Large-scale variability of wind erosion mass flux rates at Owens Lake: 1. Vertical profiles of horizontal mass fluxes of wind-eroded particles with diameter greater than 50 μm

Abstract. We investigate the performance of cloud convection and tracer transport in a global off-line 3-D chemical transport model. Various model simulations are performed using different meteorological (re)analyses (ERA-40, ECMWF operational and ECMWF Interim) to diagnose the updraft mass flux, convective precipitation and cloud top height. The diagnosed upward mass flux distribution from TOMCAT agrees quite well with the ECMWF reanalysis data (ERA-40 and ERA-Interim) below 200 hPa. Inclusion of midlevel convection improves the agreement at mid-high latitudes. However, the reanalyses show strong convective transport up to 100 hPa, well into the tropical tropopause layer (TTL), which is not captured by TOMCAT. Similarly, the model captures the spatial and seasonal variation of convective cloud top height although the mean modelled value is about 2 km lower than observed. The ERA-Interim reanalyses have smaller archived upward convective mass fluxes than ERA-40, and smaller convective precipitation, which is in better agreement with satellite-based data. TOMCAT captures these relative differences when diagnosing convection from the large-scale fields. The model also shows differences in diagnosed convection with the version of the operational analyses used, which cautions against using results of the model from one specific time period as a general evaluation. We have tested the effect of resolution on the diagnosed modelled convection with simulations ranging from 5.6° × 5.6° to 1° × 1°. Overall, in the off-line model, the higher model resolution gives stronger vertical tracer transport, however, it does not make a large change to the diagnosed convective updraft mass flux (i.e., the model results using the convection scheme fail to capture the strong convection transport up to 100 hPa as seen in the archived convective mass fluxes). Similarly, the resolution of the forcing winds in the higher resolution CTM does not make a large improvement compared to the archived mass fluxes. Including a radon tracer in the model confirms the importance of convection for reproducing observed midlatitude profiles. The model run using archived mass fluxes transports significantly more radon to the upper troposphere but the available data does not strongly discriminate between the different model versions.

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Basal melting at the Ekström Ice Shelf, Antarctica, estimated from mass flux divergence

Annals of Glaciology ◽

10.3189/2012aog60a167 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 53 (60) ◽

pp. 294-302 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Niklas Neckel ◽

Reinhard Drews ◽

Wolfgang Rack ◽

Daniel Steinhage

Keyword(s):

Steady State ◽

Mass Flux ◽

Large Scale ◽

Snow Accumulation ◽

Ice Thickness ◽

Flux Divergence ◽

Ice Shelf ◽

Mass Fluxes ◽

Radio Echo Sounding ◽

Basal Melting

AbstractWe characterize the basal mass balance of the Ekström Ice Shelf, Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica, using interferometrically derived surface velocities and ice thickness measurements from radio-echo sounding (RES). The surface velocities are based on data from European Remote-sensing Satellites-1 and -2 (ERS-1/2) during 1994–97. The ice thickness grid consists of 136 RES profiles acquired between 1996 and 2006. Mass fluxes are calculated along selected RES profiles where possible, to reduce uncertainties from ice thickness interpolation. Elsewhere large-scale mass fluxes are calculated using interpolated ice thickness data. Themass flux into the Ekström Ice Shelf from the main grounded drainage basins is estimated to be 3.19±0.4Gt a–1. The mass flux near the ice shelf front is 2.67±0.3Gt a–1. Assuming steady state, and based on the equation of continuity, we interpret the residual mass flux as a combined effect of snow accumulation and subglacial melting/refreezing. Using net snow accumulation rates from previous studies, we link the mass flux divergence in irregular-shaped polygons to processes beneath the ice shelf. The highest subglacial melt rates of ~1.1ma–1 are found near the grounding zone of two main inflow glaciers, and around the German station Neumayer III. The detection of unlikely refreezing in a small area ~15 km west of Neumayer III is attributed to both dataset inaccuracies and a (possibly past) violation of the steady-state assumption. In general, the method and input data allow mapping of the spatial distribution of basal melting and the results are in good agreement with several previous studies.

