A study of charge structure sensitivity in simulated thunderstorms

Two different thunderstorms are simulated by two distinct one-dimensional cloud models using four different parameterisations of the non-inductive mechanism of electric charging, based on laboratory studies. The results demonstrate that during the early (pre-lightning) stage of thunderstorm electrification, simulated charge density depends not only on the model charging parameterisation employed, but also on the specific representations of the kinematics and microphysical characteristics of the model itself. Though no conclusions are drawn regarding the physical suitability of the charging parameterisations themselves, the analysis indicates that the most significant differences between the simulated charge structures of the clouds produced in each particular model are the result of different distributions of model cloud characteristics and of the type of parameterisation of the microphysical processes. The study reveals that it is too early to make any conclusion regarding which, if any, of the existing parameterisation schemes are better suited to the realistic simulation of electrical charging in real clouds.     

Characteristics of cirrus clouds and its radiative properties based on lidar observation over Chung-Li, Taiwan

In this paper, characterization of cirrus clouds are made by using data from ground based polarization lidar and radiosonde measurements over Chung-Li (24.58°N, 121.10°E), Taiwan for a period of 1999–2006. During this period, the occurrence of cirrus clouds is about 37% of the total measurement nights over the lidar site. Analysis of the measurement gives the statistical characteristics about the macrophysical properties such as occurrence height, ambient temperature, and its geometrical thickness while the microphysical properties are interpreted in terms of extinction coefficient, optical depth, effective lidar ratio and depolarization ratio. The effective lidar ratio has been retrieved by using the simulation technique of backscattered lidar signals. The effect of multiple scattering has been taken into the account by a model calculation. Summer (Jun–Aug) shows the maximum appearances of cirrus due to its formation mechanism. It is shown that tropopause cirrus clouds may occur with a probability of about 24%. These clouds are usually optically thin and having laminar in structure with some cases resembling the characteristics similar to that of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs). The radiative properties of the cirrus clouds are also discussed in detail by the empirical equations with results show a positive feedback on any climate change.     

Cloud radiative forcing in Asian monsoon region simulated by IPCC AR4 AMIP models

This study examines cloud radiative forcing (CRF) in the Asian monsoon region (0^o--50^oN,60^o--150^oE) simulated by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) AMIP models. During boreal winter, no model realistically reproduces the larger long-wave cloud radiative forcing (LWCF) over the Tibet Plateau (TP) and only a couple of models reasonably capture the larger short-wave CRF (SWCF) to the east of the TP. During boreal summer, there are larger biases for central location and intensity of simulated CRF in active convective regions. The CRF biases are closely related to the rainfall biases in the models. Quantitative analysis further indicates that the correlation between simulated CRF and observations are not high, and that the biases and diversity in SWCF are larger than that in LWCF. The annual cycle of simulated CRF over East Asia (0^o--50^oN, 100^o--145^oE) is also examined. Though many models capture the basic annual cycle in tropics, strong LWCF and SWCF to the east of the TP beginning in early spring are underestimated by most models. As a whole, GFDL-CM2.1, MPI-ECHAM5, UKMO-HadGAM1, and MIROC3.2 (medres) perform well for CRF simulation in the Asian monsoon region, and the multi-model ensemble (MME) has improved results over the individual simulations. It is suggested that strengthening the physical parameterizations involved over the TP, and improving cumulus convection processes and model experiment design are crucial to CRF simulation in the Asian monsoon region.     

Unstable Dynamical Properties of Spiral Cloud Bands in Tropical Cyclones

A nondivergent barotropic model （Model 1） and a barotropic primitive equation vortex model （Model 2） are linearized respectively in this paper. Then their perturbation wave spectrums are computed with a normal mode approach to study the instability problem on an appointed tropical cyclone （TC）-like vortex, thereby, the dynamic instability properties of spiral cloud bands of TCs are discussed. The results show that the unstable mode of both models exhibits a spiral band-like structure that propagates away from the vortex outside the radius of maximum winds. The discrete modal instability of the pure vortex Rossby wave can account for the generation of the eyewall and the inner spiral band. The unstable mode in Model 2 has three parts, i.e., eyewall, inner and outer spiral bands. This mode can be interpreted as a mixed vortex Rossby-inertia gravitational wave. The unbalanced property of the wave outside the stagnation radius of the vortex Rossby wave is one of the important reasons for the formation of the outer spiral band in TCs. Accordingly, the outer spiral band can be identified to possess properties of an inertial-gravitational wave. When the formation of unstable inner and outer spiral bands is studied, a barotropic vortex model shall be used. In this model, the most unstable perturbation bears the attributes of either the vortex Rossby wave or the inertial-gravitational wave, depending on the vortex radius. So such perturbations shall be viewed as an unbalanced and unstable mixed wave of these two kinds of waves.     

基于云团特征的短时临近强降水预报技术

通过分析2005-2008年影响浙江的梅汛期强降水云团特征,将云团分为偏北型、居中型和偏南型,研究这三种类型云团云顶亮温与地面1小时强降水极值和10mm/h以上降水覆盖面积关系,结果表明偏南型和偏北型云团有较多相似特征,而居中型云团较其他两种云团则有较多相反特征.通过分析1小时强降水相对于云团中心移动路径的落区,指出梅汛期云顶1小时变温和亮温梯度与地面1小时强降水落区无明显配对模型.随后利用天气形势场资料,分析强降水云团与环境要素场的关系,指出云顶亮温的宏观特征与中高层的垂直速度、水汽通量密切相关,最后尝试建立三种类型强降水云团成熟阶段云顶亮温和地面降水人工神经网络预报方程,给预报员提供参考.     

