Atmospheric Thermodynamics Research Articles

Numerical Models of Wind Effects on Temperature Loaded Object

Wind climate influencing wind loads on buildings and other structures, as well as the dispersion of pollutants from various surfaces is essentially determined by small-scale motions and processes occurring in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). The physical and thermal properties of the underlying surface, in conjunction with the dynamics and thermodynamics of the lower atmosphere influence the distribution of wind velocity in thermally stratified ABL. Atmospheric turbulence is characterized by a high degree of irregularity, three-dimensionality, diffusivity, dissipation, and a wide range of motion scales. This article describes a change of selected turbulent variables in the surroundings of flow around a thermally loaded object. The problem is solved numerically in Ansys Fluent 13.0 software using LES (Large eddy simulation) models as well as the Transition SST (Shear Stress Transport) model that is able to take into account the difference between high and low turbulence at the interface between the wake behind an obstacle and the free stream. The results are mutually compared and verified with experimental measurements in the wind tunnel.

Derived Observations From Frequently Sampled Microwave Measurements of Precipitation—Part I: Relations to Atmospheric Thermodynamics

This is the first of two papers that quantify the high added value of frequent 3-D radar observations of the atmosphere to capture the dynamics of weather systems. Recent advances in small-satellite and radar technologies, such as the “Radar in Cubesat” developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, are paving the way for the design of convoys of spaceborne radars that can directly observe the evolution of severe weather at very fine temporal scales. The analyses presented here are to establish the relation between such observations to the underlying cloud variables and processes, and to quantify the sensitivity to the different physical and instrument parameters. In this first part, a robust algorithm is proposed to estimate the horizontal advection from successive radar reflectivity measurements, and use it to compute total time derivatives $d_{t} Z$ of the observed radar reflectivity factors $Z$ . As illustrated using Next-Generation Radar measurements in a blizzard coupled with an atmospheric river in California, the maps of $d_{t} Z$ reveal features about locations of sources and sinks of condensed water, which are, otherwise, not visible in the maps of $Z$ alone. Using numerical simulations of the blizzard and a radiative-transfer model to forward calculate the corresponding reflectivity factors $Z$ in the S-band, we show the robust correlation between $d_{t} Z$ and the moistening of the troposphere.

Effect of cloud microphysics on Indian summer monsoon precipitating clouds: A coupled climate modeling study

AbstractThe quest for one of the most dominant processes controlling the large‐scale circulations in the tropics is unraveled. The impact of cloud microphysical processes is known to have effects on rainfall and local atmospheric thermodynamics; however, its effect on the prevailing mean circulations is not yet studied. Two sets of coupled global climate model experiments (ICE and NO ICE microphysics) reveal that ice microphysics improves the strength of the Hadley circulation with respect to observation. Results pinpoint that ICE simulation enhances high cloud fraction (global tropics: ~59%, India: ~51%) and stratiform rain (global tropics: ~5%, India: ~15%) contribution. ICE and NO ICE cloud microphysics impacts differently on the outgoing longwave radiation (OLR), tropospheric temperature, and surface shortwave and longwave radiation. The effect of ice microphysics reduces OLR, which signifies deeper convection in the ICE run. The global annual average of the net radiation flux (shortwave and longwave) at the surface in ICE run (108.1 W/m2) is close to the observation (106 W/m2), which is overestimated in NO ICE run (112 W/m2). The result of apparent heat source term over the land and ocean surface eventually modifies regional Hadley circulation. Thus, the effect of ice microphysics in the global coupled model is important not only because of microphysics but also due to the radiation feedbacks. Therefore, better ice‐phase microphysics is required in the new generation of climate forecast model, which may lead to improvements in the simulation of monsoon.

Clouds, warm air, and a climate cooling signal over the summer Arctic

AbstractWhile the atmospheric greenhouse effect always results in a warming at the surface, outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) to space always represents a cooling. During events of heat and moisture advection into the Arctic, increases in tropospheric temperature and moisture impact clouds, in turn impacting longwave (LW) radiation. State‐of‐the‐art satellite measurements and atmospheric reanalysis consistently reveal an enhancement of summer Arctic monthly OLR cooling ranging 1.5–4 W m−2 during months with anomalously high thermodynamic advection. This cooling anomaly is found to be of the same magnitude or slightly larger than associated downwelling LW surface warming anomalies. We identify a relationship between large‐scale circulation variability and changing cloud properties permitting LW radiation at both the surface and top of the atmosphere to respond to variability in atmospheric thermodynamics. Driven by anomalous advection of warm air, the corresponding enhanced OLR cooling signal on monthly time scales represents an important buffer to regional Arctic warming.

