A THREE-DIMENSIONAL ELASTIC NESTED-GRID MESO-(β-γ)SCALE ATMOSPHERIC MODEL——PARTI:MODEL DESCRIPTION

A three-dimensional elastic nonhydrostatic mesoscale(β-γ)model with nested-grid is presented.It uses a set of fullequations in terrain-following coordinates as its basic dynamic frame,which is solved with a time-splitting algorithmfor acoustic and gravity waves.The model physical parameterization includes a K-theory subgrid eddy mixing for cloudand free atmosphere,a bulk planetary boundary layer parameterization,and three types of sofisticated cloudmicrophysics schemes with double-parameters for hail-bearing clouds,warm clouds and snowing clouds respectively.The model is designed to be used flexibly for simulations of a variety of meso-and small-scale atmospheric processes,and can be improved as a regional and local operational NWP system in future.     

Origin of short period comets

Reasons for interest in the origin of short-period comets and the difficulties of computing their long-term dynamcal evolution are reviewed. The relative advantages of a source region in an extended inner core of the Oort cloud or a compact comet belt just beyond the planetary system are finely balanced, and it is premature to consider the problem solved. A complication is that some comets belonging to the Jupiter family may be part of a time-dependent system, possibly the remains of a giant comet such as Chiron which could have been part of the system 104 yr ago. The origin of short-period comets plays a pivotal role in many areas of solar system science: planet formation, the source of water (possibly life) on the terrestrial planets, the cratering record on the terrestrial planets and satellites of the outer planets, and the environmental impact posed by massive bodies and their decay products in the Earth's near-space environment.     

The dynamics and thermodynamics of large ash flows

 Ash flow deposits, containing up to 1000 km³ of material, have been produced by some of the largest volcanic eruptions known. Ash flows propagate several tens of kilometres from their source vents, produce extensive blankets of ash and are able to surmount topographic barriers hundreds of metres high. We present and test a new model of the motion of such flows as they propagate over a near horizontal surface from a collapsing fountain above a volcanic vent. The model predicts that for a given eruption rate, either a slow (10–100 m/s) and deep (1000–3000 m) subcritical flow or a fast (100–200 m/s) and shallow (500–1000 m) supercritical flow may develop. Subcritical ash flows propagate with a nearly constant volume flux, whereas supercritical flows entrain air and become progressively more voluminous. The run-out distance of such ash flows is controlled largely by the mass of air mixed into the collapsing fountain, the degree of fragmentation and the associated rate of loss of material into an underlying concentrated depositional system, and the mass eruption rate. However, in supercritical flows, the continued entrainment of air exerts a further important control on the flow evolution. Model predictions show that the run-out distance decreases with the mass of air entrained into the flow. Also, the mass of ash which may ascend from the flow into a buoyant coignimbrite cloud increases as more air is entrained into the flow. As a result, supercritical ash flows typically have shorter runout distances and more ash is elutriated into the associated coignimbrite eruption columns. We also show that one-dimensional, channellized ash flows typically propagate further than their radially spreading counterparts. As a Plinian eruption proceeds, the erupted mass flux often increases, leading to column collapse and the formation of pumiceous ash flows. Near the critical conditions for eruption column collapse, the flows are shed from high fountains which entrain large quantities of air per unit mass. Our model suggests that this will lead to relatively short ash flows with much of the erupted material being elutriated into the coignimbrite column. However, if the mass flux subseqently increases, then less air per unit mass is entrained into the collapsing fountain, and progressively larger flows, which propagate further from the vent, will develop. Our model is consistent with observations of a number of pyroclastic flow deposits, including the 1912 eruption of Katmai and the 1991 eruption of Pinatubo. The model suggests that many extensive flow sheets were emplaced from eruptions with mass fluxes of 10⁹–10¹⁰ kg/s over periods of 10³–10⁵ s, and that some indicators of flow "mobility" may need to be reinterpreted. Furthermore, in accordance with observations, the model predicts that the coignimbrite eruption columns produced from such ash flows rose between 20 and 40 km. Received: 25 August 1995 / Accepted: 3 April 1996     

Soluble organic compounds in fog and cloud droplets: what have we learned over the past few years?

We have recently set up a new procedure for characterising the water soluble organic compounds (WSOC) in fog water, for which information is still rather limited. Fog samples collected during the 1998–1999 fall–winter season in the Po Valley (Italy) were analysed following this procedure, which allows a quantitative determination of three main classes of organic compounds (neutral species, mono- and di-carboxylic acids, polycarboxylic acids), together accounting for ca. 85% of the total WSOC. This procedure also provides information on the main chemical characteristics of these three classes of compounds (functional groups, aliphatic vs. aromatic character, etc.). The enhanced chemical knowledge on fog/cloud chemical composition opens new scenarios as far as chemical and microphysical processes in clouds and fogs are concerned.     

