GMDD - Latest Articles

A standard test case suite for two-dimensional linear transport on the sphere

2012-01-30T00:00:00+01:00

A standard test case suite for two-dimensional linear transport on the sphere

Geoscientific Model Development Discussions, 5, 189-228, 2012

Author(s): P. H. Lauritzen, W. C. Skamarock, M. J. Prather, and M. A. Taylor

It is the purpose of this paper to propose a standard test case suite for two-dimensional transport schemes on the sphere intended to be used for model development and facilitating scheme intercomparison. The test cases are designed to assess important aspects of accuracy in geophysical fluid dynamics such as numerical order of convergence, "minimal" resolution, the ability of the transport scheme to preserve filaments, transport "rough" distributions, and to preserve pre-existing functional relations between species/tracers under challenging flow conditions.

The experiments are designed to be easy to set up. They are specified in terms of two analytical wind fields (one non-divergent and one divergent) and four analytical initial conditions (varying from smooth to discontinuous). Both conventional error norms as well as novel mixing and filament preservation diagnostics are used that are easy to implement. The experiments pose different challenges for the range of transport approaches from Lagrangian to Eulerian. The mixing and filament preservation diagnostics do not require an analytical/reference solution which is in contrast to standard error norms where a "true" solution is needed. Results using the CSLAM (Conservative Semi-Lagrangian Multi-tracer) scheme on the cubed-sphere are presented for reference and illustrative purposes.

Implementation and evaluation of online gas-phase chemistry within a regional climate model (RegCM-CHEM4)

2012-01-17T00:00:00+01:00

Implementation and evaluation of online gas-phase chemistry within a regional climate model (RegCM-CHEM4)

Geoscientific Model Development Discussions, 5, 149-188, 2012

Author(s): A. K. Shalaby, A. S. Zakey, A. B. Tawfik, F. Solmon, F. Giorgi, F. Stordal, S. Sillman, R. A. Zaveri, and A. L. Steiner

The RegCM-CHEM4 is a new online climate-chemistry model based on the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) regional climate model (RegCM4). Tropospheric gas-phase chemistry is integrated into the climate model using the condensed version of the Carbon Bond Mechanism (CBM-Z; Zaveri and Peters, 1999) with a fast solver based on radical balances. We evaluate the model over Continental Europe for two different time scales: (1) an event-based analysis of the ozone episode associated with the heat wave of August 2003 and (2) a climatological analysis of a six-year simulation (2000–2005). For the episode analysis, model simulations show good agreement with European Monitoring and Evaluation Program (EMEP) observations of hourly ozone over different regions in Europe and capture ozone concentrations during and after the August 2003 heat wave event. For long-term climate simulations, the model captures the seasonal cycle of ozone concentrations with some over prediction of ozone concentrations in non-heat wave summers. Overall, the ozone and ozone precursor evaluation shows the feasibility of using RegCM-CHEM4 for decadal-length simulations of chemistry-climate interactions.

Pre-industrial and mid-Pliocene simulations with NorESM-L

2012-01-13T00:00:00+01:00

Pre-industrial and mid-Pliocene simulations with NorESM-L

Geoscientific Model Development Discussions, 5, 119-148, 2012

Author(s): Z. S. Zhang, K. Nisancioglu, M. Bentsen, J. Tjiputra, I. Bethke, Q. Yan, B. Risebrobakken, C. Andersson, and E. Jansen

The mid-Pliocene period (3.3 to 3.0 Ma) is known as a warm climate with atmospheric greenhouse gas levels similar to the present. As the climate at this time was in equilibrium with the greenhouse forcing, it is a valuable test case to better understand the long term response to high levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases. In this study, we use the low resolution version of the Norwegian Earth System Model (NorESM-L) to simulate the pre-industrial and the mid-Pliocene climate. Comparison of the simulation with observations demonstrates that NorESM-L simulates a realistic pre-industrial climate. The simulated mid-Pliocene global mean surface air temperature is 16.7 °C, which is 3.2 °C warmer than the pre-industrial. The simulated mid-Pliocene global mean sea surface temperature is 19.1 °C, which is 2.0 °C warmer than the pre-industrial. The warming is relatively uniform globally, except for a strong amplification at high latitudes.

