Validating the Land-Atmosphere Coupling Behavior in Weather and Climate Models Using Observationally-Based Global Products

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abedeh Abdolghafoorian ◽  
Paul A. Dirmeyer
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Surface Fluxes ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Observational Uncertainty ◽  
Weather And Climate ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe interactions between land and atmosphere (with terrestrial and atmospheric coupling segments) play a significant role in weather and climate. A predominant segment of land-atmosphere (L-A) feedbacks is the coupling between soil moisture (SM) and surface heat fluxes, the terrestrial coupling leg. The lack of high-quality long-term globally distributed observations, however, has hindered a robust, realistic identification of the terrestrial leg strength on a global scale. This exploratory study provides insight into how SM signals are translated into surface flux signals through the construction of a global depiction of the terrestrial leg from several recently developed global, gridded, observationally- and satellite-based data sets. The feasibility of producing global gridded estimates of L-A coupling metrics is explored. Five weather and climate models used for subseasonal to seasonal forecasting are confronted with the observational estimates to discern discrepancies that may affect their ability to predict phenomena related to L-A feedbacks, such as drought or heat waves. The terrestrial feedback leg from observations corroborates the “hot spots” of L-A coupling found in modeling studies, but the variances in daily time series of surface fluxes differ markedly. Better agreement and generally higher confidence are seen in metrics using latent heat flux than sensible heat flux. Observational metrics allow for clear stratification of model fidelity that is consistent across seasons, despite observational uncertainty. The results highlight the impact of SM on partitioning available surface energy and illustrate the potential of global observationally-based data sets for the assessment of such relationships in weather and climate models.

scholarly journals Assessing Surface Heat Flux Products with In Situ Observations over the Australian Sector of the Southern Ocean

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (9) ◽  
pp. 1849-1861
Author(s):  
Vidhi Bharti ◽  
Eric Schulz ◽  
Christopher W. Fairall ◽  
Byron W. Blomquist ◽  
Yi Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Surface Heat ◽  
Surface Fluxes ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
Systematic Bias ◽  
Positive Bias

Given the large uncertainties in surface heat fluxes over the Southern Ocean, an assessment of fluxes obtained by European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts interim reanalysis (ERA-Interim) product, the Australian Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) routine observations, and the Objectively Analyzed Air–Sea Heat Fluxes (OAFlux) project hybrid dataset is performed. The surface fluxes are calculated using the COARE 3.5 bulk algorithm with in situ data obtained from the NOAA Physical Sciences Division flux system during the Clouds, Aerosols, Precipitation, Radiation, and Atmospheric Composition over the Southern Ocean (CAPRICORN) experiment on board the R/V Investigator during a voyage (March–April 2016) in the Australian sector of the Southern Ocean (43°–53°S). ERA-Interim and OAFlux data are further compared with the Southern Ocean Flux Station (SOFS) air–sea flux moored surface float deployed for a year (March 2015–April 2016) at ~46.7°S, 142°E. The results indicate that ERA-Interim (3 hourly at 0.25°) and OAFlux (daily at 1°) estimate sensible heat flux H s accurately to within ±5 W m−2 and latent heat flux H l to within ±10 W m−2. ERA-Interim gives a positive bias in H s at low latitudes (<47°S) and in H l at high latitudes (>47°S), and OAFlux displays consistently positive bias in H l at all latitudes. No systematic bias with respect to wind or rain conditions was observed. Although some differences in the bulk flux algorithms are noted, these biases can be largely attributed to the uncertainties in the observations used to derive the flux products.

scholarly journals Intraseasonal Land–Atmosphere Coupling in the West African Monsoon

2008 ◽  
Vol 21 (24) ◽  
pp. 6636-6648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher M. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
West African Monsoon ◽  
West African ◽  
Surface Fluxes ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
The West ◽  
African Monsoon ◽  
Low Level ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Via its impact on surface fluxes, subseasonal variability in soil moisture has the potential to feed back on regional atmospheric circulations, and thereby rainfall. An understanding of this feedback mechanism in the climate system has been hindered by the lack of observations at an appropriate scale. In this study, passive microwave data at 10.65 GHz from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite are used to identify soil moisture variability during the West African monsoon. A simple model of surface sensible heat flux is developed from these data and is used, alongside atmospheric analyses from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF), to provide a new interpretation of monsoon variability on time scales of the order of 15 days. During active monsoon periods, the data indicate extensive areas of wet soil in the Sahel. The impact of the resulting weak surface heat fluxes is consistent in space and time with low-level variations in atmospheric heating and vorticity, as depicted in the ECMWF analyses. The surface-induced vorticity structure is similar to previously documented intraseasonal variations in the monsoon flow, notably a westward-propagating vortex at low levels. In those earlier studies, the variability in low-level flow was considered to be the critical factor in producing intraseasonal fluctuations in rainfall. The current analysis shows that this vortex can be regarded as an effect of the rainfall (via surface hydrology) as well as a cause.

