The influence of mountainous relief on the vertical gradient of precipitation and pluvial zoning in the central slope of the Gulf of Mexico

Although variation of air temperature with respect to terrain altitude is widely understood, less is known about the altitudinal behaviour of precipitation. The eastern slope of Mexico is the most contrasting physiographic province of the country due to its relief. This area is also one of the most important regions of Mexico and of the intertropical region of America because of its biodiversity. Due to the vital and ecosystemic value of precipitation, this work seeks to analyse the altitudinal distribution of precipitation as a function of the relief. Our main methodology consisted of analysing the climatological normal of 86 weather stations to determine accumulated precipitation during rainy, dry and annual periods. Precipitation was correlated with the altitude of the relief, which allowed the study area to be divided into groups relative to the degree of accumulated rainfall throughout the year, as well as by the gradient of variation according to the elevation of the terrain. The results indicated that during the year, precipitation was favoured by the humidity of the Gulf of Mexico and decreased at a rate of -3.7 mm/m in coastal areas. Subsequently, precipitation increased with the altitude of the relief at a rate of 0.7 mm/m, between ~700 and ~ 1500 masl, which is where the greatest accumulation of rainfall was concentrated. Thereafter, it decreased by -0.9 mm/m until it reached the highest volcanic watershed. Crossing this watershed, the foehn effect caused rainfall rates to be much lower than on the windward slope, where the central plateau of the country begins.     

PN断面黑潮流速垂直分布特征及机制分析

基于全球海洋再分析模拟GLORYS2(Global Ocean Reanalysis Simulation 2)结果,分析了PN断面(126.0°E-128.2°E,1 000 m以浅)黑潮流速垂直结构的季节和年际变化,探讨了黑潮流速垂直结构形成的动力学机制。结果表明:1)PN断面黑潮夏季流量最大,春季次之,秋、冬季节最小;气候态平均的冬、夏季流速最大值都位于次表层,春、秋季节流速最大值位于表层;夏季相对流速较大、最大值深度较浅;等密线在黑潮主轴区下凹,冬季更为明显。流速最大值深度和密度水平梯度为零的深度均表现出了较大的年际差异,该年际变化甚至超过季节差异;2)流速与密度符合热成风关系。黑潮通量由太平洋大尺度风场及中尺度运动两者共同决定,但局地的热通量和环流对温盐的输运共同影响密度场,调节黑潮流速的垂直分布,影响水通量的分配及营养盐输运;3)有些年份夏季流速最大值出现在表层,可能是夏季西南季风诱导陆架水离岸输运进入黑潮上层导致的结果。非线性、非地转物理过程的影响没有考虑在本研究中,热成风关系能够解释黑潮流速垂直分布形成的部分原因。     

半潜式平台垂向运动对气隙影响的概率统计分析

应用矩和L矩方法以及二次转换方程,基于模型试验数据的概率统计分析,研究半潜式平台在作业工况和生存工况下的气隙响应,以及平台垂向运动对立柱周围不同位置处的波浪升高和气隙的影响。结果表明,垂向运动总体上能够增加气隙,海况越恶劣,增加程度越明显;在不同浪向下对不同位置的气隙影响有差别,后立柱周围的波浪升高和气隙受平台运动的影响相比前立柱更为显著;同时,平台垂向运动会引起立柱周围波浪升高的非线性增强。     

散货船及油船垂向波浪载荷短期预报经验公式

应用WALCS软件对6艘散货船及6艘油船进行了短期波浪载荷直接计算,依据计算结果分析了这两种船型在航速为0、迎浪、均匀满载及隔舱满载工况下的船舯垂向弯矩、L/4(L为船长)处垂向剪力、3L/4处垂向剪力的若干规律。根据这些规律,总结出了一套针对散货船及油船的垂向波浪载荷短期预报经验公式。依据此经验公式,在缺乏完备图纸资料的情况下,可以快速估计航行于海上的受损船舶的短期载荷情况,为评估其安全状态提供数值依据,为事故船东方做出安全可行的处理决策提供优质服务。     

凝结潜热在高原涡东移发展不同阶段作用的初步研究

为探讨潜热加热对高原涡发展的作用并加深对水汽与高原涡垂直结构及发展变化关系的认识。应用NCEP(1°×1°)再分析资料,通过大气热源诊断计算,分析2005年5月1~4日和2005年6月23~28日两次高原涡的垂直结构及生命史特征。通过比湿、涡度、Q2等诊断量的对比分析发现:高原涡在东移发展过程中,涡柱内水汽含量上升、涡度明显加强,水汽、涡度上传明显,两者在垂直方向的大值中心有较好的同步性。高原涡未下坡前,水汽通过凝结释放潜热的方式加热大气,高原涡暖中心结构明显。高原涡下坡过程中,其涡度和垂直速度均整层陡增,高原涡区域水汽含量下降,潜热加热作用减弱,暖中心结构消失。因此,大气中水汽的含量和垂直分布状况直接影响凝结潜热作用的发挥,凝结潜热对高原涡发展作用主要表现在高原涡下坡前和下坡后期,是高原涡下坡后是否继续东移发展的重要影响因素。     

