A novel polarization interferometer for measuring upper atmospheric winds

A static polarization interferometer for measuring upper atmospheric winds is presented, based on two Savart plates with their optical axes perpendicular to each other. The principle and characteristics of the interferometer are described. The interferometer with a wide field of view can offer a stable benchmark optical path difference over a specified spectral region of 0.55-0.63μm because there are no quarter wave plates. Since the instrument employs a straight line common-path configuration but without moving parts and slits, it is very compact, simple, inherently robust and has high throughput. The paper is limited to a theoretical analysis.

Measurement of Martian atmospheric winds by the O_(2) 1.27 μm airglow observations using Doppler Michelson Interferometry: A concept study

China’s Mars exploration mission has stimulated tremendous interest in planetary science exploration recently.To propose potential scientific research projects,this study presents a concept simulation for the measurement of Martian atmospheric winds using the Doppler Michelson interferometry technique.The simulation is based on the satellite instrument initially designed for the Dynamic Atmosphere Mars Observer(DYNAMO)project to measure vertical profiles of winds from the 1.27μm airglow observations in the Martian atmosphere.A comprehensive DYNAMO measurement simulation forward model based on an orbit submodel,an atmospheric background field submodel,and an instrument submodel is developed using the Michelson equation.The simulated interferogram signal over the field of view(FOV)calculated by the forward model is associated with the filter transmittance function,column emission rate of airglow,wind velocity,temperature,and the Michelson phase.The agreement between the derived atmospheric signals from the simulated interferogram without altitude inversion and the input parameters used to initiate the forward model confirms the validity of the forward model.

Preliminary Study on Vertical Velocity Caused by Katabatic Wind in Antarctica and Its Influence on Atmospheric Circulation

The vertical velocity at the top of Ekman layer caused by katabatic winds is proposed and deduced. By computing actual data we get a distribution of the velocities over Antarctica. The distribution plays a positive role in maintaining the cyclone and anticyclone over Antarctica.

Temperatures and Winds over Tropical Middle Atmosphere during Two Contrasting Summer Monsoons, 1975 and 1979

Using the monthly geopotential heights and winds for 700 and 200 hPa for India during July and August, and the weekly M-100 Soviet rocketsonde temperature and wind data for Thumba (8.5 ° N, 76.9 ° E) during the last week of June and the first week of September for the two contrasting summer monsoon years 1975 (a very strong monsoon year) and 1979 (a very weak monsoon year), a study has been made to examine the mean circulation features of the troposphere over India, and the structures of the temperatures and the winds of the middle atmosphere over Thumba. The study suggested that the axis of the monsoon trough (AMT) at 700 hPa shifted southward in 1975 and northward towards the foothills of the Himalayas in 1979, from its normal position. Superimposed on the low-pressure area (AMT) at 700 hPa, a well-defined divergence was noticed at 200 hPa over the northern India in 1975.The mean temperatures at 25,50 and 60 km (middle atmosphere) over Thumba were cooler in 1975 than in 1979. While a cooling trend in 1975 and warming trend in 1979 were observed at 25 and 50 km, a reversed picture was noticed at 60 km. There was a weak easterly / westerly (weak westerly phase) zonal wind in 1975 and a strong easterly zonal wind in 1979. A phase reversal of the zonal wind was observed at 50 km. A tentative physical mechanism was offered, in terms of upward propagation of the two equatorially trapped planetary waves i.e. the Kelvin and the mixed Rossby-gravity waves, to explain the occurrence of the two spells of strong warmings in the mesosphere in 1975.

Dependence of interferogram phase on incident wavenumber and phase stability of Doppler asymmetric spatial heterodyne spectroscopy

Instrument drifts introduce additional phase errors into atmospheric wind measurement of Doppler asymmetric spatial heterodyne spectroscopy (DASH). Aiming at the phase sensitivity of DASH to instrument drifts, in this paper we calculate the optical path difference (OPD) and present an accurate formula of DASH interferogram. By controlling variables in computational ray-tracing simulations and laboratory experiments, it is indicated that initial phase is directly determined by incident wavenumber, OPD offset and field of view (FOV). Accordingly, it is indicated that retrieved phase of DASH is sensitive to slight structural change caused by instrument drift, which provides the proof of necessary-to-track and -correct phase errors from instrument drifts.

The Impact of Boreal Autumn SST Anomalies over the South Pacific on Boreal Winter Precipitation over East Asia

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.

An evaluation of input/dissipation terms in WAVEWATCH Ⅲ using in situ and satellite significant wave height data in the South China Sea

A WAVEWATCH III version 3.14（WW3） wave model is used to evaluate input/dissipation source term packages WAM3, WAM4 and TC96 considering the effect of atmospheric instability. The comparisons of a significant wave height acquired from the model with different packages have been performed based on wave observation radar and HY-2 altimetry significant wave height data through five experiments in the South China Sea domain spanning latitudes of 0°–35°N and longitudes of 100°–135°E. The sensitivity of the wind speed correction parameter in the TC96 package also has been analyzed. From the results, the model is unable to dissipate the wave energy efficiently during a swell propagation with either source packages. It is found that TC96 formulation with the ＂effective wind speed＂ strategy performs better than WAM3 and WAM4 formulations. The wind speed correction parameter in the TC96 source package is very sensitive and needs to be calibrated and selected before the WW3 model can be applied to a specific region.

