| 1. |
- Žagar, Nedjeljka
(författare)
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Assimilation of equatorial waves by line of sight wind observations
- 2004
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Ingår i: Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences. - 0022-4928 .- 1520-0469. ; 61:15, s. 1877-1893
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper investigates the potential of line-of-sight (LOS) wind information from a spaceborne Doppler wind lidar to reduce uncertainties in the analysis fields of equatorial waves. The benefit of LOS winds is assessed by comparing their impact to that of a single wind component, full wind field information, and mass field data in three- and four-dimensional variational data assimilation. The dynamical framework consists of nonlinear shallow-water equations solved in spectral space and a background error term based on eigenmodes derived from linear equatorial wave theory. Based on observational evidence, simulated wave motion fields contain equatorial Kelvin, Rossby, mixed Rossby–gravity, and the lowest two modes of the westward-propagating inertio–gravity waves. The same dynamical structures are included, entirely or partially, into the background error covariance matrix for the multivariate analysis. The relative usefulness of LOS data is evaluated by carrying out “identical twin” observing system simulation experiments and assuming a perfect model. Results from the experiments involving a single observation or an imperfect background error covariance matrix illustrate that the assimilation increments due to LOS wind information rely more on the background error term specification than the full wind field information. This sensitivity is furthermore transferred to the balanced height field increments. However, all assimilation experiments suggest that LOS wind observations have a capability of being valuable and need supplemental information to the existing satellite mass field measurements in the Tropics. Although the new wind information is incomplete, it has a potential to provide reliable analysis of tropical wave motions when it is used together with the height data.
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| 2. |
- Augier, Pierre, et al.
(författare)
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A New Formulation of the Spectral Energy Budget of the Atmosphere, with Application to Two High-Resolution General Circulation Models
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences. - 0022-4928 .- 1520-0469. ; 70:7, s. 2293-2308
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A new formulation of the spectral energy budget of kinetic and available potential energies of the atmosphere is derived, with spherical harmonics as base functions. Compared to previous formulations, there are three main improvements: (i) the topography is taken into account, (ii) the exact three-dimensional advection terms are considered, and (iii) the vertical flux is separated from the energy transfer between different spherical harmonics. Using this formulation, results from two different high-resolution GCMs are analyzed: the Atmospheric GCM for the Earth Simulator (AFES) T639L24 and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Integrated Forecast System (IFS) T1279L91. The spectral fluxes show that the AFES, which reproduces quite realistic horizontal spectra with a k(-5/3) inertial range at the mesoscales, simulates a strong downscale energy cascade. In contrast, neither the k(-5/3) vertically integrated spectra nor the downscale energy cascade are produced by the ECMWF IFS.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Bengtsson, Lisa, 1981-, et al.
(författare)
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Large-Scale Dynamical Response to Subgrid-Scale Organization Provided by Cellular Automata
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences. - 0022-4928 .- 1520-0469. ; 68:12, s. 3132-3144
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Due to the limited resolution of numerical weather prediction (NWP) models, sub-grid scale physical processes are parameterized, and represented by grid-box means. However, some physical processes are better represented by a mean and its variance, a typical example being deep convection, with scales varying from individual updraughts to organized meso-scale systems. In this study, we investigate, in an idealized setting, whether a cellular automaton (CA) can be used in order to enhance sub-grid scale organization by forming clusters representative of the convective scales, and yield a stochastic representation of sub-grid scale variability. We study the transfer of energy from the convective to the larger atmospheric scales through nonlinear wave interactions. This is done using a shallow water (SW) model initialized with equatorial wave modes. By letting a CA act on a finer resolution than that of the SW model, it can be expected to mimic the effect of, for instance, gravity wave propagation on convective organization. Employing the CA-scheme allows to reproduce the observed behaviour of slowing down equatorial Kelvin modes in convectively active regions, while random perturbations fail to feed back on the large-scale flow. The analysis of kinetic energy spectra demonstrates that the CA sub-grid scheme introduces energy back-scatter from the smallest model scales to medium scales. However, the amount of energy back-scattered depends almost solely on the memory time scale introduced to the sub-grid scheme, whereas any variation in spatial scales generated does not influence the energy spectra markedly.
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| 5. |
- Caballero, Rodrigo, et al.
