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2016 Vol. 33, No. 5

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Albedo of Coastal Landfast Sea Ice in Prydz Bay, Antarctica: Observations and Parameterization
Qinghua YANG, Jiping LIU, Matti LEPPÄRANTA, Qizhen SUN, Rongbin LI, Lin ZHANG, Thomas JUNG, Ruibo LEI, Zhanhai ZHANG, Ming LI, Jiechen ZHAO, Jingjing CHENG
2016, 33(5): 535-543. doi: 10.1007/s00376-015-5114-7
Abstract:
The snow/sea-ice albedo was measured over coastal landfast sea ice in Prydz Bay, East Antarctica (off Zhongshan Station) during the austral spring and summer of 2010 and 2011. The variation of the observed albedo was a combination of a gradual seasonal transition from spring to summer and abrupt changes resulting from synoptic events, including snowfall, blowing snow, and overcast skies. The measured albedo ranged from 0.94 over thick fresh snow to 0.36 over melting sea ice. It was found that snow thickness was the most important factor influencing the albedo variation, while synoptic events and overcast skies could increase the albedo by about 0.18 and 0.06, respectively. The in-situ measured albedo and related physical parameters (e.g., snow thickness, ice thickness, surface temperature, and air temperature) were then used to evaluate four different snow/ice albedo parameterizations used in a variety of climate models. The parameterized albedos showed substantial discrepancies compared to the observed albedo, particularly during the summer melt period, even though more complex parameterizations yielded more realistic variations than simple ones. A modified parameterization was developed, which further considered synoptic events, cloud cover, and the local landfast sea-ice surface characteristics. The resulting parameterized albedo showed very good agreement with the observed albedo.
Analyses and Forecasts of a Tornadic Supercell Outbreak Using a 3DVAR System Ensemble
Zhaorong ZHUANG, Nusrat YUSSOUF, Jidong GAO
2016, 33(5): 544-558. doi: 10.1007/s00376-015-5072-0
Abstract:
As part of NOAA's "Warn-On-Forecast" initiative, a convective-scale data assimilation and prediction system was developed using the WRF-ARW model and ARPS 3DVAR data assimilation technique. The system was then evaluated using retrospective short-range ensemble analyses and probabilistic forecasts of the tornadic supercell outbreak event that occurred on 24 May 2011 in Oklahoma, USA. A 36-member multi-physics ensemble system provided the initial and boundary conditions for a 3-km convective-scale ensemble system. Radial velocity and reflectivity observations from four WSR-88Ds were assimilated into the ensemble using the ARPS 3DVAR technique. Five data assimilation and forecast experiments were conducted to evaluate the sensitivity of the system to data assimilation frequencies, in-cloud temperature adjustment schemes, and fixed- and mixed-microphysics ensembles. The results indicated that the experiment with 5-min assimilation frequency quickly built up the storm and produced a more accurate analysis compared with the 10-min assimilation frequency experiment. The predicted vertical vorticity from the moist-adiabatic in-cloud temperature adjustment scheme was larger in magnitude than that from the latent heat scheme. Cycled data assimilation yielded good forecasts, where the ensemble probability of high vertical vorticity matched reasonably well with the observed tornado damage path. Overall, the results of the study suggest that the 3DVAR analysis and forecast system can provide reasonable forecasts of tornadic supercell storms.
Comparison of a Very-fine-resolution GCM with RCM Dynamical Downscaling in Simulating Climate in China
Donglin GUO, Huijun WANG
2016, 33(5): 559-570. doi: 10.1007/s00376-015-5147-y
Abstract:
Regional climate simulation can generally be improved by using an RCM nested within a coarser-resolution GCM. However, whether or not it can also be improved by the direct use of a state-of-the-art GCM with very fine resolution, close to that of an RCM, and, if so, which is the better approach, are open questions. These questions are important for understanding and using these two kinds of simulation approaches, but have not yet been investigated. Accordingly, the present reported work compared simulation results over China from a very-fine-resolution GCM (VFRGCM) and from RCM dynamical downscaling. The results showed that: (1) The VFRGCM reproduces the climatologies and trends of both air temperature and precipitation, as well as inter-monthly variations of air temperature in terms of spatial pattern and amount, closer to observations than the coarse-resolution version of the GCM. This is not the case, however, for the inter-monthly variations of precipitation. (2) The VFRGCM captures the climatology, trend, and inter-monthly variation of air temperature, as well as the trend in precipitation, more reasonably than the RCM dynamical downscaling method. (3) The RCM dynamical downscaling method performs better than the VFRGCM in terms of the climatology and inter-monthly variation of precipitation. Overall, the results suggest that VFRGCMs possess great potential with regard to their application in climate simulation in the future, and the RCM dynamical downscaling method is still dominant in terms of regional precipitation simulation.
