Evolution of moist potential vorticity during a warm-zone heavy rainfall event in the Pearl River Delta

First,based on routine meteorological data,the synoptic characteristics of a heavy warm-sector rainfall that occurred on June 13,2008 in the Pearl River Delta were analyzed.Second,a mesoscale numerical model,Weather Research and Forecasting(WRFV2.2),was used to simulate the heavy rainfall. Diagnostic analyses were done of moist potential vorticity(MPV)for its horizontal components(MPV2) and vertical components(MPV1)based on the simulation results of WRFV2.2 to identify the mechanism of the rainfall development.The results showed that the heavy rainfall occurred when there were high MPV1 in the upper levels and low MPV1 and high MPV2 in the lower levels.Disturbances of high MPV1 in the upper levels came from the southwest or northwest,those of low MPV1 in the lower levels came from the southwest,and those of high MPV2 came from the south.Disturbances of low MPV1 at low levels were the direct cause of convective instability.Enhanced vertical shear of meridional wind led to increased MPV2 at lower levels,strengthened baroclinicity,and active warm and wet flows.These distributions of MPV helped to trigger the release of unstable energy and produce warm-sector heavy rainfall.As it integrates the evolution of dynamic and thermal fields,MPV is able to reveal the development of this heavy rainfall effectively.     

"02.6"陕南大暴雨的结构及成因分析

通过诊断分析发现:(1)“02.6”强降水与6月上旬越赤道气流和季风爆发密切相关,携带大量水汽的偏南气流与冷空气于6月8日交汇在西北地区东部,导致了这次强降水的发生;(2)与暴雨区相联系,存在横越低空急流的经向垂直环流,暴雨区处于该垂直环流的上升支;(3)偏南和偏东气流水汽通道在西北地区东部交汇,水汽的辐合积聚主要在对流层低层和行星边界层内完成;(4)整层的视热源高值区在暴雨区附近呈东北—西南向分布,与切变线走向非常一致,降水产生的凝结潜热释放是强降水区大气的主要热源。同时,在大尺度上升运动区中低层存在一个条件对称不稳定建立的机制,使得在暴雨区,既存在深厚的热力不稳定机制,又存在水汽输入机制和热力不稳定的触发机制,从而形成强暴雨。     

2005年6月湖南大暴雨过程的天气动力学诊断分析

利用NCEP分析资料和实测资料,对2005年6月初湖南大暴雨过程进行了天气动力学诊断分析。结果表明：暴雨区中上升运动和水汽辐合均大于周围区域,中低层为对流不稳定层结。暴雨区位于非地转湿Q矢量辐合强迫的次级环流上升支中,其南北两侧为非地转下沉气流,下沉气流的补偿有利于暴雨系统的维持。非地转湿Q矢量辐合区对6小时暴雨落区预报有指示意义。暴雨区位于700hPa湿位涡和850hPa湿相对位涡负值中心附近偏暖湿气流一侧。低层暖湿平流和强上升运动致使低层湿空气辐合补偿、热量上传,利于高层辐散增强,抽吸作用加强低空辐合,促使暴雨发展。     

1991年7月上旬贵州地区暴雨过程物理机制的诊断研究

本文对1991年7月上旬在贵州地区发生的几次暴雨过程的位涡场、Q矢量激反场以及相对螺旋度等物理量场进行了诊断分析。结果表明,暴雨的发生发展与对流层高、低层湿位涡（MPV）扰动和中层的负MPV的增强、Q矢量辐合区随高度呈倾斜状分布且输合中心强度明显增强、以及相对螺旋度的增强等过程密切相关。说明高空低润发展、静止锋锋生、斜升气流发展以及低空急流的加强等是贵州地区暴雨发生发展的有利机制。     

CONSERVATION OF MOIST POTENTIAL VORTICITY AND DOWN-SLIDING SLANTWISE VORTICITY DEVELOPMENT*

An accurate form of the moist potential vorticity(MPV) equation was deduced from a complete set of primitive equations.It was shown that motion in a saturated atmosphere without diabatic heating and friction conserves moist potential vorticity.This property was then used to investigate the development of vertical vorticity in moist baroclinic processes.Results show that in the framework of moist isentropic coordinate,vorticity development can result from reduction of convective stability,or convergence,or latent heat release at isentropic surfaces.However,the application of the usual analysis of moist isentropic potential vorticity is limited due to the declination of moist isentropic surfaces.and a theory of development based on z-coordinate and p-coordinate was then proposed.According to this theory,whether the atmosphere is moist-symmetrically stable or unstable,on convective stable or unstable,the reduction of convective stability,the increase of the vertical shear of horizontal wind or moist baroclinity may result in the increase of vertical vorticity,so long as the moist isentropic surface is slantwise.The larger the declination of the moist isentropic surface,the more vigorous the development of vertical vorticity.In a region with a monsoon front to the north and the warm and moist air to the south,or by the north of the front,the moist isentropes are very steep.The is the region most favorable for development of vorticities and formation of torrential rain.For a case of persistent torrential rain occurring in the middle and lower reaches of the Changjiang and Huaihe Rivers in June 11-15,1991,moist potential vorticity analysis,especially the isobaric analysis of its vertical and horizontal components,i.e.MPV1 and MPV2,respectively,is effective for identifying synoptic systems not only in middle and high latitudes,but also in low latitudes and in the lower troposphere.It can serve as a powerful tool for the diagnosis and prediction of torrential rain.     

