scholarly journals Influence of sub-mesoscale topography on daytime precipitation associated with thermally driven local circulations over a mountainous region

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seiya Nishizawa ◽  
Tsuyoshi Yamaura ◽  
Yoshiyuki Kajikawa
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Potential Temperature ◽  
Vertical Mixing ◽  
Mountainous Region ◽  
Synoptic Scale ◽  
Local Circulation ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Cold Pools ◽  
Thermally Driven ◽  
Orographic Forcing

AbstractIn this study, the effect of sub-mesoscale topography (i.e., topographical features smaller than a few kilometers in size) on precipitation associated with thermally driven local circulations over a mountainous region is examined in the absence of synoptic-scale precipitation systems through a 100-m-mesh large-eddy simulation experiment. The observed effect of topography on precipitation is different to that identified in previous studies; sub-mesoscale topography is observed to induce a weakening effect on precipitation in this study, while previous studies have suggested that sub-mesoscale topography enhances precipitation. This discrepancy between studies is owing to differences in the scale of the topography and the precipitation-inducing system under consideration. Previous studies have focused on precipitation associated with synoptic-scale systems, where mechanical orographic forcing is dominant. The mechanism of the topographic effect where thermal orographic forcing is dominant was clarified in this study. Under thermally driven local circulation, the convergence of upslope flow near large-scale mountain ridges is one of the main causes of precipitation. Sub-mesoscale topographic features promote the detachment of upslope flow from the mountain surface and vertical mixing in the boundary layer. This detachment and mixing result in a weakening of convergence and updraft and reduction of equivalent potential temperature around the ridge that explains the observed weakening effect on precipitation. Cold pools formed by evaporation of rainfall associated with upslope flow enhance the weakening effect. These results confirm the importance of sub-mesoscale topography in orographic precipitation.

scholarly journals Synoptic-Scale Flow and Valley Cold Pool Evolution in the Western United States

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 1625-1643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather Dawn Reeves ◽  
David J. Stensrud
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Western United States ◽  
Cold Pool ◽  
Synoptic Scale ◽  
Temperature Changes ◽  
Cold Pools ◽  
Upper Level ◽  
Forecast Problem

Abstract Valley cold pools (VCPs), which are trapped, cold layers of air at the bottoms of basins or valleys, pose a significant problem for forecasters because they can lead to several forms of difficult-to-forecast and hazardous weather such as fog, freezing rain, or poor air quality. Numerical models have historically failed to routinely provide accurate guidance on the formation and demise of VCPs, making the forecast problem more challenging. In some case studies of persistent wintertime VCPs, there is a connection between the movement of upper-level waves and the timing of VCP formation and decay. Herein, a 3-yr climatology of persistent wintertime VCPs for five valleys and basins in the western United States is performed to see how often VCP formation and decay coincides with synoptic-scale (∼200–2000 km) wave motions. Valley cold pools are found to form most frequently as an upper-level ridge approaches the western United States and in response to strong midlevel warming. The VCPs usually last as long as the ridge is over the area and usually only end when a trough, and its associated midlevel cooling, move over the western United States. In fact, VCP strength appears to be almost entirely dictated by midlevel temperature changes, which suggests large-scale forcing is dominant for this type of VCP most of the time.

scholarly journals The imprint of surface fluxes and transport on variations in total column carbon dioxide

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 7475-7524 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Keppel-Aleks ◽  
P. O. Wennberg ◽  
R. A. Washenfelder ◽  
D. Wunch ◽  
T. Schneider ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Northern Hemisphere ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Carbon Sink ◽  
Potential Temperature ◽  
Surface Flux ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Surface Fluxes ◽  
Synoptic Scale ◽  
Meridional Gradient