Condensation: Passenger Not Driver in Atmospheric Thermodynamics

The second law of thermodynamics states that processes yielding work or at least capable of yielding work are thermodynamically spontaneous, and that those costing work are thermodynamically nonspontaneous. Whether a process yields or costs heat is irrelevant. Condensation of water vapor yields work and hence is thermodynamically spontaneous only in a supersaturated atmosphere; in an unsaturated atmosphere it costs work and hence is thermodynamically nonspontaneous. Far more of Earth’s atmosphere is unsaturated than supersaturated; based on this alone evaporation is far more often work-yielding and hence thermodynamically spontaneous than condensation in Earth’s atmosphere—despite condensation always yielding heat and evaporation always costing heat. Furthermore, establishment of the unstable or at best metastable condition of supersaturation, and its maintenance in the face of condensation that would wipe it out, is always work-costing and hence thermodynamically nonspontaneous in Earth’s atmosphere or anywhere else. The work required to enable supersaturation is most usually provided at the expense of temperature differences that enable cooling to below the dew point. In the case of most interest to us, convective weather systems and storms, it is provided at the expense of vertical temperature gradients exceeding the moist adiabatic. Thus, ultimately, condensation is a work-costing and hence thermodynamically nonspontaneous process even in supersaturated regions of Earth’s or any other atmosphere. While heat engines in general can in principle extract all of the work represented by any temperature difference until it is totally neutralized to isothermality, convective weather systems and storms in particular cannot. They can extract only the work represented by partial neutralization of super-moist-adiabatic lapse rates to moist-adiabaticity. Super-moist-adiabatic lapse rates are required to enable convection of saturated air. Condensation cannot occur fast enough to maintain relative humidity in a cloud exactly at saturation, thereby trapping some water vapor in metastable supersaturation. Only then can the water vapor condense. Thus ultimately condensation is a thermodynamically nonspontaneous process forced by super-moist-adiabatic lapse rates. Yet water vapor plays vital roles in atmospheric thermodynamics and kinetics. Convective weather systems and storms in a dry atmosphere (e.g., dust devils) can extract only the work represented by partial neutralization of super-dry-adiabatic lapse rates to dry-adiabaticity. At typical atmospheric temperatures in the tropics, where convective weather systems and storms are most frequent and active, the moist-adiabatic lapse rate is much smaller (thus much closer to isothermality), and hence represents much more extractable work, than the dry—the thermodynamic advantage of water vapor. Moreover, the large heat of condensation (and to a lesser extent fusion) of water facilitates much faster heat transfer from Earth’s surface to the tropopause than is possible in a dry atmosphere, thereby facilitating much faster extraction of work, i.e., much greater power, than is possible in a dry atmosphere—the kinetic advantage of water vapor.

Thermodynamics of Cottrell atmospheres tested by atomistic simulations

Solute atoms can segregate to elastically deformed lattice regions around a dislocation and form an equilibrium distribution called the Cottrell atmosphere. We compare two approaches to describe Cottrell atmospheres. In the Eshelby theory, the solid solution is represented by a composite material obtained by insertion of misfitting elastic spheres (solute atoms) into an elastic matrix (solvent). The theory proposed by Larché and Cahn (LC) treats the solution as an elastic continuum and describes elasto-chemical equilibrium using the concept of open-system elastic coefficients. The two theories are based on significantly different concepts and diverge in some of their predictions, particularly regarding the existence of screening of dislocation stress fields by atmospheres. To evaluate predictive capabilities of the two theories, we perform atomistic computer simulations of Al segregation on a dislocation in Ni. The results confirm the existence of hydrostatic stress screening in good agreement with the LC theory. The composition field is also in much better agreement with the LC prediction than with the Eshelby theory. However, the simulations confirm the logarithmic divergence of the total amount of solute segregation as expected from the Eshelby theory, whereas the LC theory predicts the total segregation to be zero. Several other aspects of the two theories are analyzed. Possible non-linear extensions of the LC theory are outlined.

