Long-term diagnostics of precipitation estimates and the development of radar hardware monitoring within a radar product data quality management system

Abstract

Quality is key to ensuring that the potential offered by weather radar networks is realized. To achieve optimum quality, a comprehensive radar data quality management system, designed to monitor the end-to-end radar data processing chain and evaluate product quality, is being developed at the UK Met Office. Three contrasting elements of this system are described: monitoring of key radar hardware performance indicators; generation of long-term integrations of radar products; and monitoring of radar reflectivity factor using synthesized observations from numerical weather prediction model fields. Examples of each component are presented and ways in which the different types of monitoring information have been used to both identify issues with the radar product data quality and help formulate solutions are given.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz; Guest editor R.J. Moore

Citation Harrison, D., Georgiou, S., Gaussiat, N., and Curtis, A., 2013. Long-term diagnostics of precipitation estimates and the development of radar hardware monitoring within a radar product data quality management system. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 59 (7), 1327–1342. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2013.841316     

The Ensemble Kalman Filter: theoretical formulation and practical implementation

The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive presentation and interpretation of the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) and its numerical implementation. The EnKF has a large user group, and numerous publications have discussed applications and theoretical aspects of it. This paper reviews the important results from these studies and also presents new ideas and alternative interpretations which further explain the success of the EnKF. In addition to providing the theoretical framework needed for using the EnKF, there is also a focus on the algorithmic formulation and optimal numerical implementation. A program listing is given for some of the key subroutines. The paper also touches upon specific issues such as the use of nonlinear measurements, in situ profiles of temperature and salinity, and data which are available with high frequency in time. An ensemble based optimal interpolation (EnOI) scheme is presented as a cost-effective approach which may serve as an alternative to the EnKF in some applications. A fairly extensive discussion is devoted to the use of time correlated model errors and the estimation of model bias.Responsible Editor: Jörg-Olaf Wolff     

Model identification for hydrological forecasting under uncertainty

Methods for the identification of models for hydrological forecasting have to consider the specific nature of these models and the uncertainties present in the modeling process. Current approaches fail to fully incorporate these two aspects. In this paper we review the nature of hydrological models and the consequences of this nature for the task of model identification. We then continue to discuss the history (“The need for more POWER‘’), the current state (“Learning from other fields”) and the future (“Towards a general framework”) of model identification. The discussion closes with a list of desirable features for an identification framework under uncertainty and open research questions in need of answers before such a framework can be implemented.     

Impact of Doppler Radar Wind in Simulating the Intensity and Propagation of Rainbands Associated with Mesoscale Convective Complexes Using MM5-3DVAR System

Pre-monsoon rainfall around Kolkata (northeastern part of India) is mostly of convective origin as 80% of the seasonal rainfall is produced by Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCS). Accurate prediction of the intensity and structure of these convective cloud clusters becomes challenging, mostly because the convective clouds within these clusters are short lived and the inaccuracy in the models initial state to represent the mesoscale details of the true atmospheric state. Besides the role in observing the internal structure of the precipitating systems, Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) provides an important data source for mesoscale and microscale weather analysis and forecasting. An attempt has been made to initialize the storm-scale numerical model using retrieved wind fields from single Doppler radar. In the present study, Doppler wind velocities from the Kolkata Doppler weather radar are assimilated into a mesoscale model, MM5 model using the three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3DVAR) system for the prediction of intense convective events that occurred during 0600 UTC on 5 May and 0000 UTC on 7 May, 2005. In order to evaluate the impact of the DWR wind data in simulating these severe storms, three experiments were carried out. The results show that assimilation of Doppler radar wind data has a positive impact on the prediction of intensity, organization and propagation of rain bands associated with these mesoscale convective systems. The assimilation system has to be modified further to incorporate the radar reflectivity data so that simulation of the microphysical and thermodynamic structure of these convective storms can be improved.     

三维变分同化中不同物理量对台风预报的影响

采用NMC方法统计了2006年9月的背景误差协方差,利用Bogus资料对台风进行了初始化,并对2006年“桑美”台风进行了同化试验。结果发现,同化不同的Bogus资料,所得到的台风初始场各不相同,对台风预报的影响也各不相同。对海平面气压同化,可以使台风强度明显加强,形成成熟的暖心结构;基于风速同化,对台风强度的改变较弱,对暖心结构的改进不是很明显。在同化海平面气压和风速的基础上,针对相对湿度的同化,在一定程度上可以改善台风强度预报,有利于提高台风路径的预报精度。     

NUMERICAL EXPERIMENTS AND ANALYSIS OF DIGITAL FILTER INITIALIZATION FOR WRF MODEL

Initialization and initial imbalance problem were discussed in the context of a three-dimensional variational data assimilation system of the new generation “Weather Research and Forecasting Model”. Several options of digital filter initialization have been tested with a rain storm case. It is shown that digital filter initialization, especially diabatic digital filter initialization and twice digital filter initialization, have effectively removed spurious high frequency noise from initial data for numerical weather prediction and produced balanced initial conditions. For six consecutive intermittent data assimilation cycles covering a 3-day period, mean initialization increments and impact on forecast variables are studied. DFI has been demonstrated to provide better adjustment of the hydrometeors and vertical velocity, reduced spin-up time, and improved forecast variables quantity.     

