A note on some early radiosonde temperature observations in the Antarctic lower stratosphere

The behaviour of the Southern Hemisphere stratosphere has attracted considerable interest, and been compared with the Northern Hemisphere, since the International Geophysical Year (1957–58) when the sudden (explosive or accelerated) springtime warming phenomenon in the Antarctic was first observed. Over the years studies of upper air temperature and wind observations have been made, principally through the spring months when the polar vortex breakdown occurs, utilising both ground-based (rawinsonde, rocket) and more recently, satellite-derived data. Although the radiosonde-derived temperature data are limited both by the number of reporting stations, and the practical difficulty of securing observations much above the 100 hPa level, useful records exist from 1956 or 1957. These have shown that in the 1959 southern spring, the lower stratosphere was relatively colder, and the warming rate through the season was essentially more regular, with little evidence of the marked but short-lived temperature fluctuations usually found. Similar, but not quite such wide-spread conditions occurred again in the 1961 spring. In another study, 30 hPa temperature fields over the Antarctic continent, which could be drawn for the 1967 spring, showed the complexity of the polar vortex breakdown. These features are recalled because extension of the 100 hPa springtime temperature series for the Australian Antarctic station at Casey (66.3°S, 110.5°E) shows that in 1985 and part of 1986, the temperature behaviour there was similar to, but not quite so extreme as that which occurred at Mirny (66.5°S, 93.0°E) in 1959.     

Settling-velocity distributions and sorting processes on a longitudinal dune: A case study

The processes acting on a longitudinal dune are inferred from the response in the area size-sorting characteristics of the sediment of the active layer. The sediment size distributions are determined by settling and are best described by a log-hyperbolic model which provides the most information on size-sorting processes. Size-sorting characteristics are markedly different across the low round-crested part of the dune from cross-sections of the high more sharp-crested part. This results in changes in textural parameters along the lee-side consistent with changes in the lee-side separation vortex. This is the first time that the effect of wind speed up on the lee-side is observed to be reflected in the sediment; it can only be detected with the very sensitive log-hyperbolic parameters.     

大气中低频重力波指数与西南低涡发展及其暴雨的关系

采用低频重力波指数法，对西南低涡发展演变及其暴雨强度，落区进行了诊断分析和预测。结果指出：（１）低频重力波指数Ｃｐ，Ｃｉ对西南低涡的发展及其暴雨强度，落区都有一定的预测意义，其预见期可达２４小时以上；（２）低频重力波指数随时间变化与西南低涡发有较好的对应关系；（３）低频重力波指数的大小与西南低涡暴雨强度相联系；（４）西南低涡暴雨落区通常发生在Ｃｐ，Ｃｉ指数的最大负值区内和Ｃｐ等值线梯度最大的区域。     

The interannual variability of mid-latitude meridional circulation and its teleconnection with Indian monsoon activity

The statistical relationship between the summer monsoon rainfall over all India, northwest India and peninsular India, onset dates of monsoon and the index of mid latitude, (35° to 70°N) meridional circulation at 500 hPa level over different sectors and hemisphere based on 19 years (1971–1989) data, have been examined. The results indicate that (i) the summer monsoon rainfalls over all India, northwest India and peninsular India show a significant inverse relationship with the strength of meridional index during previous January over sector 45°W to 90°E. (ii) The summer monsoon rainfalls over all India and peninsular India show a significant inverse relationship with the strength of meridional index during previous December over sector 90°E to 160°E, (iii) The summer monsoon rainfall over northwest India shows a significant direct relationship with the meridional index during previous May over sector 160°E to 45°W. Significant negative relationships are also observed between the meridional circulation indices of previous October (sector 3 and 4), previous December (sectors 1, 3 and 4), previous winter season (sector 3 and 4) and the onset dates of summer monsoon over India. The meridional circulation index thus can have some possible use for long range forecasting of monsoon rainfall over all India, northwest India and peninsular India, as well as the onset dates of monsoon.     

CONTOUR DYNAMICS FOR VORTEX MOTION INFLUENCED BY THE CORIOLIS FORCE*

The computational formulae are given for single-contour constant-value vortex motion influenced by the Coriolis force in the framework of contour dynamics,by which four numerical computations are performed,the result exhibiting their validity.     

