Publication Abstracts

VanZanten et al. 2011

VanZanten, M.C., B. Stevens, L. Nuijens, A.P. Siebesma, A.S. Ackerman, F. Burnet, A. Cheng, F. Couvreux, H. Jiang, M. Khairoutdinov, Y. Kogan, D.C. Lewellen, D. Mechem, K. Nakamura, A. Noda, B.J. Shipway, J. Slawinska, S. Wang, and A. Wyszogrodzki, 2011: Controls on precipitation and cloudiness in simulations of trade-wind cumulus as observed during RICO. J. Adv. Model. Earth Syst., 3, M06001, doi:10.1029/2011MS000056.

Data from the undisturbed period of the Rain in Cumulus over the Ocean (RICO) field study are used to create a test case for large-eddy simulations of shallow, precipitating, trade-wind cumulus. Measurements upon which the test case are based are augmented by a regional scale downscaling of meteorological analyses so as to provide forcing data consistent with the measurements. Twelve large-eddy simulations, with a wide range of microphysical representations, are compared to each other, and to independent measurements during RICO. The ensemble average of the simulations plausibly reproduces many features of the observed clouds, including the vertical structure of cloud fraction, profiles of cloud and rain water, and to a lesser degree the population density of rain drops. The simulations do show considerable departures from one another in the representation of the cloud microphysical structure and the ensuant surface precipitation rates. There is a robust tendency for simulations that develop rain to produce a shallower, somewhat more unstable cloud layer. Relations between cloud cover and precipitation are ambiguous.

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BibTeX Citation

@article{va03100m,
  author={vanZanten, M. C. and Stevens, B. and Nuijens, L. and Siebesma, A. P. and Ackerman, A. S. and Burnet, F. and Cheng, A. and Couvreux, F. and Jiang, H. and Khairoutdinov, M. and Kogan, Y. and Lewellen, D. C. and Mechem, D. and Nakamura, K. and Noda, A. and Shipway, B. J. and Slawinska, J. and Wang, S. and Wyszogrodzki, A.},
  title={Controls on precipitation and cloudiness in simulations of trade-wind cumulus as observed during RICO},
  year={2011},
  journal={J. Adv. Model. Earth Syst.},
  volume={3},
  pages={M06001},
  doi={10.1029/2011MS000056},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - va03100m
AU  - vanZanten, M. C.
AU  - Stevens, B.
AU  - Nuijens, L.
AU  - Siebesma, A. P.
AU  - Ackerman, A. S.
AU  - Burnet, F.
AU  - Cheng, A.
AU  - Couvreux, F.
AU  - Jiang, H.
AU  - Khairoutdinov, M.
AU  - Kogan, Y.
AU  - Lewellen, D. C.
AU  - Mechem, D.
AU  - Nakamura, K.
AU  - Noda, A.
AU  - Shipway, B. J.
AU  - Slawinska, J.
AU  - Wang, S.
AU  - Wyszogrodzki, A.
PY  - 2011
TI  - Controls on precipitation and cloudiness in simulations of trade-wind cumulus as observed during RICO
JA  - J. Adv. Model. Earth Syst.
VL  - 3
SP  - M06001
DO  - 10.1029/2011MS000056
ER  -

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