Model evaluation of the atmospheric boundary layer and mixed-layer evolution

In the present study, an attempt is made to assess the atmospheric boundary-layer (ABL) depth over an urban area, as derived from different ABL schemes employed by the mesoscale model MM5. Furthermore, the relationship of the mixing height, as depicted by the measurements, to the calculated ABL depth or other features of the ABL structure, is also examined. In particular, the diurnal evolution of ABL depth is examined over the greater Athens area, employing four different ABL schemes plus a modified version, whereby urban features are considered. Measurements for two selected days, when convective conditions prevailed and a strong sea-breeze cell developed, were used for comparison. It was found that the calculated eddy viscosity profile seems to better indicate the mixing height in both cases, where either a deep convective boundary layer develops, or a more confined internal boundary layer is formed. For the urban scheme, the incorporation of both anthropogenic and storage heat release provides promising results for urban applications.     

复杂地形上气象场对空气质量数值模拟 结果影响的研究

利用WRF模式三种边界层参数化方案(YSU、MYJ、ACM2)产生的气象场分别驱动多尺度空气质量模式CMAQ,对兰州市西固区冬季2005年1月27日至2月2日期间SO₂和NO₂浓度进行了数值模拟,将模拟结果与同期监测的污染物浓度进行对比分析,结果表明:WRF模式不同边界层参数化方案模拟输出的气象场驱动CMAQ模式所模拟的SO₂和NO₂浓度均可以反映出污染物的时空变化特征,CMAQ模式具有模拟复杂下垫面高分辨率污染物输送特征的能力;WRF模式的边界层参数化方案选为局地与非局地闭合方案(ACM2)时,模拟的气象场驱动CMAQ模式得到的空气污染物浓度分布特征最优,这主要是由于ACM2的湍流输送机制较为合理,模拟的边界层低层气象场更接近实际,从而可以较好地模拟污染物的输送特征;当CMAQ模式的垂直混合方案与WRF模式的湍流输送方案一致时(均采用ACM2方案),模式间的兼容性好.     

利用TWP-ICE试验资料对比两种边界层参数化方案

利用高分辨率WRF单气柱模式,选取了两种边界层参数化方案(YSU,MYJ),对TWP-ICE(Tropical Warm Pool International Cloud Experiment)试验期间的个例进行数值模拟,比较了两种方案对边界层结构、云和降水模拟的影响。结果表明:季风活跃期,YSU方案模拟的湍流交换系数较小,湍流混合偏弱,边界层内热通量偏小,使地表热量和水汽不易向上输送,水汽含量在近地表明显偏多,而在边界层及其以上大气层具有显著的干偏差,因此该方案模拟的云中液态水和固态水含量偏低,云量偏少,降水率偏小;MYJ方案对于季风活跃期的边界层结构具有较好的模拟能力,其模拟的云和降水更为准确。季风抑制期,MYJ方案模拟的夜间边界层结构存在较大误差,这是因为该方案模拟的夜间湍流交换系数较大,湍流混合偏强,边界层内热通量偏大,模拟的位温和水汽混合比在边界层内随高度变化较小,而观测廓线在边界层内存在较大梯度。季风抑制期两种方案模拟的云和降水均比观测值偏多,方案之间的差异较小。     

