Vertical Moisture Advection Research Articles

Water vapor transport for spring persistent rains over southeastern China based on five reanalysis datasets

In this study, atmospheric water vapor transport was analyzed to study the changes in spring persistent rainfall (SPR) over southeastern China from 1980 to 2012. The performances of five sets of reanalysis data in reproducing the climatology, the long-term trend and interannual variability of the SPR were synthetically evaluated. To understand the mechanisms dominating SPR variation, the major components of moisture budget, including vertical moisture advection, horizontal moisture advection and evaporation, were examined based on the five reanalysis datasets. The results show that all five reanalysis datasets reproduce the climatology of the SPR reasonably well. Strong westerly wind flow over the southern Tibetan Plateau and southwest wind flow over the western North Pacific are the two main channels remotely supplying water vapor for the SPR. Locally, moisture budget diagnosis shows that the SPR is primarily contributed by the evaporation and vertical moisture advection terms. The SPR shows a decreasing tendency [−0.38 mm day−1 (10 year)−1] during 1980–2012 along with strong interannual variation, which is reasonably captured by all five reanalysis datasets. Vertical moisture advection dominates the SPR variation, and the decreasing trend of the SPR is mainly due to the weakening of ascending motion during this period. In an El Niño decaying spring, the anomalous lower-tropospheric anticyclone over the western North Pacific intensifies vertical upward motion and leads to more precipitation. Both the Japanese 55-year reanalysis (JRA55) and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast interim reanalysis (ERAIM) show higher skill in reproducing the climatology and changes of the SPR.

A toy model of tropical convection with a moisture storage closure

AbstractA time‐dependent, zero‐dimensional toy model is constructed to study the large‐scale variability in association with tropical moist convection. Case studies from sounding‐array observations are analyzed as a benchmark to test the model performance. The model predicts the vertical integral of vertical moisture advection decomposed into the deep convective and congestus/stratiform modes. A closure representing the consumption efficiency of water vapor into precipitation is introduced using the moisture storage ratio, or the degree to which the vertical moisture advection associated with each vertical mode accounts for moisture storage. The observations suggest that this moisture consumption is highly inefficient for the convective/stratiform mode while efficient for the deep convective mode. The model solution is interpreted as a delayed response to the diabatic forcing, unless the sum of the moisture storage ratio and gross moist stability is negative, in which case the system is unstable. Baseline experiments with a fixed moisture storage closure overall reproduce the vertical moisture advection and precipitation as observed, but fail to simulate a sharp pickup of precipitation in the well‐known moisture‐rainfall curve. This deficiency is eliminated when the moisture storage ratio is allowed to vary as convection intensifies and dissipates.

Climate change and the Madden‐Julian Oscillation: A vertically resolved weak temperature gradient analysis

AbstractWTG balance is used to examine how changes in the moist thermodynamic structure of the tropics affect the MJO in two simulations of the Superparameterized Community Earth System Model (SP‐CESM), one at preindustrial (PI) levels of and one where levels have been quadrupled (4×CO2). While MJO convective variability increases considerably in the 4×CO2 simulation, the dynamical response to this convective variability decreases. Increased MJO convective variability is shown to be a robust response to the steepening vertical moisture gradient, consistent with the findings of previous studies. The steepened vertical moisture gradient allows MJO convective heating to drive stronger variations in large‐scale vertical moisture advection, supporting destabilization of the MJO. The decreased dynamical response to MJO convective variability is shown to be a consequence of increased static stability, which allows weaker variations in large‐scale vertical velocity to produce sufficient adiabatic cooling to balance variations in MJO convective heating. This weakened dynamical response results in a considerable reduction of the MJO's ability to influence the extratropics, which is closely tied to the strength of its associated divergence. A composite lifecycle of the MJO was used to show that northern hemisphere extratropical 525 hPa geopotential height anomalies decreased by 27% in the 4×CO2 simulation, despite a 22% increase in tropical convective heating associated with the MJO. Results of this study suggest that while MJO convective variability may increase in a warming climate, the MJO's role in “bridging weather and climate” in the extratropics may not.