(författare)
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Midlatitude Eddies, Storm-Track Diffusivity, and Poleward Moisture Transport in Warm Climates
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences. - 0022-4928 .- 1520-0469. ; 69:11, s. 3237-3250
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recent work using both simplified and comprehensive GCMs has shown that poleward moisture transport across midlatitudes follows Clausius-Clapeyron scaling at temperatures close to modern, but that it reaches a maximum at sufficiently elevated temperatures and then decreases with further warming. This study explores the reasons for this nonmonotonic behavior using a sequence of NCAR Community Atmosphere Model, version 3 (CAM3) simulations in an aquaplanet configuration spanning a broad range of climates. No significant change is found in the scale, structure, or organization of midlatitude eddies across these simulations. Instead, the high-temperature decrease in poleward moisture transport is attributed to the combined effect of decreasing eddy velocities and contracting mixing lengths. The contraction in mixing length is, in turn, a consequence of the decreasing eddy velocities in combination with constant eddy decorrelation time scales.
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| 6. |
- Caballero, Rodrigo, et al.
(författare)
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Surface superrotation
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences. - 0022-4928 .- 1520-0469. ; 75:10, s. 3671-3689
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Equatorial superrotation is commonly observed in simulations of Earth and planetary climates, but is almost without exception found to occur only at upper levels, with zero or easterly winds at the surface. Surface superrotation—a state with climatological zonal-mean westerlies at the equatorial surface—would lead to a major reorganization of the tropical ocean circulation with important consequences for global climate. Here, we examine the mechanisms that give rise to surface superrotation. We identify four theoretical scenarios under which surface superrotation may be achieved. Using an axisymmetric model forced by prescribed zonal-mean torques, we provide concrete examples of surface superrotation under all four scenarios. We also find that we can induce surface superrotation in a full-complexity atmospheric general circulation model, albeit in an extreme parameter range (in particular, convective momentum transport is artificially increased by almost an order of magnitude). We conclude that a transition to surface superrotation is unlikely in Earth-like climates, including ancient or future warm climates, though this conclusion is subject to the currently large uncertainties in the parameterization of convective momentum transport.
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| 7. |
- Döös, Kristofer, et al.
(författare)
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Analysis of the Meridional Energy Transport by Atmospheric Overturning Circulations
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences. - 0022-4928 .- 1520-0469. ; 68:8, s. 1806-1820
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The atmospheric meridional overturning circulation is computed using the interim European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Re-Analysis (ERA-Interim) data. Meridional mass transport streamfunctions are calculated not only using pressure as a vertical coordinate but also using temperature, specific humidity, and geopotential height as generalized vertical coordinates. Moreover, mass transport streamfunctions are calculated using the latent, the dry static, or the moist static energy as generalized vertical coordinates. The total meridional energy transport can be obtained by integrating these streamfunctions vertically over their entire energy range. The time-averaged mass transport streamfunctions are also decomposed into mean-flow and eddy-induced components. The meridional mass transport streamfunctions with temperature and specific humidity as independent variables yield a two-cell structure with a tropical Hadley-like cell and a pronounced extratropical Ferrel-like cell, which carries warm and moist air poleward. These Ferrel-like cells are much stronger than the Eulerian zonal-mean Ferrel cell, a feature that can be understood by considering the residual circulation related to specific humidity or temperature. Regardless of the generalized vertical coordinate, the present meridional mass transport streamfunctions yield essentially a two-layer structure with one poleward and one equatorward branch. The strongest meridional overturning in the midlatitudes is obtained when the specific humidity or the moist static energy is used as the vertical coordinate, indicating that the specific humidity is the variable that best distinguishes between poleward- and equatorward-moving air in the lower troposphere.
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| 8. |
- Ekman, Annica M. L., et al.
