Air blasts induced by rock-ice avalanches are common natural phenomena known for their far-field destructive impact.In this study,remote sensing images,eyewitness videos and numerical modelling were comprehensively ap...Air blasts induced by rock-ice avalanches are common natural phenomena known for their far-field destructive impact.In this study,remote sensing images,eyewitness videos and numerical modelling were comprehensively applied to analyze the initiation and propagation of the 2021 Chamoli avalancheinduced air blast.Our findings indicate that air blasts are observed from the avalanche source area to the Rishiganga valley,but nearly disappear in the Dhauliganga valley.The most intense air blast is concentrated on the left side of Ronti Gad valley,with maximum velocity and pressure estimated at over 70 m/s and 20 kPa,respectively.Such high pressure results in widespread tree breakage in the area.Based on the analysis of the Chamoli event,we further discussed the potential contribution of the avalanche flow regime,avalanche dynamics and geomorphology to the destructive potential of air blasts.Rapidly moved sliding mass can impart the air blast a high initial momentum,and this process will be exaggerated when the avalanche impacts valley walls at bends.However,when the rock-ice avalanche transforms into a debris-enriched flash flood,free water within the flowing mass can displace air,inhibiting the generation of air blasts.Our work offers new insights into the generation and propagation of rock-ice avalanche-induced air blasts,underscoring the importance of including this type of hazard during avalanche risk assessment in high-altitude glacial regions.展开更多
It has been challenging to project the tropical cyclone （TC） intensity, structure and destructive potential changes in a warming climate. Here, we compare the sensitivities of TC intensity, size and destructive pote...It has been challenging to project the tropical cyclone （TC） intensity, structure and destructive potential changes in a warming climate. Here, we compare the sensitivities of TC intensity, size and destructive potential to sea surface warming with and without a pre-storm atmospheric adjustment to an idealized state of Radiative-Convective Equilibrium （RCE）. Without RCE, we find large responses of TC intensity, size and destructive potential to sea surface temperature （SST） changes, which is in line with some previous studies. However, in an environment under RCE, the TC size is almost insensitive to SST changes, and the sensitivity of intensity is also much reduced to 3% ~C-1-4% ~C-1. Without the pre-storm RCE adjustment, the mean destructive potential measured by the integrated power dissipation increases by about 25% ~C-1 during the mature stage. However, in an environment under RCE, the sensitivity of destructive potential to sea surface warming does not change significantly. Further analyses show that the reduced response of TC intensity and size to sea surface warming under RCE can be explained by the reduced thermodynamic disequilibrium between the air boundary layer and the sea surface due to the RCE adjustment. When conducting regional-scale sea surface warming experiments for TC case studies, without any RCE adjustment the TC response is likely to be unrealistically exaggerated. The TC intensity-temperature sensitivity under RCE is very similar to those found in coupled climate model simulations. This suggests global mean intensity projections under climate change can be understood in terms of a thermodynamic response to temperature with only a minor contribution from any changes in large-scale dynamics.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.U2244227,42277126 and 41977215).
文摘Air blasts induced by rock-ice avalanches are common natural phenomena known for their far-field destructive impact.In this study,remote sensing images,eyewitness videos and numerical modelling were comprehensively applied to analyze the initiation and propagation of the 2021 Chamoli avalancheinduced air blast.Our findings indicate that air blasts are observed from the avalanche source area to the Rishiganga valley,but nearly disappear in the Dhauliganga valley.The most intense air blast is concentrated on the left side of Ronti Gad valley,with maximum velocity and pressure estimated at over 70 m/s and 20 kPa,respectively.Such high pressure results in widespread tree breakage in the area.Based on the analysis of the Chamoli event,we further discussed the potential contribution of the avalanche flow regime,avalanche dynamics and geomorphology to the destructive potential of air blasts.Rapidly moved sliding mass can impart the air blast a high initial momentum,and this process will be exaggerated when the avalanche impacts valley walls at bends.However,when the rock-ice avalanche transforms into a debris-enriched flash flood,free water within the flowing mass can displace air,inhibiting the generation of air blasts.Our work offers new insights into the generation and propagation of rock-ice avalanche-induced air blasts,underscoring the importance of including this type of hazard during avalanche risk assessment in high-altitude glacial regions.
基金supported by the UK-China Research & Innovation Partnership Fund through the Met Office Climate Science for Service Partnership China as part of the Newton Fundsupported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41706007)+1 种基金China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No.2017M611960)the National Programme on Global Change and Air-Sea Interaction(Grant No.GASI-IPOVAI-04)
文摘It has been challenging to project the tropical cyclone （TC） intensity, structure and destructive potential changes in a warming climate. Here, we compare the sensitivities of TC intensity, size and destructive potential to sea surface warming with and without a pre-storm atmospheric adjustment to an idealized state of Radiative-Convective Equilibrium （RCE）. Without RCE, we find large responses of TC intensity, size and destructive potential to sea surface temperature （SST） changes, which is in line with some previous studies. However, in an environment under RCE, the TC size is almost insensitive to SST changes, and the sensitivity of intensity is also much reduced to 3% ~C-1-4% ~C-1. Without the pre-storm RCE adjustment, the mean destructive potential measured by the integrated power dissipation increases by about 25% ~C-1 during the mature stage. However, in an environment under RCE, the sensitivity of destructive potential to sea surface warming does not change significantly. Further analyses show that the reduced response of TC intensity and size to sea surface warming under RCE can be explained by the reduced thermodynamic disequilibrium between the air boundary layer and the sea surface due to the RCE adjustment. When conducting regional-scale sea surface warming experiments for TC case studies, without any RCE adjustment the TC response is likely to be unrealistically exaggerated. The TC intensity-temperature sensitivity under RCE is very similar to those found in coupled climate model simulations. This suggests global mean intensity projections under climate change can be understood in terms of a thermodynamic response to temperature with only a minor contribution from any changes in large-scale dynamics.
