Modeling the Warming Impact of Urban Land Expansion on Hot Weather Using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model: A Case Study of Beijing,China

The impacts of three periods of urban land expansion during 1990–2010 on near-surface air temperature in summer in Beijing were simulated in this study, and then the interrelation between heat waves and urban warming was assessed. We ran the sensitivity tests using the mesoscale Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with a single urban canopy model,as well as high-resolution land cover data. The warming area expanded approximately at the same scale as the urban land expansion. The average regional warming induced by urban expansion increased but the warming speed declined slightly during 2000–2010. The smallest warming occurred at noon and then increased gradually in the afternoon before peaking at around 2000 LST—the time of sunset. In the daytime, urban warming was primarily caused by the decrease in latent heat flux at the urban surface. Urbanization led to more ground heat flux during the day and then more release at night, which resulted in nocturnal warming. Urban warming at night was higher than that in the day, although the nighttime increment in sensible heat flux was smaller. This was because the shallower planetary boundary layer at night reduced the release efficiency of near-surface heat. The simulated results also suggested that heat waves or high temperature weather enhanced urban warming intensity at night. Heat waves caused more heat to be stored in the surface during the day, greater heat released at night, and thus higher nighttime warming. Our results demonstrate a positive feedback effect between urban warming and heat waves in urban areas.     

夏季长三角城市群热岛效应及其对大气边界层结构影响的数值模拟

利用WRF/Noah/UCM模拟系统对长三角地区城市群进行了2003—2007年共5个夏季的高分辨率数值模拟,研究了夏季长三角城市群热岛效应及其对大气边界层影响。开展了2组平行的积分试验,控制试验为MODIS遥感资料给出的地表特征分布,敏感性试验将长三角地区的城市表面改为农田类型,其他与控制试验完全相同。两组试验的对比分析表明城市群热岛存在明显的日变化特征,热岛效应白天向上发展较高,夜间地表热岛强度明显增强。城市热岛导致午后城市上空产生强烈的局地上升气流,从而使得低层大气以补偿流的形式向城市辐合,然而在夜间上升运动很微弱。伴随这种热力状况的日变化,大气边界层高度也存在明显的日变化,白天增高,夜间降低。同时,白天城市边界层内风速明显减小,夜间地面风速减小加剧,但夜间边界层顶风速却有所增强。另外,城市化还会导致“城市干岛”现象,且其白天强度大于夜间。     

西安一次夜间异常增温过程的数值模拟及诊断

利用WRF及其耦合单层城市冠层模式(UCM,Urban Canopy Model),对2012年12月4日夜间西安地区温度异常演变的天气过程进行模拟分析。结果表明,耦合了城市冠层模式的WRF系统能够较好地模拟出西安夜间温度异常升高的局地性特征,考虑了精细化下垫面分类模拟的逐时温度演变更接近实况,平均绝对误差小。天气系统与地处秦岭北麓关中平原的特殊地形是引起西安地区夜间出现温度不降反增的主要原因。首先表现在西北路冷空气推动锋前暖空气从高海拔地区到达关中平原引起的下沉增温效应;其次受秦岭地形阻挡的影响,西安地区近地层锋前的暖空气被急剧压缩出现短暂升温。城区地表温度存在显著的热岛效应,由于城区不透水下垫面的扩大,使得城区地表的水汽通量显著减小,感热通量增大,潜热通量减小,西安城区夜间气温异常升高幅度较其它区县明显偏大。     

深层搅拌桩复合地基沉降计算理论研究

为了寻找深层搅拌桩复合地基沉降计算的简便方法，根据已有的研究成果，进行了桩与桩周土间摩擦力分布规律的假设和简化，运用单位元法推导了深层搅拌桩复合地基沉降计算公式和设计用曲线，同时采用轴对称有限元法，对一实际工程的实测成果进行了分析。计算结果表明：文中理论计算的中级荷载下的沉降量值介于分层总和法与有限元法计算值之间，但文中方法比有限元计算法简单，比分层总和法更合理。     

