MAINTAINABLE MECHANISM OF MESO-β SCALE CONVECTIVE SYSTEM^*

By means of the Penn State-NCAR Mesoscale Model Version 5(MM5)with a horizontal resolution of 20 km.the maintainable mechanism of Meso-β scale Convective System(MβCS)has been investigated on the basis of simulation of the temporal and spatial thermodynamics structure of the MβCS which occurred in Wuhan and its surroundings on 21 July 1998.The occurrence of the significant warm-core in the center of the MβCS happened in Changjiang River Basin between the Mufu Mountain and the Dabie Mountain.To the southern side of the MβCS,there exist the southwest low-level jet(LLJ)and the vertical secondary circulation in the low and middle troposphere respectively.In respect to the northern of the MβCS,the northwest jet emerges in the upper troposphere,accompanied with cold and dry atmosphere downdrafts,resulting in another secondary circulation.The foregoing mentioned vertical wind shear provides a favorable dynamical environment for the intensification and maintenance of the MβCS.Equally important,the latent heat release associated with the MβCS produces the warm center in the middle troposphere and the pressure falls.The pressure drop then accelerates air parcels toward the low leading to strong convergence as well as the intensified convection,establishing a positive feedback between the convection and the latent heat release,which is the thermodynamic mechanism of the development and maintenance of the MβCS.