Impacts of Spectral Nudging on the Sensitivity of a Regional Climate Model to Convective Parameterizations in East Asia

The sensitivity of a regional climate model (RCM) to cumulus parameterization (CUPA) schemes in modeling summer precipitation over East Asia has been investigated by using the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University-National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model (PSU-NCAR MM5). The feasibility of physical ensemble and the effect of interior (spectral) nudging are also assessed. The RCM simulations are evaluated against the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data and NCEP/CPC precipitation data for three summers (JJA) in 1991, 1998, and 2003. The results show that the RCM is highly sensitive to CUPA schemes. Different CUPA schemes cause distinctive characteristics in the modeling of JJA precipitation and the intraseasonal (daily) variability of regional precipitation. The sensitivity of the RCM simulations to the CUPA schemes is reduced by adopting the spectral nudging technique, which enables the RCM to reproduce more realistic large-scale circulations at the upper levels of the atmosphere as well as near the surface, and better precipitation simulation in the selected experiments. The ensemble simulations using different CUPA schemes show higher skills than individual members for both control runs and spectral nudging runs. The physical ensemble adopting the spectral nudging technique shows the highest downscaling skill in capturing the general circulation patterns for all experiments and improved temporal distributions of precipitation in some regions.     

Effect of land model ensemble versus coupled model ensemble on the simulation of precipitation climatology and variability

Through a series of model simulations with an atmospheric general circulation model coupled to three different land surface models, this study investigates the impacts of land model ensembles and coupled model ensemble on precipitation simulation. It is found that coupling an ensemble of land models to an atmospheric model has a very minor impact on the improvement of precipitation climatology and variability, but a simple ensemble average of the precipitation from three individually coupled land-atmosphere models produces better results, especially for precipitation variability. The generally weak impact of land processes on precipitation should be the main reason that the land model ensembles do not improve precipitation simulation. However, if there are big biases in the land surface model or land surface data set, correcting them could improve the simulated climate, especially for well-constrained regional climate simulations.     

Comparison of four ensemble methods combining regional climate simulations over Asia

A number of uncertainties exist in climate simulation because the results of climate models are influenced by factors such as their dynamic framework, physical processes, initial and driving fields, and horizontal and vertical resolution. The uncertainties of the model results may be reduced, and the credibility can be improved by employing multi-model ensembles. In this paper, multi-model ensemble results using 10-year simulations of five regional climate models (RCMs) from December 1988 to November 1998 over Asia are presented and compared. The simulation results are derived from phase II of the Regional Climate Model Inter-comparison Project (RMIP) for Asia. Using the methods of the arithmetic mean, the weighted mean, multivariate linear regression, and singular value decomposition, the ensembles for temperature, precipitation, and sea level pressure are carried out. The results show that the multi-RCM ensembles outperform the single RCMs in many aspects. Among the four ensemble methods used, the multivariate linear regression, based on the minimization of the root mean square errors, significantly improved the ensemble results. With regard to the spatial distribution of the mean climate, the ensemble result for temperature was better than that for precipitation. With an increasing number of models used in the ensembles, the ensemble results were more accurate. Therefore, a multi-model ensemble is an efficient approach to improve the results of regional climate simulations.     

IPCC AR4多模式对海河流域气候模拟能力的评估及预估

根据海河流域1961-2010年气象观测资料,检验IPCC AR4中全球气候模式和多模式集合的模拟能力,并预估未来2011-2050年气候变化的可能趋势,结果表明:全球气候模式以及多模式集合对海河流域都具有一定的模拟能力,其中MIUB_ECHO_G模式和多模式集合具有相对较好的模拟能力.海河流域气温和降水未来情景预估表明:气温整体呈现增加趋势,尤其是A1B情景下各模式的年升温率均高于全国水平;未来降水也呈现增加趋势,在A1B和B1情景下,各模式都为夏季降水增加显著.A2情景下,春季时各模式降水均增加显著,A1B情景下,MIUB_ECHO_G模式模拟在2013年出现突变,降水量出现显著增长,A2情景下,MIUB_ECHO_G模式和多模式集合模拟的降水量则是在2031年和2001年出现突变,出现显著增长.     

