The present study solves a two-layer atmospheric wave equation model with a lower atmosphere concave wind profile and cold-air outbreak over sea, while simultaneously proving that such a wind shear may cause neutral boundary layer roll vortices in the presence of disturbing sources upstream. Without thermal effects, the wind shear-induced waves have band structures at the top of the boundary layer that are similar to cloud street patterns observed over sea. This study proves that dynamic and thermal effects can act independently to initiate the roll vortices in the lower atmosphere. At the same time, a quantitative comparison shows that dynamic effects play a large role in the formation of roll vortices in the initial stage of cold-air outbreak and will be surpassed by thermal effects soon after surface heating commences.
In order to examine and analyze the effects of integration of land surface models with TOPMODEL and different approaches for the integration on the model simulation of water and energy balances,the coupled models have been developed,which incorporate TOPMODEL into the Simplified Biosphere Model(SSiB) with different approaches(one divides a basin into a number of zones according to the distribution of topographic index,and the other only divides the basin into saturated and unsaturated zones).The coupled models are able to(but SSiB is not able to) take into account the impacts of topography variation and vertical heterogeneity of soil saturated hydraulic conductivity on horizontal distribution of soil moisture and in turn on water and energy balances within the basin(or a grid cell).By using the coupled models and SSiB model itself,the daily hydrological components such as runoffs are simulated and final results are analyzed carefully.Simulated daily results of hydrological components produced by both SSiB and coupled models show that(i) There is significant difference between results of soil wetness,its vertical distribution and seasonal variation,water and energy balance,and daily runoff in the basin predicted by SSiB and by the coupled models.The land surface model currently used such as SSiB is likely to misrepresent real feature of water and energy balances in the basin.(ii) Compared with the results for the basin predicted by SSiB,the coupled models predict more strong vertical and seasonal changes in soil wetness,higher evaporation and lower runoff,and improve the base flow simulation obviously.(iii) Comparing the results for the basin predicted by two coupled models with different integration approach and SSiB one by one,the results of daily runoffs and soil wetness predicted by the two coupled models are quite similar.It means,for the coupled models,the approach by dividing a region being considered into more subzones may have limited effects on improving runoff simulation results.The scheme only to divid
On the basis of a simple snow-atmosphere-soil transfer (SAST) model previously developed,this paper presents an improved snow-atmosphere-soil transfer (ISAST) model that has a new numerical scheme and an improved method of layering the snowpack.The new model takes the snow cover temperature and ice content in the snow cover as prognostic variables.This approach,which effectively solves the snow cover temperature distribution when the snow cover is melting or freezing,lessens the iteration time and computation time,which is important for GCM simulation.In this model,the snow cover is divided into three layers (ISAST3) or seven layers (ISAST7).The simulation results obtained using the ISAST7 model agree well with observations in terms of snow depth,snow equivalent water and snow cover lifetime at five Russian sites.The new ISAST model has better simulation capacity for snow cover than the previous SAST model.When the snow cover is deep,the simulation of the ISAST7 model is better than that of the ISAST3 model.Testing shows that our ISAST model is approximately 20% faster than the SAST model.
LIU HuiZhiZHAI XiaoDongSUN ShuFenFENG JianWuWANG Lei
Northwest China (NWC) is a typical arid and semi-arid region. In this study, the main summer climate features over NWC are presented and the performance of an atmospheric general circulation model (NCEP GCM/SSiB) over this region is evaluated. Satellite-derived vegetation products are applied in the model. Based on comparison with observational data and Reanalysis II data, the model generally captures major features of the NWC summer energy balance and circulation. These features include: a high surface tem- perature center dominating the planetary boundary layer; widespread descending motion; an anticyclone (cyclone) located in the lower and middle (upper) troposphere, covering most parts of central NWC; and the precipitation located mainly in the high elevation areas surrounding NWC. The sensitivity of the summer energy balance and circulation over NWC and surrounding regions to land surface processes is assessed with specified land cover change. In the sensitivity experiment, the degradation over most parts of NWC, except the Taklimakan desert, decreases the surface-absorbed radiation and leads to weaker surface thermal effects. In northern Xinjiang and surrounding regions, less latent heating causes stronger anomalous lower-level anticyclonic circulation and upper-level cyclonic circulation, leading to less summer precipitation and higher surface temperature. Meanwhile, the dry conditions in the Hexi Corridor produce less change in the latent heat flux. The circulation change to the north of this area plays a domi- nant role in indirectly changing lower-level cyclonic conditions, producing more convergence, weaker vertical descending motion, and thus an increase in the precipitation over this region.