A Case Study of Urbanization Impact on Summer Precipitation in the Greater Beijing Metropolitan Area. Urban Heat Island Versus Aerosol Effects

Zhong, Shi; Qian, Yun; Zhao, Chun; Leung, Lai-Yung R.; Yang, Xiuqun

doi:10.1002/2015JD023753

A Case Study of Urbanization Impact on Summer Precipitation in the Greater Beijing Metropolitan Area. Urban Heat Island Versus Aerosol Effects

Journal Article · Fri Oct 23 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres (Online)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JD023753· OSTI ID:1228348

Zhong, Shi ^[1]; Qian, Yun ^[2]; Zhao, Chun ^[2]; Leung, Lai-Yung R. ^[2]; Yang, Xiuqun ^[3]

Nanjing Univ. (China); Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Nanjing Univ. (China)

Convection-resolving ensemble simulations using the WRF-Chem model coupled with a single-layer Urban Canopy Model (UCM) are conducted to investigate the individual and combined impacts of land use and anthropogenic pollutant emissions from urbanization on a heavy rainfall event in the Greater Beijing Metropolitan Area (GBMA) in China. The simulation with the urbanization effect included generally captures the spatial pattern and temporal variation of the rainfall event. An improvement of precipitation is found in the experiment including aerosol effect on both clouds and radiation. The expanded urban land cover and increased aerosols have an opposite effect on precipitation processes, with the latter playing a more dominant role, leading to suppressed convection and rainfall over the upstream (northwest) area, and enhanced convection and more precipitation in the downstream (southeast) region of the GBMA. In addition, the influence of aerosol indirect effect is found to overwhelm that of direct effect on precipitation in this rainfall event. Increased aerosols induce more cloud droplets with smaller size, which favors evaporative cooling and reduce updrafts and suppress convection over the upstream (northwest) region in the early stage of the rainfall event. As the rainfall system propagates southeastward, more latent heat is released due to the freezing of larger number of smaller cloud drops that are lofted above the freezing level, which is responsible for the increased updraft strength and convective invigoration over the downstream (southeast) area.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-76RL01830

OSTI ID:: 1228348

Report Number(s):: PNNL-SA--111144; KP1701000; KP1703010

Journal Information:: Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres (Online), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres (Online) Journal Issue: 20 Vol. 120; ISSN 2169-8996

Publisher:: American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (57)

The integrated WRF/urban modelling system: development, evaluation, and applications to urban environmental problems Chen, Fei; Kusaka, Hiroyuki; Bornstein, Robert International Journal of Climatology, Vol. 31, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.2158	journal	January 2011
Effects of boundary-layer stability on urban heat island-induced circulation Baik, J. -J.; Kim, Y. -H.; Kim, J. -J. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, Vol. 89, Issue 1-2 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-006-0254-4	journal	September 2006
Simulation of urban climate with high-resolution WRF model: A case study in Nanjing, China Yang, Ben; Zhang, Yaocun; Qian, Yun Asia-Pacific Journal of Atmospheric Sciences, Vol. 48, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1007/s13143-012-0023-5	journal	August 2012
Urban heat islands and summertime convective thunderstorms in Atlanta: three case studies Bornstein, Robert; Lin, Qinglu Atmospheric Environment, Vol. 34, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1016/S1352-2310(99)00374-X	journal	February 2000
Identification and estimate of biomass burning contribution to the urban aerosol organic carbon concentrations in Beijing Duan, Fengkui; Liu, Xiande; Yu, Tong Atmospheric Environment, Vol. 38, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2003.11.037	journal	March 2004
Fully coupled “online” chemistry within the WRF model Grell, Georg A.; Peckham, Steven E.; Schmitz, Rainer Atmospheric Environment, Vol. 39, Issue 37 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2005.04.027	journal	December 2005
WRF-Chem simulations of aerosols and anthropogenic aerosol radiative forcing in East Asia Gao, Yi; Zhao, Chun; Liu, Xiaohong Atmospheric Environment, Vol. 92 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2014.04.038	journal	August 2014
Mesoscale convective precipitation system modified by urbanization in Beijing City Guo, Xueliang; Fu, Danhong; Wang, Jing Atmospheric Research, Vol. 82, Issue 1-2 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2005.12.007	journal	November 2006
Impact of city belt in Yangtze River Delta in China on a precipitation process in summer: A case study Wan, Hongchao; Zhong, Zhong; Yang, Xiuqun Atmospheric Research, Vol. 125-126 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2013.02.004	journal	May 2013
A Simple Single-Layer Urban Canopy Model For Atmospheric Models: Comparison With Multi-Layer And Slab Models Kusaka, Hiroyuki; Kondo, Hiroaki; Kikegawa, Yokihiro Boundary-Layer Meteorology, Vol. 101, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1019207923078	journal	December 2001
Modeling the formation of secondary organic aerosol within a comprehensive air quality model system Schell, Benedikt; Ackermann, Ingmar J.; Hass, Heinz Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, Vol. 106, Issue D22 https://doi.org/10.1029/2001JD000384	journal	November 2001
Implementation of Noah land surface model advances in the National Centers for Environmental Prediction operational mesoscale Eta model Ek, M. B.; Mitchell, K. E.; Lin, Y. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, Vol. 108, Issue D22 https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JD003296	journal	November 2003
More frequent cloud-free sky and less surface solar radiation in China from 1955 to 2000: CLOUDS AND RADIATION IN CHINA Qian, Yun; Kaiser, Dale P.; Leung, L. Ruby Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 33, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1029/2005GL024586	journal	January 2006
Evolution of ozone, particulates, and aerosol direct radiative forcing in the vicinity of Houston using a fully coupled meteorology-chemistry-aerosol model Fast, Jerome D.; Gustafson, William I.; Easter, Richard C. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 111, Issue D21 https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JD006721	journal	January 2006
Effects of biomass-burning-derived aerosols on precipitation and clouds in the Amazon Basin: a satellite-based empirical study Lin, J. C.; Matsui, T.; Pielke, R. A. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 111, Issue D19 https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JD006884	journal	January 2006
The dependence of aerosol effects on clouds and precipitation on cloud-system organization, shear and stability Lee, Seoung Soo; Donner, Leo J.; Phillips, Vaughan T. J. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 113, Issue D16 https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JD009224	journal	January 2008
Radiative forcing by long-lived greenhouse gases: Calculations with the AER radiative transfer models Iacono, Michael J.; Delamere, Jennifer S.; Mlawer, Eli J. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 113, Issue D13 https://doi.org/10.1029/2008JD009944	journal	January 2008
Heavy pollution suppresses light rain in China: Observations and modeling Qian, Yun; Gong, Daoyi; Fan, Jiwen Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 114 https://doi.org/10.1029/2008JD011575	journal	January 2009
Aerosol direct, indirect, semidirect, and surface albedo effects from sector contributions based on the IPCC AR5 emissions for preindustrial and present-day conditions: IPCC AR5 SECTOR EMISSIONS Bauer, Susanne E.; Menon, Surabi Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, Vol. 117, Issue D1 https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JD016816	journal	January 2012
Impact of aerosols on convective clouds and precipitation: AEROSOL IMPACT ON CONVECTIVE CLOUDS Tao, Wei-Kuo; Chen, Jen-Ping; Li, Zhanqing Reviews of Geophysics, Vol. 50, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1029/2011RG000369	journal	April 2012
Characterization of speciated aerosol direct radiative forcing over California: AEROSOL DIRECT RADIATIVE FORCING Zhao, Chun; Ruby Leung, L.; Easter, Richard Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, Vol. 118, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1029/2012JD018364	journal	March 2013
Radiative forcing and climate response Hansen, J.; Sato, M.; Ruedy, R. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, Vol. 102, Issue D6 https://doi.org/10.1029/96JD03436	journal	March 1997
The second generation regional acid deposition model chemical mechanism for regional air quality modeling Stockwell, William R.; Middleton, Paulette; Chang, Julius S. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 95, Issue D10 https://doi.org/10.1029/JD095iD10p16343	journal	January 1990
Regional climate effects of aerosols over China: modeling and observation Qian, Yun; Ruby Leung, L.; Ghan, Steven J. Tellus B, Vol. 55, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1435-6935.2003.00070.x	journal	September 2003
The Impact of Urbanization on Current and Future Coastal Precipitation: A Case Study for Houston Shepherd, J. Marshall; Carter, Michael; Manyin, Michael Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, Vol. 37, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1068/b34102t	journal	April 2010
Notes on state-of-the-art investigations of aerosol effects on precipitation: a critical review Khain, A. P. Environmental Research Letters, Vol. 4, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/4/1/015004	journal	January 2009
Aerosols, Climate, and the Hydrological Cycle Ramanathan, V. Science, Vol. 294, Issue 5549 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1064034	journal	December 2001
Measurement of the Effect of Amazon Smoke on Inhibition of Cloud Formation Koren, I. Science, Vol. 303, Issue 5662 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1089424	journal	February 2004
