Free-tropospheric Moisture Research Articles

Roles of an Atmospheric River and a Cutoff Low in the Extreme Precipitation Event in Hiroshima on 19 August 2014

Abstract Precipitation in excess of 100 mm h−1 in Hiroshima, Japan, on 19 August 2014, caused a flash flood that resulted in 75 deaths and destroyed 330 houses. This study examined the meteorological background of this fatal flood. During this event, considerable filamentary transport of water vapor from the Indochina Peninsula to the Japanese islands occurred, forming a so-called atmospheric river (AR). This AR had a deep structure with an amount of free tropospheric moisture comparable with that of the boundary layer. Furthermore, a cutoff low (COL), detached from the subtropical jet over the central Pacific, moved northwestward to the Japanese islands. Instability associated with the cold core of the COL and dynamical ascent induced in front of it, interacted with the free tropospheric moisture of the AR, which caused the considerable precipitation in Hiroshima. Moreover, the mountains of the Japanese islands played a role in localizing the precipitation in Hiroshima. These roles were separately evaluated on the basis of sensitivity experiments with a cloud-resolving model.

Thermodynamic and Radiative Structure of Stratocumulus-Topped Boundary Layers*

Abstract Stratocumulus-topped boundary layers (STBLs) observed in three different regions are described in the context of their thermodynamic and radiative properties. The primary dataset consists of 131 soundings from the southeastern Pacific (SEP), 90 soundings from the island of Graciosa (GRW) in the North Atlantic, and 83 soundings from the U.S. Southern Great Plains (SGP). A new technique that makes an attempt to preserve the depths of the sublayers within an STBL is proposed for averaging the profiles of thermodynamic and radiative variables. A one-dimensional radiative transfer model known as the Rapid Radiative Transfer Model was used to compute the radiative fluxes within the STBL. The SEP STBLs were characterized by a stronger and deeper inversion, together with thicker clouds, lower free-tropospheric moisture, and higher radiative flux divergence across the cloud layer, as compared to the GRW STBLs. Compared to the STBLs over the marine locations, the STBLs over SGP had higher wind shear and a negligible (−0.41 g kg−1) jump in mixing ratio across the inversion. Despite the differences in many of the STBL thermodynamic parameters, the differences in liquid water path at the three locations were statistically insignificant. The soundings were further classified as well mixed or decoupled based on the difference between the surface and cloud-base virtual potential temperature. The decoupled STBLs were deeper than the well-mixed STBLs at all three locations. Statistically insignificant differences in surface latent heat flux (LHF) between well-mixed and decoupled STBLs suggest that parameters other than LHF are responsible for producing decoupling.

Free‐tropospheric moisture convergence and tropical convective regimes

AbstractThis work searches for the key elements separating the dynamic and quiescent phases characterizing the tropical atmosphere. The analysis is performed with satellite measurements that are composited into statistical time series individually for the isolated cumulus and organized system regimes. Free‐tropospheric (FT) moisture convergence, cloud‐base (CB) moisture updraft, and FT precipitation efficiency (FTPE) are then derived under large‐scale moisture budget constraints. Precipitation is fed primarily by FT moisture convergence while FTPE and CB moisture updraft amplify in tandem as organized systems develop. In the isolated cumulus regime, FT moisture remains weakly diverging over time accompanying little change of FTPE. A thermodynamic budget consideration suggests that organized systems develop under a self‐sustaining growth of large‐scale updraft in the dynamic phase, while the quiescent phase is maintained by stable, shallow circulation accompanying isolated cumuli.

Eastward-Propagating Intraseasonal Oscillation Represented by Chikira–Sugiyama Cumulus Parameterization. Part I: Comparison with Observation and Reanalysis

Abstract The eastward-propagating intraseasonal oscillation represented by the Chikira–Sugiyama cumulus parameterization in an atmospheric general circulation model is compared with observations and reanalyses. The scheme is characterized by state-dependent entrainment rates that vertically vary affected by the environment. The zonal wavenumber–frequency power spectrum shows a strong signal corresponding to the Madden–Julian oscillation. The eastward-propagating feature of the convective region and accompanying anomalous zonal wind structure is well extracted by the first and second modes of the combined empirical orthogonal function (CEOF) with a reasonable explained variance for the first mode, though the second mode is not sufficiently reproduced. The basic features of the composited anomalous fields including moisture, temperature, and vertical and zonal winds resemble those of the reanalysis in both the free troposphere and surface air. The anomalous free-tropospheric moisture exhibits its westward tilt and the peak moist static energy of the surface air is shifted eastward as in the reanalysis. The anomalous low-level zonal wind changes its direction to the east of the convective center. The model’s outstanding deficiencies include the weak convective activity over the Indian Ocean, weaker westward tilt, and seemingly underestimated shallow convection.

