scholarly journals The role of updrafts in the scaling of extreme precipitation in mid-latitudes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Falco Bentvelsen ◽  
Geert Lenderink ◽  
Pier Siebesma
Keyword(s):  
Extreme Precipitation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Atmospheric Temperature ◽  
Geophysical Research ◽  
Cloud Properties ◽  
Cloud Dynamics ◽  
Large Eddy ◽  
Atmospheric Temperature Profile ◽  
Strong Surface ◽  
Cloud Cores

<p>We investigate the hypothesis that invigoration of convective updrafts under warming conditions contributes to the stronger than Clausius-Clapeyron (CC) scaling. Focus is on a mid-latitude case of extreme precipitation, based on idealised forcing conditions derived for the Netherlands, with strong surface forcing as well as strong forcing from large-scale rising motion associated with the passage of a synoptic scale low pressure or frontal system. Various Large Eddy Simulations (LES) of this composite case have been performed on a 192x192 km domain. By systematically perturbing the atmospheric temperature profile, a large response of cloud dynamics to warming with larger and more vigorous cloud structures in the warmer runs has been found.<sup>*</sup></p><p>Here, we study these cloud dynamics further by investigating the vertical wind velocity in the cloud (cores). Updrafts play a key role in rain formation by transporting moisture upward in the clouds. We will demonstrate how the distributions of these vertical velocities near the surface and at different levels in the clouds respond to warming in this mid-latitude setting and how they relate to cloud properties as cell size and buoyancy.</p><p> </p><p><sup><em>*</em></sup><em>Lochbihler, K., Lenderink, G., and Siebesma, A. P. (2019). Response of extreme precipitating cellstructures to atmospheric warming. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres</em></p>

The excitation of atmospheric oscillations

1963 ◽  
Vol 274 (1356) ◽  
pp. 91-121 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Atmospheric Temperature ◽  
Direct Absorption ◽  
Pressure Oscillations ◽  
Thermal Mechanism ◽  
Atmospheric Temperature Profile ◽  
Water Vapour Absorption ◽  
The Vertical Distribution ◽  
Quiet Day

An investigation is made into the excitation of large-scale atmospheric oscillations by the direct absorption of incoming solar radiation by atmospheric ozone. The atmospheric temperature profile is chosen to agree favourably with the main features of the observed temperature distribution, particularly as regards the maximum around the 50 km height; this distribution is shown to be non-resonant as far as the solar semidiurnal component is concerned. The excited solar diurnal, semidiurnal and terdiurnal pressure oscillations are computed and we find that although the largest Fourier component in the heating is the diurnal term , the tide it excites is small in keeping with observation. On the other hand, the excited semidiurnal oscillation is much larger than that due to any previously considered thermal mechanism . It is found that the main semidiurnal and terdiurnal tides generated by the direct absorption of insolation by ozone as calculated in the present work, together with published results regarding water vapour absorption, can adequately account for the observed values at ground level. The seasonal variations of the semi and terdiurnal tides are also calculated and these agree extremely well with observation. Finally, the change of phase of 180° in the vertical distribution of the solar semidiurnal oscillation, which is expected from the analysis of the quiet day magnetic variation, is accounted for in the present work.

scholarly journals Large-Scale Controls on Extreme Precipitation

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 955-968 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica M. Loriaux ◽  
Geert Lenderink ◽  
A. Pier Siebesma
Keyword(s):  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Extreme Precipitation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Atmospheric Stability ◽  
Precipitation Intensity ◽  
Area Fraction ◽  
Moisture Convergence ◽  
Precipitation Response ◽  
Large Eddy ◽  
Precipitation Area

Abstract Large-eddy simulations with strong lateral forcing representative of precipitation over the Netherlands are performed to investigate the influence of stability, relative humidity (RH), and moisture convergence on precipitation. Furthermore, a simple climate perturbation is applied to analyze the precipitation response to increasing temperatures. Precipitation is decomposed to distinguish between processes affecting the precipitating area and the precipitation intensity. It is shown that amplification of the moisture convergence and destabilization of the atmosphere both lead to an increase in precipitation, but on account of different effects: atmospheric stability mainly influences the precipitation intensity, whereas the moisture convergence mainly controls the precipitation area fraction. Extreme precipitation intensities show qualitatively similar sensitivities to atmospheric stability and moisture convergence. Precipitation increases with RH due to an increase in area fraction, despite a decrease in intensity. The precipitation response to the climate perturbation shows a stronger response for the precipitation intensity than the overall precipitation, with no clear dependency on changes in atmospheric stability, moisture convergence, and relative humidity.

Dynamics of the Cloud-Environment Interface and turbulence effects in a LES of a growing cumulus congestus

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Didier Ricard ◽  
Christine Lac
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Evaporative Cooling ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Buoyancy Reversal ◽  
Numerical Studies ◽  
Cloud Dynamics ◽  
Large Eddy ◽  
Turbulence Effects ◽  
Cooling Effects ◽  
Cumulus Congestus