Vertically resolved weak temperature gradient analysis of the Madden‐Julian Oscillation in SP‐CESM

AbstractThe collective effects of convection can influence large‐scale circulations that, in turn, act to organize convective activity. Such scale interactions may play an important role in moisture‐convection feedbacks thought to be important to both convective aggregation and the Madden‐Julian Oscillation, yet such interactions are not fully understood. New diagnostics based on tropical weak temperature gradient (WTG) theory have begun to make this problem more tractable, and are leveraged in this study to analyze the relationship between various apparent heating processes and large‐scale vertical moisture advection in SP‐CESM. WTG theory provides a framework for accurately diagnosing intraseasonal variations in large‐scale vertical motion from apparent heating, allowing large‐scale vertical moisture advection to be decomposed into contributions from microphysical processes, subgrid scale eddy fluxes, and radiative heating. This approach is consistent with the column moist static energy (MSE) budget approach, and has the added benefit of allowing the vertical advection term of the column MSE budget to be quantitatively partitioned into contributions from the aforementioned apparent heating processes. This decomposition is used to show that the MJO is an instability strongly supported by radiative feedbacks and damped by horizontal advection, consistent with the findings of previous studies. Periods of low, moderate, and high MJO amplitude are compared, and it is shown that changes in the vertical structure of apparent heating do not play a dominant role in limiting the amplitude of the MJO in SP‐CESM. Finally, a diagnostic approach to scale analysis of tropical dynamics is used to investigate how the governing dynamics of various phenomena differ throughout wavenumber‐frequency space. Findings support previous studies that suggest the governing dynamics of the MJO differ from those of strongly divergent convectively coupled equatorial waves.

MJO Moisture Budget during DYNAMO in a Cloud-Resolving Model

Abstract Contributions by different physical processes and cloud types to the sum of the large-scale vertical moisture advection and apparent moisture sink observed by the DYNAMO field campaign northern sounding array during the passage of a Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) event are estimated using a cloud-resolving model. The sum of these two moisture budget terms is referred to as the column-confined moisture tendency MC. Assuming diabatic balance, the contribution of different physical processes and cloud types to the large-scale vertical velocity and MC can be estimated using simulated diabatic tendencies and the domain-averaged static stability and vertical moisture gradient. Low-level moistening preceding MJO passage is captured by MC and dominated by the effects of shallow clouds. Because of the large vertical moisture gradient at this level, condensational heating in these clouds generates ascent and vertical moisture advection overwhelming the removal of water vapor by condensation. Shallow convective eddy transport also contributes to low-level moistening during this period. Eddy transport by congestus and deep convective clouds contributes to subsequent mid- and upper-level moistening, respectively, as well as low-level drying. Because the upper-level vertical moisture gradient is small, ice deposition within stratiform clouds has a net drying effect. The weak eddy transport in stratiform clouds is unable to compensate for this drying. Nonprecipitating clouds mainly modulate MC through their effects on radiation. During the enhanced phase, reduced longwave cooling results in less subsidence and drying; the opposite occurs during the suppressed phase. Large-scale horizontal advection, which is not included in MC, is responsible for much of the drying during the dissipating phase.

Modeling the Interaction between Quasigeostrophic Vertical Motion and Convection in a Single Column

Abstract A single-column modeling approach is proposed to study the interaction between convection and large-scale dynamics using the quasigeostrophic (QG) framework. This approach extends the notion of “parameterization of large-scale dynamics,” previously applied in the tropics via the weak temperature gradient approximation and other comparable methods, to the extratropics, where balanced adiabatic dynamics plays a larger role in inducing large-scale vertical motion. The diabatic heating in an air column is resolved numerically by a single-column model or a cloud-resolving model. The large-scale vertical velocity, which controls vertical advection of temperature and moisture, is computed through the QG omega equation including the dry adiabatic terms and the diabatic heating term. The component due to diabatic heating can be thought of as geostrophic adjustment to that heating and couples the convection to the large-scale vertical motion. The approach is demonstrated using two representations of convection: a single-column model and linear response functions derived by Z. Kuang from a large set of cloud-resolving simulations. The results are qualitatively similar in both cases. The behavior of convection that is strongly coupled to large-scale dynamics is significantly different from that in the uncoupled case. The positive feedback of the diabatic heating on the large-scale vertical motion reduces the stability of the system, extends the decay time scale after initial perturbations, and increases the amplitude of convective responses to transient large-scale perturbations or imposed forcings. The diabatic feedback of convection on vertical motion is strongest for horizontal wavelengths on the order of the Rossby deformation radius.

