The Dynamical and Climate Tests of an Atmospheric General Circulation Model Using the Second-Order Adams-Bashforth Method

The Asselin-Robert time filter used in the leapfrog scheme can degrade the accuracy of calculations.The second-order Adams-Bashforth method with the same accuracy as the leapfrog scheme is not subject to time splitting instability.A new semi-implicit atmospheric general circulation spectral model is developed on the basis of NCAR（National Center for Atmospheric Research）CAM3.0（Community Atmosphere Model 3.0）.In this new model,the second-order Adams-Bashforth method is used as an alternative to the leapfrog scheme,and a Crank-Nicholson scheme is incorporated for the treatment of fast gravity modes.In this paper,the new model is tested by the Held-Suarez test and an idealized baroclinic wave test.Results of the Held-Suarez test show that the second-order Adams-Bashforth model has similar climate states to those of many other global models and it converges with resolutions.Based on the idealized baroclinic wave test,the capability of different time differencing methods for keeping the initial steady-state are compared. This convinces a better ability of the second-order Adams-Bashforth method in maintaining the stability of the initial state.Furthermore,after the baroclinic wave is triggered through overlaying the steady-state initial conditions with the zonal perturbation,the second-order Adams-Bashforth method has an excellent property of convergence,and can represent the process of the baroclinic wave development much better than the original scheme in CAM3.0.A long-term integration of the new model during the period of 1980–1999 is also carried out and compared with that of CAM3.0.It is found that due to the reduction of simulation errors of prognostic variables,the second-order Adams-Bashforth method also has a better simulation ability for the diagnostic variables,such as precipitation.

Climate change characteristics of Amur River

Unusually severe weather is occurring more frequently due to global climate change. Heat waves, rainstorms, snowstorms, and droughts are becoming increasingly common all over the world, threatening human lives and property. Both temperature and precipitation are representative variables usually used to directly reflect and forecast the influences of climate change. In this study, daily data （from 1953 to 1995） and monthly data （from 1950 to 2010） of temperature and precipitation in five regions of the Amur River were examined. The significance of changes in temperature and precipitation was tested using the Mann-Kendall test method. The amplitudes were computed using the linear least-squares regression model, and the extreme temperature and precipitation were analyzed using hydrological statistical methods. The results show the following： the mean annual temperature increased significantly from 1950 to 2010 in the five regions, mainly due to the warming in spring and winter; the annual precipitation changed significantly from 1950 to 2010 only in the lower mainstream of the Amur River; the frequency of extremely low temperature events decreased from 1953 to 1995 in the mainstream of the Amur River; the frequency of high temperature events increased from 1953 to 1995 in the mainstream of the Amur River; and the frequency of extreme precipitation events did not change significantly from 1953 to 1995 in the mainstream of the Amur River. This study provides a valuable theoretical basis for settling disputes between China and Russia on sustainable development and utilization of water resources of the Amur River.