Effects of model resolution and subgrid-scale physics on the simulation of precipitation in the continental United States   总被引：4，自引：0，他引：4  

J. P. Iorio  P. B. Duffy  B. Govindasamy  S. L. Thompson  M. Khairoutdinov  D. Randall 《Climate Dynamics》2004,23(3-4):243-258

We analyze simulations of the global climate performed at a range of spatial resolutions to assess the effects of horizontal spatial resolution on the ability to simulate precipitation in the continental United States. The model investigated is the CCM3 general circulation model. We also preliminarily assess the effect of replacing cloud and convective parameterizations in a coarse-resolution (T42) model with an embedded cloud-system resolving model (CSRM). We examine both spatial patterns of seasonal-mean precipitation and daily time scale temporal variability of precipitation in the continental United States. For DJF and SON, high-resolution simulations produce spatial patterns of seasonal-mean precipitation that agree more closely with observed precipitation patterns than do results from the same model (CCM3) at coarse resolution. However, in JJA and MAM, there is little improvement in spatial patterns of seasonal-mean precipitation with increasing resolution, particularly in the southeast USA. This is because of the dominance of convective (i.e., parameterized) precipitation in these two seasons. We further find that higher-resolution simulations have more realistic daily precipitation statistics. In particular, the well-known tendency at coarse resolution to have too many days with weak precipitation and not enough intense precipitation is partially eliminated in higher-resolution simulations. However, even at the highest resolution examined here (T239), the simulated intensity of the mean and of high-percentile daily precipitation amounts is too low. This is especially true in the southeast USA, where the most extreme events occur. A new GCM, in which a cloud-resolving model (CSRM) is embedded in each grid cell and replaces convective and stratiform cloud parameterizations, solves this problem, and actually produces too much precipitation in the form of extreme events. However, in contrast to high-resolution versions of CCM3, this model produces little improvement in spatial patterns of seasonal-mean precipitation compared to models at the same resolution using traditional parameterizations.  相似文献   

East Asian winter monsoon: results from eight AMIP models   总被引：6，自引：0，他引：6  

Y. Zhang  K. R. Sperber  J. S. Boyle  M. Dix  L. Ferranti  A. Kitoh  K. M. Lau  K. Miyakoda  D. Randall  L. Takacs  R. Wetherald 《Climate Dynamics》1997,13(11):797-820

 This study evaluates simulations of the East Asian winter monsoon in eight GCMs that participated in the Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP). In addition to validating the mean state of the winter monsoon, the cold surge and its transient properties, which includes the frequency, intensity, preferred propagation tracks, and the evolution patterns of the surges, are examined. GCM simulated temporal distribution of the Siberian high and cold surges is also discussed. Finally, the forcing of the cold surges on the tropical surface wind and convection, along with their interannual variation is analyzed. The mean state of the winter monsoon is generally portrayed well in most of the models. These include the climatological position of the Siberian high, the 200 hPa divergent center, and the large-scale wind patterns at the surface and the 200 hPa. Models display a wide range of skill in simulating the cold surge and its transient properties. In some of the models, the simulated cold surge trajectory, intensity, frequency, propagation patterns and source regions are in general agreement with those from the observed. While in others, the models cannot adequately capture these observed characteristics. The temporal distribution of the Siberian high and cold surges were realistically reproduced in most GCMs. Most models were able to simulate the effect of the cold surges on the tropical surface wind, although a few models unrealistically generated subtropical southerly wind in the mid-winter. The relationship between cold surges and the tropical convection was not satisfactorily simulated in most models. The common discrepancies in the winter monsoon simulation can be attributed to many factors. In some models, the reason is directly related to the improper location of the large-scale convective center near the western Pacific. The satisfactory simulations of the monsoon circulation and the cold surges are partly due to the topographical characteristics of the East Asian continent, i.e., the Tibetan Plateau to the west and the oceans to the east. The correct simulation of the interannual variation of the surface wind near the South China Sea (SCS) and the maritime continent is a demanding task for most of the models. This will require adequate simulations of many aspects, including tropical convection, the Siberian cold dome, the extratropical-tropical linkage, and the air-sea interaction. The discrepancies noted here furnish a guide for the continuing improvement of the winter monsoon simulations. Improved simulations will lead to an adequate delineation of the surface wind and convection near the maritime continent, which is essential for portraying the winter monsoon forcing in a coupled model. Received: 10 March 1997/Accepted: 4 June 1997  相似文献   

A thin film approach for producing mineral diffusion couples     

Craig S. Schwandt  Randall T. Cygan  Henry R. Westrich 《Pure and Applied Geophysics》1993,141(2-4):631-642

