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- Author or Editor: Fan Wang x
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Abstract
Secondary eyewall formation (SEF) could be considered as the aggregation of a convective-ring coupling with a tangential wind maximum outside the primary eyewall of a tropical cyclone (TC). The dynamics of SEF are investigated using idealized simulations based on a set of triplet experiments, whose differences are only in the initial outer-core wind speed. The triplet experiments indicate that the unbalanced boundary layer (BL) process driven by outer rainbands (ORBs) is essential for the canonical SEF. The developments of a secondary tangential wind maximum and a secondary convective ring are governed by two different pathways, which are well coupled in the canonical SEF. Compared with inner/suppressed rainbands, the downwind stratiform sectors of ORBs drive significant stronger BL convergence at its radially inward side, which fastens up the SEF region and links the two pathways. In the wind-maximum formation pathway, the positive feedback among the BL convergence, supergradient force, and relative vorticity within the BL dominates the spinup of a secondary tangential wind maximum. In the convective-ring formation pathway, the BL convergence contributes to the ascending motion through the frictional-forced updraft and accelerated outflow associated with the supergradient force above the BL. Driven only by inner rainbands, the simulated vortex develops a fake SEF with only the secondary convective ring since the rainband-driven BL convergence is less enhanced and thus fails to maintain the BL positive feedback in the wind-maximum pathway. Therefore, only ORBs can promote the canonical SEF. It also infers that any environmental/physical conditions favorable for the development of ORBs will ultimately contribute to SEF.
Abstract
Secondary eyewall formation (SEF) could be considered as the aggregation of a convective-ring coupling with a tangential wind maximum outside the primary eyewall of a tropical cyclone (TC). The dynamics of SEF are investigated using idealized simulations based on a set of triplet experiments, whose differences are only in the initial outer-core wind speed. The triplet experiments indicate that the unbalanced boundary layer (BL) process driven by outer rainbands (ORBs) is essential for the canonical SEF. The developments of a secondary tangential wind maximum and a secondary convective ring are governed by two different pathways, which are well coupled in the canonical SEF. Compared with inner/suppressed rainbands, the downwind stratiform sectors of ORBs drive significant stronger BL convergence at its radially inward side, which fastens up the SEF region and links the two pathways. In the wind-maximum formation pathway, the positive feedback among the BL convergence, supergradient force, and relative vorticity within the BL dominates the spinup of a secondary tangential wind maximum. In the convective-ring formation pathway, the BL convergence contributes to the ascending motion through the frictional-forced updraft and accelerated outflow associated with the supergradient force above the BL. Driven only by inner rainbands, the simulated vortex develops a fake SEF with only the secondary convective ring since the rainband-driven BL convergence is less enhanced and thus fails to maintain the BL positive feedback in the wind-maximum pathway. Therefore, only ORBs can promote the canonical SEF. It also infers that any environmental/physical conditions favorable for the development of ORBs will ultimately contribute to SEF.
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of vertical wind shear (VWS) with varying magnitudes on secondary eyewall formation (SEF). It turns out that weak-to-moderate VWS advances the timing of SEF. Strong VWS, however, is unfavorable for SEF in our idealized simulations. VWS affecting SEF mainly lies on its influence on the outer rainbands (ORBs). Under weak-to-moderate VWS, ORBs develop more quickly in the downshear side and have distinct stratiform features in the upshear-left quadrant. The asymmetric inflow associated with the stratiform cooling descends into the boundary layer, reinforcing radial convergence at the radially inward side of ORBs. The radial convergence enhances the low-level convection, resulting in strengthened boundary layer inflow and accelerated low-level tangential wind jet. A budget analysis reveals that tangential advection extends a tangential wind jet farther downwind, forming supergradient winds above the boundary layer in the upshear-right quadrant. As the ORBs propagate into the upshear-right quadrant, the pre-existing supergradient winds enhances the low-level convection, facilitating the closing of the secondary convective ring. The evolution in the upshear side exhibit quadrant-dependent interactions between ORBs and boundary layer. Following that, azimuthal-mean tangential wind acceleration becomes visible, forming the secondary tangential wind maximum. Under strong VWS, the storm is weakened and the boundary layer in the upshear-left quadrant is invaded by low-entropy air, resulting in decreased conditional instability and low-level thermal buoyancy. The decreased stratiform precipitation due to weakened convective activity in the upshear-left quadrant prevents the upshear propagation of ORBs and thus is unfavorable for SEF.