Observed Impact of Atmospheric Aerosols on the Surface Energy Budget

2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (14) ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison L. Steiner ◽  
Dori Mermelstein ◽  
Susan J. Cheng ◽  
Tracy E. Twine ◽  
Andrew Oliphant
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Surface Energy ◽  
Latent Heat ◽  
Atmospheric Aerosols ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Surface Fluxes ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Surface Energy Budget ◽  
Environmental Drivers ◽  
Sensible Heat

Abstract Atmospheric aerosols scatter and potentially absorb incoming solar radiation, thereby reducing the total amount of radiation reaching the surface and increasing the fraction that is diffuse. The partitioning of incoming energy at the surface into sensible heat flux and latent heat flux is postulated to change with increasing aerosol concentrations, as an increase in diffuse light can reach greater portions of vegetated canopies. This can increase photosynthesis and transpiration rates in the lower canopy and potentially decrease the ratio of sensible to latent heat for the entire canopy. Here, half-hourly and hourly surface fluxes from six Flux Network (FLUXNET) sites in the coterminous United States are evaluated over the past decade (2000–08) in conjunction with satellite-derived aerosol optical depth (AOD) to determine if atmospheric aerosols systematically influence sensible and latent heat fluxes. Satellite-derived AOD is used to classify days as high or low AOD and establish the relationship between aerosol concentrations and the surface energy fluxes. High AOD reduces midday net radiation by 6%–65% coupled with a 9%–30% decrease in sensible and latent heat fluxes, although not all sites exhibit statistically significant changes. The partitioning between sensible and latent heat varies between ecosystems, with two sites showing a greater decrease in latent heat than sensible heat (Duke Forest and Walker Branch), two sites showing equivalent reductions (Harvard Forest and Bondville), and one site showing a greater decrease in sensible heat than latent heat (Morgan–Monroe). These results suggest that aerosols trigger an ecosystem-dependent response to surface flux partitioning, yet the environmental drivers for this response require further exploration.

scholarly journals Analyse De L’impact Du Changement De La Couverture Végétale Sur La Pluie Et La Température De Surface Au Sénégal

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (29) ◽  
pp. 270
Author(s):  
Ibrahima Diba ◽  
Moctar Camara
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Surface Temperature ◽  
Vegetation Change ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Strong Increase ◽  
The North ◽  
Model Control ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
The Impact

This work aims at examining the potential impacts of vegetation change (reforestation) of the Sahel-Sahara interface on the intra-seasonal and interannual variability of the rainfall and surface temperature over Senegal using the RegCM4 model. Two runs were performed from 1990 to 2009 with a spatial resolution of 50 km (0.44 °): the standard version of the RegCM4 model (control version) and the reforested one (named RegCM4_REFORESTATION). The impact of the reforestation is to decrease the surface temperature over Senegal in summer (JJAS). This decrease could be partly due to a decrease of the sensible heat flux over the southern and central Senegal and a strong increase of the latent heat flux. The reforestation also tends to increase the rainfall over the whole country and particularly in the Southwest. This rainfall increase which can also create an evaporative cooling, is consistent with the decrease of the surface temperature. The analysis of the annual cycle over three domains of Senegal shows that the reforestation tends to strengthen the low-levels humidity of the atmosphere from January to December especially during the summer period in the North and in the center of the country. The surface temperature presents two maxima in April-May and October-November and a minimum during the summer. The reforestation has a cooling impact during the whole year (particularly in the summer) and over the center and the northern part of Senegal. At the interannual timescale, the reforestation modifies significantly the rainfall by generally increasing it. However, there are years in which this trend is not respected and this translates into a weak correlation coefficient in the South of the country. This rainfall increase may translates into extreme hydroclimatic events such as floods. This work can be considered as a support for the Senegalese policymakers for the better planning of the management of adverse potential effects (such as floods, drought, heat waves, etc) of the Sahel-Sahara greening effort.

scholarly journals Uncertainty analysis of computational methods for deriving sensible heat flux values from scintillometer measurements

2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 1383-1417 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. A. Solignac ◽  
A. Brut ◽  
J.-L. Selves ◽  
J.-P. Béteille ◽  
J.-P. Gastellu-Etchegorry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Classical Method ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Bowen Ratio ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Eddy Correlation ◽  
Time Averaging ◽  
Sensible Heat ◽  
Ratio Measurement ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. The use of scintillometers to determine sensible heat fluxes is now common in studies of land-atmosphere interactions. The main interest in these instruments is due to their ability to quantify energy distributions at the landscape scale, as they can calculate sensible heat flux values over long distances, in contrast to Eddy Correlation systems. However, scintillometer data do not provide a direct measure of sensible heat flux, but require additional data, such as the Bowen ratio (β), to provide flux values. The Bowen ratio can either be measured using Eddy