2004年云南秋季强降水位涡诊断分析

利用NCEP格点资料和常规观测资料对2004年云南秋季强降水进行位涡诊断分析，结果表明，干湿位涡均能较好地反映天气系统的演变特征，干位涡能很好地反映滇黔辐合强弱和地面冷空气的移动路径。湿位涡则能反映暖湿气流活动特征。强降水发生期间，中高层强干湿位涡向低层传送，低层负湿位涡向上伸展。对流层中高层的干湿位涡强中心向低层传送方向和强度变化与强降水雨带移动方向及雨强变化一致。此次强降水对流层中层的强干位涡源位于川东，表明该过程与9月2—6日川东大暴雨有关。     

CONSERVATION OF MOIST POTENTIAL VORTICITY AND DOWN-SLIDING SLANTWISE VORTICITY DEVELOPMENT

An accurate form of the moist potential vorticity(MPV)equation was deduced from a completeset of primitive equations.It was shown that motion in a saturated atmosphere without diabatic heat-ing and friction conserves moist potential vorticity.This property was then used to investigate the de-velopment of vertical vorticity in moist baroclinic processes.Results show that in the framework ofmoist isentropic coordinate,vorticity development can result from reduction of convective stability,orconvergence,or latent heat release at isentropic surfaces.However,the application of the usual analy-sis of moist isentropic potential vorticity is limited due to the declination of moist isentropic surfaces.and a theory of development based on z-coordinate and p-coordinate was then proposed.According tothis theory,whether the atmosphere is moist-symmetrically stable or unstable,or convective stable orunstable,the reduction of convective stability,the increase of the vertical shear of horizontal wind ormoist baroclinity may result in the increase of vertical vorticity,so long as the moist isentropic surfaceis slantwise.The larger the declination of the moist isentropic surface,the more vigorous the develop-ment of vertical vorticity.In a region with a monsoon front to the north and the warm and moist airto the south,or by the north of the front,the moist isentropes are very steep.The is the region mostfavorable for development of vorticities and formation of torrential rain.For a case of persistent torrential rain occurring in the middle and lower reaches of theChangjiang and Huaihe Rivers in June 11-15,1991,moist potential vorticity analysis,especially theisobaric analysis of its vertical and horizontal components,i.e.MPV1 and MPV2,respectively,iseffective for identifying synoptic systems not only in middle and high latitudes,but also in low lati-tudes and in the lower troposphere.It can serve as a powerful tool for the diagnosis and prediction oftorrential rain.     

A Diagnostic Case Study on the Comparison Between the Frontal and Non-Frontal Convective Systems

Two major mesoscale convective clusters of different characters occurred during the heavy rainfall event in Guangxi Region and Guangdong Province on 20 June 2005,and they are preliminarily identified as a frontal mesoscale convective system(MCS1;a frontal cloud cluster) and a non-frontal MCS(MCS2;a warm sector cloud cluster).Comparative analyses on their convective intensity,maintenance mechanism, and moist potential vorticity(MPV) structure were further performed.The convective intensity analysis sugges...     

在“鞍”型大尺度环流配置下西南低涡发展的物理过程及其对川东暴雨发生的作用

利用2005年7月6～9日川东地区暴雨过程的观测资料，从大尺度环流、水汽输送和温度平流，并利用湿位涡的垂直和水平分量(Pm1和Pm2）以及相当位温，分析诊断了此次暴雨发生的大尺度环流背景特征以及西南涡发展的物理过程, 其结果表明如下:(1)在此次暴雨发生期间，四川盆地北部由于受中高纬长波东移调整的影响, 不断有低压槽分裂出来并影响此地区, 在盆地的西南方向的孟加拉湾季风槽比较活跃, 南海季风向北输送由于受到西风输送的作用在四川盆地东南部也出现弱的横槽, 并且西太平洋副高西伸到四川盆地东部以及存在于高原中部的高压共同作用, 从而形成明显“鞍”型大尺度环流配置; (2)在此“鞍”型场大尺度环流背景下, 强西南气流绕流高原东侧直接进入四川盆地, 而弱西南气流则绕流云贵高原输送进入四川盆地东部, 受地形的阻挡和西伸的西太平洋副高的作用在四川盆地东部形成向北的急流辐合带, 同时, 由于两支气流输送着大量的水汽, 暖湿空气在川东地区形成高温高湿的辐合区; (3)在此“鞍”型场作用下, 盆地上空的低层不断聚集季风气流输送的大量暖湿空气, 而在高层有冷干空气侵入, 从而导致盆地内低涡系统强烈发展; (4) 由湿位涡的垂直分量和水平分量的诊断表明了在暴雨发生期间, 在四川盆地北部上空的高层不断有干空气入侵, 引起了垂直对流不稳定, 即Pm1<0, 并向盆地东北部发展, 从而使此区域气旋性涡度不断加强, 即低涡强烈发展; 并且, 在盆地上空低层暖湿空气相当位温的水平梯度对于西南低涡的发展和暴雨的发生同样起了重要作用, 正的Pm2中心与暴雨发生区域有很好的一致性, 这表明暴雨往往发生在高温高湿的强垂直不稳定区域。     

ISENTROPIC POTENTIAL VORTICITY ANALYSIS ON THE MESOSCALE CYCLONE DEVELOPMENT IN A TORRENTIAL RAIN PROCESS

The mesoscale model MM4 is used to simulate the torrential rain associated with Meiyu frontoccurring on 5—6 July.1991 in the Changjiang-Huaihe Basin.Based on the outputs of the model,the cause of the mesoscale cyclogenesis on the lower troposphere is investigated in terms of thepotential vorticity principle.The results show that because of the favorable pattern of moistisentropic surface,the absolute vorticity increases when cold air with high moist potential vorticityvalue rapidly slides down southwards along the moist isentropic surface,and then causes thecyclonic vortex development.