Evaluation of Atmosphere-Land Interactions in an LES from the Perspective of Heterogeneity Propagation
Shaofeng LIU, Michael HINTZ, Xiaolong LI
2016, 33(5): 571-578. doi: 10.1007/s00376-015-5212-6
Abstract:
Atmosphere-land interactions simulated by an LES model are evaluated from the perspective of heterogeneity propagation by comparison with airborne measurements. It is found that the footprints of surface heterogeneity, though as 2D patterns can be dissipated quickly due to turbulent mixing, as1D projections can persist and propagate to the top of the atmospheric boundary layer. Direct comparison and length scale analysis show that the simulated heterogeneity patterns are comparable to the observation. The results highlight the model's capability in simulating the complex effects of surface heterogeneity on atmosphere-land interactions.
Mesoscale Numerical Simulation Study of Warm Fog Dissipation by Salt Particles Seeding
Hui HE, Xueliang GUO, Xiang'e LIU, Qian GAO, Xingcan JIA
2016, 33(5): 579-592. doi: 10.1007/s00376-015-5151-2
Abstract:
Based on the dynamic framework of WRF and Morrison 2-moment explicit cloud scheme, a salt-seeding scheme was developed and used to simulate the dissipation of a warm fog event during 6-7 November 2009 in the Beijing and Tianjin area. The seeding effect and its physical mechanism were studied. The results indicate that when seeding fog with salt particles sized 80 μm and at a quantity of 6 g m-2 at the fog top, the seeding effect near the ground surface layer is negative in the beginning period, and then a positive seeding effect begins to appear at 18 min, with the best effect appearing at 21 min after seeding operation. The positive effect can last about 35 min. The microphysical mechanism of the warm fog dissipation is because of the evaporation due to the water vapor condensation on the salt particles and coalescence with salt particles. The process of fog water coalescence with salt particles contributed mostly to this warm fog dissipation. Furthermore, two series of sensitivity experiments were performed to study the seeding effect under different seeding amounts and salt particles sizes. The results show that seeding fog with salt particles sized of 80 μm can have the best seeding effect, and the seeding effect is negative when the salt particle size is less than 10 μm. For salt particles sized 80 μm, the best seeding effect, with corresponding visibility of 380 m, can be achieved when the seeding amount is 30 g m-2.
Barotropic Processes Associated with the Development of the Mei-yu Precipitation System
Tingting LI, Xiaofan LI
2016, 33(5): 593-598. doi: 10.1007/s00376-015-5146-z
Abstract:
The barotropic processes associated with the development of a precipitation system are investigated through analysis of cloud-resolving model simulations of Mei-yu torrential rainfall events over eastern China in mid-June 2011. During the model integration period, there were three major heavy rainfall events: 9-12, 13-16 and 16-20 June. The kinetic energy is converted from perturbation to mean circulations in the first and second period, whereas it is converted from mean to perturbation circulations in the third period. Further analysis shows that kinetic energy conversion is determined by vertical transport of zonal momentum. Thus, the prognostic equation of vertical transport of zonal momentum is derived, in which its tendency is associated with dynamic, pressure gradient and buoyancy processes. The kinetic energy conversion from perturbation to mean circulations in the first period is mainly associated with the dynamic processes. The kinetic energy conversion from mean to perturbation circulations in the third period is generally related to the pressure gradient processes.
Impact of Atmospheric and Oceanic Conditions on the Frequency and Genesis Location of Tropical Cyclones over the Western North Pacific in 2004 and 2010
Pan SONG, Jiang ZHU, Zhong ZHONG, Linlin QI, Xiaodan WANG
2016, 33(5): 599-613. doi: 10.1007/s00376-015-5046-2
Abstract:
This study examines the impact of atmospheric and oceanic conditions during May-August of 2004 and 2010 on the frequency and genesis location of tropical cyclones over the western North Pacific. Using the WRF model, four numerical experiments were carried out based on different atmospheric conditions and SST forcing. The numerical experiments indicated that changes in atmospheric and oceanic conditions greatly affect tropical cyclone activity, and the roles of atmospheric conditions are slightly greater than oceanic conditions. Specifically, the total number of tropical cyclones was found to be mostly affected by atmospheric conditions, while the distribution of tropical cyclone genesis locations was mainly related to oceanic conditions, especially the distribution of SST. In 2010, a warmer SST occurred west of 140°E, with a colder SST east of 140°E. On the one hand, the easterly flow was enhanced through the effect of the increase in the zonal SST gradient. The strengthened easterly flow led to an anomalous boundary layer divergence over the region to the east of 140°E, which suppressed the formation of tropical cyclones over this region. On the other hand, the colder SST over the region to the east of 140°E led to a colder low-level air temperature, which resulted in decreased CAPE and static instability energy. The decrease in thermodynamic energy restricted the generation of tropical cyclones over the same region.
