Surface energy balance complexity in GCM land surface models

 A large number of land surface models (LSMs) have been designed for use in atmospheric general circulation models (GCMs) and GCM modellers therefore have a large number of options when selecting an LSM for their GCM. This study provides information to aid LSM design choices. A framework within which sensitivity to LSM design can be tested is presented and a series of experiments carried out to investigate how general aspects of surface energy balance parametrisation affect land-atmosphere evaporation. Firstly, it is shown that a combination of surface energy balance complexity and aerodynamic parametrisation can be used to explain the gross simulation differences obtained in the Project for Intercomparison of Land-surface Parameterization Schemes (PILPS). Secondly, a simple surface energy balance parametrisation with a constant surface resistance is found to be as appropriate as more complex method for simulating annual, monthly and seasonally averaged diurnal cycles of evaporation. However, complex aspects of surface energy balance parametrisation (canopy interception, bare ground evaporation and canopy resistance) are shown to contain substantial geographic and daily functionality that is not present in the simpler parametrisation. Received: 12 June 1998/Accepted: 24 December 1998     

The role of surface energy balance complexity in land surface models' sensitivity to increasing carbon dioxide

Global simulations with the Bureau of Meteorology Research Centre climate model coupled to the CHAmeleon Surface Model (CHASM) are used to explore the sensitivity of simulated changes in evaporation, precipitation, air temperature and soil moisture resulting from a doubling of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Five simulations, using prescribed sea surface temperatures, are conducted which are identical except in the level of complexity used to represent the surface energy balance. The simulation of air temperature, precipitation, evaporation and soil moisture at 1 2 CO₂ and at 2 2 CO₂ are generally sensitive at statistically significant levels to the complexity of the surface energy balance representation (i.e. the level of complexity used to represent these processes affects the simulated climate). However, changes in mean quantities, resulting from a doubling of atmospheric CO₂, are generally insensitive to the surface energy balance complexity. Conversely, changes in the spatial and temporal variance of evaporation and soil moisture are sensitive to the surface energy balance complexity. The addition of explicit canopy interception to the simplest model examined here enables that model to capture the change in the variance of evaporation simulated by the more complex models. In order to simulate changes in the variability of soil moisture, an explicit parameterization of bare soil evaporation is required. Overall, our results increase confidence that the simulation by climate models of the mean impact of increasing CO₂ on climate are reliable. Changes in the variability resulting from increased CO₂ on air temperature, precipitation or evaporation are also likely to be reliable since climate models typically use sufficiently complex land surface schemes. However, if the impact of increased CO₂ on soil moisture is required, then a more complex surface energy balance representation may be needed in order to capture changes in variability. Overall, our results imply that the level of complexity used by most climate models to represent the surface energy balance is appropriate and does not contribute significant uncertainty in the simulation of changes resulting from increasing CO₂. Our results only relate to surface energy balance complexity, and major uncertainties remain in how to model the surface hydrology and changes in the physiology, structural characteristics and distribution of vegetation. Future developments of land surface models should therefore focus on improving the representation of these processes.     

A land surface model (IAP94) for climate studies Part II: Implementation and preliminary results of coupled model with IAP GCM

The Institute of Atmospheric Physics Land Surface Model (IAP94) has been incorporated into the IAP two-level atmospheric general circulation model (IAP GCM). Global and regional climatology averaged over the last 25 years of 100 year integrations from the IAP GCM with and without IAP94 (“bucket” scheme) is compared. The simulated results are also compared with the reanalysis data. Major findings are:(1) The IAP GCM simulation without IAP94 has extensive regions of warmer than observed surface air tempera?tures, while the simulation with IAP94 very much improves the surface air temperature.(2) The IAP GCM simulation with IAP94 gives improvement of the simulated precipitation pattern and intensity, especially the precipitation of East Asian summer monsoon and its intraseasonal migration of the rainbelts.(3) In five selected typical regions, for most of the surface variables such as surface air temperature, precipitation, precipitation minus evaporation, net radiation, latent heat flux and sensible heat flux, the IAP GCM with IAP94 pro?vides better simulations.     

