A mass-flux cumulus parameterization scheme for large-scale models: description and test with observations

A simple mass-flux cumulus parameterization scheme suitable for large-scale atmospheric models is presented. The scheme is based on a bulk-cloud approach and has the following properties: (1) Deep convection is launched at the level of maximum moist static energy above the top of the boundary layer. It is triggered if there is positive convective available potential energy (CAPE) and relative humidity of the air at the lifting level of convection cloud is greater than 75%; (2) Convective updrafts for mass, dry static energy, moisture, cloud liquid water and momentum are parameterized by a one-dimensional entrainment/detrainment bulk-cloud model. The lateral entrainment of the environmental air into the unstable ascending parcel before it rises to the lifting condensation level is considered. The entrainment/detrainment amount for the updraft cloud parcel is separately determined according to the increase/decrease of updraft parcel mass with altitude, and the mass change for the adiabatic ascent cloud parcel with altitude is derived from a total energy conservation equation of the whole adiabatic system in which involves the updraft cloud parcel and the environment; (3) The convective downdraft is assumed saturated and originated from the level of minimum environmental saturated equivalent potential temperature within the updraft cloud; (4) The mass flux at the base of convective cloud is determined by a closure scheme suggested by Zhang (J Geophys Res 107(D14), doi:10.1029/2001JD001005, 2002) in which the increase/decrease of CAPE due to changes of the thermodynamic states in the free troposphere resulting from convection approximately balances the decrease/increase resulting from large-scale processes. Evaluation of the proposed convection scheme is performed by using a single column model (SCM) forced by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program’s (ARM) summer 1995 and 1997 Intensive Observing Period (IOP) observations, and field observations from the Global Atmospheric Research Program’s Atlantic Tropical Experiment (GATE) and the Tropical Ocean and Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Response Experiment (TOGA COARE). The SCM can generally capture the convective events and produce a realistic timing of most events of intense precipitation although there are some biases in the strength of simulated precipitation.     

On convective entrainment in a mass flux cumulus parameterization

Summary A new entrainment/detrainment formulation in the Tiedtke’s mass flux cumulus parameterization is discussed here. Apart from validating it with observations both in one and three dimensional cases, it is also evaluated in the light of the results from the original Tiedtke scheme and another mass flux scheme due to Emanuel. The proposed analytical profiles of entrainment and detrainment, easier to implement in any mass flux scheme, give reasonable results in GCM experiments.     

A Parameterization of Dry Thermals and Shallow Cumuli for Mesoscale Numerical Weather Prediction

For numerical weather prediction models and models resolving deep convection, shallow convective ascents are subgrid processes that are not parameterized by classical local turbulent schemes. The mass flux formulation of convective mixing is now largely accepted as an efficient approach for parameterizing the contribution of larger plumes in convective dry and cloudy boundary layers. We propose a new formulation of the EDMF scheme (for Eddy Diffusivity\Mass Flux) based on a single updraft that improves the representation of dry thermals and shallow convective clouds and conserves a correct representation of stratocumulus in mesoscale models. The definition of entrainment and detrainment in the dry part of the updraft is original, and is specified as proportional to the ratio of buoyancy to vertical velocity. In the cloudy part of the updraft, the classical buoyancy sorting approach is chosen. The main closure of the scheme is based on the mass flux near the surface, which is proportional to the sub-cloud layer convective velocity scale w _*. The link with the prognostic grid-scale cloud content and cloud cover and the projection on the non- conservative variables is processed by the cloud scheme. The validation of this new formulation using large-eddy simulations focused on showing the robustness of the scheme to represent three different boundary layer regimes. For dry convective cases, this parameterization enables a correct representation of the countergradient zone where the mass flux part represents the top entrainment (IHOP case). It can also handle the diurnal cycle of boundary-layer cumulus clouds (EUROCS\ARM) and conserve a realistic evolution of stratocumulus (EUROCS\FIRE).     

Improvements in Climate Simulation with Modifications to the Tiedtke Convective Parameterization in the Grid-Point Atmospheric Model of IAP LASG （GAMIL）

The grid-point atmospheric model of IAP LASG （GAMIL） was developed in and has been evaluated since early 2004. Although the model shows its ability in simulating the global climate, it suffers from some problems in simulating precipitation in the tropics. These biases seem to result mainly from the treatment of the subgrid scale convection, which is parameterized with Tiedtke＇s massflux scheme （or the Zhang-McFarlane scheme, as an option） in the model. In order to reduce the systematic biases, several modifications were made to the Tiedtke scheme used in GAMIL, including （1） an increase in lateral convective entrainment/detrainment rate for shallow convection, （2） inclusion of a relative humidity threshold for the triggering of deep convection, and （3） a reduced efficiency for the conversion of cloud water to rainwater in the convection scheme.
Two experiments, one with the original Tiedtke scheme used in GAMIL and the other with the modified scheme, were conducted to evaluate the performance of the modified scheme in this study. The results show that both the climatological mean state, such as precipitation, temperature and specific humidity, and interannual variability in the model simulation are improved with the use of this modified scheme. Results from several additional experiments show that the improvements in the model performance in different regions mainly result from either the introduction of the relative humidity threshold for triggering of the deep convection or the suppressed shallow convection due to enhanced lateral convective entrainment/detrainment rates.     

An improvement in mass flux convective parameterizations and its impact on seasonal simulations using a coupled model

A new closure and a modified detrainment for the simplified Arakawa–Schubert (SAS) cumulus parameterization scheme are proposed. In the modified convective scheme which is named as King Abdulaziz University (KAU) scheme, the closure depends on both the buoyancy force and the environment mean relative humidity. A lateral entrainment rate varying with environment relative humidity is proposed and tends to suppress convection in a dry atmosphere. The detrainment rate also varies with environment relative humidity. The KAU scheme has been tested in a single column model (SCM) and implemented in a coupled global climate model (CGCM). Increased coupling between environment and clouds in the KAU scheme results in improved sensitivity of the depth and strength of convection to environmental humidity compared to the original SAS scheme. The new scheme improves precipitation simulation with better representations of moisture and temperature especially during suppressed convection periods. The KAU scheme implemented in the Seoul National University (SNU) CGCM shows improved precipitation over the tropics. The simulated precipitation pattern over the Arabian Peninsula and Northeast African region is also improved.

     

Bivariate conditional sampling of buoyancy flux during an intense cold-air outbreak

Buoyancy fluxes in the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) for the cloud street regime, observed during the Genesis of Atlantic Lows Experiment (GALE), have been analyzed using the technique of joint frequency distribution. For the lower half of the MABL, the results suggest that the buoyancy flux is mainly generated by the rising thermals and the sinking compensating ambient air, and is mainly consumed by the entrainment and detrainment of thermals, penetrative convection, and the entrainment from the MABL top.The results are compared to those from previous studies of mesoscale cellular convection (Air-Mass Transformation Experiment, AMTEX), the dry convective boundary layer, and the trade-wind MABL. For the lower MABL, the quadrant buoyancy fluxes, fractional coverages, and flux intensities are in good agreement with those of mesoscale cellular convection (AMTEX) and the dry convective boundary layer. The results suggest that, if the buoyancy flux is primarily driven by the temperature flux, the physical processes for generating buoyancy flux mentioned above are about the same for the lower boundary layers over land and ocean, even with different convective regimes. For the trade-wind MABL, the buoyancy flux is mainly driven by the moisture flux; the quadrant flux intensities are stronger than those of the other three studies except for the buoyant updrafts (thermals). These results suggest that the entrainment and detrainment of thermals are more effective in the trade-wind MABL than in the boundary layers driven by the temperature flux.Scale analysis of the buoyancy flux is in good agreement with that of AMTEX. For the lower half of the MABL, the buoyancy flux is mainly generated by the intermediate scale (200 m to 2 km), which includes the dominant convective thermals in the surface layer and the mixed layer. The scale smaller than 200 m is important only in the surface layer. The scale larger than 2 km, which includes the roll vortices, increases its significance upward. While most of the positive and negative fluxes are associated with the updrafts for the intermediate scale, the downdrafts are as important as updrafts for the larger scale.ST Systems Corporation, Lanham, MD, 20706, U.S.A.     

MODIFIED MASS FLUX CUMULUS CONVECTIVE PARAMETERIZATION SCHEME AND ITS SIMULATION EXPERIMENT—PARTⅡ:CUMULUS CONVECTION ACTIVITIES SIMULATED FROM THREE SCHEMES AND SENSITIVITY EXPERIMENTS BY USE OF MASS FLUX SCHEME*

By comparison of simulated cumulus convection processes in RegCM2,using the Kuo scheme,the Grell scheme and the mass flux scheme (MFS),it is found that the MFS can simulate the cumulus heating and moistening very well.A series of sensitivity tests show that the parameters for specifying the conversion coefficient from cloud droplets to raindrops,the turbulent entrainment and detrainment rates in updrafts anddowndrafts,and the intensity of the downdrafts have different degrees of influence upon the cumulus convection.Therefore.it is quite important for cumulus parameterization scheme to define these parameters as accurately as possible.     

