On the Influences of Urbanization on the Extreme Rainfall over Zhengzhou on 20 July 2021: A Convection-Permitting Ensemble Modeling Study

This study investigates the influences of urban land cover on the extreme rainfall event over the Zhengzhou city in central China on 20 July 2021 using the Weather Research and Forecasting model at a convection-permitting scale[1-km resolution in the innermost domain(d3)].Two ensembles of simulation(CTRL,NURB),each consisting of 11 members with a multi-layer urban canopy model and various combinations of physics schemes,were conducted using different land cover scenarios:(i)the real urban land cover,(ii)all cities in d3 being replaced with natural land cover.The results suggest that CTRL reasonably reproduces the spatiotemporal evolution of rainstorms and the 24-h rainfall accumulation over the key region,although the maximum hourly rainfall is underestimated and displaced to the west or southwest by most members.The ensemble mean 24-h rainfall accumulation over the key region of heavy rainfall is reduced by 13%,and the maximum hourly rainfall simulated by each member is reduced by 15–70 mm in CTRL relative to NURB.The reduction in the simulated rainfall by urbanization is closely associated with numerous cities/towns to the south,southeast,and east of Zhengzhou.Their heating effects jointly lead to formation of anomalous upward motions in and above the planetary boundary layer(PBL),which exaggerates the PBL drying effect due to reduced evapotranspiration and also enhances the wind stilling effect due to increased surface friction in urban areas.As a result,the lateral inflows of moisture and high-θe(equivalent potential temperature)air from south and east to Zhengzhou are reduced.

Preface to the Special Issue on the 14th International Conference on Mesoscale Convective Systems and High-Impact Weather

A mesoscale convective system(MCS)is an organized cluster of thunderstorms known to be the most important convective mode in causing disastrous high-impact weather,such as heavy rainfall,hail,damaging winds,and tornadoes.The small spatial scale and fast temporal evolution of MCSs make their observation and prediction very challenging.East Asia is home to the world’s most prominent monsoon,setting the stage for various severe convective weather events.MCSs and their associated high-impact weather have long been critical issues of concern;as such,their research efforts are valued by governments in East Asia.

Liquid crystal elastomer composites for soft actuators

Liquid crystal elastomers are active materials that combine the anisotropic properties of liquid crystals with the elasticity of polymer networks.The LCEs exhibit remarkable reversible contraction and elongation capabilities in response to external stimuli,rendering them highly promising for diverse applications,such as soft robotics,haptic devices,shape morphing structures,etc,However,the predominant reliance on heating as the driving stimulus for LCEs has limited their practical applications.This drawback can be effectively addressed by incorporating fllers,which can generate heat under various stimuli.The recent progress in LCE composites has significantly expanded the application potential of LCEs.In this minireview,we present the design strategies for soft actuators with LCE composites,followed by a detailed exploration of photothermal and electrothermal LCE.composites as prominent examples.Furthermore,we provide an outlook on the challenges and opportunities in the feld of LCE composites.

2021年7月河南极端暴雨过程概况及多尺度特征初探

2021年7月17~22日,河南省发生了致灾严重的极端暴雨过程,气象观测站最大6日累积降水量为1122.6 mm(鹤壁市),最大小时雨强高达201.9 mm(郑州市),突破了中国内陆小时雨强历史纪录.利用气象雨量站、探空和多普勒天气雷达等观测资料以及ERA5再分析资料对极端暴雨概况和多尺度特征进行了初探.结果表明,此次极端暴雨过程是在对流层高、中、低层以及中、低纬度多尺度大气系统共同作用,并叠加地形影响下产生的:(1)西南季风将南海的水汽向西北太平洋输送并经由热带气旋“烟花”向北抽吸,西北太平洋上的水汽经“烟花”北部的偏东低空急流和异常偏北偏强的副热带高压西南缘的东南气流向河南输送;这条异常的东进河南的热带气旋远距离接力水汽输送通道导致河南可降水量正异常.(2)对流层高层,河南位于短波槽前辐散区;对流层低层,河南及附近为低涡或倒槽影响,这些均有利于低层大气的辐合和上升.此外,伏牛和太行等山脉对水汽的汇聚和对低层偏东或东南气流的抬升有作用.(3)副热带高压和异常偏强的大陆高压连成“高压坝”,阻碍了中高纬度冷空气南下,郑州极端暴雨发生在暖湿层深厚的环境场中,降水系统呈现低质心热带型雷达回波特征.在郑州降水最为集中的2日内,新生对流不断从东南、南或西南方向并入团状的对流主体,使得中尺度对流系统长时间维持.

