Details:

Journal Title:
Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences
Personal Author:
Fan, Da ; Greybush, Steven J. ; Chen, Xingchao ; Lu, Yinghui ; Zhang, Fuqing ; ... More +
Fan, Da ; Greybush, Steven J. ; Chen, Xingchao ; Lu, Yinghui ; Zhang, Fuqing ; Young, George S. Less -
NOAA Program & Office:
NOAA General Documents
Description:
Through a series of global convection-permitting simulations and geostationary satellite observations, this study investigates the role of deep moist convection in atmospheric kinetic energy (KE) and brightness temperature (BT) spectra in a realistic framework. The control simulation was produced on a quasi-uniform 3-km global mesh, which allowed the explicit representation of deep convection. To assess the impact of deep moist convection, a fake-dry simulation was performed with latent heating–cooling feedback in the microphysics removed for comparison. The impacts of deep moist convection on mesoscale KE spectrum are concentrated on energizing the mesoscale at the upper troposphere and the lower stratosphere through buoyancy production. BT spectra for the control simulation have a similar shallow slope in the mesoscale as that for the observations. The greater spectral power of BT for the control simulation compared to the observed is attributed to the dislocation and higher intensity of simulated convection. The observed BT spectra exhibit a large diurnal variability due to the diurnal variation of the intensity of convection. The simulated BT spectrum is dependent on convective systems at different scales. Deep convection in the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and shallow convection in the North Pacific storm-track region play an important role in energizing the convective scale of the BT spectrum. In the mesoscale, the BT spectrum is mainly energized by mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) in the ITCZ. Tropical equatorial waves and baroclinic waves in the southern midlatitudes are critical in producing the shallow slope near −5/3 and providing energy in the BT spectrum at the synoptic scale. Significance Statement We further explore the role of deep moist convection in kinetic energy and brightness temperature spectra through high-resolution radiance observations and convection-permitting simulations. Moist processes can energize the mesoscale of kinetic energy. Brightness temperature spectra show dependence on convective systems at different scales. These results point the way toward a new approach to evaluate the predictability of convective systems, and future development of model dynamics and parameterization.
Keywords:
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Atmospheric Science
Source:
Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 79(10), 2721-2737
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/jas-d-21-0285.1
ISSN:
0022-4928;1520-0469;
Format:
PDF
Publisher:
American Meteorological Society
Document Type:
Journal Article
Rights Information:
Other
Compliance:
Library
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:82e051c3b579920723b8f2088a3c8e82aec86979bb216842ee63fa2a7351bef8
Download URL:
https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/60137/noaa_60137_DS1.pdf
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