Abstract. New observations of the vertically integrated CO2 mixing ratio, ⟨CO2⟩, from ground-based remote sensing show that variations in ⟨CO2⟩ are primarily determined by large-scale flux patterns. They therefore provide fundamentally different information than observations made within the boundary layer, which reflect the combined influence of large scale and local fluxes. Observations of both ⟨CO2⟩ and CO2 concentrations in the free troposphere show that large-scale spatial gradients induce synoptic-scale temporal variations in ⟨CO2⟩ in the Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes through horizontal advection. Rather than obscure the signature of surface fluxes on atmospheric CO2, these synoptic-scale variations provide useful information that can be used to reveal the meridional flux distribution. We estimate the meridional gradient in ⟨CO2⟩ from covariations in ⟨CO2⟩ and potential temperature, θ, a dynamical tracer, on synoptic timescales to evaluate surface flux estimates commonly used in carbon cycle models. We find that Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach (CASA) biospheric fluxes underestimate both the ⟨CO2⟩ seasonal cycle amplitude throughout the Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes as well as the meridional gradient during the growing season. Simulations using CASA net ecosystem exchange (NEE) with increased and phase-shifted boreal fluxes better reflect the observations. Our simulations suggest that boreal growing season NEE (between 45–65° N) is underestimated by ~40 % in CASA. We describe the implications for this large seasonal exchange on inference of the net Northern Hemisphere terrestrial carbon sink.

scholarly journals Contribution of mixing to upward transport across the tropical tropopause layer (TTL)

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 3285-3308 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Konopka ◽  
G. Günther ◽  
R. Müller ◽  
F. H. S. dos Santos ◽  
C. Schiller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Potential Temperature ◽  
Vertical Mixing ◽  
Chemical Species ◽  
Convective Transport ◽  
Vertical Shear ◽  
Lagrangian Model ◽  
Tropical Tropopause ◽  
Upward Transport ◽  
Meteorological Analysis

Abstract. During the second part of the TROCCINOX campaign that took place in Brazil in early 2005, chemical species were measured on-board the high-altitude research aircraft Geophysica (ozone, water vapor, NO, NOy, CH4 and CO) in the altitude range up to 20 km (or up to 450 K potential temperature), i.e. spanning the entire TTL region roughly extending between 350 and 420 K. Here, analysis of transport across the TTL is performed using a new version of the Chemical Lagrangian Model of the Stratosphere (CLaMS). In this new version, the stratospheric model has been extended to the earth surface. Above the tropopause, the isentropic and cross-isentropic advection in CLaMS is driven by meteorological analysis winds and heating/cooling rates derived from a radiation calculation. Below the tropopause, the model smoothly transforms from the isentropic to the hybrid-pressure coordinate and, in this way, takes into account the effect of large-scale convective transport as implemented in the vertical wind of the meteorological analysis. As in previous CLaMS simulations, the irreversible transport, i.e. mixing, is controlled by the local horizontal strain and vertical shear rates. Stratospheric and tropospheric signatures in the TTL can be seen both in the observations and in the model. The composition of air above ≈350 K is mainly controlled by mixing on a time scale of weeks or even months. Based on CLaMS transport studies where mixing can be completely switched off, we deduce that vertical mixing, mainly driven by the vertical shear in the tropical flanks of the subtropical jets and, to some extent, in the the outflow regions of the large-scale convection, offers an explanation for the upward transport of trace species from the main convective outflow at around 350 K up to the tropical tropopause around 380 K.

scholarly journals Contribution of mixing to the upward transport across the TTL

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 12217-12266 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Konopka ◽  
G. Günther ◽  
R. Müller ◽  
F. H. S. dos Santos ◽  
C. Schiller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Potential Temperature ◽  
Vertical Mixing ◽  
Chemical Species ◽  
Convective Transport ◽  
Vertical Shear ◽  
Lagrangian Model ◽  
Tropical Tropopause ◽  
Upward Transport ◽  
Subtropical Jets