UNCERTAINTY IN THE SPECIFICATION OF SURFACE CHARACTERISTICS: A STUDY OF PREDICTION ERRORS IN THE BOUNDARY LAYER

The effects of uncertainty in the specification of surface characteristics on simulated atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) processes and structure were investigated using a one-dimensional soil-vegetation-boundary layer model. Observational data from the First International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project Field Experiment were selected to quantify prediction errors in simulated boundary-layer parameters. Several numerical 12-hour simulations were performed to simulate the convective boundary-layer structure, starting at 0700 LT 6 June 1987.In the control simulation, measured surface parameters and atmospheric data were used to simulate observed boundary-layer processes. In the remaining simulations, five surface parameters – soil texture, initial soil moisture, minimum stomatal resistance, leaf area index, and vegetation cover – were varied systematically to study how uncertainty in the specification of these surface parameters affects simulated boundary-layer processes.The simulated uncertainty in the specification of these five surface parameters resulted in a wide range of errors in the prediction of turbulent fluxes, mean thermodynamic structure, and the depth of the ABL. Under certain conditions uncertainty in the specifications of soil texture and minimum stomatal resistance had the greatest influence on the boundary-layer structure. A lesser but still moderately strong effect on the simulated ABL resulted from (1) a small decrease (4%) in the observed initial soil moisture (although a large increase [40%] had only a marginal effect), and (2) a large reduction (66%) in the observed vegetation cover. High uncertainty in the specification of leaf area index had only a marginal impact on the simulated ABL. It was also found that the variations in these five surface parameters had a negligible effect on the simulated horizontal wind fields. On the other hand, these variations had a significant effect on the vertical distribution of turbulent heat fluxes, and on the predicted maximum boundary-layer depth, which varied from about 1400–2300 m across the 11 simulations. Thus, uncertainties in the specification of surface parameters can significantly affect the simulated boundary-layer structure in terms of meteorological and air quality model predictions.     

边界层方案对华北低层O3垂直分布模拟的影响

利用WRF-Chem模式,采用3种边界层参数化方案 (YSU, MYJ和ACM2),针对1个晴空、静稳日 (2013年8月26日20:00—27日20:00(北京时)) 进行模拟,着重分析不同边界层参数化方案对夜间残留层形成及日出前后O₃浓度垂直分布形式的模拟效果,并与固城站地面及垂直同步观测资料进行对比。结果表明:3种边界层参数化方案均能够模拟出温度及风速的区域分布形式以及风温垂直结构的变化特征;相比之下,MYJ方案模拟的夜间边界层高度较YSU方案和ACM2方案明显偏高,该对比结果可能是导致近地面污染物浓度模拟差异的重要原因;在夜间稳定层结至日出后稳定状态打破的边界层结构演变过程中,采用YSU方案和ACM2方案模拟的温度和风速垂直扩线形式与观测结果更为接近;同样采用非局地闭合的YSU方案和同时考虑局地和非局地闭合的ACM2方案,对于边界层高度内O₃浓度垂直分布形式的模拟效果具有明显优势。     

宁夏两次低涡暴雨过程边界层方案的敏感性试验

利用中尺度数值模式WRF选取3种边界层参数化方案（YSU、MYJ和ACM2）对2018年8月20日和2019年8月2日宁夏两次低涡暴雨过程进行敏感性试验,对比分析不同边界层参数化方案对暴雨过程模拟的影响。结果表明：YSU和MYJ方案对暴雨的预报性能均较优,ACM2方案对强降水的空报率较大;YSU方案对逐时中等强度降水的模拟效果更优。YSU方案对低涡系统的移动路径和中心强度模拟效果最好。相比ACM2方案,YSU和MYJ方案对环境场物理量和边界层内水汽混合比的模拟更接近实况,并且YSU方案能准确地反映边界层内位温分布特征。YSU与ACM2方案的湍流混合强度更强,后者维持较强湍流的时间更长。总体上,YSU方案对宁夏低涡暴雨过程的模拟效果最优。     

A Two-Moment Bulk Microphysics Coupled with a Mesoscale Model WRF: Model Description and First Results

The Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences (CAMS) two-moment bulk microphysics scheme was adopted in this study to investigate the representation of cloud and precipitation processes under different environmental conditions.The scheme predicts the mixing ratio of water vapor as well as the mixing ratios and number concentrations of cloud droplets,rain,ice,snow,and graupel.A new parameterization approach to simulate heterogeneous droplet activation was developed in this scheme.Furthermore,the improved CAMS scheme was coupled with the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF v3.1),which made it possible to simulate the microphysics of clouds and precipitation as well as the cloud-aerosol interactions in selected atmospheric condition.The rain event occurring on 27-28 December 2008 in eastern China was simulated using the CAMS scheme and three sophisticated microphysics schemes in the WRF model.Results showed that the simulated 36-h accumulated precipitations were generally agreed with observation data,and the CAMS scheme performed well in the southern area of the nested domain.The radar reflectivity,the averaged precipitation intensity,and the hydrometeor mixing ratios simulated by the CAMS scheme were generally consistent with those from other microphysics schemes.The hydrometeor number concentrations simulated by the CAMS scheme were also close to the experiential values in stratus clouds.The model results suggest that the CAMS scheme performs reasonably well in describing the microphysics of clouds and precipitation in the mesoscale WRF model.     

