Diurnal Variation of Tropical Cyclone Rainfall in the Western North Pacific in 2008-2010

Diurnal variation of tropical cyclone (TC) rainfall in the western North Pacific (WNP) is investigated using the high-resolution Climate Prediction Center's morphing technique (CMORPH) products obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). From January 2008 to October 2010, 72 TCs and 389 TC rainfall days were reported by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center's (JTWC) best-track record. The TC rain rate was partitioned using the Objective Synoptic Analysis Technique (OSAT) and interpolated into Local Standard Time (LST). Harmonic analysis was applied to analyze the diurnal variation of the precipitation. Obvious diurnal cycles were seen in approximately 70% of the TC rainfall days. The harmonic amplitude and phase of the mean TC rainfall rate vary with TC intensity, life stage, season, and spatial distribution. On the basis of intensity, tropical depressions (TDs) exhibit the highest precipitation variation amplitude (PVA), at approximately 30%, while super typhoons (STs) contain the lowest PVA, at less than 22%. On the basis of lifetime stage, the PVA in the decaying stage (more than 37%) is stronger than that in the developing (less than 20%) and sustaining (28%) stages. On the basis of location, the PVA of more than 35% (less than 18%) is the highest (lowest) over the high-latitude oceanic areas (the eastern ocean of the Philippine Islands). In addition, a sub-diurnal cycle of TC rainfall occurs over the high-latitude oceans. On the basis of season, the diurnal variation is more pronounced during summer and winter, at approximately 30% and 32%, respectively, and is weaker in spring and autumn, at approximately 22% and 24%, respectively.     

Diurnal Variation of Tropical Cyclone Rainfall in the Western North Pacific in 2008–10

Diurnal variation of tropical cyclone (TC) rainfall in the western North Pacific (WNP) is investigated using the high-resolution Climate Prediction Center’s morphing technique (CMORPH) products obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). From January 2008 to October 2010, 72 TCs and 389 TC rainfall days were reported by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center’s (JTWC) best-track record. The TC rain rate was partitioned using the Objective Synoptic Analysis Technique (OSAT) and interpolated into Local Standard Time (LST). Harmonic analysis was applied to analyze the diurnal variation of the precipitation. Obvious diurnal cycles were seen in approximately 70% of the TC rainfall days. The harmonic amplitude and phase of the mean TC rainfall rate vary with TC intensity, life stage, season, and spatial distribution. On the basis of intensity, tropical depressions (TDs) exhibit the highest precipitation variation amplitude (PVA), at approximately 30%, while super typhoons (STs) contain the lowest PVA, at less than 22%. On the basis of lifetime stage, the PVA in the decaying stage (more than 37%) is stronger than that in the developing (less than 20%) and sustaining (28%) stages. On the basis of location, the PVA of more than 35% (less than 18%) is the highest (lowest) over the high-latitude oceanic areas (the eastern ocean of the Philippine Islands). In addition, a sub-diurnal cycle of TC rainfall occurs over the high-latitude oceans. On the basis of season, the diurnal variation is more pronounced during summer and winter, at approximately 30% and 32%, respectively, and is weaker in spring and autumn, at approximately 22% and 24%, respectively.     

亚洲急流与冬季风的关系及其对中国气候的影响

利用NCEP\NCAR逐月再分析资料和中国台站逐日观测数据,采用奇异值分解(SVD)、相关分析和合成分析等方法,研究冬季亚洲高空急流的配置与冬季风的关系及其对地面气候的影响.结果表明,青藏高原至亚洲东部沿海的副热带急流强(弱),高纬的温带急流弱(强)时,中国中、东部大范围地区气温偏低(高);中东急流强(弱),东亚副热带急流偏南(北),温带急流东南部较弱(强)时,西南气温偏低(高),东北气温偏高(低),中、东部地区冬季降水偏多(少).结合水平风场的变化,副热带地区出现西风异常弱,温带出现东风异常时,有利于东亚大槽加深并向南扩张,低层偏北风加强,东亚冬季风增强,而青藏高原反气旋环流被削弱,冷高压减弱,相应的高原季风减弱.高、低纬急流区纬向风的差异较大时,加强了急流对低层冷、暖空气交绥的引导和汇聚的作用.东亚季风指数(EAMI)与高原季风指数(PMI)在冬季多呈负相关.冬季风异常期间,若副热带急流偏强,温带急流偏弱,高纬的干冷空气受南侧急流的汇聚作用而南侵,有利于中国大部分地区降温,降水减少;反之,低纬的暖湿气流受到北侧急流引导而向北输送,导致中国大部分地区升温,降水偏多.     