Doppler Lidar Observations over a High Altitude Mountainous Site Manora Peak in the Central Himalayan Region

The RAWEX-GVAX field campaign has been carried out from June 2011 to March 2012 over a high altitude site Manora Peak, Nainital (29.4 degrees N; 79.2 degrees E; 1958 m amsl) in the central Himalayas to assess the impacts of absorbing aerosols on atmospheric thermodynamics and clouds. This paper presents the preliminary results of the observations and data analysis of the Doppler Lidar, installed at Nainital. Strong updrafts with vertical winds in the range of similar to 2-4 ms(-1) occurred during the daytime and throughout the season indicating thermally driven convection. On the other hand during nighttime, weak downdrafts persisted during stable conditions. Plan Position Indicator scan of Doppler Lidar showed north-northwesterly winds in the boundary layer. The mixing layer height, derived from the vertical velocity variance, showed diurnal variations, in the range similar to 0.7-1 km above ground level during daytime and very shallow during nighttime.

Static Stability of the Troposphere Over the Southeastern Beaufort Sea–Amundsen Gulf Region of the Western Maritime Arctic

The characterization of the static stability of the troposphere over the western maritime Arctic remains limited in spite of its significance to both atmospheric thermodynamics and dynamics. Field observations of microwave radiometric temperature profiles from the International Polar Year, Circumpolar Flaw Lead System Study (late November 2007 to mid-July 2008) and the ArcticNet field campaign (mid-July to early November 2009) provided a unique opportunity to characterize the static stability of the troposphere over the southeastern Beaufort Sea–Amundsen Gulf region. Notably, the monthly median atmospheric boundary layer (<2000 m) static stability profile for April and the profile for May clearly revealed an inversion elevated above a thermal internal boundary layer, whereas the median summer static stability profiles had very strong surface-based inversions. These profiles have been linked to the seasonal evolution of sea-ice cover in Amundsen Gulf. The monthly static stability profiles for the free atmosphere (2000–10,000 m) revealed an annual cycle. The average static stability of the lower troposphere (2000–5000 m) had a minimum of 3.3 ± 0.5 K km−1 in July and a maximum of 4.5 ± 0.5 K km−1 in January and February. In the upper troposphere (>5000–8000 m), the average static stability had a minimum of 2.9 ± 0.6 K km−1 in June and August and a maximum of 5.3 ± 0.8 K km−1 in January. The monthly median heights of the tropopause also had an annual cycle. The maximum of 9750 m occurred in June, July, and August. The minimum tropopause height of 8000 m occurred in December, January, and March. The seasonal cycles of static stability in the free atmosphere and the seasonal cycle in the height of the tropopause can be attributed to regional as well as synoptic-scale forcing. This analysis will contribute to the understanding of the thermodynamics and dynamics of a data-sparse region of the Arctic by providing a “snapshot” of the state of the atmosphere through a composite annual cycle.

Prospective Study on Applications of Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics to Climate Modeling

ABSTRACT Wu, Y.; Cao, H., and Feng, G., 2015. Prospective study on applications of non-equilibrium thermodynamics to climate modeling. While focusing on the ability of climate models, this paper demonstrates the role and status of atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics in building and developing climate models. Possible reasons for the insufficiency in climate models are analyzed, and the significance of non-equilibrium thermodynamics in further development of climate models, especially of regional climate models, is put forward. Besides, in non-equilibrium thermodynamics, the second law of thermodynamics indicates that, in an isolated system, irreversible process develops along the direction of increasing entropy whatever status the system is at the beginning, while the minimum entropy production principle states that non-equilibrium open system grows toward the status with minimum entropy production, which can be used as the development criterion for the non-equilibrium open system. As the typical open...

Thermodynamic and dynamic contributions to future changes in regional precipitation variance: focus on the Southeastern United States

The frequency and severity of extreme events are tightly associated with the variance of precipitation. As climate warms, the acceleration in hydrological cycle is likely to enhance the variance of precipitation across the globe. However, due to the lack of an effective analysis method, the mechanisms responsible for the changes of precipitation variance are poorly understood, especially on regional scales. Our study fills this gap by formulating a variance partition algorithm, which explicitly quantifies the contributions of atmospheric thermodynamics (specific humidity) and dynamics (wind) to the changes in regional-scale precipitation variance. Taking Southeastern (SE) United States (US) summer precipitation as an example, the algorithm is applied to the simulations of current and future climate by phase 5 of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) models. The analysis suggests that compared to observations, most CMIP5 models (~60 %) tend to underestimate the summer precipitation variance over the SE US during the 1950–1999, primarily due to the errors in the modeled dynamic processes (i.e. large-scale circulation). Among the 18 CMIP5 models analyzed in this study, six of them reasonably simulate SE US summer precipitation variance in the twentieth century and the underlying physical processes; these models are thus applied for mechanistic study of future changes in SE US summer precipitation variance. In the future, the six models collectively project an intensification of SE US summer precipitation variance, resulting from the combined effects of atmospheric thermodynamics and dynamics. Between them, the latter plays a more important role. Specifically, thermodynamics results in more frequent and intensified wet summers, but does not contribute to the projected increase in the frequency and intensity of dry summers. In contrast, atmospheric dynamics explains the projected enhancement in both wet and dry summers, indicating its importance in understanding future climate change over the SE US. The results suggest that the intensified SE US summer precipitation variance is not a purely thermodynamic response to greenhouse gases forcing, and cannot be explained without the contribution of atmospheric dynamics. Our analysis provides important insights to understand the mechanisms of SE US summer precipitation variance change. The algorithm formulated in this study can be easily applied to other regions and seasons to systematically explore the mechanisms responsible for the changes in precipitation extremes in a warming climate.

Aerosol black carbon characteristics over Central India: Temporal variation and its dependence on mixed layer height

In a first of its kind study over the Indian region, concurrent and extensive measurements of black carbon (BC) concentration and atmospheric boundary layer parameters are used to quantify the role of atmospheric boundary layer in producing temporal changes in BC. During this study, 18months (2011–12) data of continuous measurements of BC aerosols, made over a semi-urban location, Nagpur, in Central India are used along with concurrent measurements of vertical profiles of atmospheric thermodynamics, made using weekly ascents of GPS aided Radiosonde for a period of 1year. From the balloon data, mixed layer heights and ventilation coefficients are estimated, and the monthly and seasonal changes in BC mass concentration are examined in the light of the boundary layer changes. Seasonally, the BC mass concentration was highest (~4573±1293ngm−3) in winter (December–February), and lowest (~1588±897ngm−3) in monsoon (June–September), while remained moderate (~3137±1446ngm−3) in pre-monsoon (March–May), and post-monsoon (~3634±813ngm−3) (October–November) seasons. During the dry seasons, when the rainfall is scanty or insignificantly small, the seasonal variations in BC concentrations have a strong inverse relationship with mixed layer height and ventilation coefficient. However, the lowest BC concentrations do not occur during the season when the mixed layer height (MLH) is highest or the ventilation coefficient is the highest; rather it occurs when the rainfall is strong (during summer monsoon season) and airmass changes to primarily of marine origin.

Characteristic nature of vertical motions observed in Arctic mixed-phase stratocumulus

Abstract. Over the Arctic Ocean, little is known on cloud-generated buoyant overturning vertical motions within mixed-phase stratocumulus clouds. Characteristics of such motions are important for understanding the diabatic processes associated with the vertical motions, the lifetime of the cloud layer and its micro- and macrophysical characteristics. In this study, we exploit a suite of surface-based remote sensors over the high-Arctic sea ice during a weeklong period of persistent stratocumulus in August 2008 to derive the in-cloud vertical motion characteristics. In-cloud vertical velocity skewness and variance profiles are found to be strikingly different from observations within lower-latitude stratocumulus, suggesting these Arctic mixed-phase clouds interact differently with the atmospheric thermodynamics (cloud tops extending above a stable temperature inversion base) and with a different coupling state between surface and cloud. We find evidence of cloud-generated vertical mixing below cloud base, regardless of surface–cloud coupling state, although a decoupled surface–cloud state occurred most frequently. Detailed case studies are examined, focusing on three levels within the cloud layer, where wavelet and power spectral analyses are applied to characterize the dominant temporal and horizontal scales associated with cloud-generated vertical motions. In general, we find a positively correlated vertical motion signal amongst vertical levels within the cloud and across the full cloud layer depth. The coherency is dependent upon other non-cloud controlled factors, such as larger, mesoscale weather passages and radiative shielding of low-level stratocumulus by one or more cloud layers above. Despite the coherency in vertical velocity across the cloud, the velocity variances were always weaker near cloud top, relative to cloud middle and base. Taken in combination with the skewness, variance and thermodynamic profile characteristics, we observe vertical motions near cloud top that behave differently than those from lower within the cloud layer. Spectral analysis indicates peak cloud-generated w variance timescales slowed only modestly during decoupled cases relative to coupled; horizontal wavelengths only slightly increased when transitioning from coupling to decoupling. The similarities in scales suggests that perhaps the dominant forcing for all cases is generated from the cloud layer, and it is not the surface forcing that characterizes the time- and space scales of in-cloud vertical velocity variance. This points toward the resilient nature of Arctic mixed-phase clouds to persist when characterized by thermodynamic regimes unique to the Arctic.

Analyses on integrated detection of the blizzard process in 19–20 March 2012 in Urumqi, Xinjiang China

Using the multi-source observation data from wind-profiling radar, microwave radiometer, Doppler weather radar, etc. during the blizzard event in 19–20 March 2012 in Urumqi, this paper analyzed the detailed characteristics of the atmospheric dynamics, thermodynamics, intensity and water vapor during the process of this blizzard weather. The findings suggest: (1) in the course of the blizzard weather, the near-surface atmosphere is mainly dominated by northwest airflows, the wind speed and relative humidity increase rapidly, temperature drops and air pressure ascends; (2) the blizzard weather this time is accompanied by cold front system whose entering time is about 16:00 BT 19 March; the shear line that develops from low to high is the position height of the frontal zone, and the variation of the high-level frontal zone directly reflects the altitude and layers where cold and warm air masses interact; (3) the radar equivalent reflectivity factor of the snowstorm process changes within the range 8–25 dBZe and its large-value zone is correlated well with the blizzard duration, the height for the formation of rain (snow) particles and the snow intensity; (4) before the occurrence of the blizzard, atmosphere is in the state of high temperature and high humidity, the maximum vapor density is around 6 g m−3, water vapor mainly stays under the height of 5,000 m; affected by cold front system, cold airs gradually lift warm and moist airs so that the vapor condenses and deposits into water drops and snow particles, forming the snowstorm in the end.

Effects of atmospheric parameters on radon measurements using alpha-track detectors

The calibration factors of alpha-track radon detectors (ATDs) are essential for accurate determination of indoor radon concentrations. In this paper, the effects of atmospheric parameters on the calibration factors were theoretically studied and partially testified. Based on the atmospheric thermodynamics theory and detection characteristics of the allyl diglycol carbonate (CR-39), the calibration factors for 5 types of ATDs were calculated through Monte Carlo simulations under different atmospheric conditions. Simulation results showed that the calibration factor increased by up to 31% for the ATDs with a decrease of air pressure by 35.5 kPa (equivalent to an altitude increase of 3500 m), and it also increased by up to 12% with a temperature increase from 5 °C to 35 °C, but it was hardly affected by the relative humidity unless the water-vapor condensation occurs inside the detectors. Furthermore, it was also found that the effects on calibration factors also depended on the dimensions of ATDs. It indicated that variations of the calibration factor with air pressure and temperature should be considered for an accurate radon measurement with a large dimensional ATD, and water-vapor condensation inside the detector should be avoided in field measurements.

Assessment of Convective Activity Using Stability Indices as Inferred from Radiosonde and MODIS Data

The combined use of both radiosonde data and three-dimensional satellite derived data over ocean and land is useful for a better understanding of atmospheric thermodynamics. Here, an attempt is made to study the thermodynamic structure of convective atmosphere during pre-monsoon season over southwest peninsular India utilizing satellite derived data and radiosonde data. The stability indices were computed for the selected stations over southwest peninsular India viz: Thiruvananthapuram and Cochin, using the radiosonde data for five premonsoon seasons. The stability indices studied for the region are Showalter Index (SI), K Index (KI), Lifted Index (LI), Total Totals Index (TTI), Humidity Index (HI), Deep Convective Index (DCI) and thermodynamic parameters such as Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) and Convective Inhibition Energy (CINE). The traditional Showalter Index has been modified to incorporate the thermodynamics over tropical region. MODIS data over South Peninsular India are also used for the study. When there is a convective system over south peninsular India, the value of LI over the region is less than ?4. On the other hand, the region where LI is more than 2 is comparatively stable without any convection. Similarly, when KI values are in the range 35 to 40, there is a possibility for convection. The threshold value for TTI is found to be between 50 and 55. Further, we found that prior to convection, dry bulb temperature at 1000, 850, 700 and 500 hPa is minimum and the dew point temperature is a maximum, which leads to increase in relative humidity. The total column water vapor is maximum in the convective region and minimum in the stable region. The threshold values for the different stability indices are found to agree with that reported in literature.

An observational and theoretical study of the longitudinal variation in neutral temperature induced by aurora heating in the lower thermosphere

AbstractIn this paper, observations by thermosphere, ionosphere, mesosphere energetics and dynamics/Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry from 2002 to 2012 and by Envisat/Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) from 2008 to 2009 are used to study the longitudinal structure of temperature in the lower thermosphere. In order to remove the longitudinal structure induced by tides, diurnally averaged SABER temperatures are used. For MIPAS data, we use averaged temperatures between day and night. The satellite observations show that there are strong longitudinal variations in temperature in the high‐latitude lower thermosphere that persist over all seasons. The peak of the diurnally averaged temperature in the lower thermosphere always occurs around the auroral zone. A clear asymmetry between the two hemispheres in the longitudinal temperature structure is observed, being more pronounced in the Southern than in the Northern Hemisphere. In both hemispheres, the longitudinal variation is dominated by the first harmonic in longitude. The total radiative cooling observed by SABER has a structure in longitude that is similar to that of temperature. Modeling simulations using the Thermosphere‐Ionosphere‐Electrodynamics General Circulation Model reproduce similar features of the longitudinal variations of temperature in the lower thermosphere. Comparison of two model runs with and without auroral heating confirms that auroral heating causes the observed longitudinal variations. The multiyear averaged vertical structures of temperature observed by the two satellite instruments indicate that the impact of auroral heating on the thermodynamics of the neutral atmosphere can penetrate down to about 105 km.

The thermodynamic state of the Arctic atmosphere observed by AIRS: comparisons during the record minimum sea ice extents of 2007 and 2012

Abstract. The record sea ice minimum (SIM) extents observed during the summers of 2007 and 2012 in the Arctic are stark evidence of accelerated sea ice loss during the last decade. Improving our understanding of the Arctic atmosphere and accurate quantification of its characteristics becomes ever more crucial, not least to improve predictions of such extreme events in the future. In this context, the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument onboard NASA's Aqua satellite provides crucial insights due to its ability to provide 3-D information on atmospheric thermodynamics. Here, we facilitate comparisons in the evolution of the thermodynamic state of the Arctic atmosphere during these two SIM events using a decade-long AIRS observational record (2003–2012). It is shown that the meteorological conditions during 2012 were not extreme, but three factors of preconditioning from winter through early summer played an important role in accelerating sea ice melt. First, the marginal sea ice zones along the central Eurasian and North Atlantic sectors remained warm throughout winter and early spring in 2012 preventing thicker ice build-up. Second, the circulation pattern favoured efficient sea ice transport out of the Arctic in the Atlantic sector during late spring and early summer in 2012 compared to 2007. Third, additional warming over the Canadian archipelago and southeast Beaufort Sea from May onward further contributed to accelerated sea ice melt. All these factors may have lead the already thin and declining sea ice cover to pass below the previous sea ice extent minimum of 2007. In sharp contrast to 2007, negative surface temperature anomalies and increased cloudiness were observed over the East Siberian and Chukchi seas in the summer of 2012. The results suggest that satellite-based monitoring of atmospheric preconditioning could be a critical source of information in predicting extreme sea ice melting events in the Arctic.