EFFECTS OF WIND SHEAR ON ATMOSPHERIC GRAVITY WAVE SPECTRUM

The effects of constant wind shear on atmospheric gravity wave spectrum are examined.At first a three- dimensional equilibrium spectral model of gravity waves is established in which wind shear rate β is implicit. Based on this model,the expressions for one-dimensional frequency spectrum of atmospheric gravity waves are derived in which β is explicit.Numerical results show that (1) if we assume that mean wind U(z)=βz (z represents the altitude) and the internal gravity wave spectrum at the altitude of U=0 (that is,z=0) is VanZandt one,then the effect of Doppler shifting due to mean wind may be ignored;(2) when Richardson number J(J=N^2/β~2,N is Brunt-V(?)is(?)l(?) frequency,and is equal to 10^(-2)s^(-1) in this paper) satisfies J≥10.0,the effects ofwind shear arealso ignored;(3)for f^2(?)ω~2(?)N^2 (f is the inertia frequency,and f=10^(-4)s^(-1) in this paper,and co is the observed frequency),the wind shear only affects the spectral amplitude,and does not alter the spectral shape;and (4) as wind shear becomes strong,a part of wave potential energy turns into wave kinetic one,and a part of the vertical kinetic energy further turns into the horizontal one.

Rlationship between the aerosol scattering ratio and temperature of atmosphere and the sensitivity of a Doppler wind lidar with iodine filter

The sensitivity of Doppler wind lidar is an important parameter which affects the performance of Doppler wind lidar. Aerosol scattering ratio, atmospheric temperature, and wind speed obviously affect the measurement of Doppler wind lidar with iodine filter. We discuss about the relationship between the measurement sensitivity and the above atmospheric parameters. The numerical relationship between them is given through the theoretical simulation and calculation.

Research on Water-Vapor Distribution in the Air over Qilian Mountains

Based on the remote sensing data, the radiosonde data and precipitation data observed by weather stations, distributions of atmospheric water-vapor and cloud motion wind over the Qilian Mountains are analyzed. Moreover, on the basis of water-vapor and cloud motion wind analyses, relations of atmospheric water-vapor distribution with precipitation~ atmospheric circulation, and terrain are investigated. The results show that distributions of atmospheric water-vapor and precipitation in the Qilian Mountains are affected by the westerly belt, the southerly monsoon （the South Asian monsoon and plateau monsoon）, and the East Asian monsoon. In the northwest Qilian Mountains, water-vapor and precipitation are entirely affected by the westerly belt, and there is no other direction water-vapor transport except westerly watervapor flux, hence, the northwest region is regarded as the westerly belt region. In the south and middle of the mountaili, water-vapor is mainly controlled by the southerly monsoon, 37.7% of the total watervapor is from the south, especially in summer, the southerly water-vapor flux accounts for 55.9% of the total, and furthermore the water-vapor content in the southerly flow is more than that in the westerly flow. The southerly monsoon water-vapor is influenced by the South Asian monsoon from the Indian Ocean and the plateau monsoon in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, thus, the south and middle region is called southerly monsoon region. But in the northeast Qilian Mountains, the East Asian monsoon is the main climate system affecting the water-vapor. Besides west and northwest water-vapor fluxes, there are a lot of easterly water-vapor fluxes in summer. The frequency of easterly cloud motion winds in summer half year accounts for 27.1% of the total, though the frequency is not high, it is the main water-vapor source of summer precipitation in this region, therefore, the northwest region is a marginal region of the East Asian monsoon. On the other hand, atmospheric water-vapor, precipitation, and conversion rate of water-vapor into precipitation are closely related with altitudes and circulation system. Generally, there is a peak value of water-vapor content at the altitude from 3500 to 4500 m on the windward slope, but on the leeward slope, water-vapor monotonically decreases with altitude descending except for that in the East Asian monsoon region. Water-vapor on the leeward is much less than that on the windward slope~ and the maximal difference in water-vapor content between the two sides may reach about 4.49 kg m-2. Either the values of water-vapor content, precipitation or the conversion rate of water-vapor into precipitation all reach their maxima in the East Asian monsoon regions, and correspondingly the peak value of water-vapor on the windward is also large and occurs at a lower altitude in comparison with other two regions.

Measuring boundary-layer height under clear and cloudy conditions using three instruments

Boundary-layer height （BLH） under clear, altostratus and low stratus cloud conditions were measured by GPS sounding, wind profiler radar, and micro-pulse lidar during the atmospheric radiation measurement experiment from Sep. to Dec. 2008 in Shouxian, Anhui, China. Results showed that during daytime or nighttime, regardless of cloud conditions, the GPS sounding was the most accurate method for measuring BLH. Unfortunately, because of the long time gap between launchings, sounding data did not capture the diurnal evolution of the BLH. Thus, wind profile radar emerged as a promising instrument for direct and continuous measurement of the mixing height during the daytime, accurately determining BLH using the structure parameter of the electromagnetic refractive index. However, during nighttime, radar was limited by weak signal extraction and did not work well for determining the BLH of the stable boundary layer, often recording the BLH of the residual layer. While micro-pulse lidar recorded the evolution of BLH, it overestimated the BLH of the stable boundary layer. This method also failed to work under cloudy conditions because of the influence of water vapor. Future work needs to develop a method to determine BLH that combines the complimentary features of all three algorithms.