A Satellite Study of Tropical Moist Convection and Environmental Variability: A Moisture and Thermal Budget Analysis

Abstract The thermodynamic variability associated with moist convection over tropical oceans is analyzed by making use of a variety of satellite sensors including radars, an infrared and microwave sounder unit, and a microwave radiometer and scatterometer aboard different platforms. Satellite measurements of atmospheric parameters including air temperature, water vapor, cumulus cloud cover, and surface wind are composited with respect to the temporal lead or lag from Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)-detected convection to obtain statistically continuous time series on hourly to daily time scales. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS)-observed temperature and humidity profiles, representing cloud-cleared sounding, are combined with semitheoretical estimates of in-cloud temperature and humidity to construct the large-scale mean field. Those measurements are ingested to the moisture and thermal budget equations integrated vertically over each layer separated by cloud base. This strategy makes it possible to evaluate the free-tropospheric (FT) convergence of moisture and dry static energy and their vertical flux at cloud base from satellite observations alone. The main findings include the following: 1) vertical moisture transport at cloud base is the dominant source of FT moistening prior to isolated cumulus development while overwhelmed by horizontal moisture convergence for highly organized systems; 2) FT diabatic heating is largely offset on an instantaneous basis; and 3) FT moistening by convective eddies amounts to a half of the total cloud-base moisture flux in the background state, while large-scale mean updrafts modulate the variability of cloud-base flux when highly organized systems develop. The known correlation between congestus clouds and FT moisture before deep convection may be accounted for by large-scale mean moisture updraft rather than congestus eddy moistening.

A Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer HDO/H<sub>2</sub>O retrieval simulator for climate models

Abstract. Retrievals of the isotopic composition of water vapor from the Aura Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) have unique value in constraining moist processes in climate models. Accurate comparison between simulated and retrieved values requires that model profiles that would be poorly retrieved are excluded, and that an instrument operator be applied to the remaining profiles. Typically, this is done by sampling model output at satellite measurement points and using the quality flags and averaging kernels from individual retrievals at specific places and times. This approach is not reliable when the model meteorological conditions influencing retrieval sensitivity are different from those observed by the instrument at short time scales, which will be the case for free-running climate simulations. In this study, we describe an alternative, "categorical" approach to applying the instrument operator, implemented within the NASA GISS ModelE general circulation model. Retrieval quality and averaging kernel structure are predicted empirically from model conditions, rather than obtained from collocated satellite observations. This approach can be used for arbitrary model configurations, and requires no agreement between satellite-retrieved and model meteorology at short time scales. To test this approach, nudged simulations were conducted using both the retrieval-based and categorical operators. Cloud cover, surface temperature and free-tropospheric moisture content were the most important predictors of retrieval quality and averaging kernel structure. There was good agreement between the δD fields after applying the retrieval-based and more detailed categorical operators, with increases of up to 30‰ over the ocean and decreases of up to 40‰ over land relative to the raw model fields. The categorical operator performed better over the ocean than over land, and requires further refinement for use outside of the tropics. After applying the TES operator, ModelE had δD biases of −8‰ over ocean and −34‰ over land compared to TES δD, which were less than the biases using raw model δD fields.

Implementation of the Quasi‐equilibrium Tropical Circulation Model 2 (QTCM2): Global simulations and convection sensitivity to free tropospheric moisture

The implementation of the Quasi‐equilibrium Tropical Circulation Model 2 (QTCM2), an intermediate level complexity model, is described. Following the approach of Sobel and Neelin (2006), an explicit, prognostic atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) of fixed depth is added to a free troposphere (FT) containing one baroclinic and one barotropic mode. QTCM2 is shown to simulate reasonable climatologies of temperature, moisture, winds, and precipitation, albeit with only modest improvements relative to the predecessor single vertical mode version, QTCM1. The addition of an ABL increases the sharpness of horizontal precipitation and moisture gradients, and the separation of the moisture profile into ABL and FT components allows investigation into the separate roles of these two components in modulating deep convection. Model sensitivity to various convection parameters is explored, with contrasting precipitation responses often seen within the cores of convecting regions and along their margins.