低涡过程对流云和降水结构特征及其环境条件分析

利用遥感及加密观测资料详细分析了2005年6月25～26日一次低涡过程对流云和降水的结构特征,并利用NCEP再分析资料以及实况风场资料分析了其形成的有利条件。分析表明：此次低涡过程中出现的中尺度对流云团（MCC）经历了十几小时的发展演变,云顶亮温低达-90℃,导致了局地暴雨出现,对流云和降水的分布有很好的对应但同时具有显著的时空分布不均匀性。对流云内部高空存在冰晶的大值区,云水含量也比周围环境丰富,冰晶下落过程中通过碰粘其它冰晶、碰冻云水导致了云内的可降水增多,播撒-供应机制起主要作用。而对流降水的“双峰“廓线结构表明暖雨过程非常强。此次过程有形成强对流非常有利的环境：强西南低空急流水汽输送和水汽辐合与高空偏西风急流的相互作用为对流云团和强降水的形成提供水汽和不稳定条件;低层不稳定区域上强垂直上升运动则提供了不可缺少的动力条件;中尺度辐合系统的形成是此次强对流产生的直接原因。     

中国黑碳气溶胶分布特征与辐射强迫的模拟研究

利用区域气候模式RegCM3模拟2000年我国黑碳气溶胶的分布特征和辐射强迫。结果表明,黑碳气溶胶主要分布在我国黄河以南、青藏高原以东的广大区域,柱含量由南向北递减;柱含量最大值在0.6mg／m^2以上,出现在中南、四川盆地、湖南、贵州、广西、广东西部和云南南部等地区;青藏高原南侧黑碳气溶胶次高值区的存在,反映了气溶胶的跨国界输送并影响区域气候的特点。黑碳气溶胶的大气顶辐射强迫介于0.1—0.8w／m^2之间,地表辐射强迫介于-0.1— -2.0W／m^2之间,两者分布特征与柱含量分布特征基本一致。同柱含量相似,黑碳气溶胶大气顸辐射强迫和地表辐射强迫也有明显的季节性变化,春季最大,秋、冬季次之,夏季最小。     

利用AMSU-B和GOES-9卫星资料对热带气旋“蒲公英”的分析

利用NOAA-16/AMSU-B三水汽通道微波亮温差和GOES-9红外亮温阈值对热带气旋深厚对流云进行检测,同时利用GOES-9可见光、红外、水汽多光谱通道特征对热带气旋云系进行识别,通过一次台风“蒲公英”个例,对热带气旋在微波和光学遥感图像上的深厚对流云进行分析。结果表明,微波和光学遥感资料均能对热带气旋深厚对流云进行有效识别,检测结果基本一致,但识别出的对流云,微波范围较小,光学遥感范围较大,这可能是由于光学遥感仅能获得云顶信息,将对流云顶部覆盖的卷云错判造成的;即使采用较低亮温阈值,光学遥感也很难将这部分卷云完全分离,而微波对云更具穿透性,在深厚对流云的识别方面具有独特优势;三水汽通道间微波亮温差反映了深厚对流云的发展强度,可间接揭示热带气旋的发展情况。     

ISCCP产品和我国地面观测总云量差异

国际卫星云气候计划ISCCP是国际上较权威和客观的云气候性研究计划, 自1983年以来为研究全球云和辐射平衡、云水资源分布等提供了有价值的数据。在分析总云量卫星和地面两种观测方式差异的基础上, 研究了1984-2006年ISCCP D2产品和我国地面观测云资料数据集总云量空间及时间差异。尽管两套资料能一致揭示我国总云量的分布形势和气候变化特征, 但区域性差异仍比较明显。天基、地基数据可对比格点上, 全国平均而言总云量卫星观测结果比地面观测偏高8.46%, 华南地区差异最小、东北地区差异最大。气候变化趋势分析结果表明:近23年我国总云量呈减少趋势, ISCCP D2产品总云量每年减少速度为0.015%, 小于地面观测的总云量每年减少速度 (0.063%); 东北地区总云量缓慢增多, 而青藏高原、西北地区总云量减少。利用卫星和地面资料均以累积距平法检测出1984—2001年总云量减少、2002-2006年总云量显著增加。     

Influences of Two Convective Schemes on the Radiative Energy Budget in GAMIL1.0

The Grid-point Atmospheric Model of IAP LASG version 1.0 (GAMIL1.0) is used to investigate the impacts of different convective schemes on the radiative energy budget.The two convective schemes are Zhang and McFarlance (1995)/Hack (1994) (ZM) and Tiedtke (1989)/Nordeng (1994) (TN).Two simulations are performed:one with the ZM scheme (EX_ZM) and the other with the TN scheme (EX_TN).The results indicate that during the convective process,more water vapor consumption and temperature increment are found in the EX_ZM,especially in the lower model layer,its environment is therefore very dry.In contrast,there is a moister atmosphere in the EX_TN,which favors low cloud formation and large-scale condensation,and hence more low cloud fraction,higher cloud water mixing ratio,and deeper cloud extinction optical depth are simulated,reflecting more solar radiative flux in the EX_TN.This explains why the TN scheme underestimates the net shortwave radiative flux at the top of the atmosphere and at surface.In addition,convection influences longwave radiation,surface sensible and latent heat fluxes through changes in cloud emissivity and precipitation.