Articles | Volume 15, issue 11
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-4447-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-4447-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
A novel method for objective identification of 3-D potential vorticity anomalies
Christoph Fischer
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institute of Computer Science, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
Andreas H. Fink
Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
Elmar Schömer
Institute of Computer Science, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
Roderick van der Linden
Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
Michael Maier-Gerber
Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
Marc Rautenhaus
Regional Computing Centre, Visual Data Analysis Group, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Michael Riemer
Institute for Atmospheric Physics, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
Related authors
Christoph Fischer, Andreas H. Fink, Elmar Schömer, Marc Rautenhaus, and Michael Riemer
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 4213–4228, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-4213-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-4213-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents a method for identifying and tracking 3-D potential vorticity structures within African easterly waves (AEWs). Each identified structure is characterized by descriptors, including its 3-D position and orientation, which have been validated through composite comparisons. A trough-centric perspective on the descriptors reveals the evolution and distinct characteristics of AEWs. These descriptors serve as valuable statistical inputs for the study of AEW-related phenomena.
Tanguy Jonville, Maurus Borne, Cyrille Flamant, Juan Cuesta, Olivier Bock, Pierre Bosser, Christophe Lavaysse, Andreas Fink, and Peter Knippertz
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 9765–9786, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-9765-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-9765-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Tropical waves structure the atmosphere. Four types of tropical waves (equatorial Rossby – ER, Kelvin, MRG-TD1, and MRG-TD2 – mixed Rossby gravity–tropical depressions) are studied using filters, satellite measurements, and in situ data from the Clouds–Atmosphere Dynamics–Dust Interaction in West Africa (CADDIWA) campaign held in September 2021 in Cabo Verde. ER waves impact temperature and humidity above 2500 m, MRG-TD1 around 3500 m, and MRG-TD2 around 2000 m. Interactions between these waves favor tropical cyclone formation.
Tim Radke, Susanne Fuchs, Christian Wilms, Iuliia Polkova, and Marc Rautenhaus
Geosci. Model Dev., 18, 1017–1039, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-1017-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-1017-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
In our study, we built upon previous work to investigate the patterns artificial intelligence (AI) learns to detect atmospheric features like tropical cyclones (TCs) and atmospheric rivers (ARs). As primary objective, we adopt a method to explain the AI used and investigate the plausibility of learned patterns. We find that plausible patterns are learned for both TCs and ARs. Hence, the chosen method is very useful for gaining confidence in the AI-based detection of atmospheric features.
Oriol Tintó Prims, Robert Redl, Marc Rautenhaus, Tobias Selz, Takumi Matsunobu, Kameswar Rao Modali, and George Craig
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 8909–8925, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-8909-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-8909-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Advanced compression techniques can drastically reduce the size of meteorological datasets (by 5 to 150 times) without compromising the data's scientific value. We developed a user-friendly tool called
enstools-compressionthat makes this compression simple for Earth scientists. This tool works seamlessly with common weather and climate data formats. Our work shows that lossy compression can significantly improve how researchers store and analyze large meteorological datasets.
Christoph Fischer, Andreas H. Fink, Elmar Schömer, Marc Rautenhaus, and Michael Riemer
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 4213–4228, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-4213-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-4213-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents a method for identifying and tracking 3-D potential vorticity structures within African easterly waves (AEWs). Each identified structure is characterized by descriptors, including its 3-D position and orientation, which have been validated through composite comparisons. A trough-centric perspective on the descriptors reveals the evolution and distinct characteristics of AEWs. These descriptors serve as valuable statistical inputs for the study of AEW-related phenomena.
Seraphine Hauser, Franziska Teubler, Michael Riemer, Peter Knippertz, and Christian M. Grams
Weather Clim. Dynam., 5, 633–658, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-633-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-633-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Blocking over Greenland has substantial impacts on the weather and climate in mid- and high latitudes. This study applies a quasi-Lagrangian thinking on the dynamics of Greenland blocking and reveals two pathways of anticyclonic anomalies linked to the block. Moist processes were found to play a dominant role in the formation and maintenance of blocking. This emphasizes the necessity of the correct representation of moist processes in weather and climate models to realistically depict blocking.