Distributions and sources of bulk organic matter and aliphatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments of the Bohai Sea, China

Surface sediment samples from a matrix of fifty-five sites covering virtually the entire Bohai Sea (Bohai), China were analyzed for total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), n-alkanes, unresolved complex mixture (UCM), biomarkers and stable carbon isotopic composition (δ¹³C), and principal component analysis was performed for source identification of organic matter (OM). The distribution of organic carbon correlated well with sediment grain size with the finest sediments having the highest concentration, suggesting the influence of hydrodynamics on the accumulation of sedimentary organic matter (SOM). The corrected TOC/ON (organic nitrogen) ratios and δ¹³C indicated mixed marine and terrestrial sources of SOM. Results suggested that δ¹³C could be used as a potential indicator to observe the dispersion of Huanghe-derived sediments in Bohai. Total n-alkane concentrations varied over 10-fold from 0.39 to 4.94 μg g^− 1 (dry weight) with the maximum terrigenous/aquatic alkane ratio observed at the Huanghe River Estuary (HRE) due to more higher plant OM from riverine inputs. C₁₂–C₂₂ n-alkanes with even-to-odd predominance were observed in several central-eastern Bohai sites. The HRE and its adjacent area is the main sink for the Huanghe river-derived OC. The ubiquitous presence of UCM, biomarkers (hopanes and steranes) and PCA results indicated the presence of petroleum contamination in Bohai, mainly from offshore oil exploration, discharge of pollutants from rivers, shipping activities and atmospheric deposition.     

Organic compound tracers of fine soil and sand particles during summer in the metropolitan area of Riyadh,Saudi Arabia

Soil and sand fine particles, which may be resuspended as fine dust in the atmosphere, contain a variety of anthropogenic and natural organic components. Samples of fine soil and sand particles (sieved to <125 μM) were collected from the Riyadh area in the summer of 2003 and extracted with a mixture of dichloromethane and methanol (3:1, v:v). The derivatized total extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry in order to characterize the composition and sources of the organic components. Both anthropogenic and natural biogenic inputs were the major sources of the organic compounds in these extracts. Discarded plastics and vehicular emission products were the major anthropogenic sources in the fine particles from populated areas of the city. Their tracers were plasticizers, UCM, n-alkanes, hopanes and traces of steranes. Vegetation was the major natural source of organic compounds in samples from outside Riyadh and included n-alkanols, n-alkanoic acids, n-alkanes, methyl alkanoates, sterols and triterpenoids. Carbohydrates had high concentrations (42–54%) in all samples and indicate sources from decomposition of cellulose and/or the presence of viable microbiota such as bacteria and fungi. The results were also compared with the data obtained in winter 2002 and showed that anthropogenic inputs were higher in summer than in winter, whereas the opposite trend was observed for natural inputs.     

Application of WRF/UCM in the simulation of a heat wave event and urban heat island around Guangzhou

This paper evaluated the performance of a coupled modeling system, Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)/Urban Canopy Model (UCM), in the simulation of a heat wave event which occurred around Guangzhou during late June through early July, 2004. Results from three experiments reveal that the UCM with new land data (E-UCM) reproduces the best 2-m temperature evolution and the smallest minimum absolute average error as compared with the other two experiments, the BPA-Bulk Parameterization Approach with new land data (E-BPA) and the UCM with original U.S. Geological Survey land data (E-NOU). The E-UCM is more useful in capturing the temporal and spatial distribution of the nighttime Urban Heat Island (UHI). Differences in surface energy balance between the urban and suburban areas show that low daytime albedo causes more absorption of solar radiation by urban areas. Due to the lack of vegetation which inhibits cooling by evapotranspiration, most of the incoming energy over urban areas is partitioned into sensible heat flux and therefore heats the surface and enhances the heat wave. During nighttime, the energy in the urban area is mainly from soil heat flux. Although some energy is partitioned as outgoing long wave radiation, most of the soil heat flux is partitioned into sensible heat flux due to the small latent heat flux at night. This leads to the development of nighttime UHI and the increase of the magnitude and duration of heat waves within the municipality.     