Flood or Drought: How Do Aerosols Affect Precipitation? Rosenfeld, D.; Lohmann, U.; Raga, G. B. Science, Vol. 321, Issue 5894 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1160606	journal	September 2008
Rainfall Changes in Summer Caused by St. Louis Changnon, S. A. Science, Vol. 205, Issue 4404 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.205.4404.402	journal	July 1979
Climate Forcing by Anthropogenic Aerosols Charlson, R. J.; Schwartz, S. E.; Hales, J. M. Science, Vol. 255, Issue 5043 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.255.5043.423	journal	January 1992
Suppression of Rain and Snow by Urban and Industrial Air Pollution Rosenfeld, D. Science, Vol. 287, Issue 5459 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.287.5459.1793	journal	March 2000
Detection of Urban-Induced Rainfall Anomalies in a Major Coastal City Shepherd, J. Marshall; Burian, Steven J. Earth Interactions, Vol. 7, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1175/1087-3562(2003)007<0001:DOUIRA>2.0.CO;2	journal	April 2003
Numerical Simulation of the Effects of St. Louis on Mesoscale Boundary-Layer Airflow and Vertical Air Motion: Simulations of Urban vs Non-Urban Effects Hjelmfelt, Mark R. Journal of Applied Meteorology, Vol. 21, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1982)021<1239:NSOTEO>2.0.CO;2	journal	September 1982
Bulk Parameterization of the Snow Field in a Cloud Model Lin, Yuh-Lang; Farley, Richard D.; Orville, Harold D. Journal of Climate and Applied Meteorology, Vol. 22, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1983)022<1065:BPOTSF>2.0.CO;2	journal	June 1983
The Production of Cloud Nuclei by Cane Fires and the Effect on Cloud Droplet Concentration Warner, J.; Twomey, S. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, Vol. 24, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0469(1967)024<0704:TPOCNB>2.0.CO;2	journal	November 1967
Urban Hydrometeorology Review: The Robert E. Horton Lecture, presented at the Sixth Conference on Hydrometeorology, Indianapolis, Ind., 29 October 1985 Huff, F. A. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, Vol. 67, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0477-67.6.703	journal	June 1986
CMORPH: A Method that Produces Global Precipitation Estimates from Passive Microwave and Infrared Data at High Spatial and Temporal Resolution Joyce, Robert J.; Janowiak, John E.; Arkin, Phillip A. Journal of Hydrometeorology, Vol. 5, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1175/1525-7541(2004)005<0487:CAMTPG>2.0.CO;2	journal	June 2004
Urbanization Effects on Observed Surface Air Temperature Trends in North China Ren, Guoyu; Zhou, Yaqing; Chu, Ziying Journal of Climate, Vol. 21, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1175/2007JCLI1348.1	journal	March 2008
Impacts of Urban Processes and Urbanization on Summer Precipitation: A Case Study of Heavy Rainfall in Beijing on 1 August 2006 Miao, Shiguang; Chen, Fei; Li, Qingchun Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, Vol. 50, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1175/2010JAMC2513.1	journal	April 2011
Impact of Two-Way Aerosol–Cloud Interaction and Changes in Aerosol Size Distribution on Simulated Aerosol-Induced Deep Convective Cloud Sensitivity Ekman, Annica M. L.; Engström, Anders; Söderberg, Anders Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, Vol. 68, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1175/2010JAS3651.1	journal	April 2011
A Review of Current Investigations of Urban-Induced Rainfall and Recommendations for the Future Shepherd, J. Marshall Earth Interactions, Vol. 9, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1175/EI156.1	journal	July 2005
Effect of Air Pollution on Precipitation along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains Jirak, Israel L.; Cotton, William R. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, Vol. 45, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1175/JAM2328.1	journal	January 2006
Enhancement of Afternoon Thunderstorm Activity by Urbanization in a Valley: Taipei Chen, Tsing-Chang; Wang, Shih-Yu; Yen, Ming-Cheng Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, Vol. 46, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1175/JAM2526.1	journal	September 2007
Mechanism of Urbanization Impact on a Summer Cold-Frontal Rainfall Process in the Greater Beijing Metropolitan Area Zhong, Shi; Yang, Xiu-Qun Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, Vol. 54, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1175/JAMC-D-14-0264.1	journal	June 2015
Microphysical Processes Evident in Aerosol Forcing of Tropical Deep Convective Clouds Storer, Rachel L.; van den Heever, Susan C. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, Vol. 70, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-12-076.1	journal	February 2013
Performance of a New Convective Parameterization Scheme on Model Convergence in Simulations of a Tropical Cyclone at Grey-Zone Resolutions Sun, Yuan; Yi, Lan; Zhong, Zhong Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, Vol. 71, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-13-0285.1	journal	June 2014
Direct Radiative Effect by Multicomponent Aerosol over China Huang, Xin; Song, Yu; Zhao, Chun Journal of Climate, Vol. 28, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-14-00365.1	journal	May 2015
A New Vertical Diffusion Package with an Explicit Treatment of Entrainment Processes Hong, Song-You; Noh, Yign; Dudhia, Jimy Monthly Weather Review, Vol. 134, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR3199.1	journal	September 2006
Regional simulation of anthropogenic sulfur over East Asia and its sensitivity to model parameters Qian, Yun; Giorgi, Filippo; Huang, Yan Tellus B: Chemical and Physical Meteorology, Vol. 53, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.3402/tellusb.v53i2.16573	journal	January 2001
An investigation of the sub-grid variability of trace gases and aerosols for global climate modeling Qian, Y.; Gustafson, W. I.; Fast, J. D. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Vol. 10, Issue 14 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-6917-2010	journal	January 2010
Radiative impact of mineral dust on monsoon precipitation variability over West Africa Zhao, C.; Liu, X.; Ruby Leung, L. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Vol. 11, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-1879-2011	journal	January 2011
Sulfur dioxide and primary carbonaceous aerosol emissions in China and India, 1996–2010 Lu, Z.; Zhang, Q.; Streets, D. G. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Vol. 11, Issue 18 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-9839-2011	journal	January 2011
Uncertainty in modeling dust mass balance and radiative forcing from size parameterization Zhao, C.; Chen, S.; Leung, L. R. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Vol. 13, Issue 21 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-10733-2013	journal	January 2013
Emissions of primary aerosol and precursor gases in the years 2000 and 1750 prescribed data-sets for AeroCom Dentener, F.; Kinne, S.; Bond, T. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Vol. 6, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-6-4321-2006	journal	January 2006
Asian emissions in 2006 for the NASA INTEX-B mission Zhang, Q.; Streets, D. G.; Carmichael, G. R. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Vol. 9, Issue 14 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-9-5131-2009	journal	January 2009
A scale and aerosol aware stochastic convective parameterization for weather and air quality modeling Grell, G. A.; Freitas, S. R. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions, Vol. 13, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.5194/acpd-13-23845-2013	journal	January 2013