‘Observations and Modelling of Cold-air Advection over Arctic Sea Ice’

Aircraft observations of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) over Arctic sea ice were made during non-stationary conditions of cold-air advection with a cloud edge retreating through the study region. The sea-ice concentration, roughness, and ABL stratification varied in space. In the ABL heat budget, 80% of the Eulerian change in time was explained by cold-air advection and 20% by diabatic heating. With the cloud cover and inflow potential temperature profile prescribed as a function of time, the air temperature and near-surface fluxes of heat and momentum were well simulated by the applied two-dimensional mesoscale model. Model sensitivity tests demonstrated that several factors can be active in generating unstable stratification in the ABL over the Arctic sea ice in March. In this case, the upward sensible heat flux resulted from the combined effect of clouds, leads, and cold-air advection. These three factors interacted non-linearly with each other. From the point of view of ABL temperatures, the lead effect was far less important than the cloud effect, which influenced the temperature profiles via cloud-top radiative cooling and radiative heating of the snow surface. The steady-state simulations demonstrated that under overcast skies the evolution towards a deep, well-mixed ABL may take place through the merging of two mixed layers one related to mostly shear-driven surface mixing and the other to buoyancy-driven top-down mixing due to cloud-top radiative cooling.     

黑河绿洲区不均匀下垫面大气边界层结构的大涡模拟研究

采用RAMS模式中大涡模拟的方法,加入高分辨率的植被和土壤资料,模拟了黑河（张掖地区）不均匀下垫面条件下大气边界层演变过程。分析了模拟的地表通量、边界层的平均结构和湍流二阶量,并用黑河试验的观测资料检验了模式的模拟性能。结果表明,模拟的平均结构较好地展现了不均匀下垫面条件下边界层内从稳定层结到混合层发展,夹卷层形成,底层逆温层出现,混合层过渡到残留层等的演变过程,呈现出了从初始的稳定边界层发展到对流边界层,最后又形成夜问稳定边界层的日变化规律。湍流二阶量的分析显示,在非均匀下垫面条件下边界层内湍流二阶量的垂直分布与边界层的发展相对应,白天湍流二阶量出现两个峰值,分别位于近地层和混合层顶。与观测资料和现有研究的对比表明,RAMS中陆面模块（LEAF）地表参数不能较好地反映黑河地区的植被特征,模拟的白天地表感热和潜热通量偏小,气温白天偏低、夜间偏高,相对湿度也有偏差。     

东亚夏季风降水和环流数值模拟对不同对流参数化方案的敏感性

A 5-level spectral AGCM (ImPKU-5LAGCM) is used to examine the sensitivity of the simulated results of the summer monsoon rainfall and circulation in East Asia to different cumulus parameterization schemes in the climatological-mean case and in the cases of weak and strong Asian summer monsoons,respectively. The results simulated with the Arakawa-Schubert＇s(hereafter A-S＇s), Kuo＇s and Manabe＇s cumulus parameterization schemes show that these simulated distributions of the summer monsoon rainfall and circulation in East Asia depend strongly on the cumulus parameterization schemes either in the climatological-mean case or in the cases of weak and strong Asian summer monsoons. From the simulated results, it might be shown that the Kuo scheme appears to be more suitable for the simulation of the summer monsoon rainfall and circulation in East Asia than the A-S scheme or the Manabe scheme, although the A-S scheme is somewhat better in the simulations of the tropical rainfall. This might be due to that the Kuo＇s cumulus parameterization scheme is able to reflect well the characteristics of rainfall cloud system in the East Asian summer monsoon region, where the rainfall system used to be a mixing of cumulus and stratus.     

