Aerosol optical depths (AODs) from MODIS and MISR onboard the Terra satellite are assessed by comparison with measurements from four AERONET sites located in northern China for the period 2006-2009. The results show that MISR performs better than MODIS at the SACOL and Beijing sites. For the Xianghe and Xinglong sites, MODIS AOD retrievals are better than those of MISR. Overall, the relative error of the Angstrom exponent from MISR compared with AERONET is about 14%, but the MODIS error can reach 30%. Thus, it may be better to use the MISR Angstrom exponent to derive wavelength-dependent AOD values when calculating the aerosol radiative forcing in a radiative transfer model. Seasonal analysis of AOD over most of China shows two main areas with high aerosol loading: the Taklimakan Desert region and the southern part of North China and northern part of East China. The locations of these two areas of high aerosol loading do not change with season, but the AOD values have significant seasonal variation. The largest AOD value in the Taklimakan appears in spring when the Angstrom exponents are the lowest, which means the particle radii are relatively large. Over North and East China, the highest aerosol loading appears in summer. The aerosol particles are smallest in summer over both high-AOD areas.
2012年5月10日,甘肃陇南岷县出现了罕见的雷电、短时强降水、冰雹、阵性大风等强对流天气,因灾造成重大人员伤亡和财产损失。利用NCEP再分析资料和中尺度WRF(Weather Research and Forecasting)模式对此次天气过程进行了模拟,并使用模式输出产品作了多种物理量诊断分析。结果表明:该模式能较好地模拟这次天气过程;在此次降水发生过程中,暴雨区出现了很强的辐合上升运动,为降水的形成和发展提供了动力条件,中低层负螺旋度的短暂出现可以作为此次降水即将发生的一个指标;来自西亚地区和孟加拉湾的水汽在甘南中层辐合为此次暴雨提供了足够的水汽;不稳定能量的聚集和释放,并且能量的释放过程比积累过程要快,导致了暴雨的产生。