Study on Moist Potential Vorticity and Symmetric Instabilityduring a Heavy Rain Event Occurred inthe Jiang-Huai Valleys

In the light of the theory on moist potential vorticity (MPV) investigation was undertaken of the 700 hPa vertical (horizontal) component MP1 (MPV2) for the heavy rain event occurring in July 5–6, 1991. Results show that the distribution features of the two components were closely related to the development of a mesoscale cyclone as a rainstorm-causing weather system in the lower troposphere in such a way that the ambient atmosphere of which MPV1 > 0 and MPV2 < 0 with |MPV1| ≥ |MPV2| favored the genesis of conditional symmetric instability (CSI) and that, as indicated by calculations, a CSI sector was really existent in the lower troposphere during the heavy rain happening and contributed greatly to its development.

Analysis on the Moist Potential Vorticity and Conditional Symmetric Instability of a Rainstorm

[Objective] The research aimed to analyze the moist potential vorticity (MPV) and conditional symmetric instability (CSI) of a rainstorm in Guangxi in the prior flood season. [Method] Based on the conventional observation data, precipitation data from the automatic station and 1°×1° six-hourly reanalyzed data from NCEP, MPV and CSI in a rainstorm process which occurred in the prior flood season in Guangxi were analyzed. The characteristics of MPV component and role of CSI before and after the rainstorm occurrence were discussed. [Result] The dense belt of isoline in the southeast of MPV1 positive-value area (MPV2 negative-value area) at 925 hPa, the underneath of sloping MPV1 positive-value column (MPV2 negative-value column) on the profile map and the underneath of dense belt of θe isoline had the good corresponding relationships with the falling zone of strong precipitation. After the system developed strongly, the enhancements of gradient and intensity of MPV1 and MPV2 predicted the rainstorm increase. In the beginning period of strong precipitation occurrence, the convective instability at 850-650 hPa co-existed with CSI. The convective instability and vertical movement played the main role. In the middle and latter periods of strong precipitation, the high-altitude weak cold air further invaded southward. It triggered the release of unstable energy, and compelled that the original sloping θe dense belt became steep. It was favorable for the development of sloping vorticity, and the atmosphere gradually turned into the neutral state of convection. CSI and ramp motion played the major role. Then, the rainstorm continued. [Conclusion] The research provided the theory basis for the application of MPV and CSI into the local routine business.

ENERGY EQUATION AND SYMMETRIC INSTABILITY CRITERION

In this paper,by using generalized normal mode method the symmetric instability criterion which can be used not only in the constant parameters but also in the variable parameters was derived from the energy equation on the symmetric disturbance.If the thermal wind was in balance or quasi-balance,the criterion was consistent with that ob- tained by Emanuel with parcel method and Hoskins with normal mode method.It is shown that in the generating stage of disturbance,the symmetrically instable development of disturbance is associated with the energy transformation by which the energy of the basic field is transferred into the energy of the disturbance field.

On Problem of Nonlinear Symmetric Instability in Zonal Shear Flow

This paper is focused on the problem of nonlinear symmetric instability in a baroclinic basic flow. The limited amplitude characteristics of unsteady wave were investigated with the aid of equations of adiabatic, inviscid, nonlinear symmetric disturbance and a multi-scale singular perturbation technique. Evidence suggests that the limited amplitude of unsteady wave exhibits an oscillatory trend of its intensity; the amplitude of the symmetric disturbance displays periodical variation both in super- and sub-critical shear case, and the duration of the periods is related not only to the stability parameters of the basic field and wave properties but to the amplitude of initial disturbance and its time-varying change rate as well.

RESEARCH ON MOIST SYMMETRIC INSTABILITY IN A STRONG SNOWFALL IN NORTH CHINA

The concept of wet bulb potential vorticity and SCAPE (slantwise convective available potential energy) is used to calculate the horizontal and vertical distribution of moist symmetric instability including convective symmetric instability (CSI) and local symmetric instability (LSI) in the process of a storm snowfall in North China.The potential contribution of moist symmetric instability to a narrow storm snowfall belt occurring in the Hetao and Lindong,Linxi region of Inner Mongolia and the relationship between moist symmetric instability and direction of the basic flow,wind shear and moisture are discussed.It is found that the strong snowfall belt is almost parallel with negative value area of wet bulb potential vorticity at low levels in the vicinity of snow area.And the dynamical mechanism of the strong snowfall center in the Lindong,Linxi region is different from that in the Hetao region.The former is induced by frontogenetical forcing with weak symmetric instability in the warm section of frontal area and the latter triggered by obvious moist symmetric instability.

Evolution of Instability before and during a Torrential Rainstorm in North China

NCEP-NCAR reanalysis data were used to analyze the characteristics and evolution mechanism of convective and symmetric instability before and during a heavy rainfall event that occurred in Beijing on 21 July 2012.Approximately twelve hours before the rainstorm,the atmosphere was mainly dominated by convective instability in the lower level of 900-800 hPa.The strong southwesterly low-level jet conveyed the moist and warm airflow continuously to the area of torrential rain,maintaining and enhancing the unstable energy.When the precipitation occurred,unstable energy was released and the convective instability weakened.Meanwhile,due to the baroclinicity enhancement in the atmosphere,the symmetric instability strengthened,maintaining and promoting the subsequent torrential rain.Deriving the convective instability tendency equation demonstrated that the barotropic component of potential divergence and the advection term played a major role in enhancing the convective instability before the rainstorm.Analysis of the tendency equation of moist potential vorticity showed that the coupled term of vertical vorticity and the baroclinic component of potential divergence was the primary factor influencing the development of symmetric instability during the precipitation.Comparing the effects of these factors on convective instability and symmetric instability showed some correlation.

Properties and Stability of a Meso-Scale Line-Form Disturbance

By using the 3D dynamic equations for small- and meso-scale disturbances, an investigation is performed on the heterotropic instability （including symmetric instability and traversal-type instability） of a zonal line-like disturbance moving at any angle with respect to basic flow, arriving at the following results： （1） with linear shear available, the heterotropic instability of the disturbance will occur only when flow shearing happens in the direction of the line-like disturbance movement or in the direction perpendicular to the disturbance movement, with the heterotropic instability showing the instability of the internal inertial gravity wave; （2） in the presence of second-order non-linear shear, the disturbance of the heterotropic instability includes internal inertial gravity and vortex Rossby waves. For the zonal line-form disturbance under study, the vortex Rossby wave has its source in the second-order shear of meridional basic wind speed in the flow and propagates unidirectionally with respect to the meridional basic flow. As a mesoscale heterotropic instable disturbance, the vortex Rossby wave has its origin from the second shear of the flow in the direction perpendicular to the line-form disturbance and is independent of the condition in the direction parallel to the flow; （3） for general zonal line-like disturbances, if the second-order shear happens in the meridional wind speed, i.e., the second shear of the flow in the direction perpendicular to the line-form disturbance, then the heterotropic instability of the disturbance is likely to be the instability of a mixed Rossby-internal inertial gravity wave; （4） the symmetric instability is actually the instability of the internal inertial gravity wave. The second-order shear in the flow represents an instable factor for a symmetric-type disturbance; （5） the instability of a traversal-type disturbance is the instability of the internal inertial gravity wave when the basic flow is constant or only linearly sheared. With a second or nonlinear vertical shear of the basic flow taken into account, the instability of a traversal-type disturbance may be the instability of a mixed vortex Rossby - gravity wave.

Development of an Integrated Vertical-Slantwise Convective Parameterization Scheme and Its Associated Numerical Experiments

An integrated vertical-slantwise convective parameterization scheme, based on the vertical Kuo-Anthes and the slantwise Nordeng convective parameterization schemes, is introduced into the MM5 model. By employing the MM5 model with the proposed scheme, numerical simulations of a snowstorm event that occurred over southern China on 28-29 January 2008 and of Typhoon Haitang （2005） are conducted. The results indicate that during the snowstorm event, the atmosphere was convectively stable in the vertical direction but with conditional symmetric instability （CSI） in the lower troposphere, and when the area of CSI developed and extended to upper levels, strong rising motion occurred and triggered the release of large amount of energy, producing enhanced convective precipitation with the total precipitation much closer to the observation. The development and strengthening of CSI corresponded to changes in the intensity of snowfall, convergence, and ascending motions of air, revealing that CSI was responsible for the initiation and growth of the snowstorm. The results from a 72-h explicit simulation of Typhoon Haitang indicate that CSI occurred mainly at lower levels with a well-defined spiral structure, and it tended to have a larger impact on the intensity of typhoon than on its track. The minimum pressure at the typhoon center for the 72-h runs with the integrated vertical-slantwise convective parameterization scheme was on average 3 hPa （maximum 8 hPa） lower than that from the runs with only the vertical cumulus parameterization scheme. Introducing the influence of CSI into the model has improved the warm core structure at the middle and upper levels of the typhoon, with stronger and persistent upward motions causing increased precipitation, and the latent heat released through convection in turn made the typhoon develop further.

Study on Formation and Development of a Mesoscale Convergence Line in Typhoon Rananim

This study investigated the formation and development of a mesoscale convergence line （MCL） within the circulation of Typhoon Rananim （0414）, which eventually led to torrential rainfall over inland China. The study is based on satellite, surface and sounding data, and 20 km×20 km regional spectral model data released by the Japan Meteorological Agency. It is found that midlatitude cold air intruded into the typhoon circulation, which resulted in the formation of the MCL in the northwestern quadrant of the typhoon. The MCL occurred in the lower troposphere below 700 hPa, with an ascending airflow inclined to cold air, and a secondary vertical circulation across the MCL. Meso-/~ scale convective cloud clusters emerged and developed near the MCL before their merging into the typhoon remnant clouds. Convective instability and conditional symmetric instability appeared simultaneously near Diagnosis of the interaction between the MCL and kinetic energy and positive vorticity for its further the MCL, favorable for the development of convection. the typhoon remnant implies that the MCL obtained development from the typhoon remnant in the lower troposphere. In turn, the development of the MCL provided kinetic energy and positive vorticity at upper levels for the typhoon remnant, which may have slowed clown the decaying of the typhoon.