多模式短期集合降水概率预报试验

利用AREM、MM5和WRF3个中尺度数值模式,通过积云参数化和边界层方案组合构成15个集合成员,对中国2003年7月汛期降水分别采用平均法、相关法、Rank法开展多模式短期集合降水概率预报试验。结果表明：用上述3种方法制作的多模式短期集合概率预报都能对降水落区及中心做出较准确的预报,但平均法和相关法易使降水落区虚假放大,Rank法则能较好地刻画降水落区边界及强度,其概率预报效果优于平均法和相关法结果。采用BS（Brier score）、RPS（ranked probability score）评分和ROC（relative operating characteristic）曲线对3种方法的降水概率预报效果评价时发现,对某一临界值等级的概率预报,3种方法结果差异较小;但对某一天降水概率预报结果的综合评价表明,Rank法显著优于前两种方法;降水强度大、范围广的降水的RPS评分和各级的BS评分较高,表明多模式降水概率预报也具艰巨性。     

国家气候中心多模式解释应用集成预测

多模式集合和降尺度技术是提升模式预测能力的有效工具。该文对国家气候中心多模式解释应用集成预测 (MODES) 技术与业务应用现状进行了综合介绍。MODES采用欧洲中期天气预报中心、东京气候中心、美国国家环境预报中心和中国气象局国家气候中心4个气候业务季节预测模式输出场,利用EOF迭代、变形的典型相关分析、最优子集回归和高相关回归集成4种统计降尺度方法以及等权平均、经典超级集合等集成方法进行全国月及季节降水和气温预测。目前对MODES进行了夏季回报检验和约1年的实时业务应用。回报检验和业务应用表明,MODES对气温有较好的预测能力 (月预测平均PS评分为76),对降水有一定预测技巧 (月预测平均PS评分为68),具有短期气候预测业务应用价值。     

CWRF模式在中国夏季极端降水模拟的误差订正

利用1980—2015年6—8月我国逐日降水观测数据评估CWRF模式（Climate-Weather Research and Forecasting model）多种参数化方案对我国夏季日降水的模拟能力,并考察累积概率变换偏差订正法（CDFt）的订正效果。通过将广义帕累托分布（GPD）引入到偏差订正模型中,提出针对极端降水的累积概率变换偏差订正法（XCDFt）,检验和评估其对极端降水订正的适用性。结果显示:CWRF模式微物理过程选用Morrison-aerosol参数化方案组合对我国降水场的模拟较好,CDFt订正效果良好;XCDFt偏差订正模型能够较好地提取模式建模与验证时期变化信号,订正后相比订正前与观测极端降水的概率分布更为接近;经过XCDFt订正后华南、华中和华北地区20年一遇的极端降水重现水平较模拟值更接近观测值,可为CWRF模式提高极端降水的业务预测水平提供参考。     

Validation of precipitation over Japan during 1985–2004 simulated by three regional climate models and two multi-model ensemble means

We dynamically downscaled Japanese reanalysis data (JRA-25) for 60 regions of Japan using three regional climate models (RCMs): the Non-Hydrostatic Regional Climate Model (NHRCM), modified RAMS version 4.3 (NRAMS), and modified Weather Research and Forecasting model (TWRF). We validated their simulations of the precipitation climatology and interannual variations of summer and winter precipitation. We also validated precipitation for two multi-model ensemble means: the arithmetic ensemble mean (AEM) and an ensemble mean weighted according to model reliability. In the 60 regions NRAMS simulated both the winter and summer climatological precipitation better than JRA-25, and NHRCM simulated the wintertime precipitation better than JRA-25. TWRF, however, overestimated precipitation in the 60 regions in both the winter and summer, and NHRCM overestimated precipitation in the summer. The three RCMs simulated interannual variations, particularly summer precipitation, better than JRA-25. AEM simulated both climatological precipitation and interannual variations during the two seasons more realistically than JRA-25 and the three RCMs overall, but the best RCM was often superior to the AEM result. In contrast, the weighted ensemble mean skills were usually superior to those of the best RCM. Thus, both RCMs and multi-model ensemble means, especially multi-model ensemble means weighted according to model reliability, are powerful tools for simulating seasonal and interannual variability of precipitation in Japan under the current climate.     