西天山地区雷暴和闪电特征

利用西天山地区14个气象站1960-2010年雷暴资料和新疆雷电监测网2008年观测资料,分析了西天山地区雷暴和闪电变化特征。结果表明：西天山地区年平均雷暴日数分布呈东西多,南北少的形势。该区域年平均雷暴日数在17.3～85.5 d之间,并以2.7 d/10 a的速率减少。西天山地区雷暴日数的年变化呈单峰型,并在6-7月达到最大值。整个区域以正闪为主,正闪占总闪的比例达66%。该区域闪电电流强度在-130~+63 kA之间,负闪强度大于正闪强度。     

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF HIGH WIND DISTRIBUTION IN CHINA'S COASTAL REGION AND THEIR CAUSES

This work investigates the distribution of high winds above Beaufort scale 6 in the offshore zones of China using high-resolution satellite measurements.A numerical experiment is carried out in order to find out the effects of Taiwan Island on the formation of strong winds.The analysis indicates that the distribution of high wind occurrence is similar to that of the average wind velocity in winter.High winds tend to be anchored in special topographical regions,such as the Taiwan Strait,the Bashi Channel and the southeast coast of Vietnam.High winds occur much more frequently over the warmer than the colder flank of Kuroshio front as it meanders from Taiwan to Japan.The frequency of high winds decreases drastically in spring.The Taiwan Strait maintains the largest high wind occurrence.Besides,high winds remain frequent in the Bashi Channel,the southeast tip of Taiwan Island and the warmer flank of Kuroshio front.In summer,high winds generally occur infrequently except over a broad region off the southeast coast of Vietnam near 10°N and the frequency there decreases from southwest to northeast.High winds around Taiwan Island present near axisymmetric distribution with larger frequency along southeast-northwest direction and smaller frequency along southwest-northeast direction.The dominant direction of high winds exhibits a counterclockwise circulation surrounding the island.The frequency of high winds increases rapidly in autumn and almost repeats the distribution that appears in winter.The simulation results suggest that the effects of Taiwan Island topography on high winds vary with seasons.In winter,topography is the major cause of high winds in the surrounding oceanic zones.High winds in both Taiwan Strait and the southeast corner of the island disappear and the frequency decreases gradually from south to north when the terrain is removed.However,in summer,high wind frequency derived from two simulations with and without terrain is almost identical.We attribute this phenomenon to the factors which are responsible for the formation of high winds.     

亚洲区域海—陆—气相互作用对全球和亚洲气候变化的作用研究进展

围绕全球变化研究国家重大研究计划项目“亚洲区域海—陆—气相互作用机理及其在全球变化中的作用”预定的总体研究内容和科学目标,项目执行两年多以来,取得了一系列阶段性科研成果.关于气候动力学方面,项目揭示了热带印度洋—西太平洋暖池的海温变化是全球热带气候年代际变化的重要驱动力,是全球尺度副热带干旱的重要调控器;发现热带东太平洋海温存在冷舌模态,它是一个海气耦合模态,阐明在全球变暖背景下其对ENSO型态变异的作用及影响东亚气候的机理;揭示了青藏高原热力强迫的异常特征及其气候效应;提出了水平非均匀基流中行星波传播的理论,研究了其在不同东亚夏季风背景下的传播特征.关于气候预测方法方面,提出了若干有物理基础的气候预测方法,如尺度分离的降尺度预测新方法、基于北大西洋涛动(NAO)-ENSO的东亚夏季风预测模型、基于南半球环状模的东亚气候预测模型等,为业务部门提供了重要参考.关于观测方面,项目在亚洲区域海气补充观测和海洋资料同化方面也取得突出进展,成功进行了南海18°N断面海洋综合观测,为形成我国第一条南海断面长期海气观测打下了基础.在国际合作方面,项目还继续推动和领导了“亚洲季风年”(AMY2007-2012)与“东亚气候模拟”国际计划,提升了我国在该领域的国际地位.     

