The Longmen Cloud Physics Field Experiment Base, China Meteorological Administration

Aiming at the needs of mechanism analysis of rainstorms and development of numerical prediction models in south China, the Guangzhou Institute of Tropical and Marine Meteorology of China Meteorological Administration and the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences jointly set up the Longmen Cloud Physics Field Experiment Base,China Meteorological Administration. This paper introduces the instruments and field experiments of this base, provides an overview of the recent advances in retrieval algorithms of microphysical parameters, improved understanding of microphysical characteristics, as well as the formation mechanisms and numerical prediction of heavy rainfalls in south China based on the field experiments dataset.

Advances in Cloud Physics and Weather Modification in China

The capabilities of cloud-resolving numerical models, observational instruments and cloud seeding have improved greatly over recent years in China. The subject of this review focuses on the main progresses made in China in the areas of cloud modeling, field observations, aerosol–cloud interactions, the effects of urbanization on cloud and precipitation, and weather modification.Well-equipped aircraft and ground-based advanced Doppler and polarized radars have been rapidly applied in cloudseeding operations. The combined use of modern techniques such as the Global Positioning System, remote sensing, and Geographical Information Systems has greatly decreased the blindness and uncertainties in weather-modification activities.Weather-modification models based on state-of-the-art cloud-resolving models are operationally run at the National Weather Modification Centre in China for guiding weather-modification programs.Despite important progress having been made, many critical issues or challenges remain to be solved, or require stronger scientific evidence and support, such as the chain of physical events involved in the effects induced by cloud seeding. Current important progresses in measurements and seeding techniques provide the opportunity and possibility to reduce these deficiencies. Long-term scientific projects aimed at reducing these key uncertainties are extremely urgent and important for weather-modification activities in China.

A 35-GHz Polarimetric Doppler Radar and Its Application for Observing Clouds Associated with Typhoon Nuri

Millimeter-wavelength radar has proved to be an effective instrument for cloud observation and research. In this study, 8-mm-wavelength cloud radar （MMCR） with Doppler and polarization capabilities was used to investigate cloud dynamics in China for the first time. Its design, system specifications, calibration, and application in measuring clouds associated with typhoon are discussed in this article. The cloud radar measurements of radar reflectivity （Z）, Doppler velocity （Vr）, velocity spectrum width （Sw） and the depolar-ization ratio （LDR） at vertical incidence were used to analyze the microphysical and dynamic processes of the cloud system and precipitation associated with Typhoon Nuri, which occurred in southern China in August 2008. The results show the reflectivity observed using MMCR to be consistent with the echo height and the melting-layer location data obtained by the nearby China S-band new-generation weather radar （SA）, but the Ka-band MMCR provided more detailed structural information about clouds and weak precipitation data than did the SA radar. The variation of radar reflectivity and LDR in vertical structure reveals the transformation of particle phase from ice to water. The vertical velocity and velocity spectrum width of MMCR observations indicate an updraft and strong turbulence in the stratiform cloud layer. MMCR provides a valuable new technology for meteorological research in China.

Compensating Errors in Cloud Radiative and Physical Properties over the Southern Ocean in the CMIP6 Climate Models

The Southern Ocean is covered by a large amount of clouds with high cloud albedo.However,as reported by previous climate model intercomparison projects,underestimated cloudiness and overestimated absorption of solar radiation(ASR)over the Southern Ocean lead to substantial biases in climate sensitivity.The present study revisits this long-standing issue and explores the uncertainty sources in the latest CMIP6 models.We employ 10-year satellite observations to evaluate cloud radiative effect(CRE)and cloud physical properties in five CMIP6 models that provide comprehensive output of cloud,radiation,and aerosol.The simulated longwave,shortwave,and net CRE at the top of atmosphere in CMIP6 are comparable with the CERES satellite observations.Total cloud fraction(CF)is also reasonably simulated in CMIP6,but the comparison of liquid cloud fraction(LCF)reveals marked biases in spatial pattern and seasonal variations.The discrepancies between the CMIP6 models and the MODIS satellite observations become even larger in other cloud macroand micro-physical properties,including liquid water path(LWP),cloud optical depth(COD),and cloud effective radius,as well as aerosol optical depth(AOD).However,the large underestimation of both LWP and cloud effective radius(regional means~20%and 11%,respectively)results in relatively smaller bias in COD,and the impacts of the biases in COD and LCF also cancel out with each other,leaving CRE and ASR reasonably predicted in CMIP6.An error estimation framework is employed,and the different signs of the sensitivity errors and biases from CF and LWP corroborate the notions that there are compensating errors in the modeled shortwave CRE.Further correlation analyses of the geospatial patterns reveal that CF is the most relevant factor in determining CRE in observations,while the modeled CRE is too sensitive to LWP and COD.The relationships between cloud effective radius,LWP,and COD are also analyzed to explore the possible uncertainty sources in different models.Our study calls for more rigorous calibration of detailed cloud physical properties for future climate model development and climate projection.