Christoph Neuhauser, Maicon Hieronymus, Michael Kern, Marc Rautenhaus, Annika Oertel, and Rüdiger Westermann
Geosci. Model Dev., 16, 4617–4638, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-4617-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-4617-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Numerical weather prediction models rely on parameterizations for sub-grid-scale processes, which are a source of uncertainty. We present novel visual analytics solutions to analyze interactively the sensitivities of a selected prognostic variable to multiple model parameters along trajectories regarding similarities in temporal development and spatiotemporal relationships. The proposed workflow is applied to cloud microphysical sensitivities along coherent strongly ascending trajectories.
Andreas A. Beckert, Lea Eisenstein, Annika Oertel, Tim Hewson, George C. Craig, and Marc Rautenhaus
Geosci. Model Dev., 16, 4427–4450, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-4427-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-4427-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate the benefit of objective 3-D front detection with modern interactive visual analysis techniques for case studies of extra-tropical cyclones and comparisons of frontal structures between different numerical weather prediction models. The 3-D frontal structures show agreement with 2-D fronts from surface analysis charts and augment them in the vertical dimension. We see great potential for more complex studies of atmospheric dynamics and for operational weather forecasting.
Seraphine Hauser, Franziska Teubler, Michael Riemer, Peter Knippertz, and Christian M. Grams
Weather Clim. Dynam., 4, 399–425, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-4-399-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-4-399-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Blocking describes a flow configuration in the midlatitudes where stationary high-pressure systems block the propagation of weather systems. This study combines three individual perspectives that capture the dynamics and importance of various processes in the formation of a major blocking in 2016 from a weather regime perspective. In future work, this framework will enable a holistic view of the dynamics and the role of moist processes in different life cycle stages of blocked weather regimes.
Efi Rousi, Andreas H. Fink, Lauren S. Andersen, Florian N. Becker, Goratz Beobide-Arsuaga, Marcus Breil, Giacomo Cozzi, Jens Heinke, Lisa Jach, Deborah Niermann, Dragan Petrovic, Andy Richling, Johannes Riebold, Stella Steidl, Laura Suarez-Gutierrez, Jordis S. Tradowsky, Dim Coumou, André Düsterhus, Florian Ellsäßer, Georgios Fragkoulidis, Daniel Gliksman, Dörthe Handorf, Karsten Haustein, Kai Kornhuber, Harald Kunstmann, Joaquim G. Pinto, Kirsten Warrach-Sagi, and Elena Xoplaki
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 1699–1718, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-1699-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-1699-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The objective of this study was to perform a comprehensive, multi-faceted analysis of the 2018 extreme summer in terms of heat and drought in central and northern Europe, with a particular focus on Germany. A combination of favorable large-scale conditions and locally dry soils were related with the intensity and persistence of the events. We also showed that such extremes have become more likely due to anthropogenic climate change and might occur almost every year under +2 °C of global warming.
Franziska Teubler, Michael Riemer, Christopher Polster, Christian M. Grams, Seraphine Hauser, and Volkmar Wirth
Weather Clim. Dynam., 4, 265–285, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-4-265-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-4-265-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Weather regimes govern an important part of the sub-seasonal variability of the mid-latitude circulation. The year-round dynamics of blocked regimes in the Atlantic European region are investigated in over 40 years of data. We show that the dynamics between the regimes are on average very similar. Within the regimes, the main variability – starting from the characteristics of dynamical processes alone – dominates and transcends the variability in season and types of transitions.
Behrooz Keshtgar, Aiko Voigt, Corinna Hoose, Michael Riemer, and Bernhard Mayer
Weather Clim. Dynam., 4, 115–132, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-4-115-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-4-115-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Forecasting extratropical cyclones is challenging due to many physical factors influencing their behavior. One such factor is the impact of heating and cooling of the atmosphere by the interaction between clouds and radiation. In this study, we show that cloud-radiative heating (CRH) increases the intensity of an idealized cyclone and affects its predictability. We find that CRH affects the cyclone mostly via increasing latent heat release and subsequent changes in the synoptic circulation.
