scholarly journals Synoptic-Scale Variability and Its Relationship with Total Ozone and Antarctic Vortex Displacements

2005 ◽  
Vol 133 (8) ◽  
pp. 2374-2386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula K. Vigliarolo ◽  
Carolina S. Vera ◽  
Susana B. Díaz

Abstract The main synoptic-scale circulation anomaly pattern over extratropical South America during the austral spring (September–November) is identified by means of rotated extended empirical orthogonal function techniques, applied to the meridional wind perturbation time series at 300 hPa. The dataset is based on 15 spring seasons (1979–93) of meteorological data from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction–Department of Energy Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project version-2 daily averaged reanalyses, given in 17 vertical levels from 1000 to 10 hPa. The total-ozone daily measurements for the same period are from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer instrument (version 7). The principal synoptic-scale anomaly pattern is associated with an anticyclone–cyclone pair evolving eastward along subpolar latitudes (and hence it is termed the subpolar mode), with a typical length scale of 5000 km and a phase velocity of 8 m s−1. The subpolar-mode waves, which display the main characteristics of midlatitude baroclinic waves, typically maximize near or above the tropopause and propagate upward into the lower stratosphere, showing large amplitudes even at 50 hPa and above. Subpolar-mode-related circulation anomalies are found to be responsible for large total-ozone daily fluctuations near southern South America and nearby regions. In the positive phase of the subpolar mode, total-ozone fluctuations, which are negative, adopt a sigmoid structure, with a zonal scale as large as the anticyclone–cyclone pair. Moreover, it is herein shown that the associated anticyclone produces a local ozone-column decrease to the north and east of its center, due to adiabatic uplift of air parcels in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. At the same time, the downstream cyclonic disturbance is responsible for large negative total-ozone anomalies to the west and south of its center. As the cyclone develops in the lower stratosphere, it promotes the northward incursion of the Antarctic vortex up to about 55°S, along with air masses of highly depleted ozone levels.

2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 2805-2823 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jared H. Bowden ◽  
Tanya L. Otte ◽  
Christopher G. Nolte ◽  
Martin J. Otte

Abstract This study evaluates interior nudging techniques using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model for regional climate modeling over the conterminous United States (CONUS) using a two-way nested configuration. NCEP–Department of Energy Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP-II) Reanalysis (R-2) data are downscaled to 36 km × 36 km by nudging only at the lateral boundaries, using gridpoint (i.e., analysis) nudging and using spectral nudging. Seven annual simulations are conducted and evaluated for 1988 by comparing 2-m temperature, precipitation, 500-hPa geopotential height, and 850-hPa meridional wind to the 32-km North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR). Using interior nudging reduces the mean biases for those fields throughout the CONUS compared to the simulation without interior nudging. The predictions of 2-m temperature and fields aloft behave similarly when either analysis or spectral nudging is used. For precipitation, however, analysis nudging generates monthly precipitation totals, and intensity and frequency of precipitation that are closer to observed fields than spectral nudging. The spectrum of 250-hPa zonal winds simulated by the WRF model is also compared to that of the R-2 and NARR. The spatial variability in the WRF model is reduced by using either form of interior nudging, and analysis nudging suppresses that variability more strongly than spectral nudging. Reducing the nudging strengths on the inner domain increases the variability but generates larger biases. The results support the use of interior nudging on both domains of a two-way nest to reduce error when the inner nest is not otherwise dominated by the lateral boundary forcing. Nevertheless, additional research is required to optimize the balance between accuracy and variability in choosing a nudging strategy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1594
Author(s):  
Songkang Kim ◽  
Sang-Jong Park ◽  
Hana Lee ◽  
Dha Hyun Ahn ◽  
Yeonjin Jung ◽  
...  

The ground-based ozone observation instrument, Brewer spectrophotometer (Brewer), was used to evaluate the quality of the total ozone column (TOC) produced by multiple polar-orbit satellite measurements at three stations in Antarctica (King Sejong, Jang Bogo, and Zhongshan stations). While all satellite TOCs showed high correlations with Brewer TOCs (R = ~0.8 to 0.9), there are some TOC differences among satellite data in austral spring, which is mainly attributed to the bias of Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) TOC. The quality of satellite TOCs is consistent between Level 2 and 3 data, implying that “which satellite TOC is used” can induce larger uncertainty than “which spatial resolution is used” for the investigation of the Antarctic TOC pattern. Additionally, the quality of satellite TOC is regionally different (e.g., OMI TOC is a little higher at the King Sejong station, but lower at the Zhongshan station than the Brewer TOC). Thus, it seems necessary to consider the difference of multiple satellite data for better assessing the spatiotemporal pattern of Antarctic TOC.