Abstract. During the second part of the TROCCINOX campaign that took place in Brazil in early 2005, chemical species were measured on-board of the high altitude research aircraft Geophysica (ozone, water vapor, NO, NOy, CH4 and CO) in the altitude range up to 20 km (or up to 450 K potential temperature), i.e. spanning the TTL region roughly extending between 350 and 420 K. Analysis of transport across TTL is performed using a new version of the Chemical Lagrangian Model of the Stratosphere (CLaMS). In this new version, the stratospheric model has been extended to the earth surface. Above the tropopause, the isentropic and cross-isentropic advection in CLaMS is driven by ECMWF winds and heating/cooling rates derived from a radiation calculation. Below the tropopause the model smoothly transforms from the isentropic to hybrid-pressure coordinate and, in this way, takes into account the effect of large-scale convective transport as implemented in the ECMWF vertical wind. As with other CLaMS simulations, the irreversible transport, i.e. mixing, is controlled by the local horizontal strain and vertical shear rates. Stratospheric and tropospheric signatures in the TTL can be seen both in the observation and in the model. The composition of air above ≈350 K is mainly controlled by mixing on a time scale of weeks or even months. Based on CLaMS transport studies where mixing can be completely switched off, we deduce that vertical mixing, mainly driven by the vertical shear in the outflow regions of the large-scale convection and in the vicinity of the subtropical jets, is necessary to understand the upward transport of the tropospheric air from the main convective outflow around 350 K up to the tropical tropopause around 380 K. This mechanism is most effective if the outflow of the mesoscale convective systems interacts with the subtropical jets.

scholarly journals The imprint of surface fluxes and transport on variations in total column carbon dioxide

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 875-891 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Keppel-Aleks ◽  
P. O. Wennberg ◽  
R. A. Washenfelder ◽  
D. Wunch ◽  
T. Schneider ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Northern Hemisphere ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Carbon Sink ◽  
Potential Temperature ◽  
Surface Flux ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Surface Fluxes ◽  
Synoptic Scale ◽  
Meridional Gradient

Abstract. New observations of the vertically integrated CO2 mixing ratio, ⟨CO2⟩, from ground-based remote sensing show that variations in CO2⟩ are primarily determined by large-scale flux patterns. They therefore provide fundamentally different information than observations made within the boundary layer, which reflect the combined influence of large-scale and local fluxes. Observations of both ⟨CO2⟩ and CO2 concentrations in the free troposphere show that large-scale spatial gradients induce synoptic-scale temporal variations in ⟨CO2⟩ in the Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes through horizontal advection. Rather than obscure the signature of surface fluxes on atmospheric CO2, these synoptic-scale variations provide useful information that can be used to reveal the meridional flux distribution. We estimate the meridional gradient in ⟨CO2⟩ from covariations in ⟨CO2⟩ and potential temperature, θ, a dynamical tracer, on synoptic timescales to evaluate surface flux estimates commonly used in carbon cycle models. We find that simulations using Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach (CASA) biospheric fluxes underestimate both the ⟨CO2⟩ seasonal cycle amplitude throughout the Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes and the meridional gradient during the growing season. Simulations using CASA net ecosystem exchange (NEE) with increased and phase-shifted boreal fluxes better fit the observations. Our simulations suggest that climatological mean CASA fluxes underestimate boreal growing season NEE (between 45–65° N) by ~40%. We describe the implications for this large seasonal exchange on inference of the net Northern Hemisphere terrestrial carbon sink.

scholarly journals Synoptic-Scale Precursors to Tropical Cyclone Rapid Intensification in the Atlantic Basin

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandria Grimes ◽  
Andrew E. Mercer
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Cyclone ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Potential Temperature ◽  
Vertical Shear ◽  
Specific Humidity ◽  
Support Vector ◽  
Rapid Intensification ◽  
Synoptic Scale ◽  
Atlantic Basin ◽  
And Cluster Analysis

