fidelity scheme of physical conservation laws has been applied in the dynamic framework of a global spectral model. In this study, a set of diabatic physical processes are also involved. Based on six 30-day numerical integrations of real-time data, we show that the full model is able to reproduce the primary features of global energy cycle and hydrological distribution. Additionally, the root-mean-square error is dramatically decreased when diabatic processes are considered. Another advantage is that the false structure of “double Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)” is not seen in the result, although the precipitation rate becomes lower. Citation: Zhong, Q., and Q. Zhong, 2008: The development of a physical conservation fidelity global spectral model—from dynamic framework to a full model, Atmos. Oceanic Sci. Lett., 1, 33-35     

基于东北玉米区域动力模型的低温冷害预报应用研究

在田间试验资料基础上,采用改进的发育模型和分区作物参数,结合前人有关研究成果建立了东北玉米区域动力模型,并利用模型模拟了12站40年 (1961~2000年) 玉米生长发育过程。确定抽雄期延迟天数为低温冷害指标,分析了历史低温冷害年及减产情况。模拟了典型冷害年和40年气候平均的0.25°×0.25°网格点玉米生长发育过程, 探讨了与区域气候模式结合进行低温冷害预报的方法。主要结论有：①玉米发育模型能够较好地模拟玉米发育期和发育期对低温冷害的响应,以抽雄期延迟天数为冷害指标评估的历史冷害发生状况基本符合历史实况。②模型有一定的模拟玉米生长量对低温冷害响应的能力,但还需要更多的试验数据校正品种参数,完善模型。③利用GIS技术,结合区域化的作物参数运行区域作物模型,是作物模型区域化应用的一种解决方案。④东北玉米区域动力模型解释性好,根据确定的害指标,以区域气候模式输出结果驱动玉米模型可以模拟和预测低温冷害,是农业气象灾害预测预报的一个有益的尝试。     

A Note on the Concept of ‘Effective’ Bulk Exchange Coefficients for Determination of Surface Flux Densities

Since most land surfaces are non-uniform on meteorological model scales, usually applied flux-profile relationships to obtain surface flux densities cannot be used. Therefore, some modellers assume that these relations are scale-invariant if the local bulk transfer parameters are replaced by effective parameters. This approach leads to wrong results for grid cells that contain subgrid areas that differ largely with respect to stability. Hence, in such cases, the surface energy balance needs to be solved for each subgrid area separately. Therefore, to obtain the correct flux densities in all situations, for each grid cell in the horizontal domain of meteorological models, subgrid areas that differ with respect to stability need to be identified.     

Pressure–settlement characteristics of rectangular footings on reinforced sand

A method has been proposed to obtain the pressure–settlement characteristics of rectangular footings resting on reinforced sand based on constitutive laws of soils. The confining effect of the reinforcement provided in the soil at different layers has been incorporated in the analysis by considering the equivalent stresses generated due to friction at the soil– reinforcement interface. The prerequisite of the method is the value of ultimate bearing capacity, which can be obtained from the approaches already available in literature. The value of settlement may be read directly from pressure–settlement curves for the given pressure intensity. Therefore, the rectangular footing resting on reinforced sand can be proportioned satisfying shear failure and settlement criteria.     

Critical reflection on knowledge and narratives of conservation agriculture

In the context of contemporary concerns about climate change and food security, Conservation Agriculture (CA) has emerged as a well-supported and central component of the agricultural sector development strategy across sub-Saharan Africa, including in Zambia, which is the focus of this paper. A variety of narratives about the benefits of CA over conventional agricultural systems underpin endeavours towards ‘scaling up’ CA and increasing rates of adoption amongst smallholder farmers nationwide. However, there is a knowledge politics underlying the translation of a weak evidence base around CA into persuasive narratives and financial and political support. In this paper, we trace the evolution of five narratives around CA in Zambia in relation to changing political agendas and the involvement of new public and private sector actors, and review the development of evidence bases and knowledge that support and challenge each of these narratives. We discuss the potential to open up space within this knowledge politics to alternative narratives and the contestation of the pervasive CA scaling up agenda. Critical reflection is essential to ensure that national and local evidence is more effectively used to guide national climate and agricultural policy developments and international donor initiatives.     

用宽频带辐射能量检验地震能量标度性

本文研究了宽频带辐射能量的能量－频度关系,并试图以此对地震能量标度性假说进行重新检验．结果表明,宽频带辐射能量与其他震级标度之间似乎并不存在一个理想的能量－震级关系,然而至少对所研究的日本和阿拉斯加地区而言,直接针对宽频带辐射能量的频度统计可以得到更好的标度性．