A diagnostic analysis on the effect of the residual layer in convective boundary layer development near Mongolia using 20th century reanalysis data

Although the residual layer has already been noted in the classical diurnal cycle of the atmospheric boundary layer,its effect on the development of the convective boundary layer has not been well studied. In this study, based on 3-hourly20 th century reanalysis data, the residual layer is considered as a common layer capping the convective boundary layer. It is identified daily by investigating the development of the convective boundary layer. The region of interest is bounded by(30°–60° N, 80°–120° E), where a residual layer deeper than 2000 m has been reported using radiosondes. The lapse rate and wind shear within the residual layer are compared with the surface sensible heat flux by investigating their climatological means, interannual variations and daily variations. The lapse rate of the residual layer and the convective boundary layer depth correspond well in their seasonal variations and climatological mean patterns. On the interannual scale, the correlation coefficient between their regional averaged(40°–50°N, 90°–110° E) variations is higher than that between the surface sensible heat flux and convective boundary layer depth. On the daily scale, the correlation between the lapse rate and the convective boundary layer depth in most months is still statistically significant during 1970–2012. Therefore, we suggest that the existence of a deep neutral residual layer is crucial to the formation of a deep convective boundary layer near the Mongolian regions.     

Performance of the seasonal forecasting of the Asian summer monsoon by BCC_CSM1.1(m)

This paper provides a comprehensive assessment of Asian summer monsoon prediction skill as a function of lead time and its relationship to sea surface temperature prediction using the seasonal hindcasts of the Beijing Climate Center Climate System Model, BCC_CSM1.1(m). For the South and Southeast Asian summer monsoon, reasonable skill is found in the model's forecasting of certain aspects of monsoon climatology and spatiotemporal variability. Nevertheless, deficiencies such as significant forecast errors over the tropical western North Pacific and the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean are also found. In particular, overestimation of the connections of some dynamical monsoon indices with large-scale circulation and precipitation patterns exists in most ensemble mean forecasts, even for short lead-time forecasts. Variations of SST, measured by the first mode over the tropical Pacific and Indian oceans, as well as the spatiotemporal features over the Niño3.4 region, are overall well predicted. However, this does not necessarily translate into successful forecasts of the Asian summer monsoon by the model. Diagnostics of the relationships between monsoon and SST show that difficulties in predicting the South Asian monsoon can be mainly attributed to the limited regional response of monsoon in observations but the extensive and exaggerated response in predictions due partially to the application of ensemble average forecasting methods. In contrast, in spite of a similar deficiency, the Southeast Asian monsoon can still be forecasted reasonably, probably because of its closer relationship with large-scale circulation patterns and El Niño-Southern Oscillation.     

Simulation of the equatorially asymmetric mode of the Hadley circulation in CMIP5 models

The tropical Hadley circulation (HC) plays an important role in influencing the climate in the tropics and extra-tropics. The realism of the climatological characteristics, spatial structure, and temporal evolution of the long-term variation of the principal mode of the annual mean HC (i.e., the equatorially asymmetric mode, EAM) was examined in model simulations from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5). The results showed that all the models are moderately successful in capturing the HC's climatological features, including the spatial pattern, meridional extent, and intensity, but not the spatial or temporal variation of the EAM. The possible reasons for the poor simulation of the long-term variability of the EAM were explored. None of the models can successfully capture the differences in the warming rate between the tropical Southern Hemisphere (SH) and Northern Hemisphere (NH), which is considered to be an important driver for the variation of the AM. Most of the models produce a faster warming in the NH than in the SH, which is the reverse of the observed trend. This leads to a reversed trend in the meridional gradient between the SH and NH, and contributes to the poor simulation of EAM variability. Thus, this aspect of the models should be improved to provide better simulations of the variability of the HC. This study suggests a possible reason for the poor simulation of the HC, which may be helpful for improving the skill of the CMIP5 models in the future.     