Imprint of the ENSO on rainfall and latent heating variability over the Southern South China Sea from TRMM observations

Analyses of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) datasets revealed a prominent interannual variation in the convective-stratiform rainfall and latent heating over the southern South China Sea (SCS) during the winter monsoon between 1998 and 2010. Although the height of maximum latent heating remained nearly constant at around 7 km in all of the years, the year-to-year changes in the magnitudes of maximum latent heating over the region were noticeable. The interannual variations of the convective- stratiform rainfall and latent heating over the southern SCS were highly anti-correlated with the Nino-3 index, with more (less) rainfall and latent heating during La Nina (El Nino) years. Analysis of the large-scale environment revealed that years of active rainfall and latent heating corresponded to years of large deep convergence and relative humidity at 600 hPa. The moisture budget diagnosis indicated that the interannual variation of humidity at 600 hPa was largely modulated by the vertical moisture advection. The year-to-year changes in rainfall over the southern SCS were mainly caused by the interannual variations of the dynamic component associated with anomalous upward motions in the middle troposphere, while the interannual variations of the thermodynamic component associated with changes in surface specific humidity played a minor role. Larger latent heating over the southern SCS during La Nina years may possibly further enhance the local Hadley circulation over the SCS in the wintertime.

Initiation of an intraseasonal oscillation in an aquaplanet general circulation model

AbstractMJO initiation is studied in an aquaplanet general circulation model that has strong and highly regular MJO‐like variability. About 80% of MJO events in the model are found to be successive events, immediately preceded by another strong MJO event. Hence, the dynamics of MJO initiation in the model are dominated by interactions with preceding events. Rossby gyres associated with the previous cycle of suppressed MJO convection to the east are shown to help initiate the next cycle of MJO convection in the western warm pool, consistent with the recent study of Zhao et al. (2013). Meridional and vertical moisture advection associated with the anomalous Rossby gyres help to moisten the MJO initiation region in advance of convective onset. An experiment is conducted in which circumnavigating Kelvin waves and their influence on the MJO initiation region are suppressed. While MJO activity in the model is just as regular with suppression of circumnavigation, MJO amplitude is reduced relative to the control simulation, especially in the western part of the warm pool. Possible physical mechanisms responsible for this change in MJO amplitude are discussed, including the role of low‐level moisture convergence anomalies induced by circumnavigating Kelvin waves, and interactions with mean state changes.

Three-Dimensional Structure and Evolution of the Moisture Field in the MJO

Abstract The large-scale circulation features that determine the structure and evolution of MJO-related moisture and precipitation fields are examined using a linear analysis protocol based on daily 850- minus 150-hPa global velocity potential data. The analysis is augmented by a compositing procedure that emphasizes the structural features over the Indo-Pacific warm pool sector (60°E–180°) that give rise to the eastward propagation of the enhanced moisture and precipitation. It is found that boundary layer (BL) convergence in the low-level easterlies to the east of the region of maximum ascent produces a deep but narrow plume of equatorial ascent that moistens the midtroposphere, while weakly diffluent flow above the BL spreads moisture away from the equator. Vertical advection of moisture from this plume of ascent accounts for the eastward propagation of the positive moisture anomalies across the Maritime Continent into the western Pacific. When the convection is first developing over the Indian Ocean, horizontal moisture advection contributes to both the eastward propagation and the amplification of the positive moisture anomalies along the equator to the east of the region of enhanced convection. Neither horizontal advection nor the net moistening from vertical advection and the apparent moisture sink exhibit significant westward tilt with height in the equatorial plane, but when they are superposed they explain the westward tilt of the moisture field. The strong spatial correlation between relative humidity and vertical velocity underscores the important role of equatorial wave dynamics in shaping the structure and evolution of the MJO.