Multiple Equilibria of the Hadley Circulation in an Intermediate-Complexity Axisymmetric Model

Abstract A model of intermediate complexity based on quasi-equilibrium theory—a version of the Quasi-Equilibrium Tropical Circulation Model with a prognostic atmospheric boundary layer, as well as two free-tropospheric modes in momentum, and one each in moisture and temperature—is used in a zonally symmetric aquaplanet configuration to study the sensitivity of the Hadley circulation to the sea surface temperature (SST) latitudinal distribution. For equatorially symmetric SST forcing with large SST gradients in the tropics, the model simulates the classical double Hadley cell with one equatorial intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). For small SST gradients in the tropics, the model exhibits multiple equilibria, with one equatorially symmetric equilibrium and two asymmetric equilibria (mirror images of each other) with an off-equatorial ITCZ. Further investigation of the feedbacks at play in the model shows that the assumed vertical structure of temperature variations is crucial to the existence and stability of the asymmetric equilibria. The free-tropospheric moisture–convection feedback must also be sufficiently strong to sustain asymmetric equilibria. Both results suggest that the specific physics of a given climate model condition determine the existence of multiple equilibria via the resulting sensitivity of the convection to free-tropospheric humidity and the vertical structure of adiabatic heating. The symmetry-breaking mechanism and resulting multiple equilibria have their origin in the local multiple equilibria that can be described by a single-column model using the weak temperature gradient approximation. An additional experiment using an SST latitudinal distribution with a relative minimum at the equator shows that the feedbacks controlling these multiple equilibria might be relevant to the double-ITCZ problem.

Interactions between dry‐air entrainment, surface evaporation and convective boundary‐layer development

AbstractThe influence of dry‐air entrainment on surface heat fluxes and the convective boundary‐layer (CBL) properties is studied for vegetated land surfaces, using a mixed‐layer CBL model coupled to the Penman–Monteith equation under a wide range of conditions. In order to address the complex behaviour of the system, the feedback mechanisms involved were put into a mathematical framework. Simple expressions for the evaporative fraction and the Priestley–Taylor parameter were derived, based on the concept of equilibrium evaporation. Dry‐air entrainment enhances the surface evaporation under all conditions, but the sensitivity of the evaporation rate to the moisture content of the free troposphere falls as temperature rises. Due to the evaporation enhancement, shallower CBLs develop beneath dry atmospheres. In all cases, dry‐air entrainment reduces the relative humidity at the land surface and at the top of the CBL. However, because of dry‐air entrainment‐induced land–atmosphere feedback mechanisms, relative humidity at the top of the CBL responds nonlinearly to temperature rise; it decreases as temperature rises beneath a moist free troposphere, whereas it increases beneath a dry free troposphere. Finally, it was found that in certain conditions the evolution of the surface fluxes, relative humidity and CBL height can be as sensitive to the free tropospheric moisture conditions as to the land‐surface properties. Therefore, studies of the land surface and of convective clouds have to take into account the influence of dry‐air entrainment through land–atmosphere feedback mechanisms. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society

Important Factors for the Development of the Asian–Northwest Pacific Summer Monsoon*

Abstract The Asian and northwest (NW) Pacific summer monsoons exhibit stepwise transitions with rapid changes in precipitation at intervals of roughly 1 month from mid-May through mid-July. A new method is developed to evaluate the effects of sea surface temperature (SST) and other changes on these rapid monsoon transitions. The latter changes include solar radiation, land memory, and atmospheric transient (SLAT) effects. The method compares two sets of atmospheric general circulation model (GCM) simulations, forced with observed seasonally varying and piecewise constant SST, respectively. The results indicate that the SLAT effects dominate all of the major transitions, except during mid-June when the SST cooling induced by the strong monsoon westerlies is a significant negative feedback resisting the intensification and northward advance of monsoon convection. The final regional onset of the monsoon system takes place in mid-July over the subtropical NW Pacific characterized by the abrupt enhancement of deep convection there. Despite a weak SST effect from the GCM assessment herein, major changes in convection and circulation are confined to the ocean east of the Philippines during the mid-July transition, suggesting the importance of transient atmospheric adjustments. Intense convection over other regions induces subsidence over the subtropical northwest Pacific during June, contributing to the delayed onset there. Satellite observations reveal a slow buildup of free-tropospheric moisture over the NW Pacific, leading to an abrupt intensification of convective precipitation in mid-July, suggesting a possibility that the gradual tropospheric moistening eventually triggers a threshold transition.