Carbon-nitrogen feedbacks in the UVic ESCM

2012-01-10T00:00:00+01:00

Carbon-nitrogen feedbacks in the UVic ESCM

Geoscientific Model Development Discussions, 5, 67-118, 2012

Author(s): R. Wania, K. J. Meissner, M. Eby, V. Arora, I. Ross, and A. J. Weaver

A representation of the terrestrial nitrogen cycle is introduced into the UVic Earth System Climate Model (UVic ESCM). The UVic ESCM now contains five terrestrial carbon pools and seven terrestrial nitrogen pools: soil, litter, leaves, stem and roots for both elements and ammonium and nitrate in the soil for nitrogen. Nitrogen cycles through plant tissue, litter, soil and the mineral pools before being taken up again by the plant. Biological N₂ fixation and nitrogen deposition represent the external input and loss from the plant-soil system can occur via leaching. Simulated carbon and nitrogen pools and fluxes are in the range of other models and data. Gross primary production (GPP) for the 1990s in the CN-coupled version is 129.6 Pg C a⁻¹ and net C uptake is 0.83 Pg C a⁻¹, whereas the C-only version results in a GPP of 133.1 Pg C a⁻¹ and a net C uptake of 1.57 Pg C a⁻¹. At the end of a transient experiment for the years 1800–2000, where temperature is held constant but CO₂ fertilisation for vegetation is allowed to happen, the CN-coupled version shows an enhanced net C uptake of 1.05 Pg C a⁻¹, whereas in the experiment where CO₂ is held constant and temperature is transient the land turns into a C source of 0.60 Pg C a⁻¹ by the 1990s. The arithmetic sum of the temperature and CO₂ effects results in 0.45 Pg C a⁻¹, which is 0.38 Pg C a⁻¹ lower than seen in the fully forced model, suggesting a strong non-linearity in the CN-coupled version. Anthropogenic N deposition has a positive effect on Net Ecosystem Production of 0.35 Pg C a⁻¹. Overall, the UVic CN-coupled version shows similar characteristics in terms of C and N pools and fluxes to other CN-coupled Earth System Models.

Simulations over South Asia using the weather research and forecasting model with chemistry (WRF-Chem): chemistry evaluation and initial results

2012-01-03T00:00:00+01:00

Simulations over South Asia using the weather research and forecasting model with chemistry (WRF-Chem): chemistry evaluation and initial results

Geoscientific Model Development Discussions, 5, 1-66, 2012

Author(s): R. Kumar, M. Naja, G. G. Pfister, M. C. Barth, C. Wiedinmyer, and G. P. Brasseur

This study presents annual simulations of tropospheric ozone and related species made for the first time using the WRF-Chem model over South Asia for the year 2008. The model simulated ozone, CO, and NO_x are evaluated against ground-based, balloon-borne and satellite-borne (TES, OMI and MOPITT) observations. The comparison of model results with surface ozone observations from seven sites and CO and NO_x observations from three sites, indicate the model's ability in reproducing seasonal variations of ozone and CO, but show some differences in NO_x. The modeled vertical ozone distribution agrees well with the ozone soundings data from two Indian sites. The vertical distributions of TES ozone and MOPITT CO are generally well reproduced, but the model underestimates TES ozone, OMI tropospheric column NO₂ and MOPITT total column CO retrievals during all the months except MOPITT retrievals during August–January. Largest differences between modeled and satellite retrieved quantities are found during spring when intense biomass burning activity occurs in this region. The evaluation results indicate large uncertainties in anthropogenic and biomass burning emission estimates, especially for NO_x. The model results indicate clear regional differences in the seasonality of surface ozone over South Asia with estimated net ozone production during daytime (11:30–15:30 h) over inland regions of 0–5 ppbv h⁻¹ during all seasons and of 0–2 ppbv h⁻¹ over marine regions during outflow periods. The model results indicate that ozone production in this region is mostly NO_x-limited. This study shows that WRF-Chem model captures many important features of the observations and gives confidence to using the model for understanding the spatio-temporal variability of ozone over South Asia. However, improvements of South Asian emission inventories and simulations at finer model resolution, especially over the complex Himalayan terrain in Northern India, are also essential for accurately simulating ozone in this region.

"Gtool5": a Fortran90 library of input/output interfaces for self-descriptive multi-dimensional numerical data

2011-12-19T00:00:00+01:00

"Gtool5": a Fortran90 library of input/output interfaces for self-descriptive multi-dimensional numerical data

Geoscientific Model Development Discussions, 4, 3691-3707, 2011

Author(s): M. Ishiwatari, E. Toyoda, Y. Morikawa, S. Takehiro, Y. Sasaki, S. Nishizawa, M. Odaka, N. Otobe, Y. O. Takahashi, K. Nakajima, T. Horinouchi, M. Shiotani, Y.-Y. Hayashi, and Gtool development group

A Fortran90 input/output library, "gtool5", is developed for use with numerical simulation models in the fields of Earth and planetary sciences. The use of this library will simplify implementation of input/output operations into program code in a consolidated form independent of the size and complexity of the software and data. The library also enables simple specification of the metadata needed for post-processing and visualization of the data. These aspects improve the readability of simulation code, which facilitates the simultaneous performance of multiple numerical experiments with different software and efficiency in examining and comparing the numerical results. The library is expected to provide a common software platform to reinforce research on, for instance, the atmosphere and ocean, where a close combination of multiple simulation models with a wide variety of complexity of physics implementations from massive climate models to simple geophysical fluid dynamics models is required.

Evaluation of the sectional aerosol microphysics module SALSA implementation in ECHAM5-HAM aerosol-climate model

2011-12-14T00:00:00+01:00

Evaluation of the sectional aerosol microphysics module SALSA implementation in ECHAM5-HAM aerosol-climate model

Geoscientific Model Development Discussions, 4, 3623-3690, 2011

Author(s): T. Bergman, V.-M. Kerminen, H. Korhonen, K. J. Lehtinen, R. Makkonen, A. Arola, T. Mielonen, S. Romakkaniemi, M. Kulmala, and H. Kokkola

We present the implementation and evaluation of a sectional aerosol microphysics model SALSA within the aerosol-climate model ECHAM5-HAM. This aerosol microphysics module has been designed to be flexible and computationally efficient so that it can be implemented in regional or global scale models. The computational efficiency has been achieved by keeping the number of variables needed to describe the size and composition distribution to the minimum. The aerosol size distribution is described using 20 size sections with 10 size sections in size space which cover diameters ranging from 3 nm to 10 μm divided to three subranges each having distinct optimised process and compound selection.

The ability of the module to describe the global aerosol properties was evaluated by comparison against (1) measured continental and marine size distributions, (2) observed variability of continental modal number concentrations, (3) measured sulphate, organic carbon, black carbon and sea salt mass concentrations, (4) observations of AOD and other aerosol optical properties from satellites and AERONET network, (5) global aerosol budgets and concentrations from previous model studies, and (6) model results using M7 which is the default aerosol microphysics module in ECHAM5-HAM.

The evaluation shows that the global aerosol properties can be reproduced reasonably well using the coarse resolution of 10 size sections in size space. The simulated global aerosol budgets are within the range of previous studies. Surface concentrations of sea salt, sulphate and carbonaceous species have an annual mean within a factor of five of the observations, while the simulated sea salt concentrations reproduce the observations less accurately and show high variability. Regionally, AOD is in relatively good agreement with the observations (within a factor of two). At mid-latitudes the observed AOD is captured well, while at high-latitudes as well as in some polluted and dust regions the modeled AOD is significantly lower than the observed.

Regarding the most investigated aerosol properties, the performances of SALSA and the modal aerosol module M7 against observations are comparable. However, SALSA reproduces the observed number concentrations and the size distributions of CCN sized particles much more accurately than M7, and is therefore a good choice for aerosol-cloud interaction studies in global models. Our study also shows that when including activation type nucleation process in the boundary layer, the modeled concentrations of particles under 50 nm in diameter are reproduced much better compared to when only binary nucleation is assumed.