Objective Diagnostics and the Madden–Julian Oscillation. Part II: Application to Moist Static Energy and Moisture Budgets

Abstract Processes controlling moisture variations associated with the MJO are investigated using budgets of moist static energy (MSE) and moisture. To first order, precipitation anomalies are maintained by anomalous large-scale vertical moisture advection, which can be understood through application of a weak temperature gradient balance framework to the MSE budget. Intraseasonal variations in longwave radiative cooling play a crucial role in destabilizing the MJO by enhancing intraseasonal variations in large-scale vertical moisture advection. This enhancement allows the effect of intraseasonal variations in large-scale vertical moisture advection to meet or exceed the effect of intraseasonal variations in net condensation, resulting in a positive feedback between the net effect of these processes and moisture anomalies. Intraseasonal variations in surface latent heat flux (SLHF) enhance this positive feedback, but appear to be insufficient to destabilize the MJO in the absence of radiative feedbacks. The effect an ensemble cloud population has on large-scale moisture is investigated using fields where only high-frequency variability has been removed. During the enhanced phase, approximately 85% of the moisture removed by net condensation is resupplied by the large-scale vertical moisture advection associated with apparent heating by microphysical processes and subgrid-scale vertical fluxes of dry static energy. This suggests that a relatively large increase in net condensation could be supported by a relatively small anomalous moisture source, even in the absence of radiative feedbacks. These results highlight the importance of process-oriented assessment of MJO-like variability within models, and suggest that a weak temperature gradient (WTG) balance framework may be used to identify destabilization mechanisms, thereby distinguishing between MJO-like variability of fundamentally different character.

Drivers and mechanisms for enhanced summer monsoon precipitation over East Asia during the mid-Pliocene in the IPSL-CM5A

A comparative analysis of East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) precipitation is performed to reveal the drivers and mechanisms controlling the similarities of the mid-Pliocene EASM precipitation changes compared to the corresponding pre-industrial (PI) experiments derived from atmosphere-only (i.e. AGCM) and fully coupled (i.e. CGCM) simulations, as well as the large simulated differences in the mid-Pliocene EASM precipitation between the two simulations. The area-averaged precipitation over the EASM domain is enhanced in the mid-Pliocene compared to the corresponding PI experiments performed by both the AGCM (LMDZ5A) and the CGCM (IPSL-CM5A). Moisture budget analysis reveals that it is the surface warming over East Asia that drives the area-averaged EASM precipitation increase in the mid-Pliocene in both simulations. The surface warming increases the atmospheric moisture content, as revealed by an increase in the thermodynamic component of vertical moisture advection, resulting in enhanced mid-Pliocene EASM precipitation compared to PI in both simulations. Moist static energy diagnosis identifies the combined effect of enhanced zonal thermal contrast and column-integrated meridional stationary eddy velocity $$\overline{{v^{*} }}$$ and its convergence $$\frac{{\overline{{\partial v^{*} }} }}{\partial y}$$ as the physical mechanisms that sustain the enhancement of mid-Pliocene EASM precipitation in both simulations compared to the PI experiments. This takes place through a strengthening of the EASM circulation and moisture transport into the EASM domain associated with an increase in local moisture convergence in the mid-Pliocene in both simulations. Moisture budget analysis also reveals that the larger area-averaged mid-Pliocene EASM precipitation increase in the CGCM compared to its AGCM component is mainly caused by the dynamical component contributing more to the vertical moisture advection in the CGCM (i.e. IPSL-CM5A) compared to its AGCM (LMDZ5). The large simulated differences in the spatial pattern of the mid-Pliocene EASM precipitation between the two simulations result from the combined effect of enhanced meridional thermal contrast over the EASM domain and increased $$\overline{{v^{*} }}$$ convergence over South China in the CGCM simulation compared to the AGCM simulation.