Upper-Tropospheric Environment-Tropical Cyclone Interactions over the Western North Pacific: A Statistical Study
Yu-Kun QIAN, Chang-Xia LIANG, Zhuojian YUAN, Shiqiu PENG, Junjie WU, Sihua WANG
2016, 33(5): 614-631. doi: 10.1007/s00376-015-5148-x
Abstract:
Based on 25-year (1987-2011) tropical cyclone (TC) best track data, a statistical study was carried out to investigate the basic features of upper-tropospheric TC-environment interactions over the western North Pacific. Interaction was defined as the absolute value of eddy momentum flux convergence (EFC) exceeding 10 m s-1 d-1. Based on this definition, it was found that 18% of all six-hourly TC samples experienced interaction. Extreme interaction cases showed that EFC can reach ∼120 m s-1 d-1 during the extratropical-cyclone (EC) stage, an order of magnitude larger than reported in previous studies. Composite analysis showed that positive interactions are characterized by a double-jet flow pattern, rather than the traditional trough pattern, because it is the jets that bring in large EFC from the upper-level environment to the TC center. The role of the outflow jet is also enhanced by relatively low inertial stability, as compared to the inflow jet. Among several environmental factors, it was found that extremely large EFC is usually accompanied by high inertial stability, low SST and strong vertical wind shear (VWS). Thus, the positive effect of EFC is cancelled by their negative effects. Only those samples during the EC stage, whose intensities were less dependent on VWS and the underlying SST, could survive in extremely large EFC environments, or even re-intensify. For classical TCs (not in the EC stage), it was found that environments with a moderate EFC value generally below ∼25 m s-1 d-1 are more favorable for a TC's intensification than those with extremely large EFC.
Developed and Developing World Contributions to Climate System Change Based on Carbon Dioxide, Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions
Ting WEI, Wenjie DONG, Qing YAN, Jieming CHOU, Zhiyong YANG, Di TIAN
2016, 33(5): 632-643. doi: 10.1007/s00376-015-5141-4
Abstract:
One of the key issues in international climate negotiations is the formulation of targets for emissions reduction for all countries based on the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities". This formulation depends primarily on the quantitative attribution of the responsibilities of developed and developing countries for historical climate change. Using the Commuity Earth System Model (CESM), we estimate the responsibilities of developed countries and developing countries for climatic change from 1850 to 2005 using their carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide emissions. The results indicate that developed countries contribute approximately 53%-61%, and developing countries approximately 39%-47%, to the increase in global air temperature, upper oceanic warming, sea-ice reduction in the NH, and permafrost degradation. In addition, the spatial heterogeneity of these changes from 1850 to 2005 is primarily attributed to the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in developed countries. Although uncertainties remain in the climate model and the external forcings used, GHG emissions in developed countries are the major contributor to the observed climate system changes in the 20th century.
The Impact of Boreal Autumn SST Anomalies over the South Pacific on Boreal Winter Precipitation over East Asia
Juan AO, Jianqi SUN
2016, 33(5): 644-655. doi: 10.1007/s00376-015-5067-x
Abstract:
The possible mechanism behind the variability in the dipole pattern of boreal winter precipitation over East Asia is analyzed in this study. The results show that the SST anomalies (SSTAs) over the South Pacific Ocean (SPO) in boreal autumn are closely related to the variability in the dipole pattern of boreal winter precipitation over East Asia. The physical link between the boreal autumn SPO SSTAs and the boreal winter East Asian precipitation dipole pattern is shown to mainly be the seasonal persistence of the SPO SSTAs themselves. The seasonal persistence of the SPO SSTAs can memorize and transport the signal of the boreal autumn SSTAs to the following winter, and then stimulates a meridional teleconnection pattern from the SH to the NH, resulting in a meridional dipole pattern of atmospheric circulation over East Asia in boreal winter. As a major influencing factor, this dipole pattern of the atmospheric circulation can finally lead to the anomalous precipitation dipole pattern over East Asia in boreal winter. These observed physical processes are further confirmed in this study through numerical simulation. The evidence from this study, showing the impact of the SPO SSTAs in boreal autumn, not only deepens our understanding of the variability in East Asian boreal winter precipitation, but also provides a potentially useful predictor for precipitation in the region.
The 10th Antarctic Meteorological Observation, Modeling, and Forecasting Workshop
Steve R. COLWELL, Arthur M. CAYETTE, Matthew A. LAZZARA, Jordan G. POWERS, David H. BROMWICH, John J. CASSANO, Scott CARPENTIER
2016, 33(5): 656-658. doi: 10.1007/s00376-016-6012-3
Abstract: