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A Numerical Study of Mesoscale Vortex Formation in the Midlatitudes: The Role of Moist Processes

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Abstract

In this study, a three-dimensional mesoscale model was used to numerically simulate the well-known “98.7” heavy rainfall event that affected the Yangtze Valley in July 1998. Two experiments were conducted to analyze the impact of moist processes on the development of meso-β scale vortices (MβV) and their triggering by mesoscale wind perturbation (MWP). In the experiment in which the latent heat feedback (LHF) scheme was switched off, a stable low-level col field (i.e., saddle field—a region between two lows and two highs in the isobaric surface) formed, and the MWP triggered a weak MβV. However, when the LHF scheme was switched on as the MWP was introduced into the model, the MβV developed quickly and intense rainfall and a mesoscale low-level jet (mLLJ) were generated. The thickness of the air column and average temperature between 400 and 700 hPa decreased without the feedback of latent heat, whereas they increased quickly when the LHF scheme was switched on, with the air pressure falling at low levels but rising at upper levels. A schematic representation of the positive feedbacks among the mesoscale vortex, rainfall, and mLLJ shows that in the initial stage of theMβV, the MWP triggers light rainfall and the latent heat occurs at low levels, which leads to weak convergence and ageostrophic winds. In the mature stage of theMβV, convection extends to the middle-to-upper levels, resulting in an increase in the average temperature and a stretching of the air column. A low-level cyclonic circulation forms under the effect of Coriolis torque, and the mLLJ forms to the southeast of the MβV.

摘要

中纬度地区鞍型场常常产生中尺度涡旋, 造成暴雨甚至特大暴雨. 本文利用三维中尺度模式对“98.7”鄂东特大暴雨进行了数值模拟. 设计两个试验分析了湿物理过程对中尺度风场扰动激发β中尺度涡旋以及β中尺度涡旋发展的影响. 在关闭凝结潜热加热反馈方案试验中, 鄂东地区对流层低层形成一个稳定的鞍型场, 中尺度风场扰动在鞍型场中激发出一个弱的β中尺度涡旋. 在另一个试验中, 当加入中尺度风场扰动后, 打开凝结潜热加热反馈方案, β中尺度涡旋迅速发展, 产生强降水和中尺度低空急流. 400hPa和700hPa之间气柱的厚度和平均温度在没有凝结潜热加热反馈时随积分减小, 而在凝结潜热加热反馈作用下, 却迅速加大, 伴有低层气压下降, 高层气压升高. 概括了中尺度涡旋, 降水和中尺度低空急流之间正反馈作用的概念模型: β中尺度涡旋形成初始阶段, 中尺度风场扰动激发弱降水, 凝结潜热加热出现在低层, 产生弱辐合和非地转风. 在β中尺度涡旋成熟阶段, 对流发展到中高层, 导致气柱平均温度升高, 气柱变厚, 在科氏力作用下, 低层形成气旋性环流, 在β中尺度涡旋东南侧形成中尺度低空急流.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Grand Fundamental Research 973 Program of China (Grant No. 2015CB452800), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41275099, 41205073 and 41275012), and the Natural Science Foundation of the Nanjing Joint Center of Atmospheric Research (Grant No. NJCAR2016MS02). The authors are grateful for the GAME reanalysis data provided by the Japan Meteorological Agency and the Earth Observation Research Center/ National Space of Development Agency of Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Mesoscale Severe Weather/Ministry of Education of China, and School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China

    Yongqiang Jiang, Yuan Wang & Hong Huang

  2. Institute of Meteorology and Oceanography, National University of Defense Technology, Nanjing, 211101, China

    Yongqiang Jiang, Chaohui Chen, Hongrang He & Hong Huang

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  1. Yongqiang Jiang
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  2. Yuan Wang
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Correspondence to Yuan Wang.

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Jiang, Y., Wang, Y., Chen, C. et al. A Numerical Study of Mesoscale Vortex Formation in the Midlatitudes: The Role of Moist Processes. Adv. Atmos. Sci. 36, 65–78 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-018-7234-3

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