Downscaling of South America present climate driven by 4-member HadCM3 runs

The objective of this work is to evaluate climate simulations over South America using the regional Eta Model driven by four members of an ensemble of the UK Met Office Hadley Centre HadCM3 global model. The Eta Model has been modified with the purpose of performing long-term decadal integrations and has shown to reproduce “present climate”—the period 1961–1990—reasonably well when forced by HadCM3. The global model lateral conditions with a resolution of 2.5° latitude?×?3.75° longitude were provided at a frequency of 6?h. Each member of the global model ensemble has a different climate sensitivity, and the four members were selected to span the range of uncertainty encompassed by the ensemble. The Eta Model nested in the HadCM3 global model was configured with 40-km horizontal resolution and 38 layers in the vertical. No large-scale internal nudging was applied. Results are shown for austral summer and winter at present climate defined as 1961–90. The upper and low-level circulation patterns produced by the Eta-CPTEC/HadCM3 experiment set-up show good agreement with reanalysis data and the mean precipitation and temperature with CRU observation data. The spread in the downscaled mean precipitation and temperature is small when compared against model errors. On the other hand, the benefits in using an ensemble is clear in the improved representation of the seasonal cycle by the ensemble mean over any one realization. El Ni?o and La Ni?a years were identified in the HadCM3 member runs based on the NOAA Climate Prediction Center criterion of sea surface temperature anomalies in the Ni?o 3.4 area. The frequency of the El Ni?o and La Ni?a events in the studied period is underestimated by HadCM3. The precipitation and temperature anomalies typical of these events are reproduced by most of the Eta-CPTEC/HadCM3 ensemble, although small displacements of the positions of the anomalies occur. This experiment configuration is the first step on the implementation of Eta-CPTEC/HadCM3 upcoming experiments on climate change studies that are discussed in a companion paper.     

CWRF模式极端降水模拟误差订正

基于1980—2015年6—8月CWRF模式(Climate-Weather Research and Forecasting model)14种方案的模拟结果和全国逐日降水观测资料,对比了Q-lin,Q-tri,RQ-lin,RQ-tri,SSP-lin和CDFt 6种误差订正方法对CWRF模式控制化方案(C1)模拟中国东部夏季日极端降水的订正效果,以CWRF模式14种方案日极端降水的模拟效果排名为基础,对比了模拟效果较好的4种方案集合、模拟较差的4种方案集合以及14种方案集合的订正效果,选出相对较好的订正方案进一步评估其成员集合后订正和成员分别订正后再集合的订正效果,结果表明:采用6种误差订正方法均可明显减少日极端降水模拟误差,其中RQ-lin方法订正效果最佳。CWRF模式对中国东部的极端降水指数均表现出较好的模拟能力,不同参数化集合方案得到14种方案成员先订正再集合与观测日极端降水平均值最为接近,研究结果对于改进模拟结果、提高其预测能力有重要应用价值。     