The ACCENT-protocol: a framework for benchmarking and model evaluation

2011-12-13T00:00:00+01:00

The ACCENT-protocol: a framework for benchmarking and model evaluation

Geoscientific Model Development Discussions, 4, 3599-3621, 2011

Author(s): V. Grewe, N. Moussiopoulos, P. Builtjes, C. Borrego, I. S. A. Isaksen, and A. Volz-Thomas

We summarise results from a workshop on "Model Benchmarking and Quality Assurance" of the EU-Network of Excellence ACCENT, including results from other activities (e.g. COST Action 732) and publications. A formalised evaluation protocol is presented, i.e. a generic formalism describing the procedure how to perform a model evaluation. This includes eight steps and examples from global model applications are given for illustration. The first and important step is concerning the purpose of the model application, i.e. the addressed underlying scientific or political question. We give examples to demonstrate that there is no model evaluation per se, i.e. without a focused purpose. Model evaluation is testing, whether a model is fit for its purpose. The following steps are deduced from the purpose and include model requirements, input data, key processes and quantities, benchmark data, quality indicators, sensitivities, as well as benchmarking and grading. We define "benchmarking" as the process of comparing the model output against either observational data or high fidelity model data, i.e. benchmark data. Special focus is given to the uncertainties, e.g. in observational data, which have the potential to lead to wrong conclusions in the model evaluation if not considered carefully.

Toward a minimal representation of aerosol direct and indirect effects: model description and evaluation

2011-12-12T00:00:00+01:00

Toward a minimal representation of aerosol direct and indirect effects: model description and evaluation

Geoscientific Model Development Discussions, 4, 3485-3598, 2011

Author(s): X. Liu, R. C. Easter, S. J. Ghan, R. Zaveri, P. Rasch, X. Shi, J.-F. Lamarque, A. Gettelman, H. Morrison, F. Vitt, A. Conley, S. Park, R. Neale, C. Hannay, A. M. L. Ekman, P. Hess, N. Mahowald, W. Collins, M. J. Iacono, C. S. Bretherton, M. G. Flanner, and D. Mitchell

A modal aerosol module (MAM) has been developed for the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (CAM5), the atmospheric component of the Community Earth System Model version 1 (CESM1). MAM is capable of simulating the aerosol size distribution and both internal and external mixing between aerosol components, treating numerous complicated aerosol processes and aerosol physical, chemical and optical properties in a physically based manner. Two MAM versions were developed: a more complete version with seven lognormal modes (MAM7), and a version with three lognormal modes (MAM3) for the purpose of long-term (decades to centuries) simulations. Major approximations in MAM3 include assuming immediate mixing of primary organic matter (POM) and black carbon (BC) with other aerosol components, merging of the MAM7 fine dust and fine sea salt modes into the accumulation mode, merging of the MAM7 coarse dust and coarse sea salt modes into the single coarse mode, and neglecting the explicit treatment of ammonia and ammonium cycles.

Simulated sulfate and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) mass concentrations are remarkably similar between MAM3 and MAM7 as most (~90%) of these aerosol species are in the accumulation mode. Differences of POM and BC concentrations between MAM3 and MAM7 are also small (mostly within 10%) because of the assumed hygroscopic nature of POM, so that much of the freshly emitted POM and BC is wet-removed before mixing internally with soluble aerosol species. Sensitivity tests with the POM assumed to be hydrophobic and with slower aging increase the POM and BC concentrations, especially at high latitudes (by several times). The mineral dust global burden differs by 10% and sea salt burden by 30–40% between MAM3 and MAM7 mainly due to the different size ranges for dust and sea salt modes and different standard deviations of the log-normal size distribution for sea salt modes between MAM3 and MAM7. The model is able to qualitatively capture the observed geographical and temporal variations of aerosol mass and number concentrations, size distributions, and aerosol optical properties. However, there are noticeable biases, e.g., simulated sulfate and mineral dust concentrations at surface over the oceans are too low. Simulated BC concentrations are significantly lower than measurements in the Arctic. There is a low bias in modeled aerosol optical depth on the global scale, especially in the developing countries. There biases in aerosol simulations clearly indicate the need for improvements of aerosol processes (e.g., emission fluxes of anthropogenic aerosols and precursor gases in developing countries, boundary layer nucleation) and properties (e.g., primary aerosol emission size, POM hygroscopicity). In addition the critical role of cloud properties (e.g., liquid water content, cloud fraction) responsible for the wet scavenging of aerosol is highlighted.