湍流动能闭合方法在中尺度模式中的应用

湍流动能闭合方法是近年来发展起来的用以模拟大气边界层的一种方法,本文对其做了简化,仅在边界层内使用这一方法,进一步减少计算量,使之更适用于中尺度数值模拟。对一维旺加拉（Wangara）资料进行的试验表明,这种方法保留了边界层计算的精度,又能节省机时。然后将这种方法应用于三维中尺度钟形山地形的模拟,描述了湍流动能的分布,以及湍流活动对山后回流区面积和强度的影响。     

On the consideration of mesoscale transports in climate modelling

Summary The dynamical effect of land surface heterogeneity on heat fluxes in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) is investigated using numerical simulations with a non-hydrostatic model over a wide range of grid resolutions. It is commonly assumed that mesoscale or dynamical fluxes associated with mesoscale and convective circulations simulated by a high-resolution model (subgrid (SG) model) on the subgrid scale of a climate model (large-scale (LS) model) represent additional processes in the ABL, which are not considered by the turbulence scheme of the LS-model, and which can be parameterized using the SG-model. The present study investigates the usefulness of this methodology for small-scale and large-scale idealized heterogeneities using a SG-model resolving mesoscale or even microscale circulations to compute the mesoscale fluxes on the scale of the LS-model. It is shown that the dynamical transports as derived from the SG-model should not be used to correct the parameterized turbulent fluxes of the LS-model. The reason is that the subgrid circulations simulated by the SG-model interact with the fields of wind and scalars in the ABL, which results in reduced turbulent fluxes in the ABL. Thus the methodology of previous studies to use mesoscale/dynamical fluxes for the correction of flux profiles simulated by climate models seems to be questionable.     

超强台风“威马逊”(2014)云微物理特征的模拟与对比分析

采用中尺度数值模式WRFv3.5对2014年超强台风“威马逊”进行数值模拟。利用雷达、卫星、自动站逐时降水资料,对比单参数WSM6云方案和双参数WDM6云方案在模拟台风路径、强度、降水分布及水成物含量上的差异,分析雨滴粒子的谱型特征及微物理源、汇项对云中雨水含量的影响。与上海台风研究所的最佳路径数据对比显示,两方案均较好地模拟出了台风“威马逊”的移动路径,WDM6方案的整体路径误差更小;模拟的强度差异则较为显著,WDM6方案的海平面最低气压值偏高,强度偏弱。两方案模拟的累积降雨分布虽与自动站实测资料基本一致,但WDM6方案模拟的强降水概率偏高,弱降水概率偏低。两方案模拟的对流区雪、霰、雨水含量均大于TRMM卫星反演结果,且WDM6方案的对流云较多,总体雨水含量偏高;两方案均模拟出了雷达回波分布的整体特征,但眼区尺度偏大,WDM6方案在融化层以下缺少眼墙之外的弱回波区且大于39 dBz的强回波区偏多,同样显示了雨水含量（或尺度）偏大。由于WDM6方案为暖雨（云、雨水）双参数模式,对云滴活化、云雨转换及云、雨谱型有一定的改进,其能较合理地模拟出雨滴谱随台风发展的演变特征;模拟显示,云、雨滴的收集碰并及固态粒子的融化是雨水的主要源项,WDM6方案增加了云雨水自动转化率及雨水碰并云水率,导致该方案的空中雨水含量偏高,且随高度的降低快速减小;此外,由于WDM6方案使用简单的寇拉公式进行云滴活化,初始云凝结核数的变化即可造成雪、霰、云雨水含量的改变,故建议在具体大气气溶胶条件下,对方案中的云滴生成参数化过程做相应的调整。     

Numerical Simulation of the Rapid Intensification of Hurricane Katrina(2005):Sensitivity to Boundary Layer Parameterization Schemes

Accurate forecasting of the intensity changes of hurricanes is an important yet challenging problem in numerical weather prediction. The rapid intensification of Hurricane Katrina(2005) before its landfall in the southern US is studied with the Advanced Research version of the WRF(Weather Research and Forecasting) model. The sensitivity of numerical simulations to two popular planetary boundary layer(PBL) schemes, the Mellor–Yamada–Janjic(MYJ) and the Yonsei University(YSU) schemes, is investigated. It is found that, compared with the YSU simulation, the simulation with the MYJ scheme produces better track and intensity evolution, better vortex structure, and more accurate landfall time and location. Large discrepancies(e.g.,over 10 hPa in simulated minimum sea level pressure) are found between the two simulations during the rapid intensification period. Further diagnosis indicates that stronger surface fluxes and vertical mixing in the PBL from the simulation with the MYJ scheme lead to enhanced air–sea interaction, which helps generate more realistic simulations of the rapid intensification process. Overall, the results from this study suggest that improved representation of surface fluxes and vertical mixing in the PBL is essential for accurate prediction of hurricane intensity changes.     

