Analysis of the Anomalous Signals near the Tropopause before the Overshooting Convective System Onset over the Tibetan Plateau

This study investigates the anomalous signals near the tropopause before the overshooting convective system (OCS) onset over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). It is found that the tropopause height is stable at the maximum height for the 7th day and the 5th day before the OCS onset. It then decreases signif...

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Main Authors: Hongying Tian, Xiran Xu, Hongbao Chen, Rui Huang, Shiyan Zhang, Jiali Luo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020-01-01
Series:Advances in Meteorology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8823446
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author Hongying Tian
Xiran Xu
Hongbao Chen
Rui Huang
Shiyan Zhang
Jiali Luo
author_facet Hongying Tian
Xiran Xu
Hongbao Chen
Rui Huang
Shiyan Zhang
Jiali Luo
author_sort Hongying Tian
collection DOAJ
description This study investigates the anomalous signals near the tropopause before the overshooting convective system (OCS) onset over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). It is found that the tropopause height is stable at the maximum height for the 7th day and the 5th day before the OCS onset. It then decreases significantly one day before and on the day of the OCS onset. The upward motion in the troposphere is the strongest for the 5th day before the OCS onset. From one day before and after the OCS onset, there are strong ascending motions at 500–300 hPa but weak descending motions near the tropopause. It is proposed that the descending of the tropopause height on the day of the OCS onset is caused by frequent tropopause fold events over the eastern TP associated with frequent cold trough intrusion from the north and the southeastward movement of upper-level westerly jet stream. The decrease of the tropopause height is accompanied by the intrusion of stratospheric air with higher potential vorticity (PV). Positive potential vorticity anomalies on 350 K isentropic surface can be noted in the region where the tropopause height decreases one day before and on the day of the OCS onset. With the deepening of the tropopause fold on the day of the OCS onset, there is not only downward motion near the tropopause in the area behind of the fold but also upward motion in the troposphere beneath the folding region. In addition, the upward displacement of isentropic surfaces leads to an upper-level cold pool, which causes a reduction in static stability beneath the PV anomaly on the day of the OCS onset. The upper-level PV anomalies and their associated strong instability in the middle troposphere can trigger convective activities by the release of potential instability on the day of the OCS onset. The overshooting convection is more likely to occur due to lower tropopause height, although upward motion in the troposphere is not the strongest.
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spelling doaj-art-cfbef2c9e15e4ecc8ca71066659b2ad12025-08-20T02:20:06ZengWileyAdvances in Meteorology1687-93091687-93172020-01-01202010.1155/2020/88234468823446Analysis of the Anomalous Signals near the Tropopause before the Overshooting Convective System Onset over the Tibetan PlateauHongying Tian0Xiran Xu1Hongbao Chen2Rui Huang3Shiyan Zhang4Jiali Luo5Key Laboratory for Semi-Arid Climate Change of the Ministry of Education, College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaKey Laboratory for Semi-Arid Climate Change of the Ministry of Education, College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaWater Resources and Hydropower Investigation, Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd., Gansu, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaKey Laboratory for Semi-Arid Climate Change of the Ministry of Education, College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaKey Laboratory for Semi-Arid Climate Change of the Ministry of Education, College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaKey Laboratory for Semi-Arid Climate Change of the Ministry of Education, College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaThis study investigates the anomalous signals near the tropopause before the overshooting convective system (OCS) onset over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). It is found that the tropopause height is stable at the maximum height for the 7th day and the 5th day before the OCS onset. It then decreases significantly one day before and on the day of the OCS onset. The upward motion in the troposphere is the strongest for the 5th day before the OCS onset. From one day before and after the OCS onset, there are strong ascending motions at 500–300 hPa but weak descending motions near the tropopause. It is proposed that the descending of the tropopause height on the day of the OCS onset is caused by frequent tropopause fold events over the eastern TP associated with frequent cold trough intrusion from the north and the southeastward movement of upper-level westerly jet stream. The decrease of the tropopause height is accompanied by the intrusion of stratospheric air with higher potential vorticity (PV). Positive potential vorticity anomalies on 350 K isentropic surface can be noted in the region where the tropopause height decreases one day before and on the day of the OCS onset. With the deepening of the tropopause fold on the day of the OCS onset, there is not only downward motion near the tropopause in the area behind of the fold but also upward motion in the troposphere beneath the folding region. In addition, the upward displacement of isentropic surfaces leads to an upper-level cold pool, which causes a reduction in static stability beneath the PV anomaly on the day of the OCS onset. The upper-level PV anomalies and their associated strong instability in the middle troposphere can trigger convective activities by the release of potential instability on the day of the OCS onset. The overshooting convection is more likely to occur due to lower tropopause height, although upward motion in the troposphere is not the strongest.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8823446
spellingShingle Hongying Tian
Xiran Xu
Hongbao Chen
Rui Huang
Shiyan Zhang
Jiali Luo
Analysis of the Anomalous Signals near the Tropopause before the Overshooting Convective System Onset over the Tibetan Plateau
Advances in Meteorology
title Analysis of the Anomalous Signals near the Tropopause before the Overshooting Convective System Onset over the Tibetan Plateau
title_full Analysis of the Anomalous Signals near the Tropopause before the Overshooting Convective System Onset over the Tibetan Plateau
title_fullStr Analysis of the Anomalous Signals near the Tropopause before the Overshooting Convective System Onset over the Tibetan Plateau
title_full_unstemmed Analysis of the Anomalous Signals near the Tropopause before the Overshooting Convective System Onset over the Tibetan Plateau
title_short Analysis of the Anomalous Signals near the Tropopause before the Overshooting Convective System Onset over the Tibetan Plateau
title_sort analysis of the anomalous signals near the tropopause before the overshooting convective system onset over the tibetan plateau
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8823446
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