Lake levels in Asia at the Last Glacial Maximum as indicators of hydrologic sensitivity to greenhouse gas concentrations

Using monsoonal and arid Central Asia as a case study, we have compiled lake level information from proxy records for the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and compared these to the simulated hydrologic cycle from four 21 ka model experiments completed for the Paleoclimate Modeling Intercomparison Project, phase 2 (PMIP2). Our new review of proxy records indicates that lake levels were nearly all lower at LGM compared to the pre-industrial across Asia. This water-balance pattern is largely reproduced by all four models and results from decreased precipitation during the LGM. An offline lake energy balance model forced with output from the PMIP2 models shows that lake evaporation also significantly decreased at LGM, but that in most areas the change in lake evaporation is overshadowed by changes in precipitation. Based on the model experiments, higher LGM lake levels only existed in the dryland regions of Pakistan, Afghanistan and north of monsoonal East Asia (∼45°N, ∼90–120°E), which differs from previous studies that suggested that higher lake levels prevailed during the LGM in western China and arid Central Asia. A detailed atmospheric water budget analysis performed with output from the Community Climate System Model version 3 (CCSM3) indicates that a combination of atmospheric dynamics (i.e., convergence) and thermodynamics (i.e., the Clausius–Clayperon relationship) were responsible for decreases in LGM precipitation in Siberia and monsoonal Asia. Our results support the idea that monsoonal Asia will become wetter in the future due to increased atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations, though more than atmospheric thermodynamics may be at play. The situation is more complex for arid Central Asia, though current trends towards wetter conditions there might be consistent with the pattern we observe and model for LGM.

Influence of the Arctic Oscillation on the vertical distribution of clouds as observed by the A-Train constellation of satellites

Abstract. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of the Arctic Oscillation (AO), the dominant mode of natural variability over the northerly high latitudes, on the spatial (horizontal and vertical) distribution of clouds in the Arctic. To that end, we use a suite of sensors onboard NASA's A-Train satellites that provide accurate observations of the distribution of clouds along with information on atmospheric thermodynamics. Data from three independent sensors are used (AQUA-AIRS, CALIOP-CALIPSO and CPR-CloudSat) covering two time periods (winter half years, November through March, of 2002–2011 and 2006–2011, respectively) along with data from the ERA-Interim reanalysis. We show that the zonal vertical distribution of cloud fraction anomalies averaged over 67–82° N to a first approximation follows a dipole structure (referred to as "Greenland cloud dipole anomaly", GCDA), such that during the positive phase of the AO, positive and negative cloud anomalies are observed eastwards and westward of Greenland respectively, while the opposite is true for the negative phase of AO. By investigating the concurrent meteorological conditions (temperature, humidity and winds), we show that differences in the meridional energy and moisture transport during the positive and negative phases of the AO and the associated thermodynamics are responsible for the conditions that are conducive for the formation of this dipole structure. All three satellite sensors broadly observe this large-scale GCDA despite differences in their sensitivities, spatio-temporal and vertical resolutions, and the available lengths of data records, indicating the robustness of the results. The present study also provides a compelling case to carry out process-based evaluation of global and regional climate models.

Controls on Boundary-Layer Thermodynamics and Dynamics in Coastal West Africa During the Rainy Season of 2006

We investigate dominant processes modulating the coastal West African atmospheric boundary layer during August and September 2006. We evaluated boundary-layer attributes using upper air soundings, tower-based observations, and information from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts reanalyses. Boundary-layer thermodynamics exhibited continental and maritime attributes in response to influences from regional onshore (sea to land) flows and local land–atmosphere exchanges of energy and moisture. Onshore flows transported maritime air inland and gave rise to deep (>1 km) nighttime mixed layers whose heat and moisture content resulted in maximum virtual potential temperatures of 306 K and specific humidities up to 20 g kg−1. The presence of the Saharan Air Layer corresponded with capping inversions greater than 4 K and lapse rates exceeding 7 K km−1 above the mixed layer. Mixed layers at these times became deeper than expected (≈1 km) because dust layer events were often concurrent with strong onshore flows. Despite diurnally variable land–atmosphere fluxes of sensible and latent heat that reached maximum values of 200 and 400 W m−2, respectively, the mixed-layer depth exhibited little diurnal variation due to the influences of onshore flows. Daytime heating of the land, the upward transport of moisture, and onshore flows produced boundary layers with high convective available potential energy that often exceeded 3,000 J kg−1. These results demonstrate that the atmospheric boundary-layer thermodynamics in western Senegal can be favorable for storm development during both day and night. Mesoscale and regional models applied in this region should include several processes controlling the boundary-layer attributes to realistically estimate the energy available for storm development.