不同的边界层参数化方案对江淮一次暴雨过程数值试验研究

利用WRF模式分别耦合YSU、MYJ、ACM2和MRF边界层参数化方案对长江中下游地区2013年7月的一次暴雨个例进行模拟实验。为了检验边界层参数化方案的重要性,研究使用无边界层方案(NOPBL)的WRF模式对这次暴雨进行了模拟。通过与实测数据进行对比和分析,本文检验了这五种不同的实验设计对降水落区、总量、基本气象要素的模拟能力。综合模拟结果表明,不同的边界层参数化方案模拟的结果不同。不论是否使用边界层参数化方案,均能模拟出雨带的基本走向,但不同的方案对降水中心强度及位置的模拟与实况相比有差异。NOPBL产生了最大的偏差,ACM2和MRF次之,MYJ的方案对于小雨与大雨的模拟最优,而YSU对不同强度暴雨模拟的正确率都较高。通过物理量分析对比,MYJ方案较优的原因是:1)风场检测,MYJ方案的模拟结果更接近观测值;2)850 hPa水汽通量散度检测,MYJ方案能够模拟两支水汽输送通道。一支以偏西南风为主,在急流出口区有较强的南风风速辐合,使得从西南方向来的水汽向暴雨区辐合;另一支将偏东水汽向西部输送,保证暴雨区局部辐合。3)垂直速度检测,MYJ,YSU方案模拟的垂直运动中心与降水落区相近,但YSU模拟上升速度偏大,相对而言MYJ方案更合理。     

Differences in the variability of measured and simulated tropospheric ozone mixing ratios over the Paso del Norte Region

The objective of this study is to present differences in the variability of observed and ozone-mixing ratios simulated by a three-dimensional atmospheric chemical model using two chemical mechanisms. In this study the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions is used to make ozone simulations with the Carbon Bond mechanism, versions 4 and 5. The Paso del Norte region is used as a test-bed for these simulations. The shared variance between the simulations and measurements is typical for air quality models ranging from 0.51 to 0.86 for both mechanisms. The smallest mean normalized gross error is about 31 % with CB4 but the normalized bias is over 30 % as well. Boundary conditions, emissions and other factors affect the levels of ozone of the simulated mixing ratios and therefore error and bias but these factors have a much less affect on the simulated ozone variability. The differences in the ozone variability of the measurements and the simulations are very large and different for the two chemical mechanisms. There are many more instances of low ozone mixing ratios in the measurements than in the simulated ozone. One possible explanation is that these differences are due to problems associated with comparing point measurements with grid averages. A more disturbing possibility is that the bias could be due to the procedures used in the development and testing of air quality modeling systems. Air quality mechanisms are evaluated against environmental chamber data where the chemistry occurs at high concentrations and this may lead to a systematic positive bias in ozone simulations.     

Sensitivity of Offshore Surface Fluxes and Sea Breezes to the Spatial Distribution of Sea-Surface Temperature

A series of numerical sensitivity experiments is performed to quantify the impact of sea-surface temperature (SST) distribution on offshore surface fluxes and simulated sea-breeze dynamics. The SST simulations of two mid-latitude sea-breeze events over coastal New England are performed using a spatially-uniform SST, as well as spatially-varying SST datasets of 32- and 1-km horizontal resolutions. Offshore surface heat and buoyancy fluxes vary in response to the SST distribution. Local sea-breeze circulations are relatively insensitive, with minimal differences in vertical structure and propagation speed among the experiments. The largest thermal perturbations are confined to the lowest 10% of the sea-breeze column due to the relatively high stability of the mid-Atlantic marine atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) suppressing vertical mixing, resulting in the depth of the marine layer remaining unchanged. Minimal impacts on the column-averaged virtual potential temperature and sea-breeze depth translates to small changes in sea-breeze propagation speed. This indicates that the use of datasets with a fine-scale SST may not produce more accurate sea-breeze simulations in highly stable marine ABL regimes, though may prove more beneficial in less stable sub-tropical environments.     