Coupling a new turbulence parametrization to RegCM adds realistic stratocumulus clouds

2011-12-09T00:00:00+01:00

Coupling a new turbulence parametrization to RegCM adds realistic stratocumulus clouds

Geoscientific Model Development Discussions, 4, 3437-3484, 2011

Author(s): T. A. O'Brien, P. Y. Chuang, L. C. Sloan, I. C. Faloona, and D. L. Rossiter

To model stratocumulus clouds in the regional climate model, RegCM4.1, the University of Washington (UW) turbulence parametrization has been coupled to RegCM. We describe improvements in RegCM's coastal and near-coastal climatology, including improvements in the representation of stratiform clouds. By comparing output from a 27-yr (1982–2009) simulation of the climate of Western North America to a wide variety of observational data (station data, satellite data, and aircraft in situ data), we show the following: (1) RegCM-UW is appropriate for use in general regional climate studies, and (2) the UW model distinctly improves the representation of the marine boundary layer in RegCM. These model-data comparisons also show that RegCM-UW has slight cold bias, a (wet) precipitation bias, a systematic low bias in the vertically-integrated liquid water content near the coast, and a high bias in the fractional cloud coverage. The model represents well the diurnal, monthly, and interannual variability in low clouds. These results show RegCM-UW as a nascent mesoscale stratocumulus model that is appropriate for stratocumulus investigations at scales ranging from hourly to decadal. The source code for RegCM-UW is publicly available, under the GNU license, through the International Centre for Theoretical Physics.

The CSIRO Mk3L climate system model version 1.0 – Part 2: Response to external forcings

2011-12-07T00:00:00+01:00

The CSIRO Mk3L climate system model version 1.0 – Part 2: Response to external forcings

Geoscientific Model Development Discussions, 4, 3363-3435, 2011

Author(s): S. J. Phipps, L. D. Rotstayn, H. B. Gordon, J. L. Roberts, A. C. Hirst, and W. F. Budd

The CSIRO Mk3L climate system model is a coupled general circulation model, designed primarily for millennial-scale climate simulation and palaeoclimate research. Mk3L includes components which describe the atmosphere, ocean, sea ice and land surface, and combines computational efficiency with a stable and realistic control climatology. It is freely available to the research community. This paper evaluates the response of the model to external forcings which correspond to past and future changes in the climate system.

A simulation of the mid-Holocene climate is performed, in which changes in the seasonal and meridional distribution of incoming solar radiation are imposed. Mk3L correctly simulates increased summer temperatures at northern mid-latitudes and cooling in the tropics. However, it is unable to capture some of the regional-scale features of the mid-Holocene climate, with the precipitation over Northern Africa being deficient. The model simulates a reduction of between 7 and 15% in the amplitude of El Niño-Southern Oscillation, a smaller decrease than that implied by the palaeoclimate record. However, the realism of the simulated ENSO is limited by the model's relatively coarse spatial resolution.

Transient simulations of the late Holocene climate are then performed. The evolving distribution of insolation is imposed, and an acceleration technique is applied and assessed. The model successfully captures the temperature changes in each hemisphere and the upward trend in ENSO variability. However, the lack of a dynamic vegetation scheme does not allow it to simulate an abrupt desertification of the Sahara.

To assess the response of Mk3L to other forcings, transient simulations of the last millennium are performed. Changes in solar irradiance, atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations and volcanic emissions are applied to the model. The model is again broadly successful at simulating larger-scale changes in the climate system. Both the magnitude and the spatial pattern of the simulated 20th century warming are consistent with observations. However, the model underestimates the magnitude of the relative warmth associated with the Mediaeval Climate Anomaly.

Finally, three transient simulations are performed, in which the atmospheric CO₂ concentration is stabilised at two, three and four times the pre-industrial value. All three simulations exhibit ongoing surface warming, reduced sea ice cover, and a reduction in the rate of North Atlantic Deep Water formation followed by its gradual recovery. Antarctic Bottom Water formation ceases, with the shutdown being permanent for a trebling and quadrupling of the CO₂ concentration. The transient and equilibrium climate sensitivities of the model are determined. The short-term transient response to a doubling of the CO₂ concentration at 1% per year is a warming of 1.5 K, while the long-term equilibrium response is a warming of at least 3.9 K.