Moritz Zemann, Roderick van der Linden, Dan Trinh Cong, Duong Hoang Thai Vu, Nguyet Minh Nguyen, Frank Seidel, Peter Oberle, Franz Nestmann, and Andreas H. Fink
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1447, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1447, 2023
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
The study investigates the possibility to predict wave heights close to the coast of the Mekong Delta based on long time climate model wave heights which are only availabe offshore. Due to severe coastal erosion in the Mekong Delta with average land loss rates of up to 10m per year, the coast needs to be protected from wave attacks e.g. by breakwaters. To design a breakwater in the right dimensions for the local conditions, the knowledge of wave heights is essential to the performing engineer.
Andreas Alexander Beckert, Lea Eisenstein, Annika Oertel, Timothy Hewson, George C. Craig, and Marc Rautenhaus
Weather Clim. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2022-36, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2022-36, 2022
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
This study revises and extends a previously presented 3-D objective front detection method and demonstrates its benefits to analyse weather dynamics in numerical simulation data. Based on two case studies of extratropical cyclones, we demonstrate the evaluation of conceptual models from dynamic meteorology, illustrate the benefits of our interactive analysis approach by comparing fronts in data with different model resolutions, and study the impact of convection on fronts.
Adrien Deroubaix, Laurent Menut, Cyrille Flamant, Peter Knippertz, Andreas H. Fink, Anneke Batenburg, Joel Brito, Cyrielle Denjean, Cheikh Dione, Régis Dupuy, Valerian Hahn, Norbert Kalthoff, Fabienne Lohou, Alfons Schwarzenboeck, Guillaume Siour, Paolo Tuccella, and Christiane Voigt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 3251–3273, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3251-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3251-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
During the summer monsoon in West Africa, pollutants emitted in urbanized areas modify cloud cover and precipitation patterns. We analyze these patterns with the WRF-CHIMERE model, integrating the effects of aerosols on meteorology, based on the numerous observations provided by the Dynamics-Aerosol-Climate-Interactions campaign. This study adds evidence to recent findings that increased pollution levels in West Africa delay the breakup time of low-level clouds and reduce precipitation.
Marcel Meyer, Iuliia Polkova, Kameswar Rao Modali, Laura Schaffer, Johanna Baehr, Stephan Olbrich, and Marc Rautenhaus
Weather Clim. Dynam., 2, 867–891, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-867-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-867-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Novel techniques from computer science are used to study extreme weather events. Inspired by the interactive 3-D visual analysis of the recently released ERA5 reanalysis data, we improve commonly used metrics for measuring polar winter storms and outbreaks of cold air. The software (Met.3D) that we have extended and applied as part of this study is freely available and can be used generically for 3-D visualization of a broad variety of atmospheric processes in weather and climate data.
Franziska Teubler and Michael Riemer
Weather Clim. Dynam., 2, 535–559, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-535-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-535-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Rossby wave packets impact all aspects of midlatitude weather systems, from their climatological distribution to predictability. Case studies suggest an important role of latent heat release in clouds. We investigate thousands of wave packets with a novel diagnostic. We demonstrate that, on average, the impact of moist processes is substantially different between troughs and ridges and that dry conceptual models of wave packet dynamics should be extended.
Gregor Pante, Peter Knippertz, Andreas H. Fink, and Anke Kniffka
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 35–55, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-35-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-35-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Seasonal rainfall amounts along the densely populated West African Guinea coast have been decreasing during the past 35 years, with recently accelerating trends. We find strong indications that this is in part related to increasing human air pollution in the region. Given the fast increase in emissions, the political implications of this work are significant. Reducing air pollution locally and regionally would mitigate an imminent health crisis and socio-economic damage from reduced rainfall.