Cited By (9)

Impact of Extensive Urbanization on Summertime Rainfall in the Beijing Region and the Role of Local Precipitation Recycling Wang, Jun; Feng, Jinming; Yan, Zhongwei Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, Vol. 123, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1002/2017jd027725	journal	April 2018
Aerosol and Urban Land Use Effect on Rainfall Around Cities in Indo‐Gangetic Basin From Observations and Cloud Resolving Model Simulations Sarangi, Chandan; Tripathi, S. N.; Qian, Yun Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, Vol. 123, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1002/2017jd028004	journal	April 2018
Sensitivity of urban boundary layer simulation to urban canopy models and PBL schemes in Beijing Huang, Meng; Gao, Zhiqiu; Miao, Shiguang Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics, Vol. 131, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-018-0634-1	journal	August 2018
Spatial and Diurnal Variations of Summer Hourly Rainfall Over Three Super City Clusters in Eastern China and Their Possible Link to the Urbanization Fu, Xinshu; Yang, Xiu‐Qun; Sun, Xuguang Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, Vol. 124, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1029/2019jd030474	journal	May 2019
East Asian Study of Tropospheric Aerosols and their Impact on Regional Clouds, Precipitation, and Climate (EAST‐AIR _CPC ) Li, Zhanqing; Wang, Yuan; Guo, Jianping Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, Vol. 124, Issue 23 https://doi.org/10.1029/2019jd030758	journal	December 2019
Lightning hazards to human societies in a changing climate Yair, Yoav Environmental Research Letters, Vol. 13, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aaea86	journal	November 2018
Urbanization-induced urban heat island and aerosol effects on climate extremes in the Yangtze River Delta region of China Zhong, Shi; Qian, Yun; Zhao, Chun Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Vol. 17, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-5439-2017	journal	January 2017
Contribution of local and remote anthropogenic aerosols to a record-breaking torrential rainfall event in Guangdong Province, China Liu, Zhen; Ming, Yi; Zhao, Chun Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Vol. 20, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-223-2020	journal	January 2020
Modeling extreme precipitation over East China with a global variable-resolution modeling framework (MPASv5.2): impacts of resolution and physics Zhao, Chun; Xu, Mingyue; Wang, Yu Geoscientific Model Development, Vol. 12, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-12-2707-2019	journal	January 2019

Similar Records

Urbanization-induced urban heat island and aerosol effects on climate extremes in the Yangtze River Delta region of China

Journal Article · Thu Apr 27 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (Online) · OSTI ID:1353305

The Effects of Aerosols on Intense Convective Precipitation in the Northeastern U.S.

Journal Article · Mon Aug 03 00:00:00 EDT 2009 · Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 135(643):1367-1391 · OSTI ID:965133

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
GBMA
Greater Beijing Metropolitan Area
UCM
WRF-Chem
aerosol
urban canopy model
urbanization

A Case Study of Urbanization Impact on Summer Precipitation in the Greater Beijing Metropolitan Area. Urban Heat Island Versus Aerosol Effects

Citation Formats

References (57)

Cited By (9)

Similar Records

Related Subjects