Song-You Hong

A New Vertical Diffusion Package with an Explicit Treatment of Entrainment Processes

Abstract This paper proposes a revised vertical diffusion package with a nonlocal turbulent mixing coefficient in the planetary boundary layer (PBL). Based on the study of Noh et al. and accumulated results of the behavior of the Hong and Pan algorithm, a revised vertical diffusion algorithm that is suitable for weather forecasting and climate prediction models is developed. The major ingredient of the revision is the inclusion of an explicit treatment of entrainment processes at the top of the PBL. The new diffusion package is called the Yonsei University PBL (YSU PBL). In a one-dimensional offline test framework, the revised scheme is found to improve several features compared with the Hong and Pan implementation. The YSU PBL increases boundary layer mixing in the thermally induced free convection regime and decreases it in the mechanically induced forced convection regime, which alleviates the well-known problems in the Medium-Range Forecast (MRF) PBL. Excessive mixing in the mixed layer in the presenc...

A Revised Approach to Ice Microphysical Processes for the Bulk Parameterization of Clouds and Precipitation

Abstract A revised approach to cloud microphysical processes in a commonly used bulk microphysics parameterization and the importance of correctly representing properties of cloud ice are discussed. Several modifications are introduced to more realistically simulate some of the ice microphysical processes. In addition to the assumption that ice nuclei number concentration is a function of temperature, a new and separate assumption is developed in which ice crystal number concentration is a function of ice amount. Related changes in ice microphysics are introduced, and the impact of sedimentation of ice crystals is also investigated. In an idealized thunderstorm simulation, the distribution of simulated clouds and precipitation is sensitive to the assumptions in microphysical processes, whereas the impact of the sedimentation of cloud ice is small. Overall, the modifications introduced to microphysical processes play a role in significantly reducing cloud ice and increasing snow at colder temperatures and ...

IMPROVEMENT OF THE K-PROFILE MODEL FOR THE PLANETARY BOUNDARY LAYER BASED ON LARGE EDDY SIMULATION DATA

Modifications of the widely used K-profile model of the planetary boundary layer (PBL), reported by Troen and Mahrt (TM) in 1986, are proposed and their effects examined by comparison with large eddy simulation (LES) data. The modifications involve three parts. First, the heat flux from the entrainment at the inversion layer is incorporated into the heat and momentum profiles, and it is used to predict the growth of the PBL directly. Second, profiles of the velocity scale and the Prandtl number in the PBL are proposed, in contrast to the constant values used in the TM model. Finally, non-local mixing of momentum was included. The results from the new PBL model and the original TM model are compared with LES data. The TM model was found to give too high PBL heights in the PBL with strong shear, and too low heights for the convection-dominated PBL, which causes unrealistic heat flux profiles. The new PBL model improves the predictability of the PBL height and produces profiles that are more realistic. Moreover, the new PBL model produces more realistic profiles of potential temperature and velocity. We also investigated how each of these three modifications affects the results, and found that explicit representation of the entrainment rate is the most critical.

Development of an Effective Double-Moment Cloud Microphysics Scheme with Prognostic Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN) for Weather and Climate Models

A new double-moment bulk cloud microphysics scheme, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Double-Moment 6-class (WDM6) Microphysics scheme, which is based on the WRF Single-Moment 6-class (WSM6) Microphysics scheme, has been developed. In addition to the prediction for the mixing ratios of six water species (water vapor, cloud droplets, cloud ice, snow, rain, and graupel) in the WSM6 scheme, the number concentrations for cloud and rainwater are also predicted in the WDM6 scheme, together with a prognostic variable of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) number concentration. The new scheme was evaluated on an idealized 2D thunderstorm test bed. Compared to the simulations from the WSM6 scheme, there are greater differences in the droplet concentration between the convective core and stratiform region in WDM6. The reduction of light precipitation and the increase of moderate precipitation accompanying a marked radar bright band near the freezing level from the WDM6 simulation tend to alleviate existing systematic biases in the case of the WSM6 scheme. The strength of this new microphysics scheme is its ability toallowflexibilityinvariableraindropsizedistributionbypredictingthenumberconcentrationsofcloudsand rain, coupled with the explicit CCN distribution, at a reasonable computational cost.

The NCEP Regional Spectral Model: An Update

The National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)/Environmental Modeling Center regional spectral model (RSM) has been improved in several aspects since Juang and Kanamitsu. The major improvements of RSM are its efficiency and functionality. The change of the map factor in the semi-implicit scheme from a mean value to maximal value over the regional domain, the relaxation of the lateral boundary from explicit method to implicit method (or simple blending), and the local diffusion over areas of strong wind allowed the doubling of the model computational time step. The model physics was upgraded with the improvements in the operational global spectral model (GSM) and with an additional explicit cloud scheme. An option to run in either hydrostatic or nonhydrostatic mode has been introduced. Another option to run on a CRAY machine or on a workstation has been fully tested. The nesting process has been changed to provide the capability of nesting into a coarse-resolution RSM, besides the GSM, in a one-way fashion. Thus, multinesting becomes possible, even with different map projections. Regional data assimilation with a gridpoint version of statistical interpolation and the three-dimensional variational method on sigma surfaces has been incorporated. All the output has been encoded in GRIB format, so it can be read on different machines. The authors have tested the improved functionalities of the RSM over a broad range of applications, at resolutions between 80 and 10 km. The daily routine experimental forecasts over North America have acceptable performance. Because the perturbation method, used in the RSM, results in smaller computational error than the full field method, and because the consistency between the GSM and RSM allows for a better treatment of the lateral boundary, the RSM could be used to enhance the reanalysis and regional climate simulations that have long-range integrations. The RSM is also used in the regional ensemble experiments at NCEP. The model was also applied in case studies, such as the case of PYREX in the regional COMPARE project. Several institutions both in the United States and overseas started using the RSM, mostly for regional short-range forecast and climate modeling studies. The RSM has been scheduled to implement into operations at NCEP to possibly enhance the guidance on aviation and on daily weather forecast over Hawaii. The current version of the RSM is available to any institution requesting from the director of NCEP.