Set-up and preliminary results of mid-Pliocene climate simulations with CAM3.1

2011-12-05T00:00:00+01:00

Set-up and preliminary results of mid-Pliocene climate simulations with CAM3.1

Geoscientific Model Development Discussions, 4, 3339-3361, 2011

Author(s): Q. Yan, Z. Zhang, H. Wang, Y. Gao, and W. Zheng

The mid-Pliocene warm period (~3.3 to 3.0 Ma BP) is a potential analogue for future climate under global warming. In this study, we use an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) called CAM3.1 to simulate the mid-Pliocene climate with the PRISM3D boundary conditions. The simulations show that the global annual mean surface air temperature (SAT) increases by 2.0 °C in the mid-Pliocene compared with the pre-industrial temperature. The greatest warming mainly occurs in the high latitudes of both hemispheres, with little change in SAT at low latitudes. The equator-to-pole SAT gradient is reduced in the mid-Pliocene simulation. The annual mean precipitation is enhanced by 3.6% of the pre-industrial value. However, the changes in precipitation are greater in low latitudes than high latitudes.

Supersaturation calculation in large eddy simulation models for prediction of the droplet number concentration

2011-12-05T00:00:00+01:00

Supersaturation calculation in large eddy simulation models for prediction of the droplet number concentration

Geoscientific Model Development Discussions, 4, 3313-3337, 2011

Author(s): O. Thouron, J.-L. Brenguier, and F. Burnet

A new parameterization scheme is described for calculation of supersaturation in LES models that specifically aims at the simulation of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activation and prediction of the droplet number concentration. The scheme is tested against current parameterizations in the framework of the Meso-NH LES model. It is shown that the saturation adjustment scheme based on parameterizations of CCN activation in a convective updraft over estimates the droplet concentration in the cloud core while it cannot simulate cloud top supersaturation production due to mixing between cloudy and clear air. A supersaturation diagnostic scheme mitigates these artefacts by accounting for the presence of already condensed water in the cloud core but it is too sensitive to supersaturation fluctuations at cloud top and produces spurious CCN activation during cloud top mixing. The proposed pseudo-prognostic scheme shows performance similar to the diagnostic one in the cloud core but significantly mitigates CCN activation at cloud top.

Influence of parallel computational uncertainty on simulations of the Coupled General Climate Model

2011-11-28T00:00:00+01:00

Influence of parallel computational uncertainty on simulations of the Coupled General Climate Model

Geoscientific Model Development Discussions, 4, 3295-3312, 2011

Author(s): Z. Song, F. Qiao, X. Lei, and C. Wang

This paper investigates the impact of the parallel computational uncertainty on climate simulations using the Community Climate System Model Version 3 (CCSM3). A series of sensitivity experiments have been conducted and the analyses are focused on the Global and Nino3.4 sea surface temperatures. It is shown that the amplitude of the deviation induced by the parallel computational uncertainty is the same order as that of the climate system change. However, the ensemble mean method can reduce the influence and the ensemble member number of 15 is enough to ignore simulated errors. For climatology, the influence can be ignored when the climatological mean is calculated by using more than 30-yr simulations. It is also found that the parallel computational uncertainty has no effect on the simulated periods of climate variability such as ENSO. Finally, it is suggested that the influence of the parallel computational uncertainty on Coupled General Climate Models (CGCMs) can be a quality standard or a metric for developing CGCMs.

A contrail cirrus prediction model

2011-11-28T00:00:00+01:00

A contrail cirrus prediction model

Geoscientific Model Development Discussions, 4, 3185-3293, 2011

Author(s): U. Schumann

A new model to simulate and predict the properties of a large ensemble of contrails as a function of given air traffic and meteorology is described. The model is designed for approximate prediction of contrail cirrus cover and analysis of contrail climate impact, e.g. within aviation system optimization processes. The model simulates the full contrail life-cycle. Contrail segments form between waypoints of individual aircraft tracks in sufficiently cold and humid air masses. The initial contrail properties depend on the aircraft. The advection and evolution of the contrails is followed with a Lagrangian Gaussian plume model. Mixing and bulk cloud processes are treated quasi analytically or with an effective numerical scheme. Contrails disappear when the bulk ice content is sublimating or precipitating. The model has been implemented in a "Contrail Cirrus Prediction Tool" (CoCiP). This paper describes the model assumptions, the equations for individual contrails, and the analysis-method for contrail-cirrus cover derived from the optical depth of the ensemble of contrails and background cirrus. The model has been applied for a case study and compared to the results of other models and in-situ contrail measurements. The simple model reproduces a considerable part of observed contrail properties. Mid-aged contrails provide the largest contributions to the product of optical depth and contrail width, important for climate impact.

