TRMM-retrieved Cloud Structure and Evolution of MCSs over the Northern South China Sea and Impacts of CAPE and Vertical Wind Shear

Cloud structure and evolution of Mesoscale Convective Systems （MCSs） retrieved from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Microwave Imager （TRMM TMI） and Precipitation Radar （PR） were investigated and compared with some pioneer studies based on soundings and models over the northern South China Sea （SCS）. The impacts of Convective Available Potential Energy （CAPE） and environmental vertical wind shear on MCSs were also explored. The main features of MCSs over the SCS were captured well by both TRMM PR and TMI. However, the PR-retrieved surface rainfall in May was less than that in June, and the reverse for TMI. TRMM-retrieved rainfall amounts were generally consistent with those estimated from sounding and models. However, rainfall amounts from sounding-based and PR-based estimates were relatively higher than those retrieved from TRMM-TMI data. The Weather Research and Forecasting （WRF） modeling simulation underestimated the maximum rain rate by 22% compared to that derived from TRMM-PR, and underestimated mean rainfall by 10.4% compared to the TRMM-TMI estimate, and by 12.5% compared to the sounding-based estimate. The warm microphysical processes modeled from both the WRF and the Goddard Cumulus Ensemble （GCE） models were quite close to those based on TMI, but the ice water contents in the models were relatively less compared to that derived from TMI. The CAPE and wind shear induced by the monsoon circulation were found to play critical roles in maintaining and developing the intense convective clouds over SCS. The latent heating rate increased more than twofold during the monsoon period and provided favorable conditions for the upward transportation of energy from the ocean, giving rise to the possibility of inducing large-scale interactions.

南海季风爆发期间中尺度对流云带演变特征与持续性加强的机理研究

南海季风爆发与随后爆发的东亚季风,与夏季东亚地区旱涝关系密切,而相伴的南海对流活动与季风爆发的维持和发展存在何种相互关系,是需要探究的。为此,利用热带测雨卫星(Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mis-sion,TRMM)的雷达(Precipitation Radar,PR)、微波成像仪(TRMM Microwave Imager,TMI)、加密探空等综合观测资料,研究了1998年5~6月中国南海季风试验(South China Sea Monsoon Experiment,SCSMEX)期间南海北部(15°N^25°N,108°E^122°E)中尺度对流云带的结构、演变和降水特征,探讨了对流有效位能、风切变及相变潜热在对流云带维持和发展中的作用机理。结果表明,季风爆发前南海北部地区尽管存在较大的对流有效位能(convective available potential energy,CAPE),但垂直风切变很小。季风爆发后,季风环流使对流有效位能和垂直风切变加强和维持,从而导致南海的对流云呈现维持和加强的态势,可发展为深厚中尺度对流云,降水加强。季风爆发期间对流发展产生的水分相变潜热加热率可增加2倍以上,加热、加湿廓线幅度加大、厚度变深,不仅为南海热量、水汽的向上持续性传输提供了有利条件,而且频繁持续的对流活动所提供的热力、动力效应对季风环流的发展和维持的是起正作用的。