我国短期气候预测技术进展

经过近60年的发展,我国短期气候预测技术和方法也有了长足进步。近年来,一些新的预报技术和机理认识不断应用于短期气候预测业务。ARGO海洋观测资料的使用大大提高了业务模式的预测技巧,新一代气候预测模式系统已经投入准业务化运行,研发了多种模式降尺度释用技术,多模式气候预测产品解释应用集成系统(MODES)和动力-统计结合的季节预测系统(FODAS)逐渐应用于业务中,大气季节内振荡(MJO)逐步在延伸期预报中得到应用。近年来,对全球海洋、北极海冰、欧亚积雪、南半球环流系统对东亚季风影响的新认识也不断引入到短期气候预测业务中。这些新技术和新认识的应用极大提高了我国短期气候预测的业务能力。     

两种短期降水集合预报方案的对比试验

将MM5V3作为试验模式,利用初值扰动和物理参数化方案,分别对东南沿海地区2004年7—9月的短期降水进行了模拟,并运用均方根误差法对模拟试验效果进行了评估检验,以比较两种方案的集合预报效果。结果表明,对于汛期短期降水预报而言,两种方案的预报效果都有一定的改进。相对于初值误差而言,积云对流过程在汛期降水过程中起着更为重要的作用,因而物理参数化方案扰动的集合预报效果,总体优于基于初值扰动的集合预报效果。研究还发现,模式物理参数化方案扰动的集合预报效果在9月出现了明显的下滑,这主要由于7—8月对流活动旺盛,而9月对流活动随热力因素减弱而减弱的原因所致。     

Seasonal Prediction of the Global Precipitation Annual Modes with the Grid-Point Atmospheric Model of IAP LASG

A right annual cycle is of critical importance for a model to improve its seasonal prediction skill. This work assesses the performance of the Grid-point Atmospheric Model of IAP LASG （GAMIL） in retrospective prediction of the global precipitation annual modes for the 1980 2004 period. The annual modes are gauged by a three-parameter metrics： the long-term annual mean and two major modes of annual cycle （AC）, namely, a solstitial mode and an equinoctial asymmetric mode. The results demonstrate that the GAMIL one-month lead prediction is basically able to capture the major patterns of the long-term annual mean as well as the first AC mode （the solstitial monsoon mode）. The GAMIL has deficiencies in reproducing the second AC mode （the equinoctial asymmetric mode）. The magnitude of the GAMIL prediction tends to be greater than the observed precipitation, especially in the sea areas including the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal （BOB）, and the western North Pacific （WNP）. These biases may be due to underestimation of the convective activity predicted in the tropics, especially over the western Pacific warm pool （WPWP） and its neighboring areas. It is suggested that a more accurate parameterization of convection in the tropics, especially in the Maritime Continent, the WPWP and its neighboring areas, may be critical for reproducing the more realistic annual modes, since the enhancement of convective activity over the WPWP and its vicinity can induce suppressed convection over the WNP, the BOB, and the South Indian Ocean where the GAMIL produces falsely vigorous convections. More efforts are needed to improve the simulation not only in monsoon seasons but also in transitional seasons when the second AC mode takes place. Selection of the one-tier or coupled atmosphere-ocean system may also reduce the systematic error of the GAMIL prediction. These results offer some references for improvement of the GAMIL seasonal prediction skill.     

1961-200年中国各季降水趋势变化

Trends in six indices of precipitation in China for seasons during 1961-2007 were analyzed based on daily observations at 587 stations. The trends were estimated by using Sen＇s method with Mann-Kendall＇s test for quantifying the significance. The geographical patterns of trends in the seasonal indices of extremes were similar to those of total precipitation. For winter, both total and extreme precipitation increased over nearly all of China, except for a small part of northern China. Increasing trends in extreme precipitation also occurred at many stations in southwestern China for spring and the midlower reaches of the Yangtze River and southern China for summer. For autumn, precipitation decreased in eastern China, with an increasing length of maximum dry spell, implying a drying tendency for the post-rainy season. Wetting trends have prevailed in most of western China for all seasons. The well-known ＇flood in the south and drought in the north＇ trend exists in eastern China for summer, while a nearly opposite trend pattern exist for spring.     