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Evaluation of cloud convection and tracer transport in a three-dimensional chemical transport model

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions ◽

10.5194/acpd-10-22953-2010 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 10 (10) ◽

pp. 22953-22991 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

W. Feng ◽

M. P. Chipperfield ◽

S. Dhomse ◽

B. M. Monge-Sanz ◽

X. Yang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mass Flux ◽

Large Scale ◽

Transport Model ◽

Chemical Transport ◽

Convective Transport ◽

Convective Precipitation ◽

Tracer Transport ◽

Chemical Transport Model ◽

Mass Fluxes ◽

Spatial And Seasonal Variation

Abstract. We investigate the performance of cloud convection and tracer transport in a global off-line 3-D chemical transport model. Various model simulations are performed using different meteorological (re)analyses (ERA-40, ECMWF operational and ECMWF Interim) to diagnose the updraft mass flux, convective precipitation and cloud top height. The diagnosed upward mass flux distribution from TOMCAT agrees quite well with the ECMWF reanalysis data (ERA-40 and ERA-Interim) below 200 hPa. Inclusion of midlevel convection improves the agreement at mid-high latitudes. However, the reanalyses show strong convective transport up to 100 hPa, well into the tropical tropopause layer (TTL), which is not captured by TOMCAT. Similarly, the model captures the spatial and seasonal variation of convective cloud top height although the mean modelled value is about 2 km lower than observed. The ERA-Interim reanalyses have smaller archived upward convective mass fluxes than ERA-40, and smaller convective precipitation, which is in better agreement with satellite-based data. TOMCAT captures these relative differences when diagnosing convection from the large-scale fields. The model also shows differences in diagnosed convection with the version of the operational analyses used, which cautions against using results of the model from one specific time period as a general evaluation. We have tested the effect of resolution on the diagnosed modelled convection with simulations ranging from 5.6° × 5.6° to 1° × 1°. Overall, in the off-line model, the higher model resolution does not make a large change to the diagnosed convective tracer transport. Similarly, the resolution of the forcing winds in the higher resolution CTM does not make a large improvement compared to the archived mass fluxes. Including a radon tracer in the model confirms the importance of convection for reproducing observed midlatitude profiles. The model run using archived mass fluxes transports significantly more radon to the upper troposphere but the available data does not strongly discriminate between the different model versions.

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On interpreting studies of tracer transport by deep cumulus convection and its effects on atmospheric chemistry

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ◽

10.5194/acp-8-6037-2008 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 8 (20) ◽

pp. 6037-6050 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

M. G. Lawrence ◽

M. Salzmann

Keyword(s):

Atmospheric Chemistry ◽

Large Scale ◽

Deep Convection ◽

Convective Transport ◽

Advective Transport ◽

Tracer Transport ◽

Transport Models ◽

Mass Fluxes ◽

Split Treatment ◽

The Mean

Abstract. Global chemistry-transport models (CTMs) and chemistry-GCMs (CGCMs) generally simulate vertical tracer transport by deep convection separately from the advective transport by the mean winds, even though a component of the mean transport, for instance in the Hadley and Walker cells, occurs in deep convective updrafts. This split treatment of vertical transport has various implications for CTM simulations. In particular, it has led to a misinterpretation of several sensitivity simulations in previous studies in which the parameterized convective transport of one or more tracers is neglected. We describe this issue in terms of simulated fluxes and fractions of these fluxes representing various physical and non-physical processes. We then show that there is a significant overlap between the convective and large-scale mean advective vertical air mass fluxes in the CTM MATCH, and discuss the implications which this has for interpreting previous and future sensitivity simulations, as well as briefly noting other related implications such as numerical diffusion.

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Large-scale Cenozoic Wind Erosion in the Puna Plateau: The Salina del Fraile Depression

10.1002/essoar.10503095.1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Mitchell McMillan ◽

Lindsay M Schoenbohm

Keyword(s):

Wind Erosion ◽

Large Scale ◽

Puna Plateau

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A mass-flux perspective of the tidewater glacier cycle

Journal of Glaciology ◽

10.1017/jog.2016.14 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 62 (231) ◽

pp. 82-93 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

JASON M. AMUNDSON

Keyword(s):

Deep Water ◽

Mass Flux ◽

Large Scale ◽

Stable Configuration ◽

Simple Explanation ◽

Surface Mass ◽

Tidewater Glaciers ◽

Tidewater Glacier ◽

Variable Sensitivity ◽

Negative Feedbacks

AbstractI explore the tidewater glacier cycle with a 1-D, depth- and width-integrated flow model that includes a mass-flux calving parameterization. The parameterization is developed from mass continuity arguments and relates the calving rate to the terminus velocity and the terminus balance velocity. The model demonstrates variable sensitivity to climate. From an advanced, stable configuration, a small warming of the climate triggers a rapid retreat that causes large-scale drawdown and is enhanced by positive glacier-dynamic feedbacks. Eventually, the terminus retreats out of deep water and the terminus velocity decreases, resulting in reduced drawdown and the potential for restabilization. Terminus readvance can be initiated by cooling the climate. Terminus advance into deep water is difficult to sustain, however, due to negative feedbacks between glacier dynamics and surface mass balance. Despite uncertainty in the precise form of the parameterization, the model provides a simple explanation of the tidewater glacier cycle and can be used to evaluate the response of tidewater glaciers to climate variability. It also highlights the importance of improving parameterizations of calving rates and of incorporating sediment dynamics into tidewater glacier models.