A CASE OF MESOSCALE CONVECTIVE COMPLEX EVOLVING INTO A VORTEX

A case of mesoscale convective complex(MCC)which evolved into a vortex is documented in this paper.As theMCC entered into the dissipating phase,a well-defined spirally banded structure became visible in the satellite image.The blackbody temperature(TBB)of the residual cold-cloud-shield indicates the vortex existed in the layer from 400 to250 hPa.According to the upper air analysis,the upper level vortex was an anticyclone.The MCC-generated vortex wasvisualized in the satellite images because it was located in the subtropical high where the wind field was very weak.     

暴雨类冷涡与非暴雨类冷涡的合成对比分析

选择了８例典型的东北冷涡暴雨过程和８例典型的东北冷涡弱降水过程进行了合成对比分析，发现暴雨类冷涡其暴雨主要出现在冷涡的发展阶段，而非暴雨类冷涡的降水主要发生在冷涡的成熟阶段；暴雨类冷涡与其南侧的副热带低值系统联系密切，非暴雨类冷涡的这一特点不甚明显；暴雨类冷涡的两个降水中心分别出现在系统东侧偏南和南侧偏东一些的地，距系统中心大约３００－４００ｋｍ和７００－８００ｋｍ，这些区域处于低层辐合、高层辐菜     

A CASE OF MESOSCALE CONVECTIVE COMPLEX EVOLVING INTO A VORTEX*

A case of mesoscale convective complex(MCC) which evolved into a vortex is documented in this paper.As the MCC entered into the dissipating phase,a well-defined spirally banded structure became visible in the satellite image.The blackbody temperature(TBB) of the residual cold-cloud-shield indicates the vortex existed in the layer from 400 to 250 hPa.According to the upper air analysis,the upper level vortex was an anticyclone.The MCC-generated vortex was visualized in the satellite images because it was located in the subtropical high where the wind field was very weak.     

Hydrodynamical Modeling Of Oceanic Vortices

Mesoscale coherent vortices are numerous in the ocean.Though they possess various structures in temperature and salinity,they are all long-lived, fairly intense and mostly circular. Thephysical variable which best describes the rotation and the density anomaly associated with coherent vortices is potential vorticity. It is diagnostically related to velocity and pressure, when the vortex is stationary. Stationary vortices can be monopolar (circular or elliptical) or multipolar; their stability analysis shows thattransitions between the various stationary shapes are possible when they become unstable. But stable vortices can also undergo unsteady evolutions when perturbed by environmental effects, likelarge-scale shear or strain fields, -effect or topography. Changes in vortex shapes can also result from vortex interactions. such as the pairing, merger or vertical alignment of two vortices, which depend on their relative polarities and depths. Such interactions transfer energy and enstrophy between scales, and are essential in two-dimensional and in geostrophic turbulence. Finally, in relation with the observations, we describe a few mechanisms of vortex generation.     

The 1.5–5-day eastward waves in the upper stratosphere–mesosphere as observed by the Esrange meteor radar and the SABER instrument

Data of neutral meridional wind obtained by the meteor radar at Esrange and data of temperature and pressure measured by the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) instrument on board the Thermosphere–Ionosphere–Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) spacecraft were studied with respect to a day-to-day atmospheric variability with periods ranging from 1.5 to 5 days. The detailed analysis was carried out for February 2004. Perturbations of the atmospheric parameters at the examined periods appeared mainly as eastward-propagating waves of zonal wavenumbers 1 and 2. We suggested that these waves excited by the jet instability on both flanks of the polar-night jet in the upper stratosphere and mesosphere interact nonlinearly with each other, and this interaction generates secondary waves. The radar observed both primary and secondary waves at mesospheric heights. The data analysis supports this suggestion. Under conditions of weaker instability observed in February 2003 the perturbations of atmospheric parameters of periods ranging from 1.5 to 5 days had smaller amplitudes at heights of the mesosphere than those in February 2004. It was found that the Eliassen-Palm fluxes calculated for the waves generated by the jet instability were mainly downward directed. This result suggests a possible dynamical influence of the mesospheric layers on the lower atmospheric levels.