Effects of Planetary Boundary Layer Parameterizations on CWRF Regional Climate Simulation

Researchers: Shuyan Liu and Xin-Zhong Liang

Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) parameterizations incorporated in CWRF (Climate extension of the Weather Research and Forecasting model) were first evaluated by comparing simulated PBL height diurnal cycles with observation at ARM Atmospheric Radiation Measurement) SGP (Southern Great Plains) site. Among the seven evaluated PBL schemes, two (CAM, UW) are new in CWRF while the other 5 are original WRF schemes. MYJ, QNSE and UW determine the PBL heights based on turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) profiles, while others (ACM, CAM, GFS, YSU) are from bulk Richardson criteria. Effects of PBL parameterizations on CWRF regional climate simulation were then compared with CAM serving as the control run. QNSE, MYJ and GFS PBL parameterizations were identified as obvious outliers of overall performance in representing precipitation, surface air temperature or PBL height variations.

Presented: December 7, 2011 AGU Fall Meeting San Francisco, CA, USA

{arisexylightbox activeType=”rcontent” width=”75%” height=”75%” url=”http://essic.umd.edu/joom2/media/com_form2content/documents/c20/a495/f96/Effects_of_Planetary_Boundary_Layer.pdf” link=”View Poster” title=”Effects of Planetary Boundary Layer Parameterizations on CWRF Regional Climate Simulation” }{/arisexylightbox}