A Possible Dynamic Mechanism for Rapid Production of the Extreme Hourly Rainfall in Zhengzhou City on 20 July 2021

In this study,the unprecedented extreme rainfall event during 19-20 July 2021,which caused devastating flooding in Zhengzhou City and its nearby areas,is examined based on observational data analysis and WRF model 40-h simulations on 1-km horizontal resolution.The results show that the model successfully reproduces(i)major synopticscale weather systems(i.e.,the western Pacific subtropical high,the Tibetan high,two typhoons,and the Huang-Huai cyclone),(ii)convective initiation along the east to north edge of the Songshan Mountain,where orographic lifting is obvious,and(iii)subsequent formation of the convective storm producing the extreme rainfall in Zhengzhou.In particular,the model generates the maximum rainfall rate of 233 mm h^(-1)and 40-h accumulated rainfall of 704 mm,corresponding well to the observed extreme values of 201.9 mm h^(-1)and 818 mm,at nearly observed timing and location.Importantly,the model reproduces an intense quasi-stationary,well-organized meso-γ-scale convective system,surrounded by an arc-shaped convergence zone,allowing the development of convective updrafts in a three-quarter circle around the convective system,in a way similar to“multidirectional pumping,”attracting all associated precipitation overlaid and concentrated into the same trailing region to generate the extreme hourly rainfall over Zhengzhou.Our study emphasizes the significant contribution of the unique dynamic structure of the well-organized meso-γ-scale convective system to the record-high hourly rainfall.A possible dynamic mechanism for short-time extreme rainfall production is proposed.That is,the arc-shaped convergence zone of the mesoscale convective system,acting like multidirectional lifting pumps,transports precipitation from different directions into the same region,and thus produces the extreme rainfall.The results gained herein may shed new light on better understanding and forecasting of short-time extreme rainfall.

Investigation into the Formation, Structure, and Evolution of an EF4 Tornado in East China Using a High-Resolution Numerical Simulation

Devastating tornadoes in China have received growing attention in recent years, but little is known about their formation, structure, and evolution on the tornadic scale. Most of these tornadoes develop within the East Asian monsoon regime, in an environment quite different from tornadoes in the U.S. In this study, we used an idealized, highresolution(25-m grid spacing) numerical simulation to investigate the deadly EF4(Enhanced Fujita scale category 4)tornado that occurred on 23 June 2016 and claimed 99 lives in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province. A tornadic supercell developed in the simulation that had striking similarities to radar observations. The violent tornado in Funing County was reproduced, exceeding EF4(74 ms–1), consistent with the on-site damage survey. It was accompanied by a funnel cloud that extended to the surface, and exhibited a double-helix vorticity structure. The signal of tornado genesis was found first at the cloud base in the pressure perturbation field, and then developed both upward and downward in terms of maximum vertical velocity overlapping with the intense vertical vorticity centers. The tornado's demise was found to accompany strong downdrafts overlapping with the intense vorticity centers. One of the interesting findings of this work is that a violent surface vortex was able to be generated and maintained, even though the simulation employed a free-slip lower boundary condition. The success of this simulation, despite using an idealized numerical approach, provides a means to investigate more historical tornadoes in China.

Importance of identifying tropical cyclone tornadoes in typhoon warning and defense systems

Tornadoes are highly localized severe weather phenomena and have been of increasing concern in China [1] in recent years, especially after the sinking of the Oriental Star in 2015 [2] and severe tornado damage in Yancheng in 2016 (3)Tornadoes induced by tropical cyclones, however, have received little attention.A recent study has shown that a large number of tornado-scale vortices can be produced at the inner edge of the intense eyewallconvection of tropical cyclones [4].

Improved Algorithms for Removing Isolated Non-Meteorological Echoes and Ground Clutters in CINRAD

Using China New Generation Weather Radar(CINRAD) level-II data, the original algorithms for removing isolated non-meteorological echoes and ground clutters in radar data, which have been applied to Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler(WSR-88 D) in the USA and Severe Weather Automatic Nowcast(SWAN) system in China, are modified and improved. To remove isolated non-meteorological echoes, the new algorithm introduces a constraint parameter(Po) to distinguish whether a window of 5 × 5 points is isolated as external echoes. A statistical analysis of150 radar scans(5 cases, with each case comprising 30 scans) under three different echo types(small-scale convection, typhoon, and large-scale synoptic system) shows that the constraint parameter Po ≤ 0.167 is suitable for removing isolated non-meteorological echoes while preserving the edge of meteorological echoes. A new parameter, NDZ,which promotes the ability of the algorithm to identify the ground clutters appearing at two adjacent elevation angles,is constructed based on the vertical continuity of reflectivity. These improved algorithms are tested for four cases(three cases of isolated non-meteorological echoes and one case of ground clutters). Based on the statistics of 232 volume scans of radar data(on a temporal resolution of 1 h) measured at Nanchang station from 0000 UTC 5 to 1600 UTC 14 March 2015, it is found that the improved algorithms not only eliminate most(over 95% under clear-sky conditions) of the isolated non-meteorological echoes and ground clutters(including those appearing at two adjacent elevation angles), but also well preserve the structure of meteorological echoes(storms).