Rethinking convective quasi-equilibrium: observational constraints for stochastic convective schemes in climate models

Convective quasi-equilibrium (QE) has for several decades stood as a key postulate for parametrization of the impacts of moist convection at small scales upon the large-scale flow. Departures from QE have motivated stochastic convective parametrization, which in its early stages may be viewed as a sensitivity study. Introducing plausible stochastic terms to modify the existing convective parametrizations can have substantial impact, but, as for so many aspects of convective parametrization, the results are sensitive to details of the assumed processes. We present observational results aimed at helping to constrain convection schemes, with implications for each of conventional, stochastic or 'superparametrization' schemes. The original vision of QE due to Arakawa fares well as a leading approximation, but with a number of updates. Some, like the imperfect connection between the boundary layer and the free troposphere, and the importance of free-tropospheric moisture to buoyancy, are quantitatively important but lie within the framework of ensemble-average convection slaved to the large scale. Observations of critical phenomena associated with a continuous phase transition for precipitation as a function of water vapour and temperature suggest a more substantial revision. While the system's attraction to the critical point is predicted by QE, several fundamental properties of the transition, including high precipitation variance in the critical region, need to be added to the theory. Long-range correlations imply that this variance does not reduce quickly under spatial averaging; scaling associated with this spatial averaging has potential implications for superparametrization. Long tails of the distribution of water vapour create relatively frequent excursions above criticality with associated strong precipitation events.

Coupling mechanisms between equatorial waves and cumulus convection in an AGCM

In this study, we focused on the difference in appearances of the convectively coupled equatorial waves (CCEWs) in a simulation with the CCSR/NIES/FRCGC AGCM, between two experiments, one with and the other without implementation of the convective suppression scheme (CSS) in the prognostic Arakawa–Schubert cumulus parameterization. Realistic CCEW modes, i.e., Kelvin, Rossby, mixed Rossby-gravity (MRG), and n = 0 eastward inertio-gravity (EIG) wave modes, were reproduced in the with-CSS experiment, while only Rossby-wave-like signals appeared in the without-CSS experiment. By comparing the structures of the Kelvin wave mode and the Rossby wave mode in two runs, it was suggested that the structural difference between these two modes in conjunction with the difference in the controlling factor of cumulus convection determines the CCEW features. The CSS implemented here is such that cumulus convection is suppressed until the cloud-layer-averaged relative humidity exceeds the threshold of 80%. In the without-CSS model, only Rossby wave modes are coupled with the convection. This is because CAPE controls cumulus convection in this model, and the larger frictional convergence of Rossby wave mode prepares CAPE to generate favorable condition for cumulus convection. In the case of the with-CSS model, on the other hand, cumulus convection is largely controlled by the humidity in the free atmosphere. The convergence associated with the equatorial waves can produce the moisture anomaly to overcome the relative humidity threshold, and maintains the favorable condition for cumulus convection once it starts. In this case, not only Rossby waves but also Kelvin, MRG, and n = 0 EIG waves are reproduced more realistically. It is suggested that inclusion of some kind of mechanism connecting the free tropospheric moisture with the convection under the condition of abundant convective available potential energy could be a key factor for realistic coupling between large-scale atmospheric waves and convection.

CIMAR-5: A Snapshot of the Lower Troposphere over the Subtropical Southeast Pacific

The extensive and persistent deck of stratocumulus (SCu) off the west coast of subtropical South America plays an important role in the regional and global climate, as well as in coastal weather. As in other subtropical regions, the SCu form at the top of a marine boundary layer (MBL) bounded by a relatively cold ocean and a large-scale subsidence inversion. Nevertheless, details of the structure and variability of the lower troposphere over this region are largely unknown. Ship-based meteorological observations taken along a transect at 27°S from the Chilean coast (71°W) to Easter Island (110°W) during the second half of October 1999 provide a preliminary description of the low-level circulation, thermodynamic structure, and cloudiness over the subtropical southeast Pacific. Three types of observations were made: (a) 15-min average of air temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, pressure, and wind by an automatic weather station on the ship deck; (b) 15-min average of vertical reflectivity and cloud base by a laser ceilometer on the ship deck; and (c) twice-daily rawinsondes. Several cloud and radiation properties were derived from GOES-8 imagery and validated against the ship-based observations. A preliminary assessment of the ability of NCEP–NCAR reanalysis and scatterometer winds in representing the atmosphere over a largely in situ data-void area is also presented. Sea surface temperature and near-surface air temperature increase gradually westward, while near-surface relative humidity remains nearly constant at ~80%. A significant increase in the free-tropospheric moisture indicates an offshore decrease in the large-scale subsidence. Consistently, the MBL evolves from a shallow, well-mixed MBL topped by compact SCu near the coast; to a deeper, decoupled MBL with a cumuli rising into a patchy SCu deck near Easter Island, in a similar fashion to the transition from subtropical-stratus regime to trade-cumulus regime described elsewhere. In addition to these “climatological” features, the ship data also reveal the large sensitivity of the MBL-trade inversion structure to synoptic-scale disturbances over the subtropical Pacific. Cloud droplet effective sizes increase from the coast to open ocean. Furthermore, cloud fraction, cloud-top height, liquid water path, and optical depth all peaked during the morning and reached a minimum by midafternoon.