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Advances in low-level jet research and future prospects

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Abstract

The low-level jet (LLJ) is closely related to severe rainfall events, air pollution, wind energy utilization, aviation safety, sandstorms, forest fire, and other weather and climate phenomena. Therefore, it has attracted considerable attention since its discovery. Scientists have carried out many studies on LLJs and made significant achievements during the past five or six decades. This article summarizes and assesses the current knowledge on this subject, and focuses in particular on three aspects: 1) LLJ classification, definition, distribution, and structure; 2) LLJ formation and evolutionary mechanisms; and 3) relationships between LLJ and rainfall, as well as other interdisciplinary fields. After comparing the status of LLJ research at home (China) and abroad, we then discuss the shortcomings of LLJ research in China. We suggest that this includes: coarse definitions of the LLJ, lack of observations and inadequate quality control, few thorough explorations of LLJ characteristics and formation mechanisms, and limited studies in interdisciplinary fields. The future prospects for several LLJ research avenues are also speculated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. LASG, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, China

    Hongbo Liu  (刘鸿波), Mingyang He  (何明洋) & Bin Wang  (王 斌)

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Mingyang He  (何明洋)

  3. Laboratory for Climate and Ocean-Atmosphere Studies, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China

    Qinghong Zhang  (张庆红)

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  1. Hongbo Liu  (刘鸿波)
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  2. Mingyang He  (何明洋)
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  3. Bin Wang  (王 斌)
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Correspondence to Mingyang He  (何明洋).

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Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (40905049) and China Meteorological Administration Special Public Welfare Research Fund (GYHY201306016 and GYHY200906020).

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Liu, H., He, M., Wang, B. et al. Advances in low-level jet research and future prospects. Acta Meteorol Sin 28, 57–75 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13351-014-3166-8

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