The surface heat flux feedback. Part II: direct and indirect estimates in the ECHAM4/OPA8 coupled GCM

The surface heat flux feedback in the Atlantic Ocean is estimated in the ECHAM4/OPA8 coupled model. The net heat flux feedback is negative everywhere, mostly ranging between 15 and 35 W m^-2 K^-1, but reaching up to 50 W m^-2 K^-1 in the tropics, so that it damps existing sea surface temperature anomalies. The bulk of it is due to the turbulent flux, although in the tropics the radiation feedback also strongly contributes. The turbulent heat flux feedback is strongest in fall and winter at extra-tropical latitudes, and in spring and summer near the equator. At mid-latitudes, the radiation feedback remains small in each season, but it can be strongly negative in parts of the tropics. At extra-tropical latitudes the model feedback compares rather well with estimates derived in Part I from the COADS observations and the NCEP reanalysis, but in the tropical Atlantic the negative heat flux feedback is much too strong. An indirect estimation of the model heat flux feedback is also attempted in regions of small mean surface current, based on the difference in decay time of sea surface temperature and salinity anomalies. The inferred negative heat flux feedback is qualitatively correct, but the seasonal changes in the mixed-layer depth are too large for the method to be accurate at high latitudes.     

The contribution of the land surface energy balance complexity to differences in means, variances and extremes using the AMIP-II methodology

This paper explores the relationship between the complexity of the land surface energy balance parameterization and the simulation of means, variances and extremes in a climate model. We used the BMRC climate model combined with the protocol of AMIP-II to perform six ensemble simulations for each of four levels of surface energy balance complexity. Our results were then compared with other AMIP-II results in terms of the mean, variance and extremes of temperatures and precipitation. In terms of the zonally-averaged mean and the maximum temperatures and precipitation, the surface energy balance complexity did not systematically affect the BMRC climate model results. The zonal minimum temperature was affected by the inclusion of tiling and/or a temporally variable canopy conductance. We found no evidence that surface energy balance complexity affected the globally- or zonally-averaged variances. Some quite large differences were identified in the probability density functions of maximum (10 K) and minimum (4 K) temperature caused by surface tiling and/or the inclusion of a time-varying canopy conductance. With these included, the model simulated a higher probability of cooler minima and warmer maxima and therefore a different diurnal temperature range. Adding interception of precipitation led to an increase in the likelihood of more extreme precipitation. Thus, provided interception, surface tiling and a time-variable stomatal conductance are included in a land surface model, the impact of other uncertainties in the parameterization of the surface energy balance are unlikely to limit the use of climate models for simulating changes in the extremes. Most published results indicating changes to precipitation and temperature extremes due to increasing carbon dioxide are therefore unlikely to be significantly limited by uncertainty in how to parameterize the surface energy balance. Given that the variations in surface energy balance complexity included in our experiments approximates the range included in the AMIP-II models, we conclude that it this is unlikely to explain the differences found between the AMIP-II simulations. This does not mean that AMIP-II differences are not caused to a significant degree by differences in their respective LSMs, rather it limits the potential role of the land surface to non-surface energy balance components, or components (such as carbon) that are not considered here.     

Numerical simulation of plume-advection over a hill with coupled models. Part II: Results

Summary Two-dimensional simulations of plume advection over a hill are presented. The calculations are carried out in two steps. In a first step the flow is calculated by a mesoscale-model. This model solves the equations of motions in a cartesian grid. In a second step, the transport equation is solved using the calculated flow-parameters of the mesoscale model. The numerical formulation of the transport-equation was presented in Part I. This calculation is performed in a coordinatetransformed grid. The merit of this combination is discussed in the paper.With 11 Figures     

Surface currents and equatorial thermocline in a coupled upper ocean-atmosphere GCM

The Oregon State University coupled upper ocean-atmosphere GCM is evaluated in terms of the simulated winds, ocean currents and thermocline depth variations. Although the zonal wind velocities in the model are underestimated by a factor of about three and the zonal current velocities are underestimated by a factor of about five, the model is seen to qualitatively simulate the major features of the gyral scale currents, and the phases of the seasonal variation of the principal equatorial currents are in reasonable agreement with observations. The simulated tropical currents are dominated by Ekman transport and the eastern boundary currents do not penetrate far enough equatorward, while the western boundary currents do not penetrate far enough poleward. The subtropical trade wind belt and the mid-latitude westerlies are displaced equatorward of observations; hence, the mid-latitude eastward currents, principally the Kuroshio-North Pacific Drift and the Gulf Stream-North Atlantic Current are displaced equatorward. In spite of these shortcomings the surface current simulation of this two-layer upper ocean model is comparable with that of other ocean GCMs of coarse resolution. The coupled model successfully simulates the deepening of the thermocline westward across Pacific as a consequence of the prevailing Walker circulation. The region of most intense simulated surface forcing is located in the western Pacific due to a southwestward displacement of the northeast trade winds relative to observations; hence the equatorial Pacific is dominated by eastward propagation of thermocline depth variations. The excessively strong Ekman divergence and upwelling in the western Pacific cools the local warm pool, while incorrectly simulated westerlies in the eastern Pacific suppress upwelling and inhibit cooling from below. These features reduce the simulated trans-Pacific sea-surface temperature gradient, weakening the Walker circulation and the anomalies associated with the simulated Southern Oscillation. Offprint requests to: KR Sperber     

