Budget analysis of mesoscale available potential energy in a heavy rainfall event over the eastern Tibetan Plateau: 青藏高原东部暴雨的中尺度有效位能收支分析

Abstract

Using model simulated data, the distribution characteristics, genesis, and impacts on precipitation of available potential energy (APE) are analyzed for a heavy rainfall event that took place over the eastern Tibetan Plateau during 10–11 July 2018. Results show that APE was mainly distributed below 4 km and within 8–14 km. The APE distribution in the upper level had a better correspondence with precipitation. Northwestern cold advection and evaporation of falling raindrops were primary factors leading to positive anomalies of APE in the lower level, while positive anomalies of APE in the upper level were caused by a combination of thermal disturbances driven by latent heat and potential temperature perturbations resulting from the orography of the Tibetan Plateau. Budget analysis of APE indicated that APE fluxes and conversion between APE and kinetic energy (KE) were the main source and sink terms. Meridional fluxes of APE and conversion of KE to APE fed the dissipation of APE in the lower level. Vertical motion enhanced by conversion of APE to KE in the upper level was the major factor that promoted precipitation evolution. A positive feedback between APE and vertical motion in the upper level generated a powerful correlation between them. Conversion of KE to APE lasted longer in the lower level, which weakened vertical motion; whereas, northwestern cold advection brought an enhanced trend to the APE, resulting in a weak correlation between APE and vertical motion.摘要针对2018年7月10-11日青藏高原东部一次暴雨过程, 利用模式模拟资料分析了有效位能分布特征,成因及其对降水发展演变的影响.结果表明, 有效位能主要分布在对流层低层4km以下和高层8-14km, 高层有效位能和降水有更好的对应性西北冷平流和降水粒子下落的蒸发作用是低层有效位能高值中心的主要成因, 而降水过程释放潜热带来的热力扰动叠加高原大地形造成的位温扰动是导致高层有效位能高值的主要原因.有效位能收支分析表明, 有效位能的通量输送项以及与动能间的转换项是主要源汇项.低层有效位能的经向通量输送和动能向有效位能的转化补给了有效位能的耗散;高层有效位能向垂直动能转化增强垂直运动是促进降水发展演变的主要因素.高层有效位能与垂直运动之间的正反馈过程使得两者相关性较强;低层较长时间内均存在垂直动能向有效位能的转化, 削弱了垂直运动, 而西北冷平流使得低层有效位能有增强的趋势, 因此二者相关性较弱.