New limits on the photon mass with radio pulsars in the Magellanic clouds

A conservative constraint on the rest mass of the photon can be estimated under the assump- tion that the frequency dependence of dispersion from astronomical sources is mainly contributed by the nonzero photon mass effect. Photon mass limits have been set earlier through the optical emissions of the Crab Nebula pulsar, but we demonstrate that these limits can be significantly improved with the dispersion measure （DM） measurements of radio pulsars in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. The combination of DM measurements of pulsars and distances of the Magellanic Clouds provides a strict upper limit on the photon mass as low as mγ≤2.0 ～ 10-45 g, which is at least four orders of magnitude smaller than the constraint from the Crab Nebula pulsar. Although our limit is not as tight as the current best result （～ 10-47 g） from a fast radio burst （FRB 150418） at a cosmological distance, the cosmological origin of FRB 150418 remains under debate; and our limit can reach the same high precision of FRB 150418 when it has an extragalactic origin （ ～10-45 g）.

Case Analysis on Physical Characteristics of Autumn Cumulus-stratus Mixed Cloud in Shandong Province

[Objective] The aim was to analyze physical structures of mixed cloud in autumn in Shandong.[Method] By dint of Doppler radar data,the raindrop spectrum data observed by laser spectrometer,second sounding data of L-band,satellite retrieval data,and other general information,the physical structures of mixed cloud in autumn on August 29,2009 were discussed.[Result] This was a typical precipitation process of mixed cloud,and the main precipitation process lasted for 10 hours.Rainfall intensity was ups and downs obviously with the time.The maximum rainfall intensity was 6.5 mm/h and the normal of that was less than 3.0 mm/h.The rain concentrations were between 5 and 300,and the raindrop spectrum was mainly of bimodal or multimodal peaks.It showed that the precipitating cloud was mainly cold cloud and the development of warm layers was not well according to the vertical structure of clouds which was analyzed by second sounding data.It showed by the Doppler radar data that the whole precipitation process was divided into four stages:prior period and initial,maturing,declining stages for precipitation,which the echo structure of different stages was quite different.[Conclusion] The study laid theoretical basis for the study on precipitation mechanism and artificial precipitation potential.

The Physical Nature of H_2CO Clouds in Dark Clouds, B5 and L1535

By fitting the data of the H 2CO 2 mm (140 GHz and 150 GHz), 2cm (1 45GHz) and, 6 cm (4 3GHz) lines we observed in the dark clouds, B5 and L1535, to the values calculated by the hydrostatic equitlibrium polytropic model developed by B.E. Turner, we derived the total density, the fractional abundance of H 2CO, the column densities of H 2 and CO, the line temperature arising from various transitions, the line temperature ratio between different transitions, and visual extinction at the cores of the clouds. We also examined the effect of external UV field intensity on the line temperatures and their ratios.

Some Physical Aspects of Summer Monsoon Clouds-Comparison of Cloud Model Results with Observations

The physical characteristics of the summer monsoon clouds were investigated. The results of a simple cloud model were compared with the aircraft cloud physical observations collected during the summer monsoon seasons of 1973, 1974, 1976 and 1981 in the Deccan Plateau region.The model predicted profiles of cloud liquid water content (LWC) are in agreement with the observed profiles. There is reasonable agreement between the model predicted cloud vertical thickness and observed rainfall.The observed cloud-drop spectra were found to be narrow and the concentration of drops with diameter > 20um is either low or absent on many occasions. In such clouds the rain-formation cannot take place under natural atmospheric conditions due to the absence of collision-coalescence process. A comparison of the model predicted and observed rainfall suggested that the precipitation efficiency in cumulus clouds of small vertical thickness could be as low as 20 per cent.The clouds forming in the Deccan Plateau region during the summer monsoon are, by and large, cumulus and strato-cumulus type. The vertical thickness of the cumulus clouds is in the range of 1.0-2.0 km. The LWC is found to be more in the region between 1.6-1.9 km A. S. L. , which corresponds to the level at almost 3 / 4 th of the total vertical thickness of the cloud and thereafter the LWC sharply decreased. Nearly 98 per cent of the tops of the low clouds in the region are below freezing level and the most frequent range of occurrence of these cloud-tops is in the range of 2.0-3.0 km A. S. L. The dominant physical mechanism of rain-formation in these summer monsoon clouds is the collision-coalescence process.

The Water-Bearing Numerical Model and Its Operational Forecasting Experiments Part I: The Water-Bearing Numerical Model

In first paper of articles, the physical and calculating schemes of the water-bearing numerical model are described. The model is developed by bearing all species of hydrometeors in a conventional numerical model in which the dynamic framework of hydrostatic equilibrium is taken. The main contributions are: the mixing ratios of all species of hydrometeors are added as the prognostic variables of model, the prognostic equations of these hydrometeors are introduced, the cloud physical framework is specially designed, some technical measures are used to resolve a series of physical, mathematical and computational problems arising from water-bearing; and so on. The various problems (in such aspects as the designs of physical and calculating schemes and the composition of computational programme) which are exposed in feasibility test, in sensibility test, and especially in operational forecasting experiments are successfully resolved using a lot of technical measures having been developed from researches and tests. Finally, the operational forecasting running of the water-bearing numerical model and its forecasting system is realized stably and reliably, and the fine forecasts are obtained. All of these mentioned above will be described in second paper.

Galactic center research:manifestations of the central black hole

This review summarizes a few of the frontiers of Galactic center research that are currently the focus of considerable activity and attention. It is aimed at pro- viding a necessarily incomplete sketch of some of the timely work being done on phenomena taking place in, or originating in, the central few parsecs of the Galaxy, with particular attention to topics related to the Galactic black hole （GBH）. We have chosen to expand on the following exciting topics： 1） the characterization and the im- plications for the variability of emission from the GBH, 2） the strong evidence for a powerful X-ray flare in the Galactic center within the past few hundred years, and the likelihood that the GBH is implicated in that event, 3） the prospects for detecting the ＂shadow＂ of the GBH, 4） an overview of the current state of research on the central S-star cluster, and what has been learned from the stellar orbits within that cluster, and 5） the current hypotheses for the origin of the G2 dust cloud that is projected to make a close passage by the GBH in 2013.

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF MESOSCALE STRUCTURES OF TYPHOON AND OROGRAPHIC EFFECTS USING MM5

The track, landfall, dynamic and thermodynamic and cloud-rain physical mesoscale structures and their evolution of typhoon HERB 1996 in 36 h from 0000 UTC 31 July to 1200 UTC 1 August 1996 were simulated by using the non-hydrostatic mesoscale model MM5. This period covered the process of typhoon HERB landfall at Taiwan and Fujian Provinces. Results show that the model successfully simulated the landfall process of typhoon HERB, revealed the most important characteristics of the mesoscale dynamic and thermodynamic and cloud-rain physical structure during its landfall. The simulated typhoon track was close to the observation. The center of cyclonic circulation simulated at 0000 UTC on 1 August 1996 (24 h integration) was located in shore near Fuqing, Fujian Province at which the typhoon was reported to landfall two hours later. It shows that strong upward motion formed by low level convergence existed in the eye-wall and subsidence at the eye. The wind field shows clear asymmetrical structure near the typhoon center. The cloud and rainband was screw-typed distributed around typhoon center, and consisted of meso-β scale rain cores. During the period of typhoon HERB staying near and passing over Taiwan, the lower cloud was developed in the eye region so that the previous clear typhoon eye on the satellite pictures became fuzzy. Observation shows that the typhoon center was 'warm', but the model simulations with higher space resolution show that in the mid-troposphere the region of eye-wall with stronger upward motion and more cloud-and rain- water was warmer than the eye. During the period of typhoon passing over Taiwan and its following landfall at Fujian, the track of model typhoon deviated about 30 km northward (i. e., rightward) because of the orographic effects of Taiwan Island, but the strength of the typhoon was not affected remarkably. The amount of rainfall on Taiwan in the 36 h simulations was enhanced more than six times by the orographic lifting of Taiwan Mountain.