Publication Abstracts

Wu et al. 2009

Wu, J., A.D. Del Genio, M.-S. Yao, and A.B. Wolf, 2009: WRF and GISS SCM simulations of convective updraft properties during TWP-ICE. J. Geophys. Res., 114, D04206, doi:10.1029/2008JD010851.

The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, running at cloud-resolving model resolution (1.3 km and 0.6 km), is used to simulate cumulus updraft speeds associated with 3 distinct convective regimes sampled during the intensive observing period of the Tropical Warm Pool-International Cloud Experiment near Darwin, Australia. The WRF model produces strong updrafts during a monsoon break period and weaker updrafts during an active monsoon period, consistent with observational proxies of convective strength. It also captures the observed feature of mid-level convection during a suppressed monsoon period. The ability of the WRF model to differentiate the updraft speeds among 3 sub-periods is robust to changes in its microphysics and turbulence schemes, resolution, and forcing procedure. For comparison to the parameterized diagnostic updraft speeds in the Goddard Institute for Space Studies Single Column Model (SCM), we define an equivalent mean updraft speed for deep convection in the WRF simulation as the ratio of the domain average upward flux of hydrometeors to the domain average hydrometeor water content. Parameterized convective updraft speeds diagnosed from the thermodynamic structure in the SCM can reproduce the WRF difference between the active and break period updraft strength and the shallower suppressed monsoon convection, but only if a free parameter that regulates entrainment strength is allowed to vary. SCM updraft speeds are consistently too strong in the upper troposphere compared with the WRF. Hydrometeor profiles in both the WRF and the SCM are sensitive to assumptions about the ice phase microphysics.

Export citation: [ BibTeX ] [ RIS ]

BibTeX Citation

@article{wu05000n,
  author={Wu, J. and Del Genio, A. D. and Yao, M.-S. and Wolf, A. B.},
  title={WRF and GISS SCM simulations of convective updraft properties during TWP-ICE},
  year={2009},
  journal={Journal of Geophysical Research},
  volume={114},
  pages={D04206},
  doi={10.1029/2008JD010851},
}

[ Close ]

RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - wu05000n
AU  - Wu, J.
AU  - Del Genio, A. D.
AU  - Yao, M.-S.
AU  - Wolf, A. B.
PY  - 2009
TI  - WRF and GISS SCM simulations of convective updraft properties during TWP-ICE
JA  - J. Geophys. Res.
JO  - Journal of Geophysical Research
VL  - 114
SP  - D04206
DO  - 10.1029/2008JD010851
ER  -

[ Close ]

• Return to 2009 Publications

• Return to Publications Homepage