复杂地形下地面观测资料同化II. 模式地形与观测站地形高度差异代表性误差

第I部分研究结果(徐枝芳等,2007)表明模式与实际观测站地形高度差异对地面观测资料同化效果有较大影响。此文在MM5_3DVAR同化系统中利用近地层相似理论将地面观测资料进行直接三维变分同化分析,考虑模式与实际观测站地形高度差异对同化效果的影响,提出在地面观测误差中增加地形代表性误差来解决这个问题。研究结果表明:地面资料同化分析时,在其观测误差中加入一项新的误差——地形代表性误差,能较好地解决地面资料同化分析中模式与观测站地形高度差异问题;地面资料参与同化分析,在观测误差中加入与模式和实际观测站地形高度差异大小相关的地形代表性误差时,地面观测值对分析值的影响随着地形高度差异代表性误差的加入而减小,同时又部分地将地面观测信息通过变分分析融进分析场,使得低层分析更接近真实场,且地面资料利用率更高,24小时降水数值预报(模拟)的效果较好。     

多普勒雷达资料4DVAR同化反演的模拟研究

利用Sun等建立的同化模式和四维变分同化方法对多普勒雷达资料反演大气风场、热力场和微物理场进行了模拟试验研究.反演的基本思路是将4DVAR同化方法应用到三维云模式,定义价值函数表征雷达资料与模式预报结果之间的差别,通过极小化价值函数得到反演场,价值函数相对模式控制变量的梯度由伴随模式求取.试验结果表明,4DVAR同化技术能够从单(双)多普勒雷达资料反演大气三维风场、热力场和微物理场.各个变量反演精度高低与同化过程中变量受约束的大小程度呈正相关.速度场和雨水场反演精度较高,温度场、云水和水汽的反演精度次之,温度场的准确反演需要较长的同化时间.价值函数中加入背景场,哪怕是单点探空给出的平均场信息也有利于提高反演精度.在采用单部多普勒雷达资料进行反演时,速度场的反演误差较大.反演区相对雷达站的位置变化对速度场反演结果有一定的影响,而对其他变量的反演影响很小.两个时次的雷达观测资料基本足够提供反演所需的时间演变信息,同化更多时次的雷达资料,反演效果改进很小.雷达观测资料的缺值会显著降低同化效果,甚至可能导致同化失败,引入背景场可以改善这一状况.4DVAR同化技术对于雷达观测资料误差不太敏感.利用双多普勒雷达合成风场提供水平风场边界条件是比较准确可靠的.在反演主体离边界较远时,VAD风场也基本可用作水平风场边界条件.微物理场的反演对模式中的微物理参数化方案较敏感.     

土壤湿度对卫星辐射率资料直接同化的影响

本研究利用WRF模式及其三维变分同化系统实现了对NOAA-16 AMSU-A微波资料的直接同化,针对2010年6月19日江西地区的一次强降水过程开展模拟与同化试验,并利用中国区域土壤湿度同化系统(CLSMDAS—China Land Soil Moisture Data Assimilation System)输出的土壤湿度值替换NCEP(National Centers for Environmental Prediction)资料中的土壤湿度,研究土壤湿度初值对辐射率资料直接同化中观测场与背景场偏差调整的影响。结果表明:采用CLSMDAS输出土壤湿度初值条件下模拟的亮温值与实际观测值更为接近,经过质量控制和偏差订正后更多的观测资料能够进入到同化系统中,说明改进的土壤湿度初值条件下观测算子的计算值得到正的调整,对低层地表通道的改进效果明显,尤其以50.3 GHz的窗区通道3的结果最为理想;针对此次强降水过程中24 h累积降水分布的模拟结果,CLSMDAS输出土壤湿度初值条件下同化AMSU-A资料,能够较为准确的把握整个雨带的走向、大雨以上级别降水的落区范围、降水中心落区及强度等。说明准确的土壤湿度初值能够改进卫星辐射率资料的同化结果,进而提高数值模式的模拟预报能力。     

GPS/PWV资料在梅雨锋暴雨个例中的同化试验

地基GPS天顶总延迟由于其解算误差来源少于目前广泛应用的可降水量资料,其同化应用将会为数值预报初值场更好地提供大气信息。面向同化应用的天顶总延迟观测质量控制方案的研发将会有效推进该资料在中国数值预报中的广泛应用。基于2013-2014年华北地区天顶总延迟观测资料,发展了一套针对数值预报同化应用的天顶总延迟观测质量控制方案。该方案从测站稳定性和解算精度、离群值、系统偏差及标准差等考察点切入,从不同角度检查和标记出致使观测序列统计特性偏离高斯分布特征的样本。质量控制后序列统计特征量更接近三维变分系统对观测资料的性质假设,表明了所建立质量控制方案的合理性。基于北京市气象局数值预报业务系统BJ-RUC开展了连续11 d的快速更新循环预报试验。评估结果表明：同化质控后天顶总延迟试验的降水预报效果明显优于同化未质控天顶总延迟试验,表明所建立质量控制方案的有效性。同化质控后天顶总延迟试验的降水预报效果优于未同化GPS资料试验,表明天顶总延迟资料的同化应用可以有效提升预报系统的降水预报效果,特别是在无探空资料参加同化的预报时次;同化质控后天顶总延迟资料试验的降水预报效果也优于同化可降水量的试验,表明使用天顶总延迟资料代替可降水量资料在数值预报业务中开展同化应用是可行的。在天顶总延迟观测质量控制方案研发和同化应用得到了一些有意义的结果,有助于推进该观测资料在数值预报科研和业务中的应用,为提升预报性能提供技术支撑。