MODIFIED MASS FLUX CUMULUS CONVECTIVE PARAMETERIZATION SCHEME AND ITS SIMULATION EXPERIMENT—PART II:CUMULUS CONVECTION ACTIVITIES SIMULATED FROM THREE SCHEMES AND SENSITIVITY EXPERIMENTS BY USE OF MASS FLUX SCHEME

By comparison of simulated cumulus convection processes in RegCM2,using the Kuo scheme,the Grell scheme and the mass flux scheme (MFS),it is found that the MFS can simulate thecumulus heating and moistening very well.A series of sensitivity tests show that the parametersfor specifying the conversion coefficient from cloud droplets to raindrops,the turbulententrainment and detrainment rates in updrafts anddowndrafts,and the intensity of thedowndraftshave different degrees of influence upon the cumulus convection.Therefore.it is quite importantfor cumulus parameterization scheme to define these parameters as accurately as possible.     

A one-dimensional model for the parameterization of deep convection in the ocean

A one-dimensional penetrative plume model has been constructed to parameterize the process of deep convection in ocean general circulation models (OGCMs). This research is motivated by the need for OGCMs to better model the production of deep and intermediate water masses. The parameterization scheme takes the temperature and salinity profiles of OGCM grid boxes and simulates the subgrid-scale effects of convection using a one-dimensional parcel model. The model moves water parcels from the surface layer down to their level of neutral buoyancy, simulating the effect of convective plumes. While in transit, the plumes exchange water with the surrounding environment; however, the bulk of the plume water mass is deposited at e level of neutral buoyancy. Weak upwelling around the plumes is included to maintain an overall mass balance. The process continues until the negative buoyant energy of the one-dimensional vertical column is minimized. The parameterized plume entrainment rate, which plays a central role in the parameterization, is calculated using modified equations based on the physics of entraining buoyant plumes. This scheme differs from the convective adjustment techniques currently used in OGCMs, because the parcels penetrate downward with the appropriate degree of mixing until they reach their level of neutral stability.     

Current problems in the stratocumulus-topped atmospheric boundary layer

Extended sheets of stratocumulus (Sc) in the upper part of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) often occur under appropriate meteorological conditions. These cloud decks are important both in climate studies and in weather forecasting. We review the current knowledge of the turbulent structure of the ABL capped by a cloud deck, in the light of recent observations and model studies. The most important physical processes determining this structure are longwave radiative cooling at cloud top, shortwave radiative wanning by absorption in the cloud, surface buoyancy flux, and wind shear in the ABL. As a result, turbulence can cause entrainment against the buoyancy jump at cloud top. In cases where only longwave radiative fluxes and surface buoyancy fluxes are important, the turbulent structure is relatively well understood. When shortwave radiative fluxes and/or wind shear are also important, the resulting turbulent structure may change considerably. A decoupling of the cloud from the sub-cloud layer or of the top of the cloud from the rest of the ABL is then regularly observed. In no cases are the details of the entrainment at cloud top understood well enough to derive a relatively simple formulation that is consistent with observations. Cloud-top entrainment instability may lead to the break-up of a cloud deck (but also to cloud deepening). The role of mesoscale circulations in determining fractional cloudiness is not yet well understood.     

修正的质量通量积云对流方案及其模拟试验研究 Ⅱ:三种积云方案的积云对流活动及MFS方案相关参数的敏感性试验

作者在“修正的质量通量积云对流方案及其模拟试验研究I方案介绍及对1991年洪涝过程的模拟”论文中提出的质量通量方案成功地植入区域气候模式RegCM2的基础上，对比分析质量通量方案MFS，Kuo方案和Grell方案对积云对流活动的模拟，结果表明质量通量方案较好地模拟了积云对流活动过程。针对质量通量方案中的一些参数，如云水向雨水的转换率、混合卷入率、混合卷出率和下沉气流的强度等进行了一系列的敏感性试验，试验结果表明积云对流活动对这些参数比较敏感，因此提高这些参数的准确性是改进积云对流参数化方案的重要内容之一。     

