Improving the representation of shallow cumulus convection with the simplified-higher-order-closure–mass-flux (SHOC+MF v1.0) approach

M. J. Chinita; M. J. Chinita; M. Witte; M. Witte; M. Witte; M. J. Kurowski; J. Teixeira; J. Teixeira; K. Suselj; K. Suselj; G. Matheou; P. Bogenschutz

doi:10.5194/gmd-16-1909-2023

Geoscientific Model Development (Apr 2023)

Improving the representation of shallow cumulus convection with the simplified-higher-order-closure–mass-flux (SHOC+MF v1.0) approach

M. J. Chinita,
M. J. Chinita,
M. Witte,
M. Witte,
M. Witte,
M. J. Kurowski,
J. Teixeira,
J. Teixeira,
K. Suselj,
K. Suselj,
G. Matheou,
P. Bogenschutz

Affiliations

M. J. Chinita: Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
M. J. Chinita: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
M. Witte: Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
M. Witte: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
M. Witte: Department of Meteorology, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, USA
M. J. Kurowski: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
J. Teixeira: Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
J. Teixeira: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
K. Suselj: Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
K. Suselj: Running Tide Technologies, Inc., Portland, Maine, USA
G. Matheou: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
P. Bogenschutz: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, USA

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-1909-2023
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 16
pp. 1909 – 1924

Abstract

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Parameterized boundary layer turbulence and moist convection remain some of the largest sources of uncertainty in general circulation models. High-resolution climate modeling aims to reduce that uncertainty by explicitly attempting to resolve deep moist convective motions. An example of such a model is the Simple Cloud-Resolving E3SM Atmosphere Model (SCREAM) with a target global resolution of 3.25 km, allowing for a more accurate representation of complex mesoscale deep convective dynamics. Yet, small-scale planetary boundary layer turbulence and shallow convection still need to be parameterized, which in SCREAM is accomplished through the turbulent-kinetic-energy-based (TKE-based) simplified higher-order closure (SHOC) – a simplified version of the assumed-double-Gaussian-PDF (probability density function) higher-order-closure method. In this paper, we implement a stochastic-multiplume mass-flux (MF) parameterization of dry and shallow convection in SCREAM to go beyond the limitations of double-Gaussian-PDF closures and couple it to SHOC (SHOC+MF). The new parameterization implemented in a single-column model type version of SCREAM produces results for two shallow cumulus convection cases (marine and continental shallow convection) that agree well with the reference data from large-eddy simulations, thus improving the general representation of the thermodynamic quantities and their turbulent fluxes as well as cloud macrophysics in the model. Furthermore, SHOC+MF parameterization shows weak sensitivity to the vertical grid resolution and model time step.

Published in Geoscientific Model Development

ISSN: 1991-959X (Print); 1991-9603 (Online)
Publisher: Copernicus Publications
Country of publisher: Germany
LCC subjects: Science: Geology
Website: https://www.geoscientific-model-development.net/

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