Wavelet-based spatial comparison technique for analysing and evaluating two-dimensional geophysical model fields

2011-11-24T00:00:00+01:00

Wavelet-based spatial comparison technique for analysing and evaluating two-dimensional geophysical model fields

Geoscientific Model Development Discussions, 4, 3161-3183, 2011

Author(s): S. Saux Picart, M. Butenschön, and J. D. Shutler

Complex numerical models of the Earth's environment, based around 3-D or 4-D time and space domains are routinely used for applications including climate predictions, weather forecasts, fishery management and environmental impact assessments. Quantitatively assessing the ability of these models to accurately reproduce geographical patterns at a range of spatial and temporal scales has always been a difficult problem to address. However, this is crucial if we are to rely on these models for decision making. Satellite data are potentially the only observational dataset able to cover the large spatial domains analysed by many types of geophysical models. Consequently optical wavelength satellite data is beginning to be used to evaluate model hindcast fields of terrestrial and marine environments. However, these satellite data invariably contain regions of occluded or missing data due to clouds, further complicating or impacting on any comparisons with the model. A methodology has recently been developed to evaluate precipitation forecasts using radar observations. It allows model skill to be evaluated at a range of spatial scales and rain intensities. Here we extend the original method to allow its generic application to a range of continuous and discontinuous geophysical data fields, and therefore allowing its use with optical satellite data. This is achieved through two major improvements to the original method: (i) all thresholds are determined based on the statistical distribution of the input data, so no a priori knowledge about the model fields being analysed is required and (ii) occluded data can be analysed without impacting on the metric results. The method can be used to assess a model's ability to simulate geographical patterns over a range of spatial scales. We illustrate how the method provides a compact and concise way of visualising the degree of agreement between spatial features in two datasets. The application of the new method, its handling of bias and occlusion and the advantages of the novel method are demonstrated through analyzing model fields from a marine ecosystem model.

Mass-flux subgrid-scale parameterization in analogy with multi-component flows: a formulation towards scale independence

2011-11-24T00:00:00+01:00

Mass-flux subgrid-scale parameterization in analogy with multi-component flows: a formulation towards scale independence

Geoscientific Model Development Discussions, 4, 3127-3160, 2011

Author(s): J.-I. Yano

The mass-flux parameterization formulation is generalized by taking an analogy of the large-scale atmospheric flow with multi-component flows. This generalization permits to include any subgrid-scale variability into the mass-flux parameterization. Those include stratiform clouds as well as cold pools in the boundary layer.

An important finding under the present formulation is that the subgrid-scale quantities are advected by the velocities characteristic of given subgrid-scale components (subcomponent flows), rather than by the large-scale flows as simply defined by grid-box average. This formulation, as a result, ensures the lateral interaction of subgrid-scale variability crossing the grid boxes, which are missing in the current parameterizations, and leading to a reduction of the grid-size dependence in its performance. It is shown that the subcomponent flows are driven by subcomponent pressure gradients. The formulation, as a result, furthermore includes a self-contained description of subgrid-scale momentum transport.

The formulation is applicable to a situation in which the scale separation is still satisfied, but fractional areas occupied by individual subgrid-scale components are no longer small. A complete formulation is presented and various implementation issues are discussed. The present formulation is also expected to alleviate problems arising from increasing resolutions of operational forecast models without invoking more extensive overhaul of parameterizations.

The main purpose of the present paper is to appeal the importance of this new possibility suggested herein to the numerical weather forecast community with implications for the other parameteizations (cloud fraction, mesoscale organization) as well as resolution-dependence of parameterizations.