Atmosphere ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Firanj Sremac ◽  
Branislava Lalić ◽  
Milena Marčić ◽  
Ljiljana Dekić

The aim of this research is to present a weather-based forecasting system for apple fire blight (Erwinia amylovora) and downy mildew of grapevine (Plasmopara viticola) under Serbian agroecological conditions and test its efficacy. The weather-based forecasting system contains Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) model outputs and a disease occurrence model. The weather forecast used is a product of the high-resolution forecast (HRES) atmospheric model by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). For disease modelling, we selected a biometeorological system for messages on the occurrence of diseases in fruits and vines (BAHUS) because it contains both diseases with well-known and tested algorithms. Several comparisons were made: (1) forecasted variables for the fifth day are compared against measurements from the agrometeorological network at seven locations for three months (March, April, and May) in the period 2012–2018 to determine forecast efficacy; (2) BAHUS runs driven with observed and forecast meteorology were compared to test the impact of forecasted meteorological data; and (3) BAHUS runs were compared with field disease observations to estimate system efficacy in plant disease forecasts. The BAHUS runs with forecasted and observed meteorology were in good agreement. The results obtained encourage further development, with the goal of fully utilizing this weather-based forecasting system.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-128
Author(s):  
Philip Rupp ◽  
Thomas Birner

Abstract. A pronounced signature of stratosphere–troposphere coupling is a robust negative anomaly in the surface northern annular mode (NAM) following sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) events, consistent with an equatorward shift in the tropospheric jet. It has previously been pointed out that tropospheric synoptic-scale eddy feedbacks, mainly induced by anomalies in the lowermost extratropical stratosphere, play an important role in creating this surface NAM signal. Here, we use the basic set-up of idealised baroclinic life cycles to investigate the influence of stratospheric conditions on the behaviour of tropospheric synoptic-scale eddies. Particular attention is given to the enhancement of the tropospheric eddy response by surface friction and the sensitivity to wind anomalies in the lower stratosphere. We find systems that include a tropospheric jet only (modelling post-SSW conditions) to be characterised by an equatorward shift in the tropospheric jet in the final state of the life cycle, relative to systems that include a representation of the polar vortex (mimicking more undisturbed stratospheric wintertime conditions), consistent with the observed NAM response after SSWs. The corresponding relative surface NAM signal is increased if the system includes surface friction, presumably due to a direct coupling of the eddy field at tropopause level to the surface winds. We further show that the jet shift signal observed in our experiments is mainly caused by changes in the zonal wind structure of the lowermost stratosphere, while changes in the wind structure of the middle and upper stratosphere have almost no influence.


2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 31891-31932 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Paoli ◽  
O. Thouron ◽  
J. Escobar ◽  
J. Picot ◽  
D. Cariolle

Abstract. Large-eddy simulations of sub-kilometer-scale turbulence in the upper troposphere lower stratosphere (UTLS) are carried out and analyzed using the mesoscale atmospheric model Méso-NH. Different levels of turbulence are generated using a large-scale stochastic forcing technique that was especially devised to treat atmospheric stratified flows. The study focuses on the analysis of turbulence statistics, including mean quantities and energy spectra, as well as on a detailed description of flow topology. The impact of resolution is also discussed by decreasing the grid spacing to 2 m and increasing the number of grid points to 8×109. Because of atmospheric stratification, turbulence is substantially anisotropic, and large elongated structures form in the horizontal directions, in accordance with theoretical analysis and spectral direct numerical simulations of stably stratified flows. It is also found that the inertial range of horizontal kinetic energy spectrum, generally observed at scales larger than a few kilometers, is prolonged into the sub-kilometric range, down to the Ozmidov scales that obey isotropic Kolmorogov turbulence. The results are in line with observational analysis based on in situ measurements from existing campaigns.


2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (8) ◽  
pp. 2045-2064 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renata G. Tedeschi ◽  
Alice M. Grimm ◽  
Iracema F. A. Cavalcanti

2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 1547-1572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvio N. Figueroa ◽  
José P. Bonatti ◽  
Paulo Y. Kubota ◽  
Georg A. Grell ◽  
Hugh Morrison ◽  
...  

Abstract This article describes the main features of the Brazilian Global Atmospheric Model (BAM), analyses of its performance for tropical rainfall forecasting, and its sensitivity to convective scheme and horizontal resolution. BAM is the new global atmospheric model of the Center for Weather Forecasting and Climate Research [Centro de Previsão de Tempo e Estudos Climáticos (CPTEC)], which includes a new dynamical core and state-of-the-art parameterization schemes. BAM’s dynamical core incorporates a monotonic two-time-level semi-Lagrangian scheme, which is carried out completely on the model grid for the tridimensional transport of moisture, microphysical prognostic variables, and tracers. The performance of the quantitative precipitation forecasts (QPFs) from two convective schemes, the Grell–Dévényi (GD) scheme and its modified version (GDM), and two different horizontal resolutions are evaluated against the daily TRMM Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis over different tropical regions. Three main results are 1) the QPF skill was improved substantially with GDM in comparison to GD; 2) the increase in the horizontal resolution without any ad hoc tuning improves the variance of precipitation over continents with complex orography, such as Africa and South America, whereas over oceans there are no significant differences; and 3) the systematic errors (dry or wet biases) remain virtually unchanged for 5-day forecasts. Despite improvements in the tropical precipitation forecasts, especially over southeastern Brazil, dry biases over the Amazon and La Plata remain in BAM. Improving the precipitation forecasts over these regions remains a challenge for the future development of the model to be used not only for numerical weather prediction over South America but also for global climate simulations.


