Gao Shouting

Wind-driven ocean circulation in shallow water lattice Boltzmann model

A lattice Boltzmann (LB) model with overall second-order accuracy is applied to the 1.5-layer shallow water equation for a wind-driven double-gyre ocean circulation. By introducing the second-order integral approximation for the collision operator, the model becomes fully explicit. In this case, any iterative technique is not needed. The Coriolis force and other external forces are included in the model with second-order accuracy, which is consistent with the discretized accuracy of the LB equation. The numerical results show correct physics of the ocean circulation driven by the double-gyre wind stress with different Reynolds numbers and different spatial resolutions. An intrinsic low-frequency variability of the shallow water model is also found. The wind-driven ocean circulation exhibits subannual and interannual oscillations, which are comparable to those of models in which the conventional numerical methods are used.

Moisture Transport over the Arabian Sea Associated with Summer Rainfall over Pakistan in 1994 and 2002

In this study, we aimed to elucidate the critical role of moisture transport affecting monsoon activity in two contrasting summers over the Arabian Sea during the years 1994, a relatively wet year, and 2002, a relatively dry year. A comprehensive diagnostic evaluation and comparisons of the moisture fields were conducted; we focused on the precipitation and evaporation as well as the moisture transport and its divergence or convergence in the atmosphere. Monthly mean reanalysis data were obtained from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP-I and -II). A detailed evaluation of the moisture budgets over Pakistan during these two years was made by calculating the latent energy flux at the surface (E-P) from the divergence of the total moisture transport. Our results confirm the moisture supply over the Arabian Sea to be the major source of rainfall in Pakistan and neighboring regions. In 1994, Pakistan received more rainfall compared to 2002 during the summer monsoon. Moisture flow deepens and strengthens over Arabian Sea during the peak summer monsoon months of July and August. Our analysis shows that vertically integrated moisture transport flux have a significant role in supplying moisture to the convective centers over Pakistan and neighboring regions from the divergent regions of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Moreover, in 1994, a deeper vertically integrated moisture convergence progression occurred over Pakistan compared to that in 2002. Perhaps that deeper convergence resulted in a more intense moisture depression over Pakistan and also caused more rainfall in 1994 during the summer monsoon. Finally, from the water budget analysis, it has been surmised that the water budget was larger in 1994 than in 2002 during the summer monsoon.

Total deformation and its role in heavy precipitation events associated with deformation-dominant flow patterns

In this paper, it is elucidated that the total deformation (TD), defined as the square root of the sum of squared stretching deformation and squared shearing deformation, is an invariant independent of the coordinate system used. An idealized flow field is then constructed to demonstrate the confluence effect of a non-divergent and irrotational deformation field on moisture transport. To explore the characteristics and role of TD, one heavy rainfall case that occurred in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (MRYR) over China, associated with a front with shear line, is analyzed using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model output data. It is found that right before the occurrence of precipitation, the effect of the confluence induced by deformation on moisture transport provides a favorable condition for precipitation.During the precipitation, both location and orientation of the zone of large TD coincide with the confluent shear line. The rainbands are nearly parallel with, and located lightly to the south of the zones of large TD and the confluent shear line. The TD in the lower troposphere increases in value as precipitation persists. When TD approaches its maximal value, the next 6-hour precipitation reaches its peak correspondingly.A tendency equation for TD is derived. The analysis of linear correlation and RMS difference between individual terms in the total deformation equation and the sum of the terms shows that the pressure gradient plays a major role in determining the local change of total deformation.

Investigations into Precipitation and Drought Climatologies in South Central Asia with Special Focus on Pakistan over the Period 1951–2010

AbstractThe climatology of precipitation and drought are analyzed by using different indices in the region of south central Asia (SCA). The spatial precipitation pattern is delineated by using principal component analysis (PCA) over the period of 1951–2010, which identifies six subregions in the SCA. The monthly and annual trends of precipitation were analyzed by applying the five statistical tests: Student’s t, Mann–Kendall, and Spearman’s rho tests for linear trend and turning point analysis and Sen’s slope for randomness and slope magnitude, respectively, at the α = 0.05 significance level. The time series analysis shows data similarity between Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (GPCC) and area-weighted precipitation of 52 meteorological stations in Pakistan, which results in a high correlation (R2 = 0.93). Two main drought periods were identified (1971 and 2000–02); also, 2001 was an extremely dry year in the SCA region. The drought in 1952 was the most severe in Pakistan; the longest drought per...