The Construction of SCM in GRAPES and Its Applications in Two Field Experiment Simulations

A Single Column Model(SCM) for Global and Regional Atmospheric Prediction Enhanced System (GRAPES) is constructed for the purpose of evaluating physical process parameterizations.Two observational datasets including Wangara and the third Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment Atmospheric Boundary Layer Study(GABLS-3) SCM field observations have been applied to evaluate this SCM.By these two numerical experiments,the GRAPES_SCM is verified to be correctly constructed.Furthermore, the interaction between the land surface process and atmospheric boundary layer(ABL) is discussed through the second experiment.It is found that CASE3(CoLM land surface scheme coupled with ABL scheme) simulates less sensible heat fluxes and smaller surface temperature which corresponds with its lower potential temperature at the bottom of the ABL.Moreover,CASE3 simulates turbulence that is weaker during the daytime and stronger during nighttime,corresponding with its wind speed at 200 m which is bigger during daytime and smaller during nighttime.However,they are generally opposite in CASE2(SLAB coupled with ABL).The initial profile of the water vapor mixing ratio is artificially increased by the experiment setup which results in the simulated water vapor mixing becoming wetter than actually observed.CASE1 (observed surface temperature taken as lower thermal forcing) and CASE2 have no soil moisture prediction and simulate a similar water vapor mixing ratio,while CASE3 has a soil moisture prediction and simulates wetter.It is also shown that the time step may affect the stabilization of the ABL when the vertical levels of the SCM are fixed.     

Assessment of Atmospheric Boundary-Layer Processes Represented in the Numerical Model MM5 for a Clear Sky Day Using LASPEX Observations

Data collected during the Land Surface Processes Experiment (LASPEX) in a semi-arid region of the state of Gujarat in north-west India for a clear sky day (16 May 1997) are used to assess the performance of the atmospheric boundary-layer (ABL) and land- surface parameterizations in the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University-National Center for Atmospheric Research (PSU-NCAR) Mesoscale Model (MM5). The ABL turbulence parameterizations examined are the Blackadar scheme coupled to a simple soil slab model (SSM), and the Troen-Mahrt scheme coupled to SSM or to the more sophisticated Noah land-surface model (NSM). The comparison of several two-way nested high resolution (9-km) MM5 short term 24-h simulations indicate that, although the model is able to capture the trend in the observed data, the computed results deviate from observations. The NSM with a modest treatment of vegetation outperforms the SSM in capturing the observed daily variations in surface heat fluxes and aspects of ABL structure over the tropical land surface at local scales. Detailed analysis showed that, with the incorporation of observed local vegetation and soil characteristics, the NSM reproduced a realistic surface energy balance and near-surface temperature. It is further found that the coupling of the NSM with the Troen-Mahrt ABL scheme leads to excessive ABL mixing and a dry bias in the model simulations.     

Development of a Single-Column Model in RegCM4 and Its Preliminary Application for Evaluating PBL Schemes in Simulating the Dry Convection Boundary Layer

A single-column model (SCM) is developed in the regional climate model RegCM4. The evolution of a dry convection boundary layer (DCBL) is used to evaluate this SCM. Moreover, four planetary boundary layer (PBL) schemes, namely the Holtslag-Boville scheme (HB), Yonsei University scheme (YSU), and two University of Washington schemes (UW01, Grenier-Bretherton-McCaa scheme and UW09, Bretherton-Park scheme), are compared by using the SCM approach. A large-eddy simulation (LES) of the DCBL is performed as a benchmark to examine how well a PBL parameterization scheme reproduces the LES results, and several diagnostic outputs are compared to evaluate the schemes. The results show that the SCM is proper constructed. In general, with the DCBL case, the YSU scheme performs best for reproducing the LES results, which include well-mixed features and vertical sensible heat fluxes; the simulated wind speed, turbulent kinetic energy, entrainment flux, and height of the entrainment zone are all underestimated in the UW09; the UW01 has all those biases of the UW09 but larger, and the simulated potential temperature is not well mixed; the HB is the least skillful scheme, by which the PBL height, entrainment flux, height of the entrainment zone, and the vertical gradients within the mixed layer are all overestimated, and a inversion layer near the top of the surface layer is wrongly simulated.Although more cases and further testing are required, these simulations show encouraging results towards the use of this SCM framework for evaluating the simulated physical processes by the RegCM4.