Simulations over South Asia using the Weather Research and Forecasting model with Chemistry (WRF-Chem): set-up and meteorological evaluation

2011-11-22T00:00:00+01:00

Simulations over South Asia using the Weather Research and Forecasting model with Chemistry (WRF-Chem): set-up and meteorological evaluation

Geoscientific Model Development Discussions, 4, 3067-3125, 2011

Author(s): R. Kumar, M. Naja, G. G. Pfister, M. C. Barth, and G. P. Brasseur

The configuration and evaluation of the meteorology is presented for simulations over the South Asian region using the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem). Temperature, water vapor, dew point temperature, zonal and meridional wind components, precipitation and tropopause pressure are evaluated against radiosonde and satellite-borne (AIRS and TRMM) observations along with NCEP/NCAR reanalysis fields for the year 2008. Chemical fields, with focus on tropospheric ozone, are evaluated in a separate paper. The spatial and temporal variability in meteorological variables is well simulated by the model with temperature, dew point temperature and precipitation showing higher values during summer/monsoon and lower during winter. The index of agreement for all the parameters is estimated to be greater than 0.6 indicating that WRF-Chem is capable of simulating the variations around the observed mean. The mean bias (MB) and root mean square error (RMSE) in modeled temperature, water vapor and wind components show an increasing tendency with altitude. MB and RMSE values are within ±2 K and 1–4 K for temperature, 30% and 20–65% for water vapor and 1.6 m s⁻¹ and 5.1 m s⁻¹ for wind components. The spatio-temporal variability of precipitation is also reproduced reasonably well by the model but the model overestimates precipitation in summer and underestimates precipitation during other seasons. Such a behavior of modeled precipitation is in agreement with previous studies on South Asian monsoon. The comparison with radiosonde observations indicates a relatively better model performance for inland sites as compared to coastal and island sites. The MB and RMSE in tropopause pressure are estimated to be less than 25 hPa. Sensitivity simulations show that biases in meteorological simulations can introduce errors of ±(10–25%) in simulations of tropospheric ozone, CO and NO_x. Nevertheless, a comparison of statistical metrics with benchmarks indicates that the model simulated meteorology is of sufficient quality for use in chemistry simulations.

The FAMOUS climate model (versions XFXWB and XFHCC): description update to version XDBUA

2011-11-22T00:00:00+01:00

The FAMOUS climate model (versions XFXWB and XFHCC): description update to version XDBUA

Geoscientific Model Development Discussions, 4, 3047-3065, 2011

Author(s): R. S. Smith

FAMOUS is an ocean-atmosphere general circulation model of low resolution, based on version 4.5 of the UK MetOffice Unified Model. Here we update the model description to account for changes in the model as it is used in the CMIP5 EMIC model intercomparison project (EMICmip) and a number of other studies. Most of these changes correct errors found in the code. The EMICmip version of the model (XFXWB) has a better-conserved water budget and additional cooling in some high latitude areas, but otherwise has a similar climatology to previous versions of FAMOUS. A variant of XFXWB is also described, with changes to the dynamics at the top of the model which improve the model climatology (XFHCC).

Detection, tracking and event localization of interesting features in 4-D atmospheric data

2011-11-17T00:00:00+01:00

Detection, tracking and event localization of interesting features in 4-D atmospheric data

Geoscientific Model Development Discussions, 4, 3013-3045, 2011

Author(s): S. Limbach, E. Schömer, and H. Wernli

We introduce a novel algorithm for the efficient detection and tracking of interesting features in spatial-temporal atmospheric data, as well as for the precise localization of the occurring genesis, lysis, merging and splitting events. The algorithm is based on the well-known region growing segmentation method. We extended the basic idea towards the analysis of the complete 4-D dataset, identifying segments representing the spatial features and their development over time. Each segment consists of one set of distinct 3-D features per time step. The algorithm keeps track of the successors of each 3-D feature, constructing the so-called event graph of each segment. The precise localization of the splitting events is based on a search for all grid points inside the initial 3-D feature which have a similar distance to all successive 3-D features of the next time step. The merging event is localized analogously considering inverted direction of time. We tested the implementation on a four-dimensional field of wind speed data from European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) analyses and computed a climatology of upper-tropospheric jet streams and their events. We compare our results with a previous climatology, investigate the statistical distribution of the merging and splitting events, and illustrate the meteorological significance of the jet splitting events with a case study. A brief outlook is given on additional potential applications of the 4-D data segmentation technique.