Impacts of Cloud-Induced Mass Forcing on the Development of Moist Potential Vorticity Anomaly During Torrential Rains

The impacts of cloud-induced mass forcing on the development of the moist potential vorticity (MPV) anomaly associated with torrential rains are investigated by using NCEP/NCAR 1° × 1° data. The MPV tendency equation with the cloud-induced mass forcing is derived, and applied to the torrential rain event over the Changjiang River-Huaihe River Valleys during 26–30 June 1999. The result shows that positive anomalies are located mainly between 850 hPa and 500 hPa, while the maximum MPV, maximum positive tendency of the MPV, and maximum surface rainfall are nearly collocated. The cloud-induced mass forcing contributes to the positive tendency of the moist potential vorticity anomaly. The results indicate that the MPV may be used to track the propagation of rain systems for operational applications.

Laboratory Studies of the Stratified Rotating Flow Passing over an Isolated Obstacle

We study the flow of a density-stratified fluid passing over an isolated obstacle, using towing-tank experiments. Our special concern is the response of the flow with different Froude numbers passing over a three-dimensional obstacle. A series of experiments of the stratified rotating flow passing over an isolated obstacle was carried out with the towering-tank controlled by the similarity laws and dynamic non-dimension parameters. These experiments show that the Froude number is a very important parameter, and the lee wave and the eddy structure appear simultaneously under an appropriate conditions. The effect of rotation on the lee wave is mainly to change wave amplitude, particularly to restrain the development of the lee wave and to promote the formation of an eddy.

Moist Potential Vorticity and Up-Sliding Slantwise Vorticity Development

By using the moist potential vorticity equation derived from complete atmospheric equations including the effect of mass forcing, the theory of up-sliding slantwise vorticity development (USVD) is proposed based on the theory of slantwise vorticity development. When an air parcel slides up along a slantwise isentropic surface, its vertical component of relative vorticity is developed. Based on the theory of USVD, a complete vertical vorticity equation is expected with mass forcing, which explicitly includes the effect of both internal forcings and external forcings.

Up-Sliding Slantwise Vorticity Development and the Complete Vorticity Equation with Mass Forcing

The moist potential vorticity (MPV) equation is derived from complete atmospheric equations including the effect of mass forcing, with which the theory of Up-sliding Slantwise Vorticity Development (USVD) is proposed based on the theory of Slantwise Vorticity Development (SVD). When an air parcel slides up along a slantwise isentropic surface, its vertical component of relative vorticity will develop, and the steeper the isentropic surface is, the more violent the development will be. From the definition of MPV and the MPV equation produced here in, a complete vorticity equation is then put forward with mass forcing, which explicitly includes the effects of both internal forcings, such as variations of stability, baroclinicity, and vertical shear of horizontal wind, and external forcings, such as diabatic heating, friction, and mass forcing. When isentropic surfaces are flat, the complete vorticity equation matches its traditional counterpart. The physical interpretations of some of the items which are included in the complete vorticity equation but not in the traditional one are studied with a simplified model of the Changjiang-Huaihe Meiyu front. A 60-h simulation is then performed to reproduce a torrential rain event in the Changjiang-Huaihe region and the output of the model is studied qualitatively based on the theory of USVD. The result shows that the conditions of the theory of USVD are easily satisfied immediately in front of mesoscale rainstorms in the downwind direction, that is, the theory of USVD is important to the development and movement of these kinds of systems.

Two possible mechanisms for vortex self-organization

The vortex self-organization is investigated in this paper by four groups of numerical experiments within the framework of quasi-geographic model, and based on the experimental results two types of possible mechanisms for vortex self-organization are suggested. The meso-scale topography may enable separated vortices to merge into a larger scale vortex; and the interaction of meso-γ and meso-β scale systems may make separated vortices to self organize a typhoon-like vortex circulation.

Modified Richardson Number in Non-Uniform Saturated Moist Flow

As a useful index, i.e. the Richardson number Ri, is modified in non-uniform saturated moist flow, based on the fact that liquid water is partially dropped out in parcel air. This is more realistic in real moist atmosphere, especially in the rainfall process. The modified Ri presents adequately the influence of numerator, i.e. Brunt–Vaisala frequency (BVF), on instability. Compared to several former formulae generalized by Durran and Klemp, the modified Ri evidently decreases the stability in rainy regions. In theory, the modified BVF and Ri fix the discontinuity of latent heat release in the transition areas between saturated and unsaturated air by introducing the condensation probability function. Furthermore, the diagnostic analysis of the modified Ri validates the rationality of its application in the non-uniform saturated moist process.