大气环流的年代际变化 II.GCM数值模拟研究

类似大气环流模式比较计划（AMIP）的数值模拟,将实际观测的海表水温（SST）资料引入模式进行40多年的数值积分,得到长时间的大气环流模拟结果。分析数值模拟结果发现,无论是大气中的主要涛动和遥相关型,还是重要大气环流系统都极为清楚地存在着年代际变化特征,包括10～20年准周期振荡和可能的30年以上的准周期振荡;而且上述主要环流系统的形势及其年代际变化大都与实际观测资料所给出的结果相一致。顺便分析中国东部气候的模拟结果,年代际变化特征（包括60年代的气候突变）也很清楚,并同大气环流变化配合十分合理。结果也表明,同研究季节和年际变化一样,大气环流模式（AGCM）数值模拟也是研究大气环流和气候年代际变化的有效方法。     

Variability and trends of sub-continental scale surface climate in the twentieth century. Part II: AOGCM simulations

This work presents an analysis of simulated temperature and precipitation variability and trends throughout the twentieth century over 22 land regions of sub-continental scale in the HADCM3 and HADCM2 (two realizations) coupled models. Regional temperature biases in the HADCM3 and HADCM2 are mostly in the range of -5 K to +3 K for the seasonal averages and -3 K to +2 K for the annual average. Seasonal precipitation biases are mostly in the range of -50% to 75% of present day precipitation, with a tendency in both models to overpredict cold season precipitation. Except for cold season temperature in mid- and high-latitude Northern Hemisphere regions, the average climatology of the HADCM2 and HADCM3 is of comparable quality despite the lack of an ocean flux adjustment in the HADCM3. Both models show warming trends of magnitude in line with observations, although the observed inter-regional patterns of warming trend are not well reproduced. Measures of temperature and precipitation interannual to interdecadal variability in the models are in general agreement with observations except for Northern Hemisphere summer temperature variability, which is overestimated. The models somewhat underestimate the inter-decadal variations in interannual variability measures observed during the century and overestimate the range of anomalies. Both models tend to overpredict the occurrences of short persistences (1-3 years) and underpredict the occurrence and maximum length of long persistences (greater than three years), which is an indication of a deficiency in the simulation of long-lived anomaly regimes. Compared to observations, the models produce a higher magnitude of temporal anomaly correlation across regions and correlation between temperature and precipitation anomalies for a given region. This suggests that local processes that may be effective in decoupling the observed regional anomalies are not captured well. Overall, the variability measures in the HADCM2 and HADCM3 are of similar quality, indicating that the use of a flux correction in the HADCM2 does not strongly affect the regional variability characteristics of the model.     

Global warming potentials modified for surface radiative forcing for use in surface energy balance models

The radiative impact of greenhouse gases in warming the Earth varies significantly, depending on whether one considers the forcing at the tropopause or at the surface. Compared to the former, the surface forcing for some greenhouse gases is reduced by the interference of water vapour. Hence, we calculate alternative surface global warming potentials (SGWPs) that are derived from the surface forcing radiation of greenhouse gases for potential use in surface radiative energy balance models (SREBMs). For gases with a large water vapour overlap, the SGWPs are typically 30% smaller than current GWPs; for gases with relatively little overlap, the SGWPs are larger by more than 33%. These results may be used in conjunction with SREBMs as an additional means of calculating climate change, and may lead to an altered emissions budget compared to that outlined by the current Kyoto agreement.     

Applying the energy- and water balance model for incorporation of the cryospheric component into a climate model. Part II. Modeled mass balance on the green land ice sheet surface

The Greenland ice sheet is a very important potential source of fresh water inflow to the World Ocean under warming climate conditions. Apparently, it was the same during the Last Interglacial 130-115 thousand years ago. In order to quantify input of the Greenland ice sheet to the rise of the global mean sea level in the past or in the future, we include a surface mass balance model block into the Earth System Model. The computational algorithm is based on the calculation of energy balance on the ice sheet surface. The key tuning parameter of the model is the daily amplitude of air surface temperature. It defines the area and the rate of snow or ice melting. The range of possible values of this parameter is determined during a series of numerical experiments. High sensitivity of meltwater runoff volume to surface air temperature amplitude is revealed.     

