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In this study we examine the performance of 31 global model radiative transfer schemes in cloudfree conditions with prescribed gaseous absorbers and no aerosols (Rayleigh atmosphere), with prescribed scatteringonly aerosols, and with more absorbing aerosols. Results are compared to benchmark results from high-resolution, multiangular line-by-line radiation models. For purely scattering aerosols, model bias relative to the line-by-line models in the top-of-the atmosphere aerosol radiative forcing ranges from roughly −10 to 20 %, with over- and underestimates of radiative cooling at lower and higher solar zenith angle, respectively. Inter-model diversity (relative standard deviation) increases from ~ 10 to 15% as solar zenith angle decreases. Inter-model diversity in atmospheric and surface forcing decreases with increased aerosol absorption, indicating that the treatment of multiple-scattering is more variable than aerosol absorption in the models considered. Aerosol radiative forcing results from multi-stream models are generally in better agreement with the line-by-line results than the simpler two-stream schemes. Considering radiative fluxes, model performance is generally the same or slightly better than results from previous radiation scheme intercomparisons. However, the inter-model diversity in aerosol radiative forcing remains large, primarily as a result of the treatment of multiple-scattering. Results indicate that global models that estimate aerosol radiative forcing with two-stream radiation schemes may be subject to persistent biases introduced by these schemes, particularly for regional aerosol forcing.

We investigate the role of boundary layer forcing and surface heterogeneities on the intensity and spectral distribution of the convective circulations of an idealized convective system. Our ultimate goal is to further the understanding of atmospheric convection. However, we depart from realistic atmospheric convection and study an idealized convective system known as the Rayleigh-Benard model in two dimensions. We extended the classical Rayleigh-Benard model to include the effects of boundary heterogeneities. These effects are included, inparticular through a sinusoidally variable surface temperature. In this idealized model, the Rayleigh number plays the role of convective available potential energy (CAPE) in atmospheric convection, while the boundary heterogeneities in the temperatureplay the role of boundary layer forcing. In particular, we study the effects of boundary forcing on the intensity and spectral distribution of convective circulations in great detail.We consider the problem in the linear and weakly nonlinear regimes. In the linear regime, we find an analytical solution for Rayleigh-Benard convection with boundary forcing. We show that the inclusion of periodic boundary forcing causes discontinuities in the linear solution when critical conditions are approached. In the nonlinear regime, we find the solution by direct numerical simulation. The nonlinearities not only remove the discontinuities, but also lead to the appearance of non-trivial modes in the solution.The classical modes appear when the Rayleigh number issupercritical and the amplitude of the boundary forcing is small. Modes governed by boundary forcing dominate when its amplitude is large. Non-trivial modes with wavenumbers different from either the classical or the boundary modes appear only for intermediate values of the boundary forcing. The transitions between regions dominated by the classical Rayleigh forcing, mixed forcing, andboundary forcing depend on the Rayleigh number and the wavenumber of the boundary forcing. We conclude that boundary forcing has non-trivial effects on convective circulations. This result might have important implications for atmosphericconvection. Indeed, it suggests that atmospheric convection over the relatively homogeneous oceans would have different spectral distribution compared to that over heterogeneous land surfaces. This result is consistent with observations.

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published_or_final_version / Earth Sciences / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