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Characteristics of Strong Updrafts in Precipitation Systems over the Central Tropical Pacific Ocean and in the Amazon

Journal of Applied Meteorology ◽

10.1175/jam2231.1 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 44 (5) ◽

pp. 731-738 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Nicholas F. Anderson ◽

Cedric A. Grainger ◽

Jeffrey L. Stith

Keyword(s):

Mass Flux ◽

Large Scale ◽

Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission ◽

Maximum Speed ◽

Tropical Pacific Ocean ◽

Wet Season ◽

Average Speed ◽

Convective Storms ◽

Similarities And Differences

Abstract Airborne in situ measurements of updrafts in tropical convective storms were analyzed to determine the similarities and differences between updrafts in a tropical continental and a tropical oceanic region. Two hundred fifteen updraft cores from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) component of the Large Scale Biosphere–Atmosphere (LBA) experiment (tropical continental wet season) and 377 updraft cores from the Kwajalein Experiment (KWAJEX) (tropical oceanic) were analyzed in a similar manner to that of previous studies of tropical updrafts. Average speed, maximum speed, width, and mass flux of the updraft cores from the TRMM-LBA and KWAJEX were generally similar to each other and also were similar to results from previous studies of tropical updrafts.

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Comparison of the Spatial Wind Erosion Patterns of Erosion Risk Mapping and Quantitative Modeling in Eastern Austria

Land ◽

10.3390/land10090974 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 974

Author(s):

Simon Scheper ◽

Thomas Weninger ◽

Barbara Kitzler ◽

Lenka Lackóová ◽

Wim Cornelis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Loss ◽

Wind Erosion ◽

Large Scale ◽

Pannonian Basin ◽

Target Area ◽

Erosion Risk ◽

Additional Information ◽

Weather Factor ◽

Not At Risk ◽

Erosion Equation

Various large-scale risk maps show that the eastern part of Austria, in particular the Pannonian Basin, is one of the regions in Europe most vulnerable to wind erosion. However, comprehensive assessments of the severity and the extent of wind erosion risk are still lacking for this region. This study aimed to prove the results of large-scale maps by developing high-resolution maps of wind erosion risk for the target area. For this, we applied a qualitative soil erosion assessment (DIN 19706) with lower data requirements and a more data-demanding revised wind erosion equation (RWEQ) within a GIS application to evaluate the process of assessing wind erosion risk. Both models defined similar risk areas, although the assignment of severity classes differed. Most agricultural fields in the study area were classified as not at risk to wind erosion (DIN 19706), whereas the mean annual soil loss rate modeled by RWEQ was 3.7 t ha−1 yr−1. August was the month with the highest modeled soil loss (average of 0.49 t ha−1 month−1), due to a low percentage of vegetation cover and a relatively high weather factor combining wind speed and soil moisture effects. Based on the results, DIN 19706 is suitable for a general classification of wind erosion-prone areas, while RWEQ can derive additional information such as seasonal distribution and soil loss rates besides the spatial extents of wind erosion.

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Modeling the transport of very short-lived substances into the tropical upper troposphere and lower stratosphere

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions ◽

10.5194/acpd-9-18511-2009 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 18511-18543 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

J. Aschmann ◽

B. M. Sinnhuber ◽

E. L. Atlas ◽

S. M. Schauffler

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Lower Stratosphere ◽

Transport Model ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Chemical Transport Model ◽

Heating Rates ◽

Model Calculations ◽

Upper Troposphere ◽

Mass Fluxes ◽

Tropical Upper Troposphere

Abstract. The transport of very short-lived substances into the tropical upper troposphere and lower stratosphere is investigated by a three-dimensional chemical transport model using archived convective updraft mass fluxes (or detrainment rates) from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast's ERA-Interim reanalysis. Large-scale vertical velocities are calculated from diabatic heating rates. With this approach we explicitly model the large scale subsidence in the tropical troposphere with convection taking place in fast and isolated updraft events. The model calculations agree generally well with observations of bromoform and methyl iodide from aircraft campaigns and with ozone and water vapor from sonde and satellite observations. Using a simplified treatment of dehydration and bromine product gas washout we give a range of 1.6 to 3 ppt for the contribution of bromoform to stratospheric bromine, assuming a uniform source in the boundary layer of 1 ppt. We show that the most effective region for VSLS transport into the stratosphere is the West Pacific, accounting for about 55% of the bromine from bromoform transported into the stratosphere under the supposition of a uniformly distributed source.

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