The surface energy balance of a snow cover: comparing measurements to two differentsimulation models

Summary  We compared two one-dimensional simulation models for heat and water fluxes in the soil-snow-atmosphere system with respect to their mathematical formulations of the surface heat exchange and the snow pack evolution. They were chosen as examples of a simple one-layer snow model and a more detailed multiple-layer snow model (SNTHERM). The snow models were combined with the same one-dimensional model for the heat and water balance of the underlying soil (CoupModel). Data from an arable field in central Sweden (Marsta), covering two years (1997–1999) of soil temperature, snow depth and eddy-correlation measurements were successfully compared with the models. Conditions with a snow pack deeper or shallower than 10 cm and bare soil resulted in similar discrepancies. The simulated net radiation and sensible heat flux were in good agreement with that measured during snow-covered periods, except for situations with snowmelt when the downward sensible heat flux was overestimated by 10–20 Wm⁻². The results showed that the uncertainties in parameter values were more important than the model formulation and that both models were useful in evaluating the limitations and uncertainties of the measurements. Received November 1, 1999 Revised April 20, 2000     

The seasonal cycle of tropical Pacific sea surface temperature in a coupled GCM

 The mechanisms responsible for the seasonal cycle in the tropical central and eastern Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) are investigated using a coupled general circulation model. We find that the annual westward propagation of SST anomalies along the equator is explained by a two-stage process. The first stage sets the phase of the variation at the eastern boundary. The strengthening of the local Hadley Circulation in boreal summer leads to a strengthening of the northward winds that blow across the equator. These stronger winds drive enhanced evaporation and entrainment cooling of the oceanic mixed layer. The resulting change in SST is greatest in the east because the mixed layer is at its shallowest there. As the east Pacific SST cools the zonal SST gradient in the central Pacific becomes more negative. This development signals the onset of the second stage in the seasonal variation of equatorial SST. In response to the anomalous SST gradient the local westward wind stress increases. This increase drives cooling of the oceanic mixed layer in which no single mechanism dominates: enhanced evaporation, wind-driven entrainment, and westward advection all contribute. We discuss the role that equatorial upwelling plays in modulating mixed layer depth and hence the entrainment cooling, and we highlight the importance of seasonal variations in mixed layer depth. In sum these processes act to propagate the SST anomaly westward. Received: 22 February 1999 / Accepted: 20 March 2000     

植被冠层截留对地表水分和能量平衡影响的数值模拟

利用NCAR_CLM4.0模式,通过有无植被冠层截留的试验对比分析,讨论了植被冠层截留对全球陆面水分和能量平衡产生的潜在影响.结果表明:就全球水分平衡而言,不考虑植被冠层截留时,全球平均土壤总含水量、表面径流和次表面径流增加,蒸散发减少.空间分布特征表明,低纬地区各水分平衡分量全年维持较高的差值分布,并随季节变化沿赤道南北振荡;北半球中高纬高值区有春季扩张、夏季极盛、秋冬季撤退的趋势.冠层截留消失后冠层蒸发的消失是蒸散发减弱的主要原因.对于能量平衡而言,不考虑冠层截留时,全球感热通量增加,冠层感热的增加明显大于地面感热的减少;潜热减少.此外,不同植被类型对不考虑冠层截留后产生的响应存在明显差异.     

Twentieth century simulation of the southern hemisphere climate in coupled models. Part II: sea ice conditions and variability

We examine the representation of the mean state and interannual variability of Antarctic sea ice in six simulations of the twentieth century from coupled models participating in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change fourth assessment report. The simulations exhibit a largely seasonal southern hemisphere ice cover, as observed. There is a considerable scatter in the monthly simulated climatological ice extent among different models, but no consistent bias when compared to observations. The scatter in maximum winter ice extent among different models is correlated to the strength of the climatological zonal winds suggesting that wind forced ice transport is responsible for much of this scatter. Observations show that the leading mode of southern hemisphere ice variability exhibits a dipole structure with anomalies of one sign in the Atlantic sector associated with anomalies of the opposite sign in the Pacific sector. The observed ice anomalies also exhibit eastward propagation with the Antarctic circumpolar current, as part of the documented Antarctic circumpolar wave phenomenon. Many of the models do simulate dipole-like behavior in sea ice anomalies as the leading mode of ice variability, but there is a large discrepancy in the eastward propagation of these anomalies among the different models. Consistent with observations, the simulated Antarctic dipole-like variations in the ice cover are led by sea-level pressure anomalies in the Amundsen/ Bellingshausen Sea. These are associated, to different degrees in different models, with both the southern annular mode and the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). There are indications that the magnitude of the influence of ENSO on the southern hemisphere ice cover is related to the strength of ENSO events simulated by the different models.     