Extreme large-scale atmospheric circulation associated with the“21·7”Henan flood

From July 19 to 21,2021,Henan,a province in northern China(NC),was affected by severe flooding(referred to hereafter as“21·7”)caused by a prolonged record-breaking extreme precipitation(EP)event.Understanding the extremes of the large-scale circulation pattern during“21·7”is essential for predicting EP events and preventing future disasters.In this study,daily atmospheric large-scale circulations over NC in the summers from 1979 to 2021 were investigated using the circulation classification method of an obliquely rotated principal component analysis in T-mode(PCT).The geopotential heights at 500 hPa and 925 hPa were applied successively in classification.Among the nine summer circulation patterns found at 500 hPa,the three days of“21·7”belonged to the Type 8 pattern,which had the second highest probability of EP days among all patterns.It was characterized by a southeasterly wind toward North China Plain driven by a dipole geopotential height field,with the West Pacific subtropical high(WPSH)extending far north to 30°N and low pressure to the south near NC.Tropical cyclones(TCs)occurred on 72.5%of EP days,in which larger amounts of precipitation and a longer duration of EP days were found along the mountains in NC,as compared with other patterns.The distribution of EP events under this pattern was mainly influenced by the location of the low pressure at 925 hPa in the dipole.The subtype 8-3 circulation,with low pressure in the east of Taiwan Island,included“21·7”and accounted for 1.6%of all summer days.Typhoon In-fa,together with the WPSH,gave rise to intense column integrated moisture flux convergence(IMFC)via the southeasterly wind to Henan,which occurred continuously during the 3 days of“21·7”,resulting in the largest(second largest)mean IMFC among 3 consecutive EP days under type 8(all types)during the past 43 summers in NC.Further analysis revealed that the large-scale dynamic process could not completely explain the record-breaking EP during“21·7”,indicating possible contributions of other dynamic processes related to meso-scale convective storms.

10 Gbps wavelength division multiplexing using UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C micro-LEDs

Deep ultraviolet(DUV) optical wireless communications have seen increased interest in recent years due to the unique properties of light in this spectral region. However, the reported DUV data rates remain significantly lower than comparable demonstrations at visible wavelengths due to lower modulation bandwidths and/or output power of the sources. Here, we present a wavelength division multiplexing demonstration using three UV microlight-emitting diodes emitting at nominal peak wavelengths of 285, 317, and 375 nm, respectively, each with an emitting area of approximately 1369 μm^(2)(equivalent to circular device pixels of diameter;0 μm). Using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing, data rates of 4.17, 3.02, and 3.13 Gbps were achieved from the 285, 317, and 375 nm devices, respectively, for a combined data rate of 10.32 Gbps transmitted over a distance of 0.5 m.

The Representativeness of Air Quality Monitoring Sites in the Urban Areas of a Mountainous City

Lanzhou is a typical mountainous city with severe air pollution in northwestern China. This study uses hourly observational data of air pollutants at five air quality monitoring sites in Lanzhou from July to December 2015 to discuss data quality control and the representativeness of the monitoring sites(four urban sites and one suburban site). A fuzzy matrix is applied to study primary air pollutants. The results show that of the six routinely monitored pollutants,the primary pollutant is PM_10 during the study period. Based on lag correlation analysis and one-way analysis of variance, it is concluded that there are redundant observations at the four urban sites for the timely diffusion and transport of air pollutants from the same general area. The coefficient of divergence(COD) method is then used to evaluate the spatial distribution differences, and the primary air pollutant PM_10 shows differences at each site. COD can be used as a positive indicator to describe site representativeness. To evaluate the overall air pollution in the valley, correlation analysis is performed between the PM_10 concentration retrieved from aerosol optical depth satellite data and the concentration from the four urban monitoring sites. Among these, the correlation between the workers' hospital site data and the retrieval data is the highest, passing the 90% confidence level. A new representative evaluation model for air quality monitoring sites, R_s = 0.77 COD + 0.23R_(retrieval), is established by using COD and correlation coefficients between routine observations and satellite retrieval products. From this model, it can be concluded that the biological products institute site in Lanzhou is the most representative site for the evaluation of air pollution out of the four urban air quality monitoring sites from July to December 2015.

An experimental study on autologous transplantation of fresh ovarian tissue in sheep

Objective:To investigate current autologous transplantation methods and sites of ovarian tissues in sheep.Methods:Sheep ovaries were resected.Ovarian cortices were sliced and transplanted orthotopically into the ovarian mesangial latum and heterotopically into the greater omentum and under groin skin.The grafts were removed two months after transplantation and examined to evaluate the survival of follicles(hematoxylin-eosin staining)and help determining feasible graft sites and transplantation methods.Results:Graft nodules were found in the transplanted sites.HE staining of the grafts showed that multiple primordial follicles were able to survive in the grafts on both sides of the ovarian mesangial latum,the right side of the greater omentum,and the left inguinal subcutaneous tissue.Secondary or cystic follicles were found in almost all of the grafts.Conclusion:The ovarian mesangial latum,the greater omentum and the inguinal subcutaneous tissue can be used as autologous transplantation sites,where sheep ovarian tissue can survive and the follicles grow and develop in good condition.