Model studies on the effect of nitric acid vapour on cirrus cloud activation

The effect of elevated nitric acid concentrations on cloud particle number concentrations and sizes of mixed phase cirrus cloud (containing both supercooled liquid and frozen ice particles) is studied using a detailed multicomponent condensation model. Our model calculations suggest that high nitric acid volume mixing ratios (VMRs), corresponding to upper tropospheric measurements, can increase the ice crystal number concentrations substantially especially in the case of freezing of non-activated solution droplets (as opposed to freezing of supercooled cloud droplets). This is due to increased droplet sizes caused by nitric acid absorption and the resulting uptake of water.     

用混合和扩散云室对大气冰核浓度的观测分析

继1963年用混合云室对春季冰核浓度观测之后，1994～1996年，在同季节、同地点用混合和静力扩散云室又做了同步观测。对取得的资料进行整理分析，得出了凝华核浓度在不同天气背景下占总冰核浓度的百分比，两种云室测值的对应关系；分析了扩散云室的容积效应及冰核浓度随气压、能见度等气象因子的变化。     

地基微波辐射计探测在黄河上游人工增雨中的应用

利用2003、2004年夏秋季在青海省河南县的地基双频段微波辐射计连续观测资料,在实施系统探测实验以进行辐射亮温值(TB(23.87),TB(31.65))与大气汽态总水汽含量(Q)和云中积分液态水含量(L)值反演处理的基础上,分析了黄河上游河曲地区的云水特征,并进行了降水预测及人工增雨作业指标的探讨。结果表明:在黄河上游河曲地区,7—9月纯晴天无云天气条件下,L值基本为0,表明了统计回归反演的显著性。多云条件下Q值和L值分别在3.76~4.75g·cm-2、227.34~859.42g·m-2的范围内。可降水云天气,Q值在5.23~8.65g·cm-2间,L值在421.18~1016.37g·m-2的范围内;积雨云个例分析表明,在降雨开始前近5小时的降雨酝酿期内,Q及L的增加有明显的波动,但在对流云出现并发展时,Q和L总是急剧上升,在降雨前达到一峰值;由河南站和西安站的Q、L值比较差异可以看出,Q、L值受水汽输送、地形等因素的影响,黄河上游河曲地区的人工增雨潜力有显著的优势;所计算出的降水预测阈值,可作为该地区人工增雨作业指标的参考。     

机载LiDAR技术支持下的荒漠地区1:10 000地形图测绘与研究——以内蒙古阿拉善地区为例

尝试应用机载LiDAR技术测绘1：10 000比例尺地形图3D（DLG、DEM、DOM）产品,给出了机载LiDAR测绘3D产品的技术流程,并选择荒漠地区作为试验区,验证了此种技术方法在荒漠地区测绘3D产品的可行性,分析了成果精度。试验证明,该方法可以满足荒漠区域的1：10 000比例尺3D基础数据生产要求,且具有外业工作量小、自动化程度高、成图快、高程精度高、受外界环境影响小等优点,同时也总结了该方法中有待完善之处。该方法为荒漠地区3D基础测绘数据获取提供了有益借鉴。     

西北地区春季云系的垂直结构特征飞机观测统计分析

根据2001年5—6月8架次的飞机探测资料,配合地面观测和卫星资料综合分析得出了西北地区春季云系的垂直结构宏微观特征,包括云厚、云底高度、云粒子浓度、含水量、有效半径、粒子谱分布函数等。降水性层状云厚平均约2000 m,低云含水量垂直方向上平均为0.07 g·m~(-3),中云含水量垂直方向上平均为0.03 g·m~(-3)。对比分析降水云和非降水云系的微物理特征量,两者存在显著的差异,降水性层状云有效半径要达到10～16μm。     

机载粉剂催化剂播撒设备的研制及其在奥运和残奥消云中的应用

人为引发的下沉气流可以抑制对流云的发展,这一现象已在试验中得到验证。用“人工下沉气流法”实施人工消云试验时,需在云顶大剂量的播撒粉剂催化剂。北京市人工影响天气办公室研制了能完成此类大剂量播撤任务的设备,并通过外场飞行试验对设备进行检验和改进。这是国内人工影响天气领域首个采用空投播撒法的粉剂催化剂播撤设备;可减少催化剂对飞机和播撤设备的污染。分析发现,新设备能够满足人工消云作业中播撒大剂量粉剂催化剂的需要。该设备在北京奥运会、残奥会开闭幕式当日的消云试验作业中投入使用,共实施消云飞行作业9架次,累计利用新设备播撒吸湿性粉剂催化剂34吨。