Petroleum and PAH contamination of the Black Sea

Concern has been expressed regarding the extent of contamination of the Black Sea. Analyses of coastal sediments taken from throughout the region indicate, however, that levels of petroleum hydrocarbons (2-300 microg g(-1) dry wt total hydrocarbons) are generally comparable to those encountered in the Mediterranean and are lower than concentrations reported for highly contaminated areas such as the Gulf, Hong Kong, Taiwan and New York Bight. Highest concentrations of total hydrocarbons (>100 microg g(-1) dry wt) were associated with discharges from Odessa, Sochi and the River Danube. Chronic/degraded petroleum was the major contributor at these sites. Samples from the Ukrainian coastline were comparatively clean (<10 microg g(-1) dry wt total hydrocarbons). Major contributions of fresh oil (as indicated by sigma n-C14-34) occur through the River Danube. Concerning total PAH, concentrations (7-638 ng g(-1) dry wt) compare to relatively unpolluted locations in the Mediterranean and are much lower than levels reported for polluted UK estuaries (e.g. Mersey, Tyne, Thames). Both pyrolytic and petrogenic PAH are present in most samples, although petroleum derived PAH are dominant at Sochi and pyrolytic sources are prevalent in the Bosphorus region. The absence of a correlation between total hydrocarbons and PAH (R2 = 0.04) indicates different primary sources for the two.     

Compositions and sources of extractable organic matter in Mesopotamian marshland surface sediments of Iraq. I: aliphatic lipids

Shallow surface sediment samples from the Mesopotamian marshlands of Iraq were collected and analyzed to determine the distribution, concentrations and sources of aliphatic lipid compounds (n-alkanes, n-alkanols, n-alkanoic acids, and methyl n-alkanoates) and molecular markers of petroleum in these wetlands. The sediments were collected using a stainless steel sediment corer, dried, extracted with a dichloromethane/methanol mixture and then analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The aliphatic lipid compounds included n-alkanes, n-alkanoic acids, n-alkanols and methyl n-alkanoates with concentrations ranged from 6.8 to 31.1 μg/g, 4.1 to 5.0 μg/g, 5.9 to 7.7 μg/g and from 0.3 to 5.9 μg/g, respectively. The major sources of aliphatic lipids were natural from waxes of higher plants (24–30%) and microbial residues (42–30%), with a significant contribution from anthropogenic sources (27–30%, petroleum), based on the organic geochemical parameters and indices. Further studies are needed to characterize the rate, accumulation and transformation of various organic matter sources before and after re-flooding of these wetlands.     

Improving the WRF/urban modeling system in China by developing a national urban dataset

Accurate modeling of urban climate is essential to predict potential environmental risks in cities. Urban datasets, such as urban land use and urban canopy parameters (UCPs), are key input data for urban climate models and largely affect their performance. However, access to reliable urban datasets is a challenge, especially in fast urbanizing countries. In this study, we developed a high-resolution national urban dataset in China (NUDC) for the WRF/urban modeling system and evaluated its effect on urban climate modeling. Specifically, an optimization method based on building morphology was proposed to classify urban land use types. The key UCPs, including building height and width, street width, surface imperviousness, and anthropogenic heat flux, were calculated for both single-layer Urban Canopy Model (UCM) and multiple-layer Building Energy Parameterization (BEP). The results show that the derived morphological-based urban land use classification could better reflect the urban characteristics, compared to the socioeconomic-function-based classification. The UCPs varied largely in spatial within and across the cities. The integration of the developed urban land use and UCPs datasets significantly improved the representation of urban canopy characteristics, contributing to a more accurate modeling of near-surface air temperature, humidity, and wind in urban areas. The UCM performed better in the modeling of air temperature and humidity, while the BEP performed better in the modeling of wind speed. The newly developed NUDC can advance the study of urban climate and improve the prediction of potential urban environmental risks in China.