Cited articles
Añel, J. A., Allen, D. R., Sáenz, G., Gimeno, L., and de la Torre, L.:
Equivalent latitude computation using regions of interest (ROI), PLOS ONE, 8, 1–8, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0072970, 2013. a
Bader, R., Sprenger, M., Ban, N., Radisuhli, S., Schär, C., and Günther, T.:
Extraction and Visual Analysis of Potential Vorticity Banners around the Alps, IEEE T. Vis. Comput. Gr., 26, 259–269, https://doi.org/10.1109/TVCG.2019.2934310, 2019. a
Bennetts, D. A. and Hoskins, B.:
Conditional symmetric instability-a possible explanation for frontal rainbands, Q. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 105, 945–962, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.49710544615, 1979. a
Bentley, A., Bosart, L., and Keyser, D.:
Upper-Tropospheric Precursors to the Formation of Subtropical Cyclones that Undergo Tropical Transition in the North Atlantic Basin, Mon. Weather Rev., 145, 503–520, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-16-0263.1, 2017. a
Cohen, L. D. and Kimmel, R.:
Global minimum for active contour models: A minimal path approach, Int. J. Comput. Vision, 24, 57–78, https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007922224810, 1997. a, b
Dawe, J. T. and Austin, P. H.:
Statistical analysis of an LES shallow cumulus cloud ensemble using a cloud tracking algorithm, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 12, 1101–1119, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-12-1101-2012, 2012. a
Dijkstra, E. W.: A note on two problems in connexion with graphs, Numer. Math., 1, 269–271, https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01386390, 1959. a
Dougherty, E.:
Digital Image Processing Methods, CRC Press, Boca Raton, https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003067054, 2020. a
Fischer, C., Fink, A. H., Schömer, E., Van der Linden, R., Maier-Gerber, M., Rautenhaus, M., and Riemer, M.:
A novel method for objective identification of 3-D potential vorticity anomalies – Implementation, Zenodo [code], https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5638561, 2021a. a
Fischer, C., Rautenhaus, M., Fink, A. H., Schömer, E., Van der Linden, R., Maier-Gerber, M., and Riemer, M.:
A novel method for objective identification of 3-D potential vorticity anomalies - Visualizations using Met.3D, Zenodo [video supplement], https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5639001, 2021b. a, b, c, d, e
Furtney, J.:
scikit-fmm, GitHub [code], https://github.com/scikit-fmm/scikit-fmm (last access: 20 December 2021), 2019. a
Galarneau Jr., T. J., McTaggart-Cowan, R., Bosart, L. F., and Davis, C. A.:
Development of North Atlantic tropical disturbances near upper-level potential vorticity streamers, J. Atmos. Sci., 72, 572–597, https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-14-0106.1, 2015. a
Hersbach, H., Bell, B., Berrisford, P., Hirahara, S., Horányi, A., Muñoz-Sabater, J., Nicolas, J., Peubey, C., Radu, R., Schepers, D., Simmons, A., Soci, C., Abdalla, S., Abellan, X., Balsamo, G., Bechtold, P., Biavati, G., Bidlot, J., Bonavita, M., De Chiara, G., Dahlgren, P., Dee, D., Diamantakis, M., Dragani, R., Flemming, J., Forbes, R., Fuentes, M., Geer, A., Haimberger, L., Healy, S., Hogan, R. J., Hólm, E., Janisková, M., Keeley, S., Laloyaux, P., Lopez, P., Lupu, C., Radnoti, G., de Rosnay, P., Rozum, I., Vamborg, F., Villaume, S., and Thépaut, J.-N.:
The ERA5 global reanalysis, Q. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 146, 1999–2049, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.3803, 2020. a
Hewson, T. D. and Titley, H. A.:
Objective Identification, Typing and Tracking of the Complete Life-Cycles of Cyclonic Features at High Spatial Resolution, Meteorol. Appl., 17, 355–381, https://doi.org/10.1002/met.204, 2010. a, b
Hoskins, B. J., McIntyre, M. E., and Robertson, A. W.:
On the use and significance of isentropic potential vorticity maps, Q. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 111, 877–946, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.49711147002, 1985. a
Huffman, G. J., Bolvin, D. T., and Nelkin, E. J.: Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) Technical Documentation, Tech. Rep., NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA, https://docserver.gesdisc.eosdis.nasa.gov/public/project/GPM/IMERG_doc.06.pdf
(last access: 20 December 2021), 2018. a
Kern, M., Hewson, T., Sadlo, F., Westermann, R., and Rautenhaus, M.:
Robust Detection and Visualization of Jet-stream Core Lines in Atmospheric Flow, IEEE T. Vis. Comput. Gr., 24, 893–902, https://doi.org/10.1109/tvcg.2017.2743989, 2018. a
Kern, M., Hewson, T., Schatler, A., Westermann, R., and Rautenhaus, M.:
Interactive 3D Visual Analysis of Atmospheric Fronts, IEEE T. Vis. Comput. Gr., 25, 1080–1090, https://doi.org/10.1109/TVCG.2018.2864806, 2019. a, b
Koch, P., Wernli, H., and Davies, H. C.:
An event-based jet-stream climatology and typology, Int. J. Climatol., 26, 283–301, https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.1255, 2006. a
Krivoshapko, S. N. and Ivanov, V. N.:
The Second Order Surfaces, Springer International Publishing, Cham, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-11773-7_35, 613–626, 2015. a
Kunz, A., Sprenger, M., and Wernli, H.:
Climatology of potential vorticity streamers and associated isentropic transport pathways across PV gradient barriers, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 120, 3802–3821, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JD022615, 2015. a
Lamarque, J.-F. and Hess, P. G.:
Cross-tropopause mass exchange and potential vorticity budget in a simulated tropopause folding, J. Atmos. Sci., 51, 2246–2269, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0469(1994)051<2246:CTMEAP>2.0.CO;2, 1994. a
Limbach, S., Schömer, E., and Wernli, H.:
Detection, tracking and event localization of jet stream features in 4-D atmospheric data, Geosci. Model Dev., 5, 457–470, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-5-457-2012, 2012. a, b
Maier-Gerber, M., Riemer, M., Fink, A. H., Knippertz, P., Muzio, E. D., and McTaggart-Cowan, R.:
Tropical Transition of Hurricane Chris (2012) over the North Atlantic Ocean: A Multiscale Investigation of Predictability, Mon. Weather Rev., 147, 951–970, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-18-0188.1, 2019. a
Maier-Gerber, M., Fink, A. H., Riemer, M., Schoemer, E., Fischer, C., and Schulz, B.:
Statistical–Dynamical Forecasting of Subseasonal North Atlantic Tropical Cyclone Occurrence, Weather Forecast., 36, 2127–2142, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-21-0020.1, 2021. a
Massacand, A. C., Wernli, H., and Davies, H. C.:
Heavy precipitation on the Alpine southside: An upper-level precursor, Geophys. Res. Lett., 25, 1435–1438, https://doi.org/10.1029/98GL50869, 1998. a
McIntyre, M. E. and Palmer, T.:
Breaking planetary waves in the stratosphere, Nature, 305, 593–600, https://doi.org/10.1038/305593a0, 1983. a
Molinari, J., Skubis, S., Vollaro, D., Alsheimer, F., and Willoughby, H. E.:
Potential vorticity analysis of tropical cyclone intensification, J. Atmos. Sci., 55, 2632–2644, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0469(1998)055<2632:PVAOTC>2.0.CO;2, 1998. a
Morgan, M. C. and Nielsen-Gammon, J. W.:
Using Tropopause Maps to Diagnose Midlatitude Weather Systems, Mon. Weather Rev., 126, 2555–2579, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(1998)126<2555:UTMTDM>2.0.CO;2, 1998. a
Mukundan, R. and Ramakrishnan, K. R.: Moment Functions in Image
Analysis – Theory and Application, World Scientific, Singapore, https://doi.org/10.1142/3838, 1998. a
Papin, P. P., Bosart, L. F., and Torn, R. D.:
A Feature-Based Approach to Classifying Summertime Potential Vorticity Streamers Linked to Rossby Wave Breaking in the North Atlantic Basin, J. Climate, 33, 5953–5969, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-19-0812.1, 2020. a, b, c
Pearson, F.:
Map Projections: Theory and Applications, 1st edn., CRC Press, Boca Raton, https://doi.org/10.1201/9780203748121, 1990. a
Petres, C., Pailhas, Y., Petillot, Y., and Lane, D.:
Underwater path planing using fast marching algorithms, in: Europe Oceans 2005, Brest, France, 20–23 June 2005, Vol. 2, pp. 814–819, https://doi.org/10.1109/OCEANSE.2005.1513161, 2005. a, b
Portmann, R., Crezee, B., Quinting, J., and Wernli, H.:
The complex life cycles of two long-lived potential vorticity cut-offs over Europe, Q. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 144, 701–719, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.3239, 2018. a
Rautenhaus, M., Grams, C. M., Schäfler, A., and Westermann, R.:
Three-dimensional visualization of ensemble weather forecasts – Part 2: Forecasting warm conveyor belt situations for aircraft-based field campaigns, Geosci. Model Dev., 8, 2355–2377, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-2355-2015, 2015a. a, b, c
Rautenhaus, M., Kern, M., Schäfler, A., and Westermann, R.:
Three-dimensional visualization of ensemble weather forecasts – Part 1: The visualization tool Met.3D (version 1.0), Geosci. Model Dev., 8, 2329–2353, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-2329-2015, 2015b. a, b, c
Rautenhaus, M., Böttinger, M., Siemen, S., Hoffman, R., Kirby, R. M., Mirzargar, M., Röber, N., and Westermann, R.:
Visualization in meteorology–a survey of techniques and tools for data analysis tasks, IEEE T. Vis. Comput. Gr., 24, 3268–3296, https://doi.org/10.1109/TVCG.2017.2779501, 2018.