Few diffusion coefficient values have been measured for silicate minerals at pertinent geologic conditions because of experimental restrictions. Until recently, analysis of diffusion couples was conducted principally with electron microprobes which have rather poor spatial resolution (micrometer scale). Ion microprobe analyses, however, eliminate many of the previous experimental restrictions; in depth profile mode they have excellent spatial resolution (tens of angstroms) and diffusion couples can be analyzed normal to the interface. Diffusion couples analyzed by ion microprobe must be well-defined and uniform; previous methods using solution precipitates to form the diffusion couples were heterogeneous and had limited success. A new approach, the thermal evaporation of²⁵MgO under high vacuum onto a crystalline substrate (oxide, silicate), produces a 1000 Å thick²⁵MgO _x (x<1) thin film. This method yields an excellent diffusion couple for low-temperature diffusion experiments. Diffusion anneal experiments using this approach for garnet provide a Mg self-diffusion coefficient ofD=0.60±0.09×10^–21 m²/s at 1000°C (logFO₂=–11.3,P=1 atm,X _Almandine=0.24).  相似文献   

Morphology of Red Creek,Wyoming, an arid-region anastomosing channel system     

R. Randall Schumann 《地球表面变化过程与地形》1989,14(4):277-288

Red Creek, in the Red Desert area of the Great Divide Basin, Wyoming, is an arid-region anastomosing stream. The narrow, deep, and sinuous main channel is flanked by anastomosing flood channels, or anabranches. Most anabranches are initiated at meander bends. The primary mechanism of anabranch initiation is avulsion during overbank floods. Anabranch enlargement occurs by headward erosion. Anabranches act as distributary channels during floods, when water and sediment from overbank flows are transported to and deposited on the floodplain via the anabranches. During periods of low discharges, the anabranches act as tributaries to the main channel, transporting runoff from the floodplain and surrounding hillslopes to the main channel of Red Creek. Aggradation is occurring in the main channel and on the floodplain throughout the study reach. Infilling of the main channel occurs primarily by lateral accretion, while the floodplain accretes vertically through deposition of overbank sediment from the main channel and anabranches. Infilling of the main channel may cause avulsion of the main channel into an anabranch. The abandoned main channel segment may then fill completely or act as an anabranch. Because lateral migration of channels is inhibited by the high cohesion of the silt and clay channel sediment, periodic avulsion is the primary form of lateral mobility in the system.  相似文献   

Response of douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) to uraniferous groundwater in a small glaciated drainage, Northeastern Washington State     

Robert A. Zielinski  R. Randall Schumann 《Journal of Geochemical Exploration》1987,27(3)

Douglas fir trees and associated soils were sampled from the slopes of a small ( 4 km²) drainage basin in northeastern Washington to investigate the biogeochemical response to locally uraniferous groundwater. Uranium is preferentially incorporated in needles and twigs compared to larger branches or the trunk. The U concentration in needle ash ranges from 0.2 to 5.8 μg g⁻¹ (ppm) and shows no correlation with the U concentration in associated soils. Rather, the distribution of anomalously uraniferous douglas fir (>1.0μg g⁻¹ U in needle ash) appears to be controlled by observed or readily inferred pathways of near-surface groundwater movement in the drainage. These pathways include: (1) general downslope movement of subsurface runoff; (2) increased flux of near-surface groundwater near the toe of an alluvial fan; and (3) emergence of uraniferous (100–150 ng ml⁻¹ [ppb] groundwater in the vicinity of a slope spring. The data also indicate the presence of near-surface uraniferous groundwater along a structurally controlled zone that parallels the north-south strike of the valley, and that includes the slope spring. The results suggest that biogeochemical sampling may be used to supplement more direct, but more limited, measurements of groundwater quality and flow regime in areas of near-surface contaminated groundwater.  相似文献   

Statistical modeling of historic shore erosion rates on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland     

Randall K. Spoeri  Christopher F. Zabawa  Bruce Coulombe 《Environmental Geology》1985,7(3):171-187

Few strong relationships exist along the Chesapeake Bay shoreline between the historic erosion rate and the distribution of any of several coastal parameters which were defined and tested using traditional regression and discriminant analysis procedures To develop a simple predictive equation for shore erosion that could be used by coastal managers, the entire Chesapeake Bay shoreline was partitioned into naturally occurring reaches 2–5 km in length, and the historic erosion rate on each reach was modelled as a function of five variables (a) shoreline type, (b) “100-year” storm surge height, (c) mean tide range, (d) wave climate, and (e) potential littoral drift rate The statistical analysis yielded a multiple correlation coefficient (r ²) of 30 8%, discriminant analysis showed only the first two variables listed above are useful predictors (i e, statistically significant) of historic erosion rates A 95-mile portion of the same bay shoreline in Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties was then partitioned into shorter reach lengths (1/2–2km) and more variables were included The multiple correlation coefficient (r ²) improved slightly to 32 9%, but only shoreline type and potential littoral drift rate were found to be useful predictors of historic erosion rates Curiously, the ability to model statistically the historic shore erosion rate is best on those reaches already substantially protected by structures For Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties, the multiple regression coefficient improved to 61 5% when only reaches 1/2–2km in length protected by structures were considered.  相似文献   