短期集合降水概率预报试验

以MM5模式作为试验模式, 通过选取不同的物理过程参数化方案产生8个集合成员, 分别用平均法、相关法和Rank法对2001年11月至2002年5月期间的22个降水个例进行短期集合降水概率预报试验。试验结果显示对小雨—大暴雨6类降水的概率预报, Rank法的综合预报效果明显好于相关法和平均法, 相关法的综合预报效果与平均法基本相同; 无论从均方误差角度还是从命中率和假警报率的相对大小角度, 对小雨、中雨、大雨和暴雨各量级以上降水的概率预报, Rank法的平均预报效果是三种方法中最好的, 相关法的平均预报效果与平均法相同; Rank法好于平均法的平均幅度从均方误差角度较大, 从命中率和假警报率的相对大小角度则较小。平均而言, 三种方法对各量级以上降水的概率预报都是有技巧预报, 对量级小的降水的概率预报技巧高于对量级大的降水的概率预报技巧。     

Scale-dependent regional climate predictability over North America inferred from CMIP3 and CMIP5 ensemble simulations

Through the analysis of ensembles of coupled model simulations and projections collected from CMIP3 and CMIP5, we demonstrate that a fundamental spatial scale limit might exist below which useful additional refinement of climate model predictions and projections may not be possible. That limit varies among climate variables and from region to region. We show that the uncertainty (noise) in surface temperature predictions (represented by the spread among an ensemble of global climate model simulations) generally exceeds the ensemble mean (signal) at horizontal scales below 1000 km throughout North America, implying poor predictability at those scales. More limited skill is shown for the predictability of regional precipitation. The ensemble spread in this case tends to exceed or equal the ensemble mean for scales below 2000 km. These findings highlight the challenges in predicting regionally specific future climate anomalies, especially for hydroclimatic impacts such as drought and wetness.     

欧洲多个耦合气候模式对东亚冬季气候的预测性能研究

在短期气候预测方法中,多模式集合预测作为一种实用方法得到了广泛的研究。利用DEMETER多模式集合预测系统1980—2001年的回报试验,研究了欧洲7个耦合模式对东亚地区(0°—60°N,70°—140°E)冬季大气环流和气候异常的预测效能。研究的气候要素是冬季500 hPa高度场、850 hPa风场、表面气温场和降水场。集合平均(EM)是最基本的多模式集合构建方法。为了进一步订正模式预测的误差,基于经验正交函数分解进行订正,产生“合成数据集”,并利用该数据集进行合成集合平均或合成超级集合(SEM/SSE)。研究表明,东亚地区冬季气候异常的模式预测效能热带高于中高纬度地区,海洋高于内陆。多模式集合平均和合成集合平均或合成超级集合均从整体上对东亚地区冬季气候异常的预测效能有一定程度的提高,体现了其相对于7个单一模式的优势。两类不同的多模式集合方法对预测结果也有一定的影响,其中,合成集合平均或合成超级集合对冬季500 hPa高度场、850 hPa风场和降水场异常的预测效能优于集合平均;但是对于冬季表面气温场异常的预测,集合平均优于合成集合平均或合成超级集合。     

Intercomparsion of regional biases and doubled CO2-sensitivity of coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model experiments

 We compared regional biases and transient doubled CO₂ sensitivities of nine coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation models (GCMs) from six international climate modeling groups. We evaluated biases and responses in winter and summer surface air temperatures and precipitation for seven subcontinental regions, including those in the 1990 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Scientific Assessment. Regional biases were large and exceeded the variance among four climatological datasets, indicating that model biases were not primarily due to uncertainty in observations. Model responses to altered greenhouse forcing were substantial (average temperature change=2.7±0.9 ^°C, range of precipitation change =−35 to +120% of control). While coupled models include more climate system feedbacks than earlier GCMs implemented with mixed-layer ocean models, inclusion of a dynamic ocean alone did not improve simulation of long-term mean climatology nor increase convergence among model responses to altered greenhouse gas forcing. On the other hand, features of some of the coupled models including flux adjustment (which may have simply masked simulation errors), high horizontal resolution, and estimation of screen height temperature contributed to improved simulation of long-term surface climate. The large range of model responses was partly accounted for by inconsistencies in forcing scenarios and transient-simulation averaging periods. Nonetheless, the models generally had greater agreement in their sensitivities than their controls did with observations. This suggests that consistent, large-scale response features from an ensemble of model sensitivity experiments may not depend on details of their representation of present-day climate. Received: 9 September 1996 / Revised: 31 July 1997     