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of vertical wind shear (VWS) with varying magnitudes on secondary eyewall formation (SEF). It turns out that weak-to-moderate VWS advances the timing of SEF. Strong VWS, however, is unfavorable for SEF in our idealized simulations. VWS affecting SEF mainly lies on its influence on the outer rainbands (ORBs). Under weak-to-moderate VWS, ORBs develop more quickly in the downshear side and have distinct stratiform features in the upshear-left quadrant. The asymmetric inflow associated with the stratiform cooling descends into the boundary layer, reinforcing radial convergence at the radially inward side of ORBs. The radial convergence enhances the low-level convection, resulting in strengthened boundary layer inflow and accelerated low-level tangential wind jet. A budget analysis reveals that tangential advection extends a tangential wind jet farther downwind, forming supergradient winds above the boundary layer in the upshear-right quadrant. As the ORBs propagate into the upshear-right quadrant, the pre-existing supergradient winds enhances the low-level convection, facilitating the closing of the secondary convective ring. The evolution in the upshear side exhibit quadrant-dependent interactions between ORBs and boundary layer. Following that, azimuthal-mean tangential wind acceleration becomes visible, forming the secondary tangential wind maximum. Under strong VWS, the storm is weakened and the boundary layer in the upshear-left quadrant is invaded by low-entropy air, resulting in decreased conditional instability and low-level thermal buoyancy. The decreased stratiform precipitation due to weakened convective activity in the upshear-left quadrant prevents the upshear propagation of ORBs and thus is unfavorable for SEF.
Review of Aerosol–Cloud Interactions: Mechanisms, Significance, and ChallengesAbstract
Over the past decade, the number of studies that investigate aerosol–cloud interactions has increased considerably. Although tremendous progress has been made to improve the understanding of basic physical mechanisms of aerosol–cloud interactions and reduce their uncertainties in climate forcing, there is still poor understanding of 1) some of the mechanisms that interact with each other over multiple spatial and temporal scales, 2) the feedbacks between microphysical and dynamical processes and between local-scale processes and large-scale circulations, and 3) the significance of cloud–aerosol interactions on weather systems as well as regional and global climate. This review focuses on recent theoretical studies and important mechanisms on aerosol–cloud interactions and discusses the significances of aerosol impacts on radiative forcing and precipitation extremes associated with different cloud systems. The authors summarize the main obstacles preventing the science from making a leap—for example, the lack of concurrent profile measurements of cloud dynamics, microphysics, and aerosols over a wide region on the observation side and the large variability of cloud microphysics parameterizations resulting in a large spread of modeling results on the modeling side. Therefore, large efforts are needed to escalate understanding. Future directions should focus on obtaining concurrent measurements of aerosol properties and cloud microphysical and dynamic properties over a range of temporal and spatial scales collected over typical climate regimes and closure studies, as well as improving understanding and parameterizations of cloud microphysics such as ice nucleation, mixed-phase properties, and hydrometeor size and fall speed.
Abstract
Over the past decade, the number of studies that investigate aerosol–cloud interactions has increased considerably. Although tremendous progress has been made to improve the understanding of basic physical mechanisms of aerosol–cloud interactions and reduce their uncertainties in climate forcing, there is still poor understanding of 1) some of the mechanisms that interact with each other over multiple spatial and temporal scales, 2) the feedbacks between microphysical and dynamical processes and between local-scale processes and large-scale circulations, and 3) the significance of cloud–aerosol interactions on weather systems as well as regional and global climate. This review focuses on recent theoretical studies and important mechanisms on aerosol–cloud interactions and discusses the significances of aerosol impacts on radiative forcing and precipitation extremes associated with different cloud systems. The authors summarize the main obstacles preventing the science from making a leap—for example, the lack of concurrent profile measurements of cloud dynamics, microphysics, and aerosols over a wide region on the observation side and the large variability of cloud microphysics parameterizations resulting in a large spread of modeling results on the modeling side. Therefore, large efforts are needed to escalate understanding. Future directions should focus on obtaining concurrent measurements of aerosol properties and cloud microphysical and dynamic properties over a range of temporal and spatial scales collected over typical climate regimes and closure studies, as well as improving understanding and parameterizations of cloud microphysics such as ice nucleation, mixed-phase properties, and hydrometeor size and fall speed.
