Collaborative Research: Critical Issues on Cold Region Precipitation Characteristics

合作研究：寒地降水特征关键问题

• 批准号: 1060323
• 负责人: Judah Cohen
• 金额: $ 31.66万
• 依托单位: Atmospheric and Environmental Research Inc
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-09-01 至 2015-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1060323&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Critical; Issues; Cold

The type of precipitation to reach the earth's surface is highly dependent on the lower tropospheric temperature profile. Strong and persistent temperature inversions, a unique vertical profile over the Arctic during the cold season, pose unique challenges to the determination of precipitation type. In other regions, surface air temperature can be used as a predictor of this condition, but this measurement cannot be used in high-latitude locales. This collaborative research project will address some critical issues associated with precipitation type in order to better understand the spatial and temporal patterns of changes in the frequency of different precipitation types associated with increasing air temperatures over pan-Arctic land areas. The investigators will identify the atmospheric and other environmental conditions associated with each precipitation type specifically for high-latitude regions. They will use historical station records across Arctic land regions to compile the frequencies of each precipitation characteristic using various statistical analyses and mapping tools. They will analyze these data in order to enhance the capabilities for climate and hydrological model simulations of snow conditions to assess potential changes in the hydrological cycle and energy budgets. The investigators also plan to examine how much variability in precipitation type is related to short-term fluctuations in major atmospheric circulation patterns as opposed to background long-term warming trends.Project results are expected to enhance basic knowledge regarding how precipitation characteristics change in response to changing atmospheric conditions. The project should contribute to enhancement of fundamental theory regarding the determination of precipitation types based on atmospheric and environmental conditions unique to the Arctic region. Because climate change has been most evident over the Arctic due to the high sensitivity of snow and ice to the energy budget, the project should provide valuable information that is especially critical to interdisciplinary research on the Arctic ecosystem, species dynamics, and human-nature interactions. The project also will aid in efforts to determine the possible future nature of climatic change in the Arctic and to assess the viability of different strategies for adapting to changing conditions. This project is jointly supported by the Geography and Spatial Sciences Program, the Arctic System Science Program, and the Climate and Large-Scale Dynamics Program.

到达地球表面的降水类型高度依赖于对流层低层温度剖面。在寒冷季节，强烈和持续的逆温，北极上空独特的垂直剖面，对降水类型的确定提出了独特的挑战。在其他地区，地表气温可以作为这种情况的预测指标，但这种测量方法不能用于高纬度地区。该合作研究项目将解决与降水类型相关的一些关键问题，以便更好地了解与泛北极陆地地区气温升高相关的不同降水类型频率变化的时空格局。调查人员将确定与高纬度地区的每种降水类型相关的大气和其他环境条件。他们将利用北极陆地地区的历史站点记录，利用各种统计分析和绘图工具汇编每种降水特征的频率。他们将对这些数据进行分析，以提高气候和水文模式对雪况的模拟能力，从而评估水文循环和能量收支的潜在变化。研究人员还计划研究降水类型的变化在多大程度上与主要大气环流模式的短期波动有关，而不是与背景长期变暖趋势有关。预计项目成果将增进有关降水特征如何随大气条件变化而变化的基本知识。该项目应有助于加强根据北极地区特有的大气和环境条件确定降水类型的基本理论。由于冰雪对能量收支的高度敏感性，气候变化在北极地区最为明显，该项目应提供有价值的信息，这对北极生态系统、物种动态和人类与自然相互作用的跨学科研究尤其重要。该项目还将有助于确定北极气候变化未来可能的性质，并评估适应变化条件的不同战略的可行性。该项目由地理与空间科学计划、北极系统科学计划和气候与大尺度动力学计划联合支持。