短时强降水特征统计及临近预警

利用多普勒天气雷达、探空和逐小时降水量资料,对2010 2012年,滇西南普洱、西双版纳537次短时强降水天气过程进行统计分析,建立三种短时强降水概念模型,分别是:低质心弱辐合型短时强降水、低质心辐合型短时强降水、高质心短时强降水。对比分析了不同类型短时强降水的强度特征、移速特征、生命期特征、垂直风切变特征等,探讨了辐合作用与强降水维持时间的关系、辐合切变量与雨强的关系、D_(VIL)与降水量的关系。并得出预警方法:满足如下条件时,出现短时强降水的可能较大:(1)低质心强降水中,回波无倾斜特征,强度以40~45 dBz为主,强度从低层到高层维持或缓慢减弱,大部分回波的H_((40dBz))≥H_0,且0℃层高度上40 dBz的回波的累计长度/回波移速≥0.67 h(辐合切变量≥2.2 m·s~(-1)时,累计长度/回波移速≥0.50 h),预报提前时间30~40 min。(2)高质心强降水中,强回波边缘存在宽≥3 km、强度为40~45 dBz的回波,且0℃层高度上40 dBz的回波的累计长度/回波移速≥0.47 h,预报提前时间28 min左右。此外,对短时强降水成因进行了探讨。     

A Fourteen-Year Climatology of the Southwest Vortex in Summer

Statistical studies were conducted on the southwest vortex（SWV） during the summers of 2000–13 using high-resolution reanalysis data with a horizontal resolution of 0.5°× 0.5°. A total of 578 SWVs were detected, with a maximum interannual frequency of 55. The variation of the interannual frequency featured a period of around six years. The most active period of SWVs was early July and the maximum occurrence of SWVs appeared in early morning（0200–0800 Beijing Standard Time（BST））. Most of the SWVs were short-lived, with only 66 cases（11.4%） lasting for more than 24 h. In addition, the moving tracks and three-dimensional shape of long-lived（≥ 36 h） SWVs are also presented. For those SWVs that lasted for more than 12 h, four types of SWVs（Types I–IV） were identified using a new method, and the results indicated that the dynamical and thermodynamical conditions before the formation of SWVs are effective indicators of the subsequent evolution of the vortex and associated severe weathers. Moreover, a further level of classification was also constructed for Type II SWVs, which accounted for the largest proportion out of Types I–IV, and the results indicated that the lifespan, radius and maximum 6-h precipitation were all closely related to the intensity of precipitation before the formation of SWVs.     

海水温盐垂直结构的声反射回波模型及应用

基于等时厚分层假设,建立海水温盐垂直结构的声反射回波计算模型,并对实际海洋层结状态的声反射回波特征进行了详细分析。结果表明:声反射回波幅度变化的位置和海水介质温盐梯度变化不为零的位置一致,回波幅度和梯度变化幅度成正比;而回波的极性反映了梯度变化的趋势。将该模型用于反演试验,能够直接得到海水温、盐垂直结构反演结果,效果较好,克服了以往反演算法中不便于密度和声速分离的缺点。     

Abundance and distribution of meiofauna in the Chukchi Sea

The metazoan meiofauna in the Chukchi Sea were collected from seven shallow water stations(depths ranging 46 to 52 m) and five deep sea stations(depths ranging between 393 and 2 300 m) during the 4th Chinese National Arctic Research Expedition in 2010. The results showed that abundance of meiofauna was higher in shallow water sediments(average of 2 445 ind./(10 cm2)) than in deep sea sediments(407.06 ind./(10 cm2)). A UNIANOVA test for difference between the two different regions was highly significant(F=101.15, p0.01). Nematodes were numerically dominant, representing(96.6±4.6)% of the total meiofaunal abundance at the shallow water stations and(98.90±1.42)% at deep sea stations. The number of higher taxonomic groups and abundance of meiofauna were higher at Stas CC1, CC4, and R06 near the Bering Strait and the continent, than at the rest of the shallow water and deep sea stations. The primary factors causing the differences were concentrations of nutrients P and Si of bottom seawater(R=0.831, p0.003), followed by depth(R=-0.655, p0.05) and sand fractions of sediments(R=0.632, p 0.05). The numbers of meiofauna on the 65 μm and 32 μm sieves were significantly higher than those on the rest of the screens. Differences in numbers of meiofauna retained on screens with different mesh openings were highly significant among all sampling stations(F=31.60, p0.01). The highest numbers of individuals on screens with 32 μm mesh openings were found at deep sea stations. The number of meiofauna in the top 0–1, 1–2, and 2–4 cm segments constituted 84.4% of the total and was significantly higher than those in the bottom 4–6 and 6–10 cm segments(F=15, p0.01).     

Myctophid feeding ecology and carbon transport along the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Myctophids are among the most abundant fishes in the world׳s ocean and occupy a key position in marine pelagic food webs. Through their significant diel vertical migrations and metabolism they also have the potential to be a significant contributor to carbon export. We investigated the feeding ecology and contribution to organic carbon export by three myctophid species, Benthosema glaciale, Protomyctophum arcticum, and Hygophum hygomii, from a structurally and ecologically unique ecosystem- the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR). Similar to the results of previous studies, the diet of these fishes was primarily copepods and euphausiids, however, gelatinous zooplankton was identified in the diet of B. glaciale for the first time. Ridge section and time of day were significant explanatory variables in the diet of B. glaciale as determined by canonical correspondence analysis, while depth was the only significant explanatory variable in the diet of P. arcticum. Daily consumption by MAR myctophids was less than 1% of dry body weight per day and resulted in the removal of less than 1% of zooplankton biomass daily. Although lower than previous estimates of carbon transport by myctophids and zooplankton in other areas, MAR myctophid active transport by diel vertical migration was equivalent to up to 8% of sinking particulate organic carbon in the North Atlantic. While highly abundant, myctophids do not impart significant predation pressure on MAR zooplankton, and play a modest role in the active transport of carbon from surface waters.