(författare)
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Impact of Two-Way Aerosol-Cloud Interaction and Changes in Aerosol Size Distribution on Simulated Aerosol-Induced Deep Convective Cloud Sensitivity
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences. - 0022-4928 .- 1520-0469. ; 68:4, s. 685-698
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recent cloud-resolving model studies of single (isolated) deep convective clouds have shown contradicting results regarding the response of the deep convection to changes in the aerosol concentration. In the present study, a cloud-resolving model including explicit aerosol physics and chemistry is used to examine how the complexity of the aerosol model, the size of the aerosols, and the aerosol activation parameterization influence the aerosol-induced deep convective cloud sensitivity. Six sensitivity series are conducted. A significant difference in the aerosol-induced deep convective cloud sensitivity is found when using different complexities of the aerosol model and different aerosol activation parameterizations. In particular, graupel impaction scavenging of aerosols appears to be a crucial process because it efficiently may limit the number of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) at a critical stage of cloud development and thereby dampen the convection. For the simulated case, a 100% increase in aerosol concentration results in a difference in average updraft between the various sensitivity series that is as large as the average updraft increase itself. The change in graupel and rain formation also differs significantly. The sign of the change in precipitation is not always directly proportional to the change in updraft velocity and several of the sensitivity series display a decrease of the rain amount with increasing updraft velocity. This result illustrates the need to account for changes in evaporation processes and subsequent cooling when assessing aerosol effects on deep convective strength. The model simulations also show that an increased number of aerosols in the Aitken mode (here defined by 23 <= d <= 100.0 nm) results in a larger impact on the convective strength compared to an increased number of aerosols in the accumulation mode (here defined by 100 <= d <= 900.0 nm). When accumulation mode aerosols are activated and grow at the beginning of the cloud cycle, the supersaturation near the cloud base is lowered, which to some extent limits further aerosol activation. The simulations indicate a need to better understand and represent the two-way interaction between aerosols and clouds when studying aerosol-induced deep convective cloud sensitivity.
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| 9. |
- Fitch, Anna C.
(författare)
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An Improved Double-Gaussian Closure for the Subgrid Vertical Velocity Probability Distribution Function
- 2019
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Ingår i: Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences. - 0022-4928 .- 1520-0469. ; 76, s. 285-304
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The vertical velocity probability distribution function (PDF) is analyzed throughout the depth of the lower atmosphere, including the subcloud and cloud layers, in four large-eddy simulation (LES) cases of shallow cumulus and stratocumulus. Double-Gaussian PDF closures are examined to test their ability to represent a wide range of turbulence statistics, from stratocumulus cloud layers characterized by Gaussian turbulence to shallow cumulus cloud layers displaying strongly non-Gaussian turbulence statistics. While the majority of the model closures are found to perform well in the former case, the latter presents a considerable challenge. A new model closure is suggested that accounts for high skewness and kurtosis seen in shallow cumulus cloud layers. The well-established parabolic relationship between skewness and kurtosis is examined, with results in agreement with previous studies for the subcloud layer. In cumulus cloud layers, however, a modified relationship is necessary to improve performance. The new closure significantly improves the estimation of the vertical velocity PDF for shallow cumulus cloud layers, in addition to performing well for stratocumulus. In particular, the long updraft tail representing the bulk of cloudy points is much better represented and higher-order moments diagnosed from the PDF are also greatly improved. However, some deficiencies remain owing to fundamental limitations of representing highly non-Gaussian turbulence statistics with a double-Gaussian PDF.
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| 10. |
- Flynn, Clare Marie, et al.
(författare)
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Hadley Cell Size and Strength Responses Depend on Turbulent Drag
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences. - 0022-4928 .- 1520-0469. ; 80:4, s. 1047-1064
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The position and strength of the Hadley cell circulation determine the habitable zones in the tropics, yet our understanding of and ability to predict changes in the circulation is limited. One potentially important source of uncertainty is the dependence of the Hadley cell on turbulent drag. Here, the sensitivity of the Hadley cell and associated features such as the intertropical convergence zone to variations in the magnitude of the turbulent drag is explored with an atmospheric general circulation model in aquaplanet configuration. The tropical circulation and precipitation, and extratropical features such as the polar jet stream, displayed a strong sensitivity to the strength of the parameterized turbulent drag, with distinct low- or high-drag regimes. However, the response of the meridional heat transport produced a surprising departure from previous expectations: with greater drag, simulations exhibited less heat transport than low-drag simulations, which is in the opposite sense to that from Held and Hou. This may be due to the energetic constraints in the present model framework. When exposed to a uniform global warming, the response of the ITCZ precipitation depends strongly on the choice of drag, whereas most simulations exhibit a poleward expansion of the subtropics.
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