An Introduction to Mesoscale Meteorology

Description

This book provides a comprehensive introduction of mesoscale meteorology which is one of the important branches of meteorology, studying majorly mesoscale atmospheric systems. It focuses on introduction of the basic knowledge about mesoscale meteorology. It contains the features and equation set of mesoscale atmospheric motions, the topographically forced mesoscale circulations, the gravity waves in free atmosphere, the front and jet stream, the mesoscale convective systems (MCSs), the atmospheric instability, the factors effecting the development of MCSs, mesoscale weather diagnosis and forecasting. This book provides many figures and basic formulas to help reader understanding the basic knowledge. What is mesoscale weather system? How the mesoscale systems influence severe disaster weather? How to forecast the mesoscale severe disaster weather? You will find the answers in it. This book will be of interest to both graduate students majoring in meteorology and the meteorological researchers. Preface Introduction Contents 1 Features and Equation Set of Mesoscale Atmospheric Motions 1.1 The Scale Division of Atmospheric Motion Systems 1.2 Basic Features of Mesoscale Atmospheric Motions 1.3 Equations Set for Describing Mesoscale Motions 1.3.1 The Original Basic Atmospheric Dynamic and Thermodynamic Equations 1.3.2 The Assumptions for Simplifying the Equations 1.3.3 The Derivation of the Boussinesq and Anelastic Approach Equations References 2 Topographically Forced Mesoscale Circulations 2.1 Topographic Waves 2.1.1 Basic Type of Topographic Waves 2.1.2 Features and Atmospheric Conditions of Lee Waves 2.1.3 The Influences of Lee Wave on Precipitation 2.1.4 Downslope Wind 2.2 Circulations in Wake 2.3 Urban Heat Island Circulation 2.4 Sea-Land Breeze 2.4.1 Observation of Sea-Land Breeze 2.4.2 The Rotation of Sea-Land Breeze 2.4.3 The Influences of Sea-Land Breeze on Weather and Environment 2.5 Mountain and Valley Breeze 2.5.1 Features of the Mountain and Valley Breeze 2.5.2 The Influences of the Mountain on Weather References 3 Gravity Waves in Free Atmosphere 3.1 Basic Features of Gravity Waves 3.2 Dynamic Features of Gravity Waves 3.3 Structure and Influences of Gravity Waves 3.4 Development of Gravity Waves 3.4.1 Vertical Wind Shear and Development of Gravity Waves 3.4.2 Thermal Wind Adjustment and Development of Gravity Waves 3.5 Development of the Gravity Waves Near the Upper Level Jet Streak References 4 Front and Jet Stream 4.1 Structure of the Front 4.1.1 The Scale of Front 4.1.2 The Model of Front 4.2 Kinematic and Thermodynamic Frontogenesis 4.3 Dynamic Frontogenesis 4.3.1 Concept of Dynamic Frontogenesis and the Quasi-geostrophic Frontogenesis Model 4.3.2 The Quasi-geostrophic Two Dimensional Frontogenesis Equations Expressed by Potential Temperature and Absolute Momentum M 4.3.3 Semi-geostrophic Frontogenesis Model 4.3.4 The Two Dimensional Frontogenesis Equation in Original Equation Form 4.4 The Factors Influencing Frontogenesis 4.4.1 Factors Influencing Horizontal Momentum Frontogenesis 4.4.2 The Factors Influencing the Horizontal Temperature Frontogenesis 4.4.3 The Factors Influencing the Vertical Temperature Frontogenesis 4.5 Frontal Lateral Secondary Circulation 4.5.1 Frontal Lateral Secondary Circulation Equation 4.5.2 The Forcing Factors of the Frontal Secondary Circulation 4.6 Jet Stream 4.6.1 Formation of the Jet Stream 4.6.2 The Secondary Circulation Near the Upper Level Jet Stream Core 4.6.3 Coupling of the Upper Level and Low Level Jet Streams 4.6.4 The Effects of the Frontogenesis Circulations and the Coupling of Low and High Level Jet Streams on the Development of Severe Convective Storms 4.7 Mesoscale Fronts in Boundary Layer 4.7.1 Dry Line 4.7.2 Coast Front 4.7.3 Sea Breeze Front 4.7.4 Squall Front References 5 Mesoscale Convective Systems 5.1 Isolated Convective Systems 5.1.1 The Common Thunderstorms 5.1.2 Multicell Storms 5.1.3 Supercell Storms 5.1.4 Tornadic Storm 5.1.5 Downburst 5.1.6 Tornado and Downburst Outbreak 5.2 Belt-Shaped Convective Systems 5.2.1 Squall Lines 5.2.2 The Mesoscale Rain Bands Near the Frontal Cyclone 5.2.3 The Mesoscale Rain Belts in a Typhoon 5.3 Mesoscale Convective Complex (MCC) 5.3.1 Definition and Characteristics of MCC 5.3.2 Life Cycle of MCC 5.3.3 Structure of MCC 5.3.4 Precipitation Distribution in MCC 5.3.5 Synoptic Environment of MCC Development 5.3.6 Features of the Quasi-stationary MCC References 6 Atmospheric Instabilities 6.1 Conditional Instability 6.1.1 Static Instability 6.1.2 Conditional Instability and Convective Instability 6.1.3 The Scale of Storm Induced by Potential Instability 6.2 Conditional Instability of Second Kind (CISK) 6.3 Wave-CISK 6.4 Inertial Instability 6.4.1 Concept of Inertial Instability 6.4.2 Criteria of Inertial Instability 6.5 Conditional Symmetric Instability 6.5.1 The Concept of Symmetric Instability 6.5.2 The Scale of Symmetric Instability 6.5.3 The Criteria of Symmetric Instability 6.5.4 The Concept of Conditional Symmetric Instability 6.5.5 The Criteria of Conditional Symmetric Instability 6.5.6 The Favorable Situation for Leading to CSI 6.5.7 Applications of CSI 6.6 Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability References 7 Factors Effecting the Development of MCSs 7.1 The Relationship Between the Atmospheric Potential Instability and Convection 7.2 The Factors Influencing on Convective Clouds 7.2.1 The Effect of the Loading of Liquid Water in Cloud 7.2.2 The Effect of the Entrainment of the Air in the Environment of the Cloud 7.3 The Effect of the Vertical Wind Shear on Propagation of Convective Storm 7.4 The Comprehensive Effect of the Environmental Thermal and Dynamic Conditions on the Intensity and Types of the Convective Storms 7.5 The Effect of the Vertical Wind Shear on the Organization and Splitting of the Storms 7.5.1 The Effect of the Vertical Wind Shear on the Organization of the Thunderstorm 7.5.2 The Effect of the Vertical Wind Shear on the Splitting of the Convective Cell 7.6 The Effect of the Vertical Wind Shear on Formation of Tornado Storms 7.6.1 The Structure of Tornadic Storms 7.6.2 The Generation of Tornadoes References 8 Mesoscale Weather Diagnosis Analysis 8.1 ω Equation 8.1.1 The Quasi-geostrophic ω Equation 8.1.2 Ageostrophic ω Equation 8.2 Analysis of Q Vector 8.2.1 The Definition of the Quasi Geostrophic Q Vector 8.2.2 The Physical Meaning of the Quasi Geostrophic Q Vector 8.2.3 The Relationship Between the Quasi Geostrophic Q Vector and the Vertical Velocity and Frontogenesis or Frontolysis 8.2.4 The Relationship Between the Q Vector and the Secondary Circulation 8.2.5 The Method Determining Qualitatively the Q Vector on Synoptic Maps 8.2.6 The Semi Geostrophic Q Vector (Q∧), Ageostrophic Q Vector (Q#) and Moist Q Vector (Q*) 8.2.7 Resolution of the Q Vector and Its Application 8.2.8 C Vector 8.2.9 Application of the Q Vector Analysis 8.3 Analysis of Potential Vorticity 8.3.1 The Concept of Potential Vorticity 8.3.2 Analysis of the Anomaly of PV 8.3.3 The Structure Feature of the Anomaly Systems of the Potential Vorticity and Potential Temperature Area at High and Low Levels 8.3.4 Analysis of the Moist Potential Vorticity 8.3.5 Research Progress of the Potential Vorticity Theory 8.4 Analysis of the Helicity 8.4.1 The Concept of Helicity 8.4.2 Simplifying of the Helicity 8.4.3 Application of Helicity 8.5 Analysis of the Atmospheric Instability 8.5.1 Atmospheric Thermal Instability 8.5.2 Atmospheric Instability Energy and Its Relation with Convection 8.5.3 Convective Available Energy (CAPE) 8.5.4 Convection Inhibition Energy (CIN) 8.5.5 Descending Convective Available Energy (DCAPE) 8.5.6 Some Frequently Used Thermal Stability Indexes 8.5.7 Assembly Instability Parameters Combining Thermal and Dynamic Factors 8.5.8 Analysis of Conditional Symmetric Instability (CSI) 8.6 Some Case Studies of the Severe Weather 8.6.1 Diagnostic Analysis of a Severe Convective Storm Process with Tornado 8.6.2 Numerical Simulation and Diagnosis of a Heavy Rain Process Occurred in Nanjing on Jul. 5, 2003 8.6.3 Diagnosis Analysis of a Severe Storm Process Occurred in Shangqiu City of Henan Province in China on Jun. 3, 2009 8.6.4 PV Diagnosis of a Heavy Rain Process Occurred in Jianghui Area on July 5–6, 1991 References 9 Mesoscale Weather Forecasting 9.1 Methodology of Mesoscale Weather Forecasting 9.1.1 Nowcasting and Very Short Range Forecasting (VSRF) 9.1.2 Basic Types of the Mesoscale Weather Forecasting Methods 9.1.3 Application of the Conceptual Models 9.1.4 Application of the Empirical Rules 9.2 Diagnosis and Forecasting of Heavy Rain 9.2.1 Definition and Types of Heavy Rain 9.2.2 Conditions of the Heavy Rain Formation and Their Diagnoses 9.2.3 Forecasting Methods of Heavy Rain 9.3 Analysis and Forecasting of the Severe Convective Weather 9.3.1 Definition of the Severe Convective Weather 9.3.2 The Favorable Synoptic Situation of the Severe Convective Weather 9.3.3 Some Indexes Used for Forecasting of the Severe Convective Weather 9.3.4 Forecasting of the Severe Convective Weather 9.3.5 The Estimation of the Forecasting Accuracy Rate 9.4 Data and Tools Applied in Nowcasting and VSRF 9.4.1 Application of the Automatic Meteorological Network Data 9.4.2 Application of the Lightning Detecting Data 9.4.3 Application of the Satellite Remote Sensing Data 9.4.4 Application of Radar Data 9.4.5 VSRF and Nowcasting System References