Multiscale Interactive Processes Underlying the Heavy Rainstorm Associated with a Landfalling Atmospheric River
The heavy precipitation in Northern California—brought about by a landfalling atmospheric river (AR) on 25–27 February 2019—is investigated for an understanding of the underlying dynamical processes. By the peaks in hourly accumulation, this rainstorm can be divided into two stages (Stage I and Stag...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-12-01
|
| Series: | Atmosphere |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/13/1/29 |
| _version_ | 1797495891425230848 |
|---|---|
| author | Zhuang Zhang X. San Liang |
| author_facet | Zhuang Zhang X. San Liang |
| author_sort | Zhuang Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The heavy precipitation in Northern California—brought about by a landfalling atmospheric river (AR) on 25–27 February 2019—is investigated for an understanding of the underlying dynamical processes. By the peaks in hourly accumulation, this rainstorm can be divided into two stages (Stage I and Stage II). Using a recently developed multiscale analysis methodology, i.e., multiscale window transform (MWT), and the MWT-based theory of canonical transfer, the original fields are reconstructed onto three scale windows, namely, the background flow, synoptic-scale and mesoscale windows, and the interactions among them are henceforth investigated. In both stages, the development of the precipitation is attributed to a vigorous buoyancy conversion and latent heating, and besides, the instability of the background flow. In Stage I, the instability is baroclinic, while in Stage II, it is barotropic. Interestingly, in Stage I, the mesoscale kinetic energy is transferred to the background flow where it is stored, and is released back in Stage II to the mesoscale window again, triggering intense precipitation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:56:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-89e2d7b3666a4a3a96ade795edf3ce6f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:56:58Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-89e2d7b3666a4a3a96ade795edf3ce6f2023-11-23T12:55:59ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332021-12-011312910.3390/atmos13010029Multiscale Interactive Processes Underlying the Heavy Rainstorm Associated with a Landfalling Atmospheric RiverZhuang Zhang0X. San Liang1School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, ChinaDepartment of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, ChinaThe heavy precipitation in Northern California—brought about by a landfalling atmospheric river (AR) on 25–27 February 2019—is investigated for an understanding of the underlying dynamical processes. By the peaks in hourly accumulation, this rainstorm can be divided into two stages (Stage I and Stage II). Using a recently developed multiscale analysis methodology, i.e., multiscale window transform (MWT), and the MWT-based theory of canonical transfer, the original fields are reconstructed onto three scale windows, namely, the background flow, synoptic-scale and mesoscale windows, and the interactions among them are henceforth investigated. In both stages, the development of the precipitation is attributed to a vigorous buoyancy conversion and latent heating, and besides, the instability of the background flow. In Stage I, the instability is baroclinic, while in Stage II, it is barotropic. Interestingly, in Stage I, the mesoscale kinetic energy is transferred to the background flow where it is stored, and is released back in Stage II to the mesoscale window again, triggering intense precipitation.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/13/1/29rainstormatmospheric rivermultiscale window transformcanonical transferbarotropic instabilitybaroclinic instability |
| spellingShingle | Zhuang Zhang X. San Liang Multiscale Interactive Processes Underlying the Heavy Rainstorm Associated with a Landfalling Atmospheric River Atmosphere rainstorm atmospheric river multiscale window transform canonical transfer barotropic instability baroclinic instability |
| title | Multiscale Interactive Processes Underlying the Heavy Rainstorm Associated with a Landfalling Atmospheric River |
| title_full | Multiscale Interactive Processes Underlying the Heavy Rainstorm Associated with a Landfalling Atmospheric River |
| title_fullStr | Multiscale Interactive Processes Underlying the Heavy Rainstorm Associated with a Landfalling Atmospheric River |
| title_full_unstemmed | Multiscale Interactive Processes Underlying the Heavy Rainstorm Associated with a Landfalling Atmospheric River |
| title_short | Multiscale Interactive Processes Underlying the Heavy Rainstorm Associated with a Landfalling Atmospheric River |
| title_sort | multiscale interactive processes underlying the heavy rainstorm associated with a landfalling atmospheric river |
| topic | rainstorm atmospheric river multiscale window transform canonical transfer barotropic instability baroclinic instability |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/13/1/29 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zhuangzhang multiscaleinteractiveprocessesunderlyingtheheavyrainstormassociatedwithalandfallingatmosphericriver AT xsanliang multiscaleinteractiveprocessesunderlyingtheheavyrainstormassociatedwithalandfallingatmosphericriver |