Abstract A giga-large-eddy simulation of a cumulus congestus has been performed with a 5-m resolution in order to examine the fine-scale dynamics and mixing on its edges. At 5-m resolution, the dynamical production of subgrid turbulence clearly dominates over the thermal production, while the situation is reversed for resolved turbulence, the tipping-point occurring near the 250-m scale. Concerning cloud dynamics, the toroïdal circulation already obtained in previous observational and numerical studies remains, with a strong signature on the resolved turbulent fluxes, the most important feature for the exchanges between the cloud and its environment even though numerous smaller eddies are also well resolved. The environment compensates for the upward mass flux through a large-scale compensating subsidence and the so-called “subsiding shell” composed of cloud-edge downdrafts, both having a significant contribution. A partition is used to characterize the dynamics, buoyancy and turbulence of the inner and outer edges of the cloud, the cloud interior and the far environment. On the edges of the cloud, downdrafts caused by the eddies and by evaporative cooling effects coexist with a buoyancy reversal while the cloud interior is mostly rising and positively buoyant. An alternative simulation, where evaporative cooling is suppressed, indicates that this process reinforces the downdrafts near the edges of the cloud and causes a general decrease of the convective circulation. Evaporative cooling has also an impact on the buoyancy reversal and on the fate of the engulfed air inside the cloud.

scholarly journals Direct measurements of the effect of biomass burning over the Amazon on the atmospheric temperature profile

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 12007-12025 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Davidi ◽  
I. Koren ◽  
L. Remer
Keyword(s):  
Temperature Profile ◽  
Amazon Basin ◽  
Atmospheric Stability ◽  
Radiation Energy ◽  
Atmospheric Temperature ◽  
Lower Atmosphere ◽  
Cloud Formation ◽  
Aerosol Layer ◽  
Cloud Properties ◽  
Atmospheric Temperature Profile

Abstract. Aerosols suspended in the atmosphere interact with the solar radiation and thus change the radiation energy fluxes in the atmospheric column. In particular, absorbing aerosols can stabilize the lower atmosphere by warming the aerosol layer; while cooling both: the layers beneath and the surface. Changes in atmospheric stability can affect cloud formation and cloud properties. In this paper we measure changes in the atmospheric temperature profile as a function of the smoke loading and the cloudiness over the Amazon basin, during the dry seasons (August and September) of 2005–2007. We show that as the aerosol optical depth (AOD) increases from 0.02 to a value of ~0.6, there is a decrease of ~4.3°C at 1000 hPa, and an increase of ~1.6°C at 850 hPa. The warming of the aerosol layer at 850 hPa is likely due to aerosol absorption when the particles are exposed to direct illumination by the sun. The large values of cooling in the lower layers are explained by a combination of aerosol extinction of the solar flux in the layers aloft and by an aerosol-induced increase of cloud cover and further shading of the lower atmosphere. We estimate that the increase in cloud fraction due to aerosol contributes about half of the observed cooling in the lower layers.

scholarly journals Geospatial Analysis of Extreme Weather Events in Nigeria (1985–2015) Using Self-Organizing Maps

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adeoluwa Akande ◽  
Ana Cristina Costa ◽  
Jorge Mateu ◽  
Roberto Henriques
Keyword(s):  
Extreme Precipitation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Self Organizing Map ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Patterns ◽  
Self Organizing Maps ◽  
The North ◽  
Precipitation Regimes ◽  
Self Organizing

The explosion of data in the information age has provided an opportunity to explore the possibility of characterizing the climate patterns using data mining techniques. Nigeria has a unique tropical climate with two precipitation regimes: low precipitation in the north leading to aridity and desertification and high precipitation in parts of the southwest and southeast leading to large scale flooding. In this research, four indices have been used to characterize the intensity, frequency, and amount of rainfall over Nigeria. A type of Artificial Neural Network called the self-organizing map has been used to reduce the multiplicity of dimensions and produce four unique zones characterizing extreme precipitation conditions in Nigeria. This approach allowed for the assessment of spatial and temporal patterns in extreme precipitation in the last three decades. Precipitation properties in each cluster are discussed. The cluster closest to the Atlantic has high values of precipitation intensity, frequency, and duration, whereas the cluster closest to the Sahara Desert has low values. A significant increasing trend has been observed in the frequency of rainy days at the center of the northern region of Nigeria.

Large Eddy Simulations of Staggered Parallel-Plate Flows

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. V. Pham ◽  
F. Plourde ◽  
S. K. Doan
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Numerical Simulations ◽  
Heat Transfer Enhancement ◽  
Parallel Plate ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Transfer Enhancement ◽  
Turbulent Structures ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Large Eddy

Heat transfer enhancement is a subject of major concern in numerous fields of industry and research. Having received undivided attention over the years, it is still studied worldwide. Given the exponential growth of computing power, large-scale numerical simulations are growing steadily more realistic, and it is now possible to obtain accurate time-dependent solutions with far fewer preliminary assumptions about the problems. As a result, an increasingly wide range of physics is now open for exploration. More specifically, it is time to take full advantage of large eddy simulation technique so as to describe heat transfer in staggered parallel-plate flows. In fact, from simple theory through experimental results, it has been demonstrated that surface interruption enhances heat transfer. Staggered parallel-plate geometries are of great potential interest, and yet many numerical works dedicated to them have been tarnished by excessively simple assumptions. That is to say, numerical simulations have generally hypothesized lengthwise periodicity, even though flows are not periodic; moreover, the LES technique has not been employed with sufficient frequency. Actually, our primary objective is to analyze turbulent influence with regard to heat transfers in staggered parallel-plate fin geometries. In order to do so, we have developed a LES code, and numerical results are compared with regard to several grid mesh resolutions. We have focused mainly upon identification of turbulent structures and their role in heat transfer enhancement. Another key point involves the distinct roles of boundary restart and the vortex shedding mechanism on heat transfer and friction factor.

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