Evaluating the economic damage of climate change on global coral reefs

This paper evaluates the global economic damage arising from the effects of climate change and associated carbon dioxide concentrations on the loss of coral reefs. We do this by first estimating the effects of sea surface temperature and carbon dioxide concentrations on coral cover. We develop a statistical relationship between coral coverage and sea surface temperature that indicates that the effects are dependent on the temperature range. For example, we find that increasing sea surface temperature causes coral coverage to decrease when sea surface temperature is higher than 26.85 °C, with the estimated reduction being 2.3% when sea surface temperature increases by 1%. In addition, we find that a 1% carbon dioxide increase induces a 0.6% reduction in global coral coverage. We also estimate the resultant loss in economic value based on a meta-analysis of the recreational and commercial value of reef coverage and a crude proportional approach for other value factors. The meta-analysis shows that the coral reef value decreases by 3.8% when coral cover falls by 1%. By combining these two steps we find that the lost value in terms of the global coral reef value under climate change scenarios ranges from US$3.95 to US$23.78 billion annually.     

基于WRF/CALMET的近地面精细化风场的动力模拟试验研究

本文利用中尺度动力模式 WRF和诊断模式CALMET对琼州海峡的两次冷空气过程的近地层风场进行模拟和诊断,所用的资料是美国NCEP再分析FNL资料。WRF模式第一至第四层网格的水平距离分别是27、9、3和1 km,并用WRF-1 km场以单向嵌套模拟方式降至200 m,同时以 WRF-1 km 预报场作为 CALMET 初猜场降尺度诊断至200 m。分别用CALMET-200 m风场、WRF-1 km风场和 WRF-200 m风场,3个风场的风速、风向与沿琼海海峡分布的21个测站（其中6个测风塔）观测资料进行检验比较分析。主要结论是：（1）CALMET-200 m的风速RMSE明显小于另外两组试验,风向RMSE总体上差异不大;在60～80 m高度上也没有明显差异。（2）在0～8 m·s－1风速,10 m高度上CALMET-200 m风场诊断结果最好,风速平均偏差值从4～0 m·s－1,WRF的两组试验平均偏差值比CALMET-200 m结果大约2 m·s－1,风向上表现为偏差的分布更加集中;60～80 m高度上,CALMET-200 m 诊断效果与 WRF-1 km 模拟效果相当,但是冷空气时段内 WRF-200 m的风速要远远差于另外两组试验;而3组试验的风向并无大的差异。（3）WRF／CALMET模式系统在非冷空气活动时段内的风速风向模拟诊断偏差更小,说明其在层结相对较稳定时模拟诊断的准确度更高。     

北京城市下垫面的非均匀性度量研究

城市下垫面非均匀性度量研究对于改进中尺度数值模式、提高城市气象预报准确率具有重要意义.基于分形布朗运动理论和Landsat-TM卫星遥感图像,估算了2011年北京典型下垫面类型个例和整个空间区域的分数维,由此来度量北京城市下垫面的非均匀性特征.研究结果显示:分数维能有效度量北京城市下垫面的非均匀程度,典型下垫面类型的分数维高低顺序为商业区 >大型居民区 >城市绿地 >农田>林地 >水体;北京六环内区域及郊区城镇地表非均匀特征明显,分数维一般在2.50以上,北京城市中心(二环内)存在一个分数维相对低值区,二环—四环之间区域分数维普遍较高,在2.70以上,五环以外分数维则不断降低,反映出北京城市下垫面非均匀性从中心向外呈低—高—低的空间分布;下垫面类型中建筑用地、绿地、未利用地、农田、林地和水体的平均分数维分别为2.71、2.62、2.55、2.38、2.30和2.28,分数维值的高低反映了城市下垫面类型的非均匀程度大小,对定量描述城市边界层参数的复杂特征具有参考意义.     