Model Evidence for Interdecadal Pathway Changes in the Subtropics and Tropics of the South Pacific Ocean

Numerical simulations using a version of the GFDL/NOAA Modular Ocean Model(MOM 3) are analyzed to demonstrate interdecadal pathway changes from the subtropics to the tropics in the South Pacific Ocean.After the 1976-77 climate shift,the subtropical gyre of the South Pacific underwent significant changes,characterized by a slowing down in its circulation and a southward displacement of its center by about 5-10 latitude on the western side.The associated circulation altered its flow path in the northwestern part of the subtropical gyre,changing from a direct pathway connecting the subtropics to the tropics before the shift to a more zonal one after.This effectively prevented some subtropical waters from directly entering into the western equatorial Pacific.Since waters transported onto the equator around the subtropical gyre are saline and warm,such changes in the direct pathway and the associated reduction in equatorward exchange from the subtropics to the tropics affected water mass properties downstream in the western equatorial Pacific,causing persisted freshening and cooling of subsurface water as observed after the late 1970s.Previously,changes in gyre strength and advection of temperature anomalies have been invoked as mechanisms for linking the subtropics and tropics on interdecadal time scales.Here we present an additional hypothesis in which geographic shifts in the gyre structure and location(a pathway change) could play a similar role.     

雷暴大风环境特征及其对风暴结构影响的对比研究

2009年6月3日,受冷涡后部次天气尺度横槽的影响,在相邻的两个区域先后出现雷暴大风天气,造成两地强风的风暴类型、地面大风分布及灾害程度差异显著。风暴结构分析表明:产生晋陕大风的雷暴类型为一般单体风暴和脉冲风暴,而产生商丘致灾大风的则为典型的弓形回波。结合观测和数值模拟资料分析产生上述两类雷暴大风的环境要素,并构建其环境温、湿度廓线,结果表明:(1)晋陕大风区环境探空温、湿度廓线呈倒V形,为典型的干下击暴流探空廓线,类似探空在中国西部高原地区夏季常见;(2)商丘雷暴大风区环境温、湿度廓线类似典型湿下击暴流探空。数值模拟给出了典型的一般单体特征结构,老雷暴单体出流在其前方触发新单体。在中低层相对干的环境下多个对流单体的冷下沉形成冷池,强风由对流单体下沉辐散气流叠加在冷池密度流上造成。两类雷暴大风环境风垂直切变特点为:深层环境风垂直切变较弱、强水平风垂直切变集中在中低层。数值模拟表明:在这种风垂直切变配置下,低层湿度成为风暴结构的决定因素:中-高湿度环境下形成高度组织化的飑线,且其单体具有较强中层旋转;低湿度环境下产生组织程度差的一般单体和脉冲风暴,并基于高分辨率数值模式模拟结果给出了环境影响风暴结构的物理图像。     

Brief history of ground-based very high energy gamma-ray astrophysics with atmospheric air Cherenkov telescopes

The discovery of the Crab Nebula as the first source of TeV gamma rays in 1989, using the technique of ground-based imaging air Cherenkov telescope, has marked the birthday of observational gamma astronomy in very high energy range. The team led by Trevor Weekes, after twenty years of trial and error, success and misfortune, step-by-step improvements in both the technique and understanding of gamma shower discrimination methods, used the 10 m diameter telescope on Mount Hopkins in Arizona, and succeeded measuring a 9σ signal from the direction of Crab Nebula. As of today over 160 sources of gamma rays of very different types, of both galactic and extra-galactic origin, have been discovered due to this technique. This is a really fast evolving branch in science, rapidly improving our understanding of the most violent and energetic sources and processes in the sky.The study of these sources provides clues to many basic questions in astrophysics, astro-particle physics, physics of cosmic rays and cosmology. Today’s telescopes, despite the young age of the technique, offer a solid performance. The technique is still maturing, leading to the next generation large instrument. This article is devoted to outlining the milestones in a long history that step-by-step have made this technique emerge and have brought about today’s successful source hunting.     

Integer‐ambiguity resolution in astronomy and geodesy

Recent theoretical developments in astronomical aperture synthesis have revealed the existence of integer‐ambiguity prob‐lems. Those problems, which appear in the self‐calibration procedures of radio imaging, have been shown to be similar to the nearest‐lattice point (NLP) problems encountered in high‐precision geodetic positioning and in global navigation satellite systems. In this paper we analyse the theoretical aspects of the matter and propose new methods for solving those NLP problems. The related optimization aspects concern both the preconditioning stage, and the discrete‐search stage in which the integer ambiguities are finally fixed. Our algorithms, which are described in an explicit manner, can easily be implemented. They lead to substantial gains in the processing time of both stages. Their efficiency was shown via intensive numerical tests. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)