The energy balance experiment EBEX-2000. Part II: Intercomparison of eddy-covariance sensors and post-field data processing methods

The eddy-covariance method is the primary way of measuring turbulent fluxes directly. Many investigators have found that these flux measurements often do not satisfy a fundamental criterion—closure of the surface energy balance. This study investigates to what extent the eddy-covariance measurement technology can be made responsible for this deficiency, in particular the effects of instrumentation or of the post-field data processing. Therefore, current eddy-covariance sensors and several post-field data processing methods were compared. The differences in methodology resulted in deviations of 10% for the sensible heat flux and of 15% for the latent heat flux for an averaging time of 30 min. These disparities were mostly due to different sensor separation corrections and a linear detrending of the data. The impact of different instrumentation on the resulting heat flux estimates was significantly higher. Large deviations from the reference system of up to 50% were found for some sensor combinations. However, very good measurement quality was found for a CSAT3 sonic together with a KH20 krypton hygrometer and also for a UW sonic together with a KH20. If these systems are well calibrated and maintained, an accuracy of better than 5% can be achieved for 30-min values of sensible and latent heat flux measurements. The results from the sonic anemometers Gill Solent-HS, ATI-K, Metek USA-1, and R.M. Young 81000 showed more or less larger deviations from the reference system. The LI-COR LI-7500 open-path H₂O/CO₂ gas analyser in the test was one of the first serial numbers of this sensor type and had technical problems regarding direct solar radiation sensitivity and signal delay. These problems are known by the manufacturer and improvements of the sensor have since been made. The National Center for Atmospheric Research is supported by the National Science Foundation.     

An annual cycle of vegetation in a GCM. Part II: global impacts on climate and hydrology

The Met Office Hadley Centre Unified Model (HadAM3) with the tiled version of the Met Office Surface Exchange Scheme (MOSES2) land surface scheme is used to assess the impact of a comprehensive imposed vegetation annual cycle on global climate and hydrology. Two 25-year numerical experiments are completed: the first with structural vegetation characteristics (Leaf Area Index, LAI, canopy height, canopy water capacity, canopy heat capacity, albedo) held at annual mean values, the second with realistic seasonally varying vegetation characteristics. It is found that the seasonalities of latent heat flux and surface temperature are widely affected. The difference in latent heat flux between experiments is proportional to the difference in LAI. Summer growing season surface temperatures are between 1 and 4 K lower in the phenology experiment over a majority of grid points with a significant vegetation annual cycle. During winter, midlatitude surface temperatures are also cooler due to brighter surface albedo over low LAI surfaces whereas during the dry season in the tropics, characterized by dormant vegetation, surface temperatures are slightly warmer due to reduced transpiration. Precipitation is not as systematically affected as surface temperature by a vegetation annual cycle, but enhanced growing season precipitation rates are seen in regions where the latent heat flux (evaporation) difference is large. Differences between experiments in evapotranspiration, soil moisture storage, the timing of soil thaw, and canopy interception generate regional perturbations to surface and sub-surface runoff annual cycles in the model.     

基于三种WRF陆面过程方案的东南亚毁林增温响应研究

选取东南亚中南半岛地区作为模拟区域,基于高分辨率的遥感观测森林变化数据和WRF数值模式,设计毁林前后的两种情景对旱季气候进行模拟,评估NoahMP、CLM和Noah mosaic三种陆面过程方案对热带毁林增温响应的模拟能力。结果表明,CLM方案在模拟历史气温中有着更好的表现,Noah mosaic方案的结果存在明显低估。然而,对比毁林前后两种情景的模拟结果,本文发现,只有采用了"次格网"方式的Noah mosaic方案较好地模拟出毁林增温响应特征。在格网尺度采用"主导类型"计算方式的NoahMP方案没有合理地呈现出森林损失对区域气候的影响。理论上,CLM模式在计算中同时考虑格网内所有植被类型,然而本文发现CLM方案在主导类型不变的格网对森林损失比例不敏感,而且对毁林反馈的模拟结果与NoahMP方案的结果更接近。据此推测,在WRF模式耦合CLM方案的过程中,格网内参数处理方式可能产生了错误,实际采用的是"主导类型"方式。在模拟土地覆盖类型变化对气候的影响时,本文推荐使用Noah mosaic方案。同时,建议在未来版本的WRF模型中修正目前耦合的CLM方案关于次格网方法的处理方式,提供更合理的水热通量模拟。