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A modified moist ageostrophic Q vector

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Abstract

The quasi-geostrophic Q vector is an important diagnostic tool for studying development of surface rainfall associated with large-scale weather systems and is calculated using data at single vertical level. When ageostrophic Q vector was introduced, it required data at two vertical levels. In this study, moist ageostrophic Q vector is modified so that it can be calculated using data at a single vertical level. The comparison study between the original and modified moist ageostrophic Q vectors is conducted using the data from 5 to 6 July 1991 during the torrential rainfall event associated with the Changjiang-Huaihe mei-yu front in China. The results reveal that divergences of original and modified moist ageostrophic Q vectors have similar horizontal distributions and their centers are almost located in the precipitation centers. This indicates that modified moist ageostrophic Q vector can be used to diagnose convective development with reasonable accuracy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shanghai Typhoon Institute, China Meteorological Administration, Shanghai, 200030, China

    Caijun Yue  (岳彩军)

  2. Laboratory of Typhoon Forecast Technique/China Meteorological Administration, Shanghai, 200030, China

    Caijun Yue  (岳彩军)

  3. School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China

    Shaowen Shou  (寿绍文)

Authors
  1. Caijun Yue  (岳彩军)
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  2. Shaowen Shou  (寿绍文)
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Correspondence to Caijun Yue  (岳彩军).

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Yue, C., Shou, S. A modified moist ageostrophic Q vector. Adv. Atmos. Sci. 25, 1053–1061 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-008-1053-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-008-1053-x

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