Study of a prototypical convective boundary layer observed during BLLAST: contributions by large-scale forcings

Abstract. We study the influence of the large-scale atmospheric contribution to the dynamics of the convective boundary layer (CBL) in a situation observed during the Boundary Layer Late Afternoon and Sunset Turbulence (BLLAST) field campaign. We employ two modeling approaches, the mixed-layer theory and large-eddy simulation (LES), with a complete data set of surface and upper-air atmospheric observations, to quantify the contributions of the advection of heat and moisture, and subsidence. We find that by only taking surface and entrainment fluxes into account, the boundary-layer height is overestimated by 70%. Constrained by surface and upper-air observations, we infer the large-scale vertical motions and horizontal advection of heat and moisture. Our findings show that subsidence has a clear diurnal pattern. Supported by the presence of a nearby mountain range, this pattern suggests that not only synoptic scales exert their influence on the boundary layer, but also mesoscale circulations. LES results show a satisfactory correspondence of the vertical structure of turbulent variables with observations. We also find that when large-scale advection and subsidence are included in the simulation, the values for turbulent kinetic energy are lower than without these large-scale forcings. We conclude that the prototypical CBL is a valid representation of the boundary-layer dynamics near regions characterized by complex topography and small-scale surface heterogeneity, provided that surface- and large-scale forcings are representative for the local boundary layer.

Precipitation changes in wet and dry seasons over the 20th century simulated by two versions of the FGOALS model

Seasonal precipitation changes over the globe during the 20th century simulated by two versions of the Flexible Global Ocean-Atmosphere-Land System (FGOALS) model are assessed. The two model versions differ in terms of their AGCM component, but the remaining parts of the system are almost identical. Both models reasonably reproduce the mean-state features of the timings of the wet and dry seasons and related precipitation amounts, with pattern correlation coefficients of 0.65–0.84 with observations. Globally averaged seasonal precipitation changes are analyzed. The results show that wet seasons get wetter and the annual range (precipitation difference between wet and dry seasons) increases during the 20th century in the two models, with positive trends covering most parts of the globe, which is consistent with observations. However, both models show a moistening dry season, which is opposite to observations. Analysis of the globally averaged moisture budget in the historical climate simulations of the two models shows little change in the horizontal moisture advection in both the wet and dry seasons. The globally averaged seasonal precipitation changes are mainly dominated by the changes in evaporation and vertical moisture advection. Evaporation and vertical moisture advection combine to make wet seasons wetter and enhance the annual range. In the dry season, the opposite change of evaporation and vertical moisture advection leads to an insignificant change in precipitation. Vertical moisture advection is the most important term that determines the changes in precipitation, wherein the thermodynamic component is dominant and the dynamic component tends to offset the effect of the thermodynamic component.

Moisture Asymmetry and MJO Eastward Propagation in an Aquaplanet General Circulation Model*

Abstract The role of zonal moisture asymmetry in the eastward propagation of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) is investigated through a set of aquaplanet atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) experiments with a zonally symmetric sea surface temperature distribution. In the control experiment, the model produces eastward-propagating MJO-like perturbations with a dominant period of 30–90 days. The model MJO exhibits a clear zonal asymmetry in the lower-tropospheric specific humidity field, with a positive (negative) anomaly appearing to the east (west) of the MJO convection. A diagnosis of the lower-tropospheric moisture budget indicates that the asymmetry primarily arises from vertical moisture advection associated with boundary layer convergence, while horizontal moisture advection has the opposite effect. In a sensitivity experiment, the lower-tropospheric specific humidity field is relaxed toward a zonal-mean basic state derived from the control simulation. In this case, the model’s mean state remains the same, but its intraseasonal mode becomes quasi-stationary. The numerical model experiments clearly demonstrate the importance of the zonal moisture asymmetry in MJO eastward propagation.

Use of the Parcel Buoyancy Minimum (Bmin) to Diagnose Simulated Thermodynamic Destabilization. Part II: Composite Analysis of Mature MCS Environments

Abstract Herein, the parcel buoyancy minimum (Bmin) defined in Part I of this two-part paper is used to examine physical processes influencing thermodynamic destabilization in environments of mature simulated mesoscale convective systems (MCSs). These convection-permitting simulations consist of twelve 24-h forecasts during two 6-day periods characterized by two different commonly occurring warm-season weather regimes that support MCSs over the central United States. A composite analysis of 22 MCS environments is performed where cases are stratified into surface-based (SB), elevated squall (ES), and elevated nonsquall (ENS) categories. A gradual reduction of lower-tropospheric Bmin to values indicative of small convection inhibition, occurring over horizontal scales >100 km from the MCS leading edge, is a common aspect of each category. These negative buoyancy decreases are most pronounced for the ES and ENS environments, in which convective available potential energy (CAPE) is greatest for air parcels originating above the surface. The implication is that the vertical structure of the mesoscale environment plays a key role in the evolution and sustenance of convection long after convection initiation and internal MCS circulations develop, particularly in elevated systems. Budgets of Bmin forcing are computed for the nocturnally maturing ES and ENS composites. Though warm advection occurs through the entire 1.5-km-deep layer comprising the vertical intersection of the largest environmental CAPE and smallest environmental Bmin magnitude, the net effect of terms involving vertical motion dominate the destabilization in both composites. These effects include humidity increases in air parcels due to vertical moisture advection and the adiabatic cooling of the environment above.