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本論文由兩部分組成。第一部分介紹了關於瑞利－伯纳德對流的兩項工作。第一項工作在五個側向寬高比不同的矩形對流槽中研究了空間約束效應對流體動力學和傳熱效率的影響。實驗發現，整體流場隨著約束強度的增加而明顯減弱，而且大尺度環流的流向反轉變得更為頻繁。令人驚訝的是，儘管流動變慢，總體傳熱效率卻顯著地提高。仔細分析表明，空間約束改變了邊界層中羽流的形態和動力學特性，表現為形成的羽流結構更為有序和充滿活力，從而導致邊界層變得更薄更均勻，傳熱效率由此得以提高。第二項工作研究了不同溫度邊界條件對湍流熱對流的影響。實驗在兩個對流槽中進行：其中一個在上邊界固定溫度而在下邊界固定熱通量（HC 對流槽），另一個則在兩個邊界都保持恆定溫度（CC對流槽）。研究發現，在恆定溫度的邊界條件下，溫度邊界層的厚度對瑞利數的依賴關係滿足于1/3的標度律，區別于在恆定熱通量下的行為（標度律近似為2/7）。此外，CC 對流槽中的流場強度平均比HC對流槽中的要強∼9% ，其流向反轉頻率也要快1.5倍。我們把這些現象歸咎於不同溫度邊界條件下羽流的發射強度不同。 / 論文的第二部分對另外一種重要的熱對流系統，水平對流，進行了實驗研究。在加熱和冷卻位于系統上邊界同一高度的條件下，我們觀測到了一個貫穿整個對流槽的大尺度環流。通過染料示蹤表明，流場中的迴流并不一定需要損耗能量來跨越溫度邊界層，因此可以更有效地維持其流動強度。對於熱傳輸效率以及溫度邊界層厚度隨瑞利數的變化關係，實驗觀測到了一個0.3的標度律，不同于經常被報道的理論值（0.2），這可能是因為在高瑞利數下流動狀態發生了轉變。本研究的结果表明，表面温度梯度不仅可以驱动大尺度环流，而且其強度也比人们普遍认为的要强。 / This thesis consists of two self-contained parts, both related to the topic of thermal convection. / In the first part, two sets of studies on turbulent Rayleigh-Bénard convection are presented. / The first study addresses the confinement effects on the heat transport and flow dynamics in quasi-2D geometry. The experiments were conducted in five rectangular cells with the same height and length, while the width being varied to produce a lateral aspect ratio Γ ranging from 0.6 to 0.1. As expected, with decreasing Γ, i.e. increasing the level of confinement, the overall flow slows down and more plumes travel through the bulk region, thus resulting in a large-scale circulation with more frequent reversals. Surprisingly, despite a slower flow, the global heat transport efficiency enhances significantly. Detailed examinations from experiment and simulation show that this enhancement is brought about by the changes in the dynamics and morphology of the thermal plumes in the boundary layers: the confined geometry produces more coherent and energetic plume clusters that in turn result in more uniform and thinner thermal boundary layers. This study demonstrates how changes in turbulent bulk flow can influence the boundary layer dynamics and shows that the quasi-2D geometry is very different from the true 2D and also the 3D systems. / The second study investigates the influence of thermal boundary conditions. Two experimentally achievable configurations are examined; one is fixed-flux at the bottom boundary and fixed-temperature at the top (HC cell), while the other is fixed-temperature at both boundaries (CC cell). It is found that, rather surprisingly, the Rayleigh number dependence of the thermal boundary layer thickness follows a 1/3 power law approximately under the condition of constant temperature, in contrast to the behavior in the case of constant flux (close to a 2/7 scaling). It is further found that the flow strength is on average ∼ 9% larger in the CC cell, and its flow reversal frequency is ∼ 1.5 faster than that for the HC case, which may be understood as changes in the plume emission dynamics. / The second part deals with horizontal convection. The experiment was conducted with a long apparatus (∼ 2.4 m) with the heating and cooling imposed over the top boundary. Flow visualization studies revealed a full penetrating circulation and suggest that the returning flow does not necessarily overcome the stratification to penetrate the entire thermal BL, in such a way that it can “save its kinematic energy thus supports the motion more efficiently. Both the heat transport efficiency and thermal BL thicknesses are found to follow a 0.3 power law, in contrast to the often-reported value of 0.2. This is likely caused by a flow-regime transition in the high Ra number range. This study demonstrates experimentally that a surface temperature gradient is capable of driving a large-scale circulation and its strength is much stronger than what is generally believed by the oceanography community. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Huang, Shidi = 瑞利-伯納德對流及水平對流的實驗研究 / 黃仕迪. / Thesis (Ph.D.) Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2013. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-110). / Abstracts also in Chinese. / Huang, Shidi = Ruili-Bonade dui liu ji shui ping dui liu de shi yan yan jiu / Huang Shidi.

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Ultracentrifugation and imaging techniques of human blood serum are precise and information-rich methods for obtaining information about an individual’s lipoprotein particle content. The information derived from lipoprotein separations via an ultracentrifuge plays a key role in the area of preventative medicine in regards to atherosclerosis. Two of the most critical lipoprotein characteristics, diameter and density, are well preserved with the proper isopycnic gradient. Currently, lipoprotein particles are stained, ultracentrifuged, and profiled through image analysis. This particular technique is helpful in determining particle density and can be correlated loosely with particle concentration. The need to completely quantify lipoprotein concentrations is imperative in assessing risk factors accurately. Light scattering techniques, primarily Rayleigh scattering, are applied to density separated serum samples in resulting in improved qualitative data with progress in quantitative measurements through imaging alone. The Rayleigh theory dictates that a particle’s scattered intensity is based upon the incident intensity, the particle’s diameter, and the particle’s concentration when strict criteria are met within the sample and imaging apparatus. Applying this innovative imaging technique of Rayleigh scattering to ultracentrifuge tubes containing separated lipoproteins, particle concentrations at differing diameters can be calculated. This thesis primarily goes through the time consuming task of optimizing the innovative Rayleigh scattering system so that correct quantitative estimations can be performed. Constrained by Rayleigh theory and system limitations, lipoproteins of 15 nm to 35 nm are focused upon. By doing so, previously disguised data in regards to lipoprotein subclasses is exposed. Lipoprotein diameters are estimated from Rayleigh imaged serum profiles and the estimations are confirmed through secondary size analysis achieved by dynamic light scattering instrumentation. In addition to Rayleigh optimization, a strategy for quantifying the ultracentrifuged lipoprotein particles using the recently applied scattering technique is explained in detail providing a foundation for further research. In regards to all feasibility studies presented within this thesis, much success was achieved in furthering quantitation efforts in lipoprotein density profiling.