Consistent Modelling of Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamic Processes in the Atmosphere

<p>Approximations in the moist thermodynamics of atmospheric/weather models are often inconsistent. Different parts of numerical models may handle the thermodynamics in different ways, or the approximations may disagree with the laws of thermodynamics. In order to address these problems we may derive all relevant thermodynamic quantities from a defined thermodynamic potential; approximations are then instead made to the potential itself --- this guarantees self-consistency. This concept is viable for vapor and liquid water mixtures in a moist atmospheric system using the Gibbs function but on extension to include the ice phase an ambiguity exists at the triple-point. In order to resolve this the energy function must be used instead; constrained maximisation methods may be used on the entropy in order to solve the system equilibrium state. Once this is done however, a further extension is necessary for atmospheric systems. In the Earth's atmosphere many important non-equilibrium processes take place; for example, freezing of super-cooled water, evaporation, and precipitation. To fully capture these processes the equilibrium method must be reformulated to involve finite rates of approach towards equilibrium. This may be done using various principles of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, principally Onsager reciprocal relations. A numerical scheme may then be implemented which models the competing finite processes in a moist thermodynamic system.</p>

Gênese e probabilidade ocorrência de tornados no Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

This research concerns in to study the genesis of tornadoes in Rio Grande do Sul, a database was made using meteorological channel data, city newspapers and published works to find confirmed records. We used Synoptic Letters of the Brazilian Navy and the INPE satellite images analyzed on the day of each event, the atmospheric systems that were present on the day of the tornado records were identified. The seasonality of recorded events was still identified.

Jumping Sundogs, Cat’s Eye and Ferrofluids

We have explored some features of the complex fluids present in Earth’s atmosphere by the observation of some optical phenomena and compared them to the optical phenomena observed in gems and magnetic materials. The main feature of a complex fluid is that it contains polyatomic structures such as polymer molecules or colloidal grains. This paper includes some setups using tabletop experiments, which are intended to show concretely the principles discussed, giving a sense of how well the idealizations treated apply to the atmospheric systems. We have explored sundogs, light pillars, and the halo formation, which involve the existence of a certain structure in the atmospheric medium, resembling the structures observed in some types of gems and ferrofluids.

Consistent Modelling of Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamic Processes in the Atmosphere

<p>Approximations in the moist thermodynamics of atmospheric/weather models are often inconsistent. Different parts of numerical models may handle the thermodynamics in different ways, or the approximations may disagree with the laws of thermodynamics. In order to address these problems, we may derive all relevant thermodynamic quantities from a defined thermodynamic potential; approximations are then instead made to the potential itself — this guarantees self-consistency. This concept is viable for vapor and liquid water mixtures in a moist atmospheric system using the Gibbs function but on extension to include the ice phase an ambiguity presents itself at the triple-point. In order to resolve this the energy function must be utilised instead; constrained maximisation methods can then be used on the entropy in order to solve the system equilibrium state. Once this is done however, a further extension is necessary for atmospheric systems. In the Earth’s atmosphere many important non-equilibrium processes take place; for example, freezing of super-cooled water, evaporation, and precipitation. To fully capture these processes the equilibrium method must be reformulated to involve finite rates of approach towards equilibrium. This may be done using various principles of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, principally Onsager reciprocal relations. A numerical scheme may then be implemented which models competing finite processes in a moist thermodynamic system.</p>

Eventos extremos no estado do Ceará, Brasil: uma análise estatística de episódios pluviométricos no mês de março de 2019

Nesta investigação, foram analisados acumulados diários expressivos de precipitação pluvial que ocorreram em março de 2019 no estado do Ceará, com o intuito de identificar se os mesmos foram considerados extremos (a partir da Metodologia Estatística dos Máximos de Precipitação), além de analisar os sistemas atmosféricos que deflagraram tais eventos e possíveis danos ocasionados. Foram selecionados os dez maiores acumulados diários de março registrados nos postos da Fundação Cearense de Meteorologia e Recursos Hídricos - FUNCEME e identificados os sistemas atmosféricos atuantes que contribuíram para tais episódios pluviométricos a partir de imagens de satélites disponibilizadas pelo Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais - INPE. Os acumulados diários foram, ao menos, um dos três maiores já registrados nos postos (cinco foram recordes) e estavam associados à atuação conjunta de dois ou mais sistemas atmosféricos. As TSMs do Atlântico (próximo à costa) apresentaram um padrão favorável à ocorrência de precipitações. Os acumulados diários foram pontuais e contribuíram para um considerável aporte de água apenas em algumas reservas hídricas do estado, pois as chuvas não apresentaram uma distribuição espaço-temporal homogênea. Abstract EXTREME EVENTS IN THE STATE OF CEARÁ, BRAZIL: A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF RAINFALL EPISODES IN MARCH 2019 In this investigation, we analyzed expressive daily accumulated of pluvial precipitation that occurred in March 2019 in the State of Ceará, in order to identify if they were considered extreme (from the Statistical Methodology of the Maximum Precipitation), and to analyze the atmospheric systems that started such events and possible damage caused by them. The ten largest daily accumulations of March recorded in the posts of the Foundation for Metereological and Hydric Resources of Ceará State (FUNCEME) were selected. At the same time, the atmospheric systems that contributed to these pluviometric episodes were identified from satellite images provided by the National Institute of Space Research (INPE). Daily accruals were at least one of the three largest already registered at the stations (five were records) and were associated with joint performance of two or more atmospheric systems. Atlantic TMSM (near the coast) showed a favorable pattern for precipitation. The daily accumulations were punctual and allowed a considerable contribution only in some water reserves of the Ceará State, because the rain did not present a homogeneous spatial/temporal distribution.