Forecasting rapid intensification (hereafter referred to as RI) of tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Basin is still a challenge due to a limited understanding of the meteorological processes that are necessary for predicting RI. To address this challenge, this study considered large-scale processes as RI indicators within tropical cyclone environments. The large-scale processes were identified by formulating composite map types of RI and non-RI storms using NASA MERRA data from 1979 to 2009. The composite fields were formulated by a blended RPCA and cluster analysis approach, yielding multiple map types of RI’s and non-RI’s. Additionally, statistical differences in the large-scale processes were identified by formulating permutation tests, based on the composite output, revealing variables that were statistically significantly distinct between RI and non-RI storms. These variables were used as input in two prediction schemes: logistic regression and support vector machine classification. Ultimately, the approach identified midlevel vorticity, pressure vertical velocity, 200–850 hPa vertical shear, low-level potential temperature, and specific humidity as the most significant in diagnosing RI, yielding modest skill in identifying RI storms.

scholarly journals Analysis of V-Gutter Reacting Flow Dynamics Using Proper Orthogonal and Dynamic Mode Decompositions

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 4886 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Yang ◽  
Xiao Liu ◽  
Zhihao Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Shear Layer ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Dynamic Mode Decomposition ◽  
Dynamic Mode ◽  
Reacting Flow ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Mode Decomposition ◽  
Wake Instability ◽  
Shedding Frequency ◽  
Proper Orthogonal

The current work is focused on investigating the potential of data-driven post-processing techniques, including proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) and dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) for flame dynamics. Large-eddy simulation (LES) of a V-gutter premixed flame was performed with two Reynolds numbers. The flame transfer function (FTF) was calculated. The POD and DMD were used for the analysis of the flame structures, wake shedding frequency, etc. The results acquired by different methods were also compared. The FTF results indicate that the flames have proportional, inertial, and delay components. The POD method could capture the shedding wake motion and shear layer motion. The excited DMD modes corresponded to the shear layer flames’ swing and convect motions in certain directions. Both POD and DMD could help to identify the wake shedding frequency. However, this large-scale flame oscillation is not presented in the FTF results. The negative growth rates of the decomposed mode confirm that the shear layer stabilized flame was more stable than the flame possessing a wake instability. The corresponding combustor design could be guided by the above results.

Numerical Investigation of Intermittent Corner Separation in a Linear Compressor Cascade

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Ma ◽  
Feng Gao ◽  
Xavier Ottavy ◽  
Lipeng Lu ◽  
A. J. Wang
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Suction Side ◽  
Detached Eddy Simulation ◽  
Compressor Cascade ◽  
Linear Compressor ◽  
Corner Separation ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Linear Compressor Cascade

Recently bimodal phenomenon in corner separation has been found by Ma et al. (Experiments in Fluids, 2013, doi:10.1007/s00348-013-1546-y). Through detailed and accurate experimental results of the velocity flow field in a linear compressor cascade, they discovered two aperiodic modes exist in the corner separation of the compressor cascade. This phenomenon reflects the flow in corner separation is high intermittent, and large-scale coherent structures corresponding to two modes exist in the flow field of corner separation. However the generation mechanism of the bimodal phenomenon in corner separation is still unclear and thus needs to be studied further. In order to obtain instantaneous flow field with different unsteadiness and thus to analyse the mechanisms of bimodal phenomenon in corner separation, in this paper detached-eddy simulation (DES) is used to simulate the flow field in the linear compressor cascade where bimodal phenomenon has been found in previous experiment. DES in this paper successfully captures the bimodal phenomenon in the linear compressor cascade found in experiment, including the locations of bimodal points and the development of bimodal points along a line that normal to the blade suction side. We infer that the bimodal phenomenon in the corner separation is induced by the strong interaction between the following two facts. The first is the unsteady upstream flow nearby the leading edge whose angle and magnitude fluctuate simultaneously and significantly. The second is the high unsteady separation in the corner region.

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