THE LIMITATION OF CLOUD-BASE MASS FLUX IN CUMULUS PARAMETERIZATION AND ITS APPLICATION IN A HIGH-RESOLUTION MODEL

A large area of unrealized precipitation is produced with the standard convective parameterization scheme in a high-resolution model, while subgrid-scale convection that cannot be explicitly resolved is omitted without convective parameterization. A modified version of the convection scheme with limited mass flux at cloud base is introduced into a south-China regional high-resolution model to alleviate these problems. A strong convection case and a weak convection case are selected to analyze the influence of limited cloud-base mass flux on precipitation forecast. The sensitivity of different limitation on mass flux at cloud base is also discussed. It is found that using instability energy closure for Simplified Arakawa- Schubert Scheme will produce better precipitation forecast than the primary closure based on quasi-equilibrium assumption. The influence of the convection scheme is dependent on the upper limit of mass flux at cloud base. The total rain amount is not so sensitive to the limitation of mass flux in the strong convection case as in the weak one. From the comparison of two different methods for limiting the cloud-base mass flux, it is found that shutting down the cumulus parameterization scheme completely when the cloud-base mass flux exceeds a given limitation is more suitable for the forecast of precipitation.     

两种对流参数化方案对辐射能量收支的影响研究

利用中国科学院大气物理研究所大气科学和地球流体力学数值模拟国家重点实验室的格点大气环流模式(GAMIL)1.0版设计了两组数值模拟实验来研究两种不同的对流参数化方案对辐射能量收支的影响.这两种对流参数化方案分别是:Zhang and McFarlance/Hack方案(简称ZM)和Tiedtke/Nordeng方案(简称 TN).对应的数值模拟实验分别取名为EX-ZM和EX-TN.通过对实验结果的分析表明:在对流过程中,EX-ZM允许深对流和浅对流同时发生,因此两种对流同时在模式低层消耗了更多的水汽,释放了更多的潜热,引起了更大的增温;EX_TN每次只允许一种对流发生,也就避免了不同类型的对流在同一层同时消耗水汽的现象.因此对流过后,EX-ZM的环境空气相对湿度较小,而EX-TN周围空气的相对湿度较大,有利于低云云量的生成和大尺度的凝结,因此EX-TN模拟的低云云量偏多,低层的云水含量偏高,模式低层的云光学厚度偏大,这就使得EX_TN中更多的太阳短波辐射通量被云反射掉,严重低估了模式对短波波段的辐射通量的模拟.此外,不同的对流参数化方案通过改变云的长波发射率和降水,进而影响了模式对长波波段的辐射通量、感热和潜热通量的模拟.     

On the onset of entrainment instability over the ocean

The marine atmospheric boundary layer is characterized by cool temperatures and high humidity. Clouds are observed over most of the oceans. It is generally accepted that these overcast cloud decks break up into scattered fragments due to cloud-top entrainment instability. That is, if the air above the boundary layer is sufficiently cool and dry relative to cloud top, the buoyancy flux will be directed upwards and entrainment can occur freely.A boundary-layer model is used to test the sensitivity of the model atmosphere to the various processes which promote the onset of cloud-top entrainment instability. It is found that the transition from a solid cloud deck to scattered cumulus clouds depends on a rate process. The cloud cover is sensitive to mesoscale variations in sea surface temperature only if the cloud-top inversion is sufficiently weak.     

Some characteristics of cumulus convection over the Tibetan Plateau

The diagnostic model of the cumulus convection proposed by Yanai et al. (1973) was applied to the atmosphere over the Tibetan Plateau, and used to estimate the vertical mass flux, entrainment and detrainment, excess temperature and moisture, liquid water content, and condensation and precipitation rates of highland cloud clusters. The re-sults illustrated that in clouds over the Tibetan Plateau, the water vapor condensation rate, liquid water content, and efficiency of the rain generation process are less than those in the tropics (represented by the Marshall Islands region). Therefore, the condensational latent heat released over the Tibetan Plateau, overall, is much smaller than that in the tropics. The water vapor and liquid water detrainment from shallow nonprecipitating cumulus clouds, and their entrainment into deep cumulus clouds, serve as a growing mechanism for the deep precipitating cumulus towers over the Tibetan Plateau. It should be noted that there is a stronger detrainment of liquid water from cumulus clouds and a stronger re-evaporation rate in environment. The process of the condensation-detrainment-re-evaporation-entrainment is repeatedly in progress. It would play an important role in maintaining of cumulus convection on the condition that the supply of moisture is not plentiful over the Tibetan Plateau.The analyses also showed that the cloud mass flux Mc over the Tibetan Plateau is less, and the large-scale av-erage upward motion is much less than those over the Marshall Islands. Stronger compensating downward motion in the cloud environment over the Tibetan Plateau, responsible for the area’s strong environmental heating rate was re-vealed, and would link to the stability of the South Asian High in summer.     