a, b
Redl, R., Keil, C., Craig, G., Lerch, S., and Eichhorn, J.:
Towards a Framework for Parallelized Post-Processing and Evaluation of Ensemble Forecasts, in: EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, Vienna, Austria, 4–13 April 2018, p. 12322, 2018 (data available at: https://github.com/wavestoweather/enstools (last access: 20 December 2021). a, b
Sethian, J. A.:
A fast marching level set method for monotonically advancing fronts, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 93, 1591–1595, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.93.4.1591, 1996. a
Sprenger, M., Martius, O., and Arnold, J.:
Cold surge episodes over southeastern Brazil – a potential vorticity perspective, Int. J. Climatol., 33, 2758–2767, https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.3618, 2013. a, b
Sprenger, M., Fragkoulidis, G., Binder, H., Croci-Maspoli, M., Graf, P., Grams, C. M., Knippertz, P., Madonna, E., Schemm, S., Škerlak, B., and Wernli, H.:
Global Climatologies of Eulerian and Lagrangian Flow Features based on ERA-Interim, B. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 98, 1739–1748, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-15-00299.1, 2017. a
Škerlak, B., Sprenger, M., Pfahl, S., Tyrlis, E., and Wernli, H.:
Tropopause folds in ERA-Interim: Global climatology and relation to extreme weather events, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 120, 4860–4877, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JD022787, 2015. a, b
Thorncroft, C. D., Hoskins, B. J., and McIntyre, M. E.:
Two paradigms of baroclinic-wave life-cycle behaviour, Q. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 119, 17–55, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.49711950903, 1993. a
van der Linden, R., Fink, A. H., Pinto, J. G., and Phan-Van, T.:
The dynamics of an extreme precipitation event in northeastern Vietnam in 2015 and its predictability in the ECMWF ensemble prediction system, Weather Forecast., 32, 1041–1056, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-16-0142.1, 2017. a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l
Vitart, F., Ardilouze, C., Bonet, A., Brookshaw, A., Chen, M., Codorean, C., Déqué, M., Ferranti, L., Fucile, E., Fuentes, M., Hendon, H., Hodgson, J., Kang, H.-S., Kumar, A., Lin, H., Liu, G., Liu, X., Malguzzi, P., Mallas, I., Manoussakis, M., Mastrangelo, D., MacLachlan, C., McLean, P., Minami, A., Mladek, R., Nakazawa, T., Najm, S., Nie, Y., Rixen, M., Robertson, A. W., Ruti, P., Sun, C., Takaya, Y., Tolstykh, M., Venuti, F., Waliser, D., Woolnough, S., Wu, T., Won, D.-J., Xiao, H., Zaripov, R., and Zhang, L.: The subseasonal to seasonal (S2S) prediction project database, B. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 98, 163–173, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-16-0017.1, 2017. a, b
Weijenborg, C., Chagnon, J., Friederichs, P., Gray, S., and Hense, A.:
Coherent evolution of potential vorticity anomalies associated with deep moist convection, Q. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 143, 1254–1267, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.3000, 2017. a
Short summary
Potential vorticity (PV) analysis plays a central role in studying atmospheric dynamics. For example, anomalies in the PV field near the tropopause are linked to extreme weather events. In this study, an objective strategy to identify these anomalies is presented and evaluated. As a novel concept, it can be applied to three-dimensional (3-D) data sets. Supported by 3-D visualizations, we illustrate advantages of this new analysis over existing studies along a case study.
Potential vorticity (PV) analysis plays a central role in studying atmospheric dynamics. For...