Role of the Boundary Layer Moisture Asymmetry in Causing the Eastward Propagation of the Madden–Julian Oscillation*

Abstract The moisture budget associated with the eastward-propagating Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) was diagnosed using 1979–2001 40-yr ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-40) data. A marked zonal asymmetry of the moisture relative to the MJO convection appears in the planetary boundary layer (PBL, below 700 hPa), creating a potentially more unstable stratification to the east of the MJO convection and favoring the eastward propagation of MJO. The PBL-integrated moisture budget diagnosis indicates that the vertical advection of moisture dominates the low-level moistening ahead of the convection. A further diagnosis indicates that the leading term in the vertical moisture advection is the advection of the background moisture by the MJO ascending flow associated with PBL convergence. The cause of the zonally asymmetric PBL convergence is further examined. It is found that heating-induced free-atmospheric wave dynamics account for 75%–90% of the total PBL convergence, while the warm SST anomaly induced by air–sea interaction contributes 10%–25% of the total PBL convergence. The horizontal moisture advection also plays a role in contributing to the PBL moistening ahead of the MJO convection. The leading term in the moisture advection is the advection across the background moisture gradient by the MJO flow. In the western Indian Ocean, Maritime Continent, and western Pacific, the meridional moisture advection by the MJO northerly flow dominates, while in the eastern Indian Ocean the zonal moisture advection is greater. The contribution of the moisture advection by synoptic eddies is in general small; it has a negative effect over the tropical Indian Ocean and western Pacific and becomes positive in the Maritime Continent region.

Changes in the Annual Range of Precipitation under Global Warming

Abstract The annual range of precipitation, which is the difference between maximum and minimum precipitation within a year, is examined in climate model simulations under global warming. For global averages, the annual range of precipitation tends to increase as the globe warms. On a regional basis, this enhancement is found over most areas of the world, except for the bands along 30°S and 30°N. The enhancement in the annual range of precipitation is mainly associated with larger upward trends of maximum precipitation and smaller upward trends or downward trends of minimum precipitation. Based on the moisture budget analysis, the dominant mechanism is vertical moisture advection, both on a global average and on a regional scale. The vertical moisture advection, moisture convergence induced by vertical motion, includes the thermodynamic component, which is associated with increased water vapor, and the dynamic component, which is associated with changes in circulation. Generally, the thermodynamic component enhances the annual range of precipitation, while the dynamic component tends to reduce it. Evaporation has a positive contribution to both maximum and minimum precipitation, but very little to the annual range of precipitation. Even though evaporation and horizontal moisture advection are small for a global average, they could be important on a regional basis.

Mechanisms of Global Warming Impacts on Robustness of Tropical Precipitation Asymmetry

Abstract Hemispherically and temporally asymmetric tropical precipitation responses to global warming are evaluated in 13 different coupled atmosphere–ocean climate model simulations. In the late boreal summer, hemispherical averages of the tropical precipitation anomalies from the multimodel ensemble show a strong positive trend in the Northern Hemisphere and a weak negative trend in the Southern Hemisphere. In the late austral summer, on the other hand, the trends are reversed. This implies that the summer hemisphere becomes wetter and the winter hemisphere becomes a little drier in the tropics. Thus, the seasonal range of tropical precipitation, differences between wet and dry seasons, is increased. Zonal averages of the precipitation anomalies from the multimodel ensemble also reveal a meridional movement, which basically follows the seasonal migration of the main convection zone. Similar asymmetric features can be found in all 13 climate model simulations used in this study. Based on the moisture budget analysis, the vertical moisture advection associated with mean circulation is the main contribution for the robustness of the asymmetric distribution of the tropical precipitation anomalies. Under global warming, tropospheric water vapor increases as the temperature rises and most enhanced water vapor is in the lower troposphere. The ascending motion of the Hadley circulation then transports more water vapor upward, that is, anomalous moisture convergence, and enhances precipitation over the main convection zones. On the other hand, the thermodynamic effect associated with the descending motion of the Hadley circulation, that is, anomalous moisture divergence, reduces the precipitation over the descending regions.