Radiative and Evaporative Cooling in the Entrainment Zone of Stratocumulus – the Role of Longwave Radiative Cooling Above Cloud Top

A mixing fraction determines the relative amount of above-cloud-top air that has been mixed into a cloudy air parcel. A method, based on the use of mixing fractions, to calculate the cooling effects due to mixing, longwave radiation and phase changes at cloud top is derived and discussed. We compute cooling effects for the whole range of mixing fraction for two observed cases of the stratocumulus-topped marine boundary layer. In both cases the total radiative cooling effect is found to be the most dominant contributor to the negative buoyancy excess found at cloud top. The largest radiative cooling rates are found for clear-air parcels immediately adjacent to cloud top rather than inside the cloud. With the help of a simple longwave radiation model, we show this to be caused by clear-air radiative cooling due to the temperature inversion at cloud top. Further we show that flux profiles in the entrainment zone can be computed from data obtained from a horizontal level run that is half the time in cloud and half the time out of cloud.     

Evaluation of cloud and precipitation parameterization using a single-column model: A TWP-ICE case study

Cloud and precipitation parameterization schemes are evaluated, and their sensitivity to the method and/or parameters used to determine cloud physical processes is examined using a singlecolumn version of the Unified Model (SCUM). In the experiment for TWP-ICE, cloud fraction is overestimated (underestimated) in the upper (lower) troposphere due to the wet (dry) bias. The precipitation rate is well simulated during the active monsoon period, but overestimated during the suppressed monsoon and clear skies periods. In the moist convection scheme, trigger condition and entrainment process affect the lower tropospheric humidity through the impact on convective occurrence frequency and intensity, respectively. Strengthening the trigger condition and using the adaptive entrainment method alleviate the low-level dry bias. In the microphysics scheme, more large-scale precipitation is produced with prognostic rain, due to rain sedimentation considering vertical velocity of rain drop, than with diagnostic rain. Less ice/snow deposition with the prognostic two-ice category results in lower ice water content and upper-level cloud fraction than with the diagnostic splitting method for the twoice category. In the cloud macrophysics scheme, the prognostic cloud fraction and cloud/ice water content scheme produces a larger cloud fraction and more cloud/ice water content than the diagnostic scheme, mainly due to detrainment from moist convection (cloud source) that surpasses the effect of convective heating and drying (cloud sink). This affects temperature by influencing the radiative, convective, and microphysical processes. The experiment with combined modifications in cloud and precipitation schemes shows that interaction between modified moist convection and cloud macrophysics schemes results in more alleviation of the cold bias not only at the lower levels but also at the upper levels.     

Resolved Versus Parametrized Boundary-Layer Plumes. Part II: Continuous Formulations of Mixing Rates for Mass-Flux Schemes

The conditional sampling of coherent structures in large-eddy simulations of the convective boundary layer (Couvreux et al. Boundary-layer Meteorol 134:441–458, 2010) is used to propose and evaluate formulations of fractional entrainment and detrainment rates for mass-flux schemes. The proposed formulations are physically-based and continuous from the surface to the top of clouds. Entrainment is related to the updraft vertical velocity divergence, while detrainment depends on the thermal vertical velocity, on buoyancy and on the moisture contrast between the mean plume and its environment. The proposed formulations are first directly evaluated in simulations of shallow clouds. They are then tested in single-column simulations with the thermal plume model, a mass-flux representation of boundary-layer thermals.     

An improvement of the mass flux convection parameterization scheme and its sensitivity tests for seasonal prediction over China

A modified cumulus parameterization scheme, suitable for use in a seasonal forecast model, is presented. This parameterization scheme is an improvement of the mass flux convection scheme developed by Gregory and Rowntree (1989; 1990). This convection scheme uses a “bulk” cloud model to present an ensemble of convective clouds, and aims to represent shallow, deep, and mid-level convection. At present,this convection scheme is employed in the NCC T63L20 model (National Climate Center, China Meteorological Administration). Simulation results with this scheme have revealed some deficiencies in the scheme,although to some extent, it improves the accuracy of the simulation. In order to alleviate the deficiencies and reflect the effect of cumulus convection in the actual atmosphere, the scheme is modified and improved.The improvements include (i) the full estimation of the effects of the large-scale convergence in the lower layer upon cumulus convection, (ii) the revision of the initial convective mass flux, and (iii) the regulation of convective-scale downdrafts. A comparison of the results obtained by using the original model and the modified one shows that the improvement and modification of the original convection scheme is successful in simulating the precipitation and general circulation field, because the modified scheme provides a good simulation of the main features of seasonal precipitation in China, and an analysis of the anomaly correlation eoetfieient between the simulation and the observations confirms the improved results.