A gender analysis of quality of life in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan     

Heather Dunning  Bonnie Janzen  Allison Williams  Sylvia Abonyi  Bonnie Jeffery  J. E. Randall  Bill Holden  Ronald Labonte  Nazeem Muhajarine  Gerry Klein  Tracey Carr 《GeoJournal》2006,65(4):393-407

While many community initiatives have attempted to assess the nature and determinants of their citizens’ quality of life (QOL), these initiatives have produced little about whether the key determinants of life quality differ by gender. Using both quantitative and qualitative data from a recent QOL research project in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, this study explores whether factors that predict poor QOL are similar for women and men. The study also examines whether the nature of these gender differences varies across low, medium and high socio-economic status locales. Results showed that men and women were very similar in: (1) their QOL ratings, (2) reports of deterioration in neighborhood QOL, and (3) rating particular aspects of their neighborhood. Few gender differences were also found when analyzing data referring to place characteristics and social cohesion. Multivariate analysis revealed further similarities: (1) being divorced/widowed was a significant predictor of poor QOL, and (2) a negative view of community security issues was associated with deterioration in perceived neighborhood quality of life. For women, however, other variables were important predictors of QOL: being middle aged, being single, and having a poor opinion of the overall quality of their neighborhood. Qualitative analysis revealed that while men and women shared concern about general areas such as safety and neighborhood supports, their perceptions of the details around these issues differed. The multi-method results suggest that urban policy actions should include a gendered discussion of common QOL issues.  相似文献   

U–Pb dating of plutonic rocks involved in the nappe tectonic in southern Cameroon: consequence for the Pan-African orogenic evolution of the central African fold belt     

Sadrack Felix Toteu  Rose Yongue Fouateu  Joseph Penaye  Jacqueline Tchakounte  Aubin Ciriaque Seme Mouangue  William Randall Van Schmus  Etienne Deloule  Henrik Stendal 《Journal of African Earth Sciences》2006,44(4-5):479

TIMS-ID and SIMS U–Pb dating on zircons from metaplutonic rocks involved in the Pan-African nappe of southern Cameroon allow definition of three groups of subduction-related intrusions: group-I intrusions represented by the Masins metagabbro in the Lomie region yielded 666 ± 26 Ma; group-II intrusions represented by the Mamb metasyenogabbro and the Yaoundé pyriclasite yielded ca. 620 Ma and are broadly coeval with the deposition of the Yaoundé metasediments; group-III intrusions represented by the Elon augen metagranite and the Ngaa Mbappe metamonzodiorite yielded ca. 600 Ma. The onset of the nappe tectonics occurred under high-grade conditions in the range 616 to 610 Ma and continued around 600 Ma with the emplacement of the shallowest nappes. Finally, the construction of southern Cameroon proceeded by a multi-stage evolution characterized by a long-lived development of magmatic arcs associated with rapid opening and closure of sedimentary marginal basins in relation to a northward subduction.  相似文献   

Path-specific Velocity Structure of Western China from Surface-wave Dispersion     

Brett S. Ketter  Aaron A. Velasco  Charles J. Ammon  George E. Randall 《Pure and Applied Geophysics》2006,163(7):1235-1255

We develop one-dimensional (1-D) path-specific velocity models in western China using new Rayleigh and Love wave group and phase velocity dispersion measurements for 20 events in the region. The earthquakes were grouped into three geographic clusters from which we compute the average phase and group velocity dispersion. We invert the average dispersion curves simultaneously for 1-D shear-velocity models appropriate for the three central Asian paths, using three previous shear-velocity models as initial models. The models are validated by forward modeling waveforms of recent events. The crustal thickness beneath western China in the vicinity of the Lop Nor test site is 50–60 km and our velocity models are consistent with major geologic features (e.g., basins and mountain ranges) and previous structural models for this region.  相似文献   

Desert varnish: an environmental recorder for Mars     

Randall S Perry  Mark A Sephton 《Astronomy& Geophysics》2006,47(4):4.34-4.35

Randall S Perry and Mark A Sephton discuss a target material for Mars Sample Return: rocks coated with desert varnish, a mineral layer that records past surface climates on Earth, and probably on Mars too.  相似文献