The first multi-model ensemble of regional climate simulations at kilometer-scale resolution part 2: historical and future simulations of precipitation

This paper presents the first multi-model ensemble of 10-year, “convection-permitting” kilometer-scale regional climate model (RCM) scenario simulations downscaled from selected CMIP5 GCM projections for historical and end of century time slices. The technique is to first downscale the CMIP5 GCM projections to an intermediate 12–15 km resolution grid using RCMs, and then use these fields to downscale further to the kilometer scale. The aim of the paper is to provide an overview of the representation of the precipitation characteristics and their projected changes over the greater Alpine domain within a Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment Flagship Pilot Study and the European Climate Prediction system project, tasked with investigating convective processes at the kilometer scale. An ensemble of 12 simulations performed by different research groups around Europe is analyzed. The simulations are evaluated through comparison with high resolution observations while the complementary ensemble of 12 km resolution driving models is used as a benchmark to evaluate the added value of the convection-permitting ensemble. The results show that the kilometer-scale ensemble is able to improve the representation of fine scale details of mean daily, wet-day/hour frequency, wet-day/hour intensity and heavy precipitation on a seasonal scale, reducing uncertainty over some regions. It also improves the representation of the summer diurnal cycle, showing more realistic onset and peak of convection. The kilometer-scale ensemble refines and enhances the projected patterns of change from the coarser resolution simulations and even modifies the sign of the precipitation intensity change and heavy precipitation over some regions. The convection permitting simulations also show larger changes for all indices over the diurnal cycle, also suggesting a change in the duration of convection over some regions. A larger positive change of frequency of heavy to severe precipitation is found. The results are encouraging towards the use of convection-permitting model ensembles to produce robust assessments of the local impacts of future climate change.

     

Sub-Saharan Northern African climate at the end of the twenty-first century: forcing factors and climate change processes

A regional climate model, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model, is forced with increased atmospheric CO₂ and anomalous SSTs and lateral boundary conditions derived from nine coupled atmosphere–ocean general circulation models to produce an ensemble set of nine future climate simulations for northern Africa at the end of the twenty-first century. A well validated control simulation, agreement among ensemble members, and a physical understanding of the future climate change enhance confidence in the predictions. The regional model ensembles produce consistent precipitation projections over much of northern tropical Africa. A moisture budget analysis is used to identify the circulation changes that support future precipitation anomalies. The projected midsummer drought over the Guinean Coast region is related partly to weakened monsoon flow. Since the rainfall maximum demonstrates a southward bias in the control simulation in July–August, this may be indicative of future summer drying over the Sahel. Wetter conditions in late summer over the Sahel are associated with enhanced moisture transport by the West African westerly jet, a strengthening of the jet itself, and moisture transport from the Mediterranean. Severe drought in East Africa during August and September is accompanied by a weakened Indian monsoon and Somali jet. Simulations with projected and idealized SST forcing suggest that overall SST warming in part supports this regional model ensemble agreement, although changes in SST gradients are important over West Africa in spring and fall. Simulations which isolate the role of individual climate forcings suggest that the spatial distribution of the rainfall predictions is controlled by the anomalous SST and lateral boundary conditions, while CO₂ forcing within the regional model domain plays an important secondary role and generally produces wetter conditions.