Abstract
Measurements of ice number concentration in clouds are important but still pose problems. The pattern of ice development in stratiform mixed-phase clouds (SMCs) offers an opportunity to use cloud radar reflectivity (Z e ) measurements and other cloud properties to retrieve ice number concentrations. To quantify the strong temperature dependencies of ice crystal habits and growth rates, a one-dimensional (1D) ice growth model has been developed to calculate ice diffusional growth and riming growth along ice particle fallout trajectories in SMCs. The radar reflectivity and fallout velocity profiles of ice crystals calculated from the 1D ice growth model are evaluated with the Atmospheric Radiation Measurements (ARM) Climate Research Facility (ACRF) ground-based high-vertical-resolution radar measurements. A method has been developed to retrieve ice number concentrations in SMCs at a specific cloud-top temperature (CTT) and liquid water path (LWP) by combining Z e measurements and 1D ice growth model simulations. The retrieved ice number concentrations in SMCs are evaluated using integrated airborne in situ and remote sensing measurements and three-dimensional cloud-resolving model simulations with a bin microphysical scheme. The statistical evaluations show that the retrieved ice number concentrations in the SMCs are within an uncertainty of a factor of 2.
Abstract
Measurements of ice number concentration in clouds are important but still pose problems. The pattern of ice development in stratiform mixed-phase clouds (SMCs) offers an opportunity to use cloud radar reflectivity (Z e ) measurements and other cloud properties to retrieve ice number concentrations. To quantify the strong temperature dependencies of ice crystal habits and growth rates, a one-dimensional (1D) ice growth model has been developed to calculate ice diffusional growth and riming growth along ice particle fallout trajectories in SMCs. The radar reflectivity and fallout velocity profiles of ice crystals calculated from the 1D ice growth model are evaluated with the Atmospheric Radiation Measurements (ARM) Climate Research Facility (ACRF) ground-based high-vertical-resolution radar measurements. A method has been developed to retrieve ice number concentrations in SMCs at a specific cloud-top temperature (CTT) and liquid water path (LWP) by combining Z e measurements and 1D ice growth model simulations. The retrieved ice number concentrations in SMCs are evaluated using integrated airborne in situ and remote sensing measurements and three-dimensional cloud-resolving model simulations with a bin microphysical scheme. The statistical evaluations show that the retrieved ice number concentrations in the SMCs are within an uncertainty of a factor of 2.
Abstract
Changes in land surface and aerosol characteristics from urbanization can affect dynamic and microphysical properties of severe storms, thus affecting hazardous weather events resulting from these storms such as hail and tornadoes. We examine the joint and individual effects of urban land and anthropogenic aerosols of Kansas City on a severe convective storm observed during the 2015 Plains Elevated Convection At Night (PECAN) field campaign, focusing on storm evolution, convective intensity, and hail characteristics. The simulations are carried out at the cloud-resolving scale (1 km) using a version of WRF-Chem in which the spectral-bin microphysics (SBM) is coupled with the Model for Simulating Aerosol Interactions and Chemistry (MOSAIC). It is found that the urban land effect of Kansas City initiated a much stronger convective cell and the storm got further intensified when interacting with stronger turbulence induced by the urban land. The urban land effect also changed the storm path by diverting the storm toward the city, mainly resulting from enhanced urban land-induced convergence in the urban area and around the urban–rural boundaries. The joint effect of urban land and anthropogenic aerosols enhances occurrences of both severe hail and significant severe hail by ~20% by enhancing hail formation and growth from riming. Overall the urban land effect on convective intensity and hail is relatively larger than the anthropogenic aerosol effect, but the joint effect is more notable than either of the individual effects, emphasizing the importance of considering both effects in evaluating urbanization effects.
Abstract
Changes in land surface and aerosol characteristics from urbanization can affect dynamic and microphysical properties of severe storms, thus affecting hazardous weather events resulting from these storms such as hail and tornadoes. We examine the joint and individual effects of urban land and anthropogenic aerosols of Kansas City on a severe convective storm observed during the 2015 Plains Elevated Convection At Night (PECAN) field campaign, focusing on storm evolution, convective intensity, and hail characteristics. The simulations are carried out at the cloud-resolving scale (1 km) using a version of WRF-Chem in which the spectral-bin microphysics (SBM) is coupled with the Model for Simulating Aerosol Interactions and Chemistry (MOSAIC). It is found that the urban land effect of Kansas City initiated a much stronger convective cell and the storm got further intensified when interacting with stronger turbulence induced by the urban land. The urban land effect also changed the storm path by diverting the storm toward the city, mainly resulting from enhanced urban land-induced convergence in the urban area and around the urban–rural boundaries. The joint effect of urban land and anthropogenic aerosols enhances occurrences of both severe hail and significant severe hail by ~20% by enhancing hail formation and growth from riming. Overall the urban land effect on convective intensity and hail is relatively larger than the anthropogenic aerosol effect, but the joint effect is more notable than either of the individual effects, emphasizing the importance of considering both effects in evaluating urbanization effects.
