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  • Author or Editor: M-S. Chang x
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J. C. Hubbert
,
S. M. Ellis
,
W.-Y. Chang
,
S. Rutledge
, and
M. Dixon

Abstract

Data collected by the National Center for Atmospheric Research S-band polarimetric radar (S-Pol) during the Terrain-Influenced Monsoon Rainfall Experiment (TiMREX) in Taiwan are analyzed and used to infer storm microphysics in the ice phase of convective storms. Both simultaneous horizontal (H) and vertical (V) (SHV) transmit polarization data and fast-alternating H and V (FHV) transmit polarization data are used in the analysis. The SHV Z dr (differential reflectivity) data show radial stripes of biased data in the ice phase that are likely caused by aligned and canted ice crystals. Similar radial streaks in the linear depolarization ratio (LDR) are presented that are also biased by the same mechanism. Dual-Doppler synthesis and sounding data characterize the storm environment and support the inferences concerning the ice particle types. Small convective cells were observed to have both large positive and large negative K dp (specific differential phase) values. Negative K dp regions suggest that ice crystals are vertically aligned by electric fields. Since high |K dp| values of 0.8° km−1 in both negative and positive K dp regions in the ice phase are accompanied by Z dr values close to 0 dB, it is inferred that there are two types of ice crystals present: 1) smaller aligned ice crystals that cause the K dp signatures and 2) larger aggregates or graupel that cause the Z dr signatures. The inferences are supported with simulated ice particle scattering calculations. A radar scattering model is used to explain the anomalous radial streaks in SHV and LDR.

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S. Chang
,
D. Hahn
,
C-H. Yang
,
D. Norquist
, and
M. Ek

Abstract

An updated complete and comprehensive description of the land surface parameterization scheme in the Coupled Atmosphere–Plant–Soil (CAPS) model is presented. The CAPS model has been in development at Oregon State University and Phillips Laboratory since 1981. The CAPS model was originally designed for a global atmospheric model, but it has also been used as a stand-alone model for a variety of applications. The land surface scheme in the CAPS model is one of the two dozen schemes that participated in the Project for Intercomparison of Land Surface Parameterization Schemes (PILPS). Some unique features of the CAPS scheme are given in detail. A comprehensive dataset of one year (1987), including atmospheric forcing data and validation data from Cabauw, has been provided for PILPS by the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute. Using the Cabauw data, a validation study for the CAPS scheme has been carried out. The scheme’s self-consistencies in terms of surface energy balance and water budget are discussed. Finally, the results of this validation study with emphasis on the performance of surface momentum and heat fluxes are presented.

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J. C. Hubbert
,
S. M. Ellis
,
W.-Y. Chang
, and
Y.-C. Liou

Abstract

In this paper, experimental X-band polarimetric radar data from simultaneous transmission of horizontal (H) and vertical (V) polarizations (SHV) are shown, modeled, and microphysically interpreted. Both range–height indicator data and vertical-pointing X-band data from the Taiwan Experimental Atmospheric Mobile-Radar (TEAM-R) are presented. Some of the given X-band data are biased, which is very likely caused by cross coupling of the H and V transmitted waves as a result of aligned, canted ice crystals. Modeled SHV data are used to explain the observed polarimetric signatures. Coincident data from the National Center for Atmospheric Research S-band polarimetric radar (S-Pol) are presented to augment and support the X-band polarimetric observations and interpretations. The polarimetric S-Pol data are obtained via fast-alternating transmission of horizontal and vertical polarizations (FHV), and thus the S-band data are not contaminated by the cross coupling (except the linear depolarization ratio LDR) observed in the X-band data. The radar data reveal that there are regions in the ice phase where electric fields are apparently aligning ice crystals near vertically and thus causing negative specific differential phase K dp. The vertical-pointing data also indicate the presence of preferentially aligned ice crystals that cause differential reflectivity Z dr and differential phase ϕ dp to be strong functions of azimuth angle.

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T. T. Wilheit
,
A. T. C. Chang
,
M. S. V. Rao
,
E. B. Rodgers
, and
J. S. Theon

Abstract

A theoretical model for calculating microwave radiative transfer in raining atmospheres is developed. These calculations are compared with microwave brightness temperatures at a wavelength of 1.55 cm measured by the Electrically Scanning Microwave Radiometer (ESMR) on the Nimbus 5 satellite and rain rates derived from WSR-57 meteorological radar measurements. A specially designed ground-based verification experiment was also performed, wherein upward viewing microwave brightness temperature measurements at wavelengths of 1.55 and 0.81 cm were compared with directly measured rain rates. It is shown that over ocean areas, brightness temperature measurements from ESMR may be interpreted in terms of rain rate with about an accuracy of a factor of 2 over the range 1–25 mm h−1 rain rate.

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T. T. Wilheit
,
A. T. C. Chang
,
J. L. King
,
E. B. Rodgers
,
R. A. Nieman
,
B. M. Krupp
,
A. S. Milman
,
J. S. Stratigos
, and
H. Siddalingaiah

Abstract

Observations of rain cells in the remains of a decaying tropical storm were made by Airborne Microwave Radiometers at 19.35 and 92 GHz and three frequencies near 183 GHz. Extremely low brightness temperatures, as low as 140 K, were noted in the 92 and 183 GHz observations. These can be accounted for by the ice often associated with raindrop formation. Further, the 183 GHz observations can be interpreted in terms of the height of the ice. The brightness temperatures observed suggest the presence of precipitationsized ice as high as 9 km or more.

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Yansen Wang
,
Cheryl L. Klipp
,
Dennis M. Garvey
,
David A. Ligon
,
Chatt C. Williamson
,
Sam S. Chang
,
Rob K. Newsom
, and
Ronald Calhoun

Abstract

Boundary layer wind data observed by a Doppler lidar and sonic anemometers during the mornings of three intensive observational periods (IOP2, IOP3, and IOP7) of the Joint Urban 2003 (JU2003) field experiment are analyzed to extract the mean and turbulent characteristics of airflow over Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. A strong nocturnal low-level jet (LLJ) dominated the flow in the boundary layer over the measurement domain from midnight to the morning hours. Lidar scans through the LLJ taken after sunrise indicate that the LLJ elevation shows a gradual increase of 25–100 m over the urban area relative to that over the upstream suburban area. The mean wind speed beneath the jet over the urban area is about 10%–15% slower than that over the suburban area. Sonic anemometer observations combined with Doppler lidar observations in the urban and suburban areas are also analyzed to investigate the boundary layer turbulence production in the LLJ-dominated atmospheric boundary layer. The turbulence kinetic energy was higher over the urban domain mainly because of the shear production of building surfaces and building wakes. Direct transport of turbulent momentum flux from the LLJ to the urban street level was very small because of the relatively high elevation of the jet. However, since the LLJ dominated the mean wind in the boundary layer, the turbulence kinetic energy in the urban domain is correlated directly with the LLJ maximum speed and inversely with its height. The results indicate that the jet Richardson number is a reasonably good indicator for turbulent kinetic energy over the urban domain in the LLJ-dominated atmospheric boundary layer.

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