Relação entre o Vapor D’Água Atmosférico e a Temperatura da Superfície do Mar Sobre a Região da Confluência Brasil-Malvinas, com Base em Dados Coletados In Situ (Relationship between Atmospheric Water Vapor Content and the Sea Surface Temperature in the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence considering Data Collected In Situ)

O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar a influência dos gradientes de TSM e da passagem de sistemas atmosféricos transientes sobre a região da Confluência Brasil-Malvinas (CBM) no Oceano Atlântico Sudoeste e descrever a variabilidade espacial e temporal da concentração de vapor d’água dentro da camada limite atmosférica marinha (CLAM). Os dados foram obtidos a partir de 130 perfis de radiossondas realizados durante dez cruzeiros oceanográficos feitos durante os meses de outubro e novembro entre 2004 e 2015. Os resultados mostram que os gradientes termais entre as águas quentes da Corrente do Brasil e as águas frias da Corrente das Malvinas foram capazes de produzir diferenças significativas no conteúdo de vapor d'água na CLAM nos dois lados da frente oceanográfica. Na superfície, o valor médio da umidade específica sobre o lado quente (frio) foi 8,4 ± 1,67 mm (7,08 ± 1,51 mm). Em todas as observações realizadas, a umidade integrada na CLAM foi diretamente influenciada pela advecção e pela passagem de sistemas atmosféricos transientes. A B S T R A C TThe objective of this work was to analyze the influence of the SST gradients and the passage of transient atmospheric systems at the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence (BMC) region in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean, and to describe the spatial and temporal variability of the water vapor concentration within the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL). The data were obtained from 130 radiosondes profiles taken during ten oceanographic cruises carried out during the months of October and November between 2004 and 2015. The results show that the thermal gradients between the warm waters of Brazil Current and the cold waters of the Malvinas Current were able to produce significant differences in the water vapor content of the MABL on both sides of the oceanographic front. On the surface, the average of the specific humidity over the warm (cold) side was 8.4 ± 1.67 mm (7.08 ± 1.51 mm). In all the observations made, the water vapor integrated in the MABL was directly influenced by the advection and by the passage of transient atmospheric systems. Key words: Water Vapor; Brazil-Malvinas Confluence; Atmospheric boundary layer

CARACTERIZAÇÃO DOS ASPECTOS SEDIMENTOLÓGICOS E GRANULOMÉTRICOS ASSOCIADOS À FOZ DO RIO COREAÚ – CE, BRASIL

A zona costeira é um ambiente dinâmico de transição que apresenta uma interface entre os sistemas continentais, marinhos e atmosféricos. A área de estudo se localiza no município de Camocim-CE na região da foz do rio Coreaú, compreendendo também áreas adjacentes em ambas às margens. O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar os aspectos deposicionais a partir da granulometria dos sistemas ambientais costeiros, para caracterização sedimentológica das principais unidades geomorfológicas da foz do rio Coreaú. Em campo foram coletadas amostras superficiais de três sistemas litorâneos – Duna; Estirâncio e Estuário. A sedimentação da área estudada é controlada pela influência marinha, com a predominância de areias quartzosas muito fina no subsistema duna e estuário. No estirâncio defronte a falésia costeira na margem esquerda houve predominância de cascalho fino. Já o estirâncio da Ilha do amor apresentou areia grossa e muito fina no estirâncio superior e inferior, respectivamente.Palavras-chave: Rio Coreaú; Sedimentologia; Granulometria. ABSTRACTThe coastal zone is a dynamic transition between the continental, marine, and atmospheric systems. The study area is located in the Coreaú river mouth, Camocim-CE. The aim was to characterize the depositional aspects from the grain size and sedimentology of coastal environmental systems to characterize the main geomorphological units. It was collected superficial samples of three coastal systems - Dune; Foreshore and Estuary. The sedimentation is controlled by the marine influence, with the predominance of very fine-grained quartz sands in the dune and estuary. In the foreshore of the coastal cliff at the left margin there was a predominance of fine gravel, as well as coarse and very fine sand in the upper and lower foreshore, respectively (Ilha do Amor).Keywords: Coreaú River; Sedimentology; Grain Size. RESUMEN La zona costera es un entorno dinámico de transición que presenta una interfaz entre los sistemas continentales, marinos y atmosféricos. La zona de investigación está ubicada en la ciudad de Camocim-CE, en la desembocadura del río Coreaú, y además comprende zonas adyacentes en ambas márgenes. El objetivo de la investigación fue caracterizar los aspectos deposicionales desde la granulometría de los sistemas ambientales costeros presentes en la zona, para caracterización sedimentario de las principales unidades geomorfológicas de la desembocadura del río Coreaú. La continuación se recogieron muestras superficiales de tres sistemas litorales – Duna; estrán y estuario. La sedimentación del área está controlada por la influencia marina, con la predominancia de arenas cuarzo muy fina en el subsistema duna y estuario. En la zona intermareale frente al acantilado costero en la margen izquierda hubo predominancia de arena fina. Ya en la zona intermareale de la Ilha do Amor presentó arena gruesa y muy fina en la estrán superior e inferior, respectivamente.Palabras clave: Río Coreaú; sedimentología; granulometría.