NCEP DYNAMICAL SEASONAL FORECAST SYSTEM 2000

The new National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) numerical seasonal forecast system is described in detail. The new system is aimed at a next-generation numerical seasonal prediction in which focus is placed on land processes, initial conditions, and ensemble methods, in addition to the tropical SST forcing. The atmospheric model physics is taken from the NCEP–National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) reanalysis model, which has more comprehensive land hydrology and improved physical processes. The model was further upgraded by introducing three new parameterization schemes: 1) the relaxed Arakawa–Schubert (RAS) convective parameterization, which improved middle latitude response to tropical heating; 2) Chous shortwave radiation, which corrected surface radiation fluxes; and 3) Chous longwave radiation scheme together with smoothed mean orography that reduced model warm bias. Atmospheric initial conditions were taken from the operational NCEP Global Data Assimilation System, allowing t...

Project to Intercompare Regional Climate Simulations (PIRCS): Description and initial results

The first simulation experiment and output archives of the Project to Intercompare Regional Climate Simulations (PIRCS) is described. Initial results from simulations of the summer 1988 drought over the central United States indicate that limited-area models forced by large-scale information at the lateral boundaries reproduce bulk temporal and spatial characteristics of meteorological fields. In particular, the 500 hPa height field time average and temporal variability are generally well simulated by all participating models. Model simulations of precipitation episodes vary depending on the scale of the dynamical forcing. Organized synoptic-scale precipitation systems are simulated deterministically in that precipitation occurs at close to the same time and location as observed (although amounts may vary from observations). Episodes of mesoscale and convective precipitation are represented in a more stochastic sense, with less precise agreement in temporal and spatial patterns. Simulated surface energy fluxes show broad similarity with the First International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project (ISLSCP) Field Experiment (FIFE) observations in their temporal evolution and time average diurnal cycle. Intermodel differences in midday Bowen ratio tend to be closely associated with precipitation differences. Differences in daily maximum temperatures also are linked to Bowen ratio differences, indicating strong local, surface influence on this field. Although some models have bias with respect to FIFE observations, all tend to reproduce the synoptic variability of observed daily maximum and minimum temperatures. Results also reveal the advantage of an intercomparison in exposing common tendencies of models despite their differences in convective and surface parameterizations and different methods of assimilating lateral boundary conditions.

The Global/Regional Integrated Model system (GRIMs)

A multiscale atmospheric/oceanic model system with unified physics, the Global/Regional Integrated Model system (GRIMs) has been created for use in numerical weather prediction, seasonal simulations, and climate research projects, from global to regional scales. It includes not only the model code, but also the test cases and scripts. The model system is developed and practiced by taking advantage of both operational and research applications. This article outlines the history of GRIMs, its current applications, and plans for future development, providing a summary useful to present and future users.

Dynamical downscaling: Fundamental issues from an NWP point of view and recommendations

Dynamical downscaling has been recognized as a useful tool not only for the climate community, but also for associated application communities such as the environmental and hydrological societies. Although climate projection data are available in lower-resolution general circulation models (GCMs), higher-resolution climate projections using regional climate models (RCMs) have been obtained over various regions of the globe. Various model outputs from RCMs with a high resolution of even as high as a few km have become available with heavy weight on applications. However, from a scientific point of view in numerical atmospheric modeling, it is not clear how to objectively judge the degree of added value in the RCM output against the corresponding GCM results. A key factor responsible for skepticism is based on the fundamental limitations in the nesting approach between GCMs and RCMs. In this article, we review the current status of the dynamical downscaling for climate prediction, focusing on basic assumptions that are scrutinized from a numerical weather prediction (NWP) point of view. Uncertainties in downscaling due to the inconsistencies in the physics packages between GCMs and RCMs were revealed. Recommendations on how to tackle the ultimate goal of dynamical downscaling were also described.

Evaluation of the WRF Double-Moment 6-Class Microphysics Scheme for Precipitating Convection

This study demonstrates the characteristics of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Double-Moment 6-Class (WDM6) Microphysics scheme for representing precipitating moist convection in 3D platforms, relative to the WSM6 scheme that has been widely used in the WRF community. For a case study of convective system over the Great Plains, the WDM6 scheme improves the evolutionary features such as the bow-type echo in the leading edge of the squall line. We also found that the WRF with WDM6 scheme removes spurious oceanic rainfall that is a systematic defect resulting from the use of the WSM6 scheme alone. The simulated summer monsoon rainfall in East Asia is improved by weakening (strengthening) light (heavy) precipitation activity. These changes can be explained by the fact that the WDM6 scheme has a wider range in cloud and rain number concentrations than does the WSM6 scheme.