Tropical heat/water vapor quasi-equilibrium and cycle as simulated in a 2D cloud-resolving model

The heat/water vapor equilibrium and cycle in the tropical deep convective regime are analyzed using a two-dimensional cloud-resolving simulation. The model is forced by the large-scale vertical velocity, zonal wind and large-scale horizontal advection derived from Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Response Experiment (TOGA COARE) for a 20-day period. The analysis shows a near perfect balance between vertical thermal advection and latent heat of condensation in the mass-weighted mean heat budget and between vertical moisture advection and precipitation in the precipitable water budget. The local changes of mass-weighted mean temperature and precipitable water are mainly determined by the heat and moisture residuals, respectively. The error analysis shows that the error of the local thermal and moisture changes could be 5–10 times larger than the errors introduced by the condensation and vertical advections. The condensation and associated latent heat determine local moisture loss and thermal gain for strong convection, whereas the vertically advective moistening and cooling cause local moisture gain and thermal loss for weak convection, forming a tropical heat/water recycling mechanism. The enhanced rainfall associated with the convection consumes the instability energy and moisture source, and causes the decay of convection. The suppression of convection allows the restorations of CAPE and moisture source for the favorable conditions of development of convection.

Characteristics of heat and moisture budgets of a mesoscale convective system observed during TOGA‐COARE

AbstractThe large‐scale heat (Q1) and moisture (Q 2) budgets of a tropical convective system occurring in the warm sea surface region of the western Pacific Ocean are analysed over a 36 h period. The system was observed on 26 and 27 November 1992, during the Tropical Ocean/Global Atmosphere (TOGA) Coupled Ocean‐Atmosphere Response Experiment (COARE), and propagated from the north‐eastern part of the Outer Sounding Array (OSA) toward the Intensive Flux Array (IFA) following a south‐westward direction. It was composed of an extensive shield of high cirrus clouds over the OSA, which advected into the IFA. Rawinsonde data collected during these two days, at 6 h intervals, and also surface, satellite and operational forecast‐model data are used to investigate the budgets and the associated precipitation rates over the two contiguous regions containing different convective activity.Globally, the vertical distributions of the heat source and moisture sink over each domain are found to be in qualitative agreement with those of other regions of the western Pacific. The heating profiles show vertical variations closely consistent with the shape of the observed mean vertical‐velocity profiles, suggesting the importance of latent heating. The mature stage provides a heating peak at the upper level in the 450–550 hPa layer, and a marked double peak drying structure at low (800–850 hPa) and middle (400–600 hPa) levels. The series of Q1 and Q2 profiles obtained every 6 hours over the two domains indicates the progressive increase of stratiform cloud which is associated with an elevation of the heating‐peak level, while the upper drying peak intensifies and the lower drying peak is decreasing. Advection contributes to these changes. Differences are observed between the profiles over both regions; these can be explained by reduced convective activity over the IFA and also by the presence of advected anvil clouds from the OSA, which lead to heating and drying over the IFA half as large as over the OSA. Similarly, the associated maxima are located at lower levels. An interesting feature is the existence of a secondary heating maximum in the high troposphere near 200–300 hPa, which can be explained as a contribution from the advected high‐level stratiform clouds.The budget‐derived rainfall rates compare well with those deduced from surface and satellite data, but to a lesser degree with model‐forecast results. This comparison highlights the importance of data density in the behaviour of the large‐scale model in representing convection in equatorial regions, as already identified for the present TOGA‐COARE. Although vertical advection of moisture globally balances the quantity of water that condenses and precipitates, the contribution of horizontal moisture advection can be an important component of the moisture budget, to counterbalance the storage of moisture in a column.