2011年盛夏石家庄一次短时暴雨分析

2011年7月26日石家庄市出现一次暴雨冰雹天气,其特点是500 h Pa及以上高空强冷空气导致高空形势在12 h内发生剧变,短波槽快速南下,致使探空观测和数值预报失灵。本文对其他监测资料进行分析,发现这种剧烈变化的天气有明显特征:卫星云图上河套北部逗点云系尾长而粗壮,有向南发展趋势,云系后部的暗区表明干冷空气侵入,与低层暖湿空气形成对流云,尾部断裂表明冷空气加速南下。单站要素变化显示,石家庄地面假相当位温比正常值高了8℃,出现异常不稳定能量。强对流天气发生在假相当位温密集带内,能量中心假相当位温最高达到90℃以上,100 km内假相当位温温差超过25℃,最大降雨出现在假相当位温密集带内。雷达回波呈西南—东北带状排列,前部最大强度为65 d BZ,强回波前形成阵风锋,正负最大速度均超过20 m/s,飑线自西向东移动,它的移向和发展程度决定降雨和冰雹的路径和强度。石家庄市区风向转变和形成地面辐合线分别较降水起始时间提前21 min和30 min。     

A DIAGNOSTIC ANALYSIS OF AIR TEMPERATURE ANOMALY MODE OVER CHINA IN 2009/2010 WINTER BASED ON GENERALIZED EQUILIBRIUM FEEDBACK ASSESSMENT (GEFA) METHOD

By using the observed monthly mean data over 160 stations of China and NCAR/NCEP reanalysis data, the generalized equilibrium feedback assessment(GEFA) method, combined with the methods of EOF analysis, correlation and composite analysis, is used to explore the influence of different SST modes on a wintertime air temperature pattern in which it is cold in the northeast and warm in the southwest in China. The results show that the 2009/2010 winter air temperature oscillation mode between the northern and southern part of China is closely related to the corresponding sea surface temperature anomalies(SSTA) and its associated atmospheric circulation anomalies. Exhibiting warming in Northeast China and cooling in Southwest China, the mode is significantly forced by the El Nio mode and the North Atlantic SSTA mode, which have three poles. Under the influence of SSTA modes, the surface northerly flow transported cold air to North and Northeast China, resulting in low temperatures in the regions. Meanwhile, the mid-latitude westerlies intensify and the polar cold air stays in high latitudes and cannot affect the Southwest China, resulting in the warming there.     

谈滑坡勘察中的几个地下水压力问题

鉴于目前在滑坡勘察中对地下水压力问题尚有一些不够明确和难以确定之处,本文首先讨论地下水压力的分类及其概念,并简要叙述地下水压力的时、空变化和影响因素;然后结合实例分析不同条件下地下水压力在滑坡形成中的实际效用,并就地下水压力的确定问题发表了看法。     

Barchan dune asymmetry: Observations from Mars and Earth

Barchan dune asymmetry refers to the extension of one barchan limb downwind. It is a common dune form on Earth and also occurs on Mars and Titan. A new classification of barchan limbs is presented where three types of limb morphology are identified: linear, kinked and beaded. These, along with other dune-scale morphological signatures, are used to identify three of the causes of barchan asymmetry on Mars: bi-directional winds, dune collision and the influence of inclined topography.The potential for specific dune asymmetric morphologies to indicate aspects of the formative wind regime on planetary surfaces is shown. For example, the placement of dune limbs can indicate the general direction and relative strength of formative oblique winds; an extreme barchan limb length may indicate a long duration oblique wind; a kinked limb may be evidence of the passage of a storm; beaded limbs may represent surface-wave instabilities caused by an increase in wind energy parallel to the dune. A preliminary application of these signatures finds evidence for bi-modal winds on Mars. However, these and other morphological signatures of wind direction and relative strength should be applied to planetary landforms with caution as more than one process (e.g., bi-modal winds and collision) may be operating together or sequentially on the dunefield. In addition, analysis should be undertaken at the dunefield scale and not on individual dunes. Finally, morphological data should be acquired from similar-scale dunes within a dunefield.In addition to bi-modal wind regimes on Mars, the frequent parallel alignment of the extended barchan limb to the dune suggests that dune collision is also an important cause of asymmetry on Mars. Some of the more complex dunefield patterns result from a combination of dune collision, limb extension and merging with downwind dunes.Dune asymmetric form does not inhibit dune migration in the Namib Desert or on Mars. Data from the Namib suggest that dune migration rates are similar for symmetric and asymmetric dunes. Further modeling and field studies are needed to refine our understanding of the potential range of limb and dune morphologies that can result from specific asymmetry causes.