A brief history of the development of dynamic meteorology

Modern dynamic meteorology originated in Northern Europe. In the 1920s, the frontal cyclone theory was proposed, forming the Norwegian school represented by V. Pieknis. Correspondingly, in the Soviet Union, there was also a series of work headed by H.E. Cochin. By the 1930s, due to the use of radiosondes, we had a new understanding of the form of atmospheric motion at high altitudes. It was discovered that the atmospheric circulation at high altitudes in mid-latitudes has a circumpolar motion from west to east (referring to the northern hemisphere), and is superimposed with Fluctuations with wavelengths of thousands of kilometers. In addition to having their own structure and movement patterns, these fluctuations are also intrinsically linked to low-altitude frontal cyclones. Regarding this wave phenomenon, Swedish meteorologist C.-G. Rossby (1939) first theoretically pointed out that it was caused by the change of the Coriolis parameter φ with latitude, thus proposing the long wave (planetary wave) theory (See atmospheric fluctuations, atmospheric dynamic equations). This was a major development in the history of dynamic meteorology and led to a series of studies that led to the formation of the Chicago School headed by Rossby. In addition to planetary waves, the Chicago School's main contributions include: proposing geostrophic adaptation of atmospheric motion (Rosby, 1938; see atmospheric geostrophic adaptation); energy dispersion of planetary waves (Rosby, 1945; Ye Duzheng, 1949); The formation theory of the westerly jet stream and its important role in atmospheric circulation (E.H. Parmen, 1951; Rossby, 1947); the barotropic and baroclinic instability of planetary waves (J.G. Charney, 1947; Guo Xiaolan, 1949 ; see atmospheric dynamic instability). The Chicago School's contribution to dynamical meteorology laid the theoretical foundation for the development of numerical weather prediction.

Since the 1950s, in the numerical simulation of small and medium-sized system dynamics (Л. N. Gutman), tropical fluctuations (Matsuno Taro), atmospheric circulation and climate formation (N.A. Phillips, J. Sma Gulinsky) and other aspects have made new achievements. By the 1960s, short- and medium-term numerical forecasting had become a major method of operational forecasting.

The founder of China’s research on dynamic meteorology is Zhao Jiuzhang. He proposed the thermodynamic theory of trade wind formation (1935) as early as the 1930s, and was the first to propose planetary wave baroclinic The Concept of Instability (1946). China's other major achievements in developing dynamic meteorology include:

① Atmospheric circulation. The dynamic and thermal effects of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and its heat sources on the formation of atmospheric circulation were studied (Ye Duzheng, Gu Zhenchao, Zhu Baozhen, and Chao Jiping, 1957), and the winter and summer average structure of atmospheric circulation in East Asia and its adjacent areas and its seasonal variation process were studied ( Ye Duzheng, Tao Shiyan, Gu Zhenchao, 1957～1958), the formation and maintenance mechanism of mean atmospheric circulation, etc. (Ye Duzheng, 1950).

②The geological adaptation process. Developed the scale theory of the adaptation process (Ye Duzheng, 1957; Zeng Qingcun, 1963; Chen Qiushi, 1963), and further developed this concept into the rotation adaptation process (Zeng Qingcun, 1979) and the adaptation of wind fields and air pressure fields in medium and small scale motions (Ye Duzheng, Li Maicun, 1964).

③Weather dynamics of wet baroclinic atmosphere. Proposed the concept and theory of wet baroclinic atmosphere (Xie Yibing, 1978).

④Medium and small scale system dynamics. First, a set of dynamic equations suitable for medium and small scale systems was established (Chao Jiping, 1962), and cumulus convection was studied (Chao Jiping and Zhou Xiaoping, 1964). The critical point for pressure jump in mountain airflow was also proposed. Conditions (Chao Jiping, 1964).

⑤Numerical weather forecasting. He was the first to propose a semi-implicit difference scheme (Zeng Qingcun, 1961), and also proposed an energy conservation scheme to solve the nonlinear instability of calculations (Zeng Qingcun, 1981) and a method of using historical data in numerical weather prediction (Gu Zhenchao, 1957; Chou, 1957). Ji Fan, 1974), in terms of long-term numerical weather forecasting, proposed a climate anomaly field forecasting scheme (Chao Jiping, 1977~1982).