2004 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 789-806 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Brahmananda Rao ◽  
J. P. R. Fernandez ◽  
S. H. Franchito

Abstract. Characteristics of quasi-stationary (QS) waves in the Southern Hemisphere are discussed using 49 years (1950–1998) of NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data. A comparison between the stationary wave amplitudes and phases between the recent data (1979–1998) and the entire 49 years data showed that the differences are not large and the 49 years data can be used for the study. Using the 49 years of data it is found that the amplitude of QS wave 1 has two maxima in the upper atmosphere, one at 30°S and the other at 55°S. QS waves 2 and 3 have much less amplitude. Monthly variation of the amplitude of QS wave 1 shows that it is highest in October, particularly in the upper troposphere and stratosphere. To examine the QS wave propagation Plumb's methodology is used. A comparison of Eliassen-Palm fluxes for El Niño and La Niña events showed that during El Niño events there is a stronger upward and equatorward propagation of QS waves, particularly in the austral spring. Higher upward propagation indicates higher energy transport. A clear wave train can be identified at 300hPa in all the seasons except in summer. The horizontal component of wave activity flux in the El Niño composite seems to be a Rossby wave propagating along a Rossby wave guide, at first poleward until it reaches its turning latitude in the Southern Hemisphere midlatitudes, then equatorward in the vicinity of South America. The position of the center of positive anomalies in the austral spring in the El Niño years over the southeast Pacific, near South America, favors the occurrence of blocking highs in this region. This agrees with a recent numerical study by Renwick and Revell (1999). Key words. Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (climatology; general circulation; ocean-atmosphere interactions)


Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1099
Author(s):  
Sabina Ștefan ◽  
Bogdan Antonescu ◽  
Ana Denisa Urlea ◽  
Livius Buzdugan ◽  
Meda Daniela Andrei ◽  
...  

Clear air turbulence (CAT) poses a significant threat to aviation. CAT usually occurs in the lower stratosphere and the upper troposphere. It is generally associated with large scale waves, mountain waves, jet streams, upper-level fronts and tropopause folds. Aircraft can experience CAT when flying in proximity of a tropopause fold. To better understand and diagnose tropopause fold- associated CAT we selected a series of cases from among those reported by pilots between June 2017 and December 2018 in the Romanian airspace. Data on turbulence were used in conjunction with meteorological data, satellite imagery, and vertical profiles. Additionally, a set of indices as Ellrod, horizontal temperature gradient, Dutton, and Brown were computed to diagnose CAT associated with tropopause folding. These indices were also analyzed to test the physics mechanisms that may explain the occurrence of severe turbulence. Results show that out of the 420 cases announced by pilots, severe turbulence was reported in 80 cases of which 13 were associated with tropopause folding.


2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shao Dong Zhang ◽  
Chun Ming Huang ◽  
Kai Ming Huang ◽  
Ye Hui Zhang ◽  
Yun Gong ◽  
...  

Abstract. By applying 12-year (1998–2009) radiosonde data over a midlatitude station, we studied the vertical wavenumber spectra of three-dimensional wind fluctuations. The horizontal wind spectra in the lower stratosphere coincide well with the well-known universal spectra, with mean spectral slopes of −2.91 ± 0.09 and −2.99 ± 0.09 for the zonal and meridional wind spectra, respectively, while the mean slopes in the troposphere are −2.64 ± 0.07 and −2.70  ±  0.06, respectively, which are systematically less negative than the canonical slope of −3. In both the troposphere and lower stratosphere, the spectral amplitudes (slopes) of the horizontal wind spectra are larger (less negative) in winter, and they are larger (less negative) in the troposphere than in the lower stratosphere. Moreover, we present the first statistical results of vertical wind fluctuation spectra, which revealed a very shallow spectral structure, with mean slopes of −0.58 ± 0.06 and −0.23 ± 0.05 in the troposphere and lower stratosphere, respectively. Such a shallow vertical wind fluctuation spectrum is considerably robust. Different from the horizontal wind spectrum, the slopes of the vertical wind spectra in both the troposphere and lower stratosphere are less negative in summer. The height variation of vertical wind spectrum amplitude is also different from that of the horizontal wind spectrum, with a larger amplitude in the lower stratosphere. These evident differences between the horizontal and vertical wind spectra strongly suggest they should obey different spectral laws. Quantitative comparisons with various theoretical models show that no existing spectral theories can comprehensively explain the observed three-dimensional wind spectra, indicating that the spectral features of atmospheric fluctuations are far from fully understood.


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