Preliminary Results of GAME/HUBEX Intensive Observation of Cloud and Precipitation in Meiyu Frontal Zone over the China Continent
Kazuhisa Tsuboki
Frontier Research System for Global Change (FRSGC)
Tokyo, Japan
The energy and water cycle in the subtropical monsoon region of the East Asia is characterized largely by Baiu/Meiyu front in summer. It is one of subtropical fronts and a unique subsystem of the Asian monsoon. Various scale of cloud/precipitation systems are formed in this frontal zone and play major role in the energy and water cycle in the zone. One of purposes of GAME/HUBEX (GEWEX Asian Monsoon Experiment / Huaihe River Basin Experiment) is to study the evolution of mesoscale cloud system. Main objectives of this study are to clarify roles of a mesoscale cloud system in time variation of regional-scale energy and water cycle and to reveal evolution of a mesoscale cloud system and its response to time variation of land-surface system.
In 1998, HUBEX group performed meteorological observation during the period from May to August. During the intensive field observation, a record-breaking flood occurred in the Yangtze River region. A large amount of important data were obtained by the field observation. Following 1998, HUBEX group also performed an observation in 1999: surface flux observations and the intensive field observation of meteorology and hydrology in June and July.
During the intensive field observation, several types of precipitation were observed. A cloud cluster developed within the radar observation area. An intense squall line embedded in the cloud cluster was observed by Doppler radars. A different type of long-lived cumulonimbus cloud was observed. It is interesting that this cumulonimbus cloud developed very deeply and it was maintained for a long time, though it did not show any structure of an organized.
In the presentation, I will summarize these preliminary results obtained in the intensive field observation of GAME/HUBEX. I will focus on cloud and precipitation over the China Continent.
