Mesoscale Dynamics and Its Application in Torrential Rainfall Systems in China

Progress over the past decade in understanding moisture-driven dynamics and torrential rain storms in China is reviewed in this paper. First, advances in incorporating moisture effects more realistically into theory are described, including the development of a new parameter, generalized moist potential vorticity（GMPV） and an improved moist ageostrophic Q vector（Qum）. Advances in vorticity dynamics are also described, including the adoption of a ＂parcel dynamic＂ approach to investigate the development of the vertical vorticity of an air parcel; a novel theory of slantwise vorticity development, proposed because vorticity develops easily near steep isentropic surfaces; and the development of the convective vorticity vector（CVV）as an effective new tool. The significant progress in both frontal dynamics and wave dynamics is also summarized, including the geostrophic adjustment of initial unbalanced flow and the dual role of boundary layer friction in frontogenesis, as well as the interaction between topography and fronts, which indicate that topographic perturbations alter both frontogenesis and frontal structure. For atmospheric vortices, mixed wave/vortex dynamics has been extended to explain the propagation of spiral rainbands and the development of dynamical instability in tropical cyclones. Finally, we review wave and basic flow interaction in torrential rainfall, for which it was necessary to extend existing theory from large-scale flows to mesoscale fields, enriching our knowledge of mesoscale atmospheric dynamics.

Nonlinear interaction of axisymmetric circulation and nonaxisymmetric disturbances in hurricanes

The nonlinear interaction of axisymmetric circulation and nonaxisymmetric disturbances in hurricanes is numerically studied with a quasigeostrophic barotropic model of a higher resolution. It is pointed out that the interaction may be divided into two categories. In the first category, nonaxisymmetric disturbances decay, the coordinate locus of maximum relative vorticity ζmax is seemingly unordered, and the central pressure of hurricane rises; while in the second one, nonaxisymmetric disturbances develop, the locus of ζmax shows an ordered limit cycle pattern, and the central pressure falls remarkably. A succinct criterion is given to judge which category the interaction belongs to, i.e. the vortex beta Rossby number at the initial time Rβ< 1 belongs to the decaying category and Rβ> 1 to the developing one. Finally, practical applications of theoretical results of the rotational adaptation process presented by Zeng and numerical results in this paper to the hurricane intensity prediction in China are also discussed.

Differences between dynamics factors for interannual and decadal variations of rainfall over the Yangtze River valley during flood seasons

The rainfall over the Yangtze River val- ley during flood seasons (June to July) shows both interannual and decadal variations. The rainfall has been increasing since 1990, showing a decadal sig- nal. The variations of rainfall are influenced by the multi-scale interactions in the atmosphere-ocean coupled climate system. The rainfall, SST, and cir- culation are analyzed with the Chinese 160 station data, and other observational/reanalysis data, re- spectively. The separation between the interannual and decadal variations is carried out. The key areas affecting the Yangtze rainfall are the western Pacific warm pool on the interannual time scale and the EINO3 area on the decadal time scale, respectively. The circulation anomaly associated with the interan- nual variation occurs in the upper troposphere whereas that associated with the decadal variation appears in the lower troposphere.

A comparative study of the atmospheric circulations associated with rainy-season floods between the Yangtze and Huaihe River Basins

Here we present the results from the composite analyses of the atmospheric circulations and physical quantity fields associated with rainy-season for the selected floods cases over the Yangtze and Huaihe River basins for the 21 years(1990–2010),using the daily rain gauge measurements taken in the 756 stations throughout China and the NCEP/reanalysis data for the rainyseasons(June–July)from 1990 to 2010.The major differences in the atmospheric circulations and physical quantity fields between the Yangtze and Huaihe River basins are as follows:for flooding years of the Yangtze River Basin,the South Asia high center is located further east than normal,the blocking high over the Urals and the Sea of Okhotsk maintains,and the Meiyu front is situated near 30°N whereas for flooding years of the Huaihe River Basin,the South Asia high center is further west than normal,the atmospheric circulations over the mid and high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere are of meridional distribution,and the Meiyu front is situated near 33°N.In addition,there are distinct differences in water vapor sources and associated transports between the Yangtze and Huaihe River basins.The water vapor is transported by southwesterly flows from the Bay of Bengal and monsoon flows over the South China Sea for flooding years of the Yangtze River Basin whereas by southeast monsoons from the eastern and southern seas off China and monsoon flows over the South China Sea for flooding years of the Huaihe River Basin.

Mechanism for initial brows-like meso-scale vortex effects on tropical cyclone track

We used a two-dimensional quasi-geostrophic barotropic model simulation to study effects of an initial brows-like meso-scale vortex on tropical cyclone(TC) track.Our results show that the impact of each of the three foundational factors(the environmental current,the asymmetric structure and the asymmetric convection system) on TC track varies with time and the importance of each of the factors is different for the different TC motion time period.They show two kinds of the effects.One is a direct way.The asymmetric outer wind structure and the positive longitudinal wind speed averaged in radial-band(100-300) km in the period of(0-11) h are caused by the introduction of the initial brows-like meso-scale vortex,which results in TC track to turn to the north from the northwest directly.The other is an indirect influence.First,initial TC axisymmetric circulation becomes a non-axisymmetric circulation after the addition of the meso-scale vortex.The initial non-axisymmetric circulation experiences an axisymmetrizational process in the period of(0-11) h.Second,axisymmetrizationed TC horizontal size is enlarged after t=12 h.Third,both the TC asymmetric structure and the TC energy dispersion induced-anticyclone are intensified,which quickens the TC motion and results in the track to turn to the north indirectly.The TC motion is characterized by the unusual track under the direct and the indirect effect.The formation of the unusual track should be attributed to the common effects of three factors,including the environmental flow,the TC asymmetric structure and the asymmetric convection system.

Possible causes of the variation in fractal dimension of the perimeter during the tropical cyclone Dan motion

We calculated the fractal dimensions Db of the perimeter of tropical cyclone(TC)Dan based on the satellite GMS-5 infrared sensor images from 1800 UTC,1 October 1999 to 1200 UTC,9 October 1999.The fractal dimensions Db were used to characterize objectively the temporal change of TC complex structure.Our results show that the change of fractal dimension during TC Dan motion can be divided into three stages.The statistically significant difference does not exist either between Dm1 and DL or between Dm3 and DL,but it exists between Dm2 and DL,where Dmi denotes the mean value of Db in i-th stage(i=1,2 and3);DL denotes Lovejoy’s fractal dimension calculated based on satellite and radar data within the size range(1–1.2×106 km2),which is used as a"normal value"of the fractal dimension of the cumulus cloud perimeter for the global tropical region.TC Dan turns to the north from the west abruptly at the end of the second stage.The emergence of the second stage with high fractal dimensions may be viewed as a possible premonition for the track turning.Our results also show that there are two kinds of processes resulting in the translation from the first stage to the second stage.One is the interaction of TC circulation and an adjacent small scale convective cloud cluster,causing to the complexity increase of a local segment of the perimeter.The other includes the fragmentation of a strong convective area within the TC inner region,the self-organization of the small strong convective cloud clusters,the emergence,development,and merger of the small scale non-convective holes,and the formation of a gap of the perimeter,causing to the complexity increase of the whole TC perimeter.