TP-PROFILE: Monitoring the Thermodynamic Structure of the Troposphere over the Third Pole

Ground-based microwave radiometers(MWRs)operating in the K-and V-bands(20–60 GHz)can help us obtain temperature and humidity profiles in the troposphere.Aside from some soundings from local meteorological observatories,the tropospheric atmosphere over the Tibetan Plateau(TP)has never been continuously observed.As part of the Chinese Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program(STEP),the Tibetan Plateau Atmospheric Profile(TPPROFILE)project aims to construct a comprehensive MWR troposphere observation network to study the synoptic processes and environmental changes on the TP.This initiative has collected three years of data from the MWR network.This paper introduces the data information,the data quality,and data downloading.Some applications of the data obtained from these MWRs were also demonstrated.Our comparisons of MWR against the nearest radiosonde observation demonstrate that the TP-PROFILE MWR system is adequate for monitoring the thermal and moisture variability of the troposphere over the TP.The continuous temperature and moisture profiles derived from the MWR data provide a unique perspective on the evolution of the thermodynamic structure associated with the heating of the TP.The TP-PROFILE project reveals that the low-temporal resolution instruments are prone to large uncertainties in their vapor estimation in the mountain valleys on the TP.

Performance of surface radiation products of Greenland Ice Sheet using in-situ measurements

Radiation is the direct energy source of the surface natural environment and the main driving force of climate change.It has increasingly become an important meteorological factor affecting the surface heat exchange and glacier mass balance,especially in the glacier changes of the Greenland Ice Sheet(Gr IS).Due to the harsh climatic conditions of Gr IS and sparse observed data,it has become an important way to obtain radiation data from reanalysis datasets.However,the applicability of these radiation data on Gr IS is uncertain and worth exploring.In this work,we evaluate five reanalysis datasets(the fifth generation of European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts(ERA5),European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Interim Reanalysis(ERA-Interim),Japanese 55-year Reanalysis(JRA55),National Centers for Environmental Prediction Reanalysis II(NCEP2)and Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications,Version 2(MERRA-2))during 1997-2022 using observations from 26 Program for Monitoring the Greenland Ice Sheet(PROMICE)automatic weather stations(AWSs)and 3 K-transect AWSs on Gr IS.The conclusions are as follows:ERA5 has the best performances in downward shortwave radiation(SWD)as well as downward and upward longwave radiation(LWD and LWU),but the performance is not the best in upward shortwave radiation(SWU).Based on the radiation budget analysis with ERA5 during 1979-2022,the fluctuation of longwave radiation is greater than that of shortwave radiation.The seasonal variation of shortwave radiation is obvious,while that of longwave radiation is small.The increasing trend of longwave radiation may result from global warming,in which ice sheets absorb more solar radiation and the surface heats up significantly,emitting more LWU.

CHARACTERISTICS OF TROPICAL CYCLONES ACTIVITIES VARYING WITH ENVIRONMENTAL FIELDS OF MID-AND LOWER-LATITUDES

Using historical data from 1951 to 1996, this paper makes statistical study and elaborate comparisons of tropical cyclone (TC) activity in middle and low latitudes. Some useful results have been achieved. For example, about 65% (90% in May) of the low-latitude tropical cyclones can move north into middle latitudes; TCs in middle latitudes move by about 60 more to the east and 10 km/h faster than in low latitudes; about 60% of the TCs dissipate in middle latitudes; the mean intensity is the maximum near the line dividing the middle and low latitude systems. The work paves the way for more work on revealing characteristics of interactions between middle and low latitude circulation systems.

A STUDY OF NEAR SURFACE WIND PROFILES IN THE HEBEI COASTAL AREA BASED ON OBSERVATIONAL EXPERIMENTS

In order to provide wind profiles for the microscale numerical simulation of wind farm with complex terrain,using the 100 m tower atmospheric turbulence observation experiment data in 2010 in Hebei Province offered by National Climate Center, the variation characteristics of wind profile under the different atmospheric stability conditions are analyzed, and the wind profile expression based on the local similarity theory is established. The results show that:(1) In spring, the occurrence probability of unstable stratification in the Hebei coastal area is as high as 28%, and the probability of stable stratification is more than 43% while, in summer, the probability of occurrence of unstable stratification is as high as 80% with a lower probability for stable stratification; and(2) for stable stratification, the characteristics of atmosphere change is dramatic in terms of the vertical direction, which need to be treated layer by layer.According to the atmospheric turbulence observation experiment data above, under stable stratification, the relationship between the dimensionless velocity gradient and the stability ζ can be expressed as 1 +βmζ, with βm changing with the height: βm takes 4.1-4.3 under 30 m, βm takes 4.6-4.7 between 30-50 m, and βm takes 6.3-6.7 over 50 m.

Simulation of secondary aerosols over North China in summer

The comparisons of observed and simulated NOx, CO, O3, NH3, HNO3, SO2 and PM2.5 indicate that CMAQ model can simulate variations of pollutants over North China well.Moreover, the model results show that high NH3 is in Hebei, Henan and Shandong provinces,with average concentration of (30-35)×10-9. The results of the sensitive experiment indicate that high concentration of NH3 has the efficiency of the production of secondary sulfate aerosol increase by more than 30%, especially at the juncture of Handan, Anyang and Changzhi that increased by 50%. In addition, NH3 also produces secondary ammonia and nitrate aerosol, and the sum of them is approximately equal to sulfate aerosol. The height of planetary boundary layer (PBL) in Beijing is higher in daytime, with average height of 1500 m at noon. This makes SO2,NH3 and HNO3 transported into upper PBL of 850 hPa. The high secondary sulfate, and ammonia and nitrate aerosol happen in the upper and lower PBL, respectively. Because PM2.5 lifetime is relatively long, it can be transported into the middle troposphere to form a thick aerosol layer,which is the arched roof of aerosol. The model result suggests that if the aerosol concentration in North China would be controlled, the reduction of NH3 emission is one of efficient ways besides the reduction of primary SO2, NOx and aerosol emission.

ADVANCES IN UNDERSTANDING AND FORECASTING RAPIDLY CHANGING PHENOMENA IN TROPICAL CYCLONES

This review of new understanding and forecasting of tropical cyclones(TCs) is based on presentations at the International Top-level Forum on Rapid Change Phenomena in Tropical Cyclones in Haikou, China. The major topics are the sudden changes in tracks, rapid changes in structure and intensity, rapid changes in rainfall, and advances in forecasting and forecaster requirements. Although improved track forecast guidance has been achieved with the Australian ACCESS-TC model and in track forecasts to 120 h by the China Meteorological Administration, there is a continuing need for better understanding and improved track forecast guidance. Advances in understanding of processes related to rapid intensification(RI), secondary eyewall formation, mechanisms controlling inner-core structure and size changes, and structure and intensity changes at landfall have been achieved, but progress in prediction of rapid changes in structure and intensity has been slow. Taking into account complex interactions involved in TC-related rainfall, a prioritized list of physical processes that govern rainfall from landfalling TCs in China has been developed. While forecaster participants were generally encouraged by the progress being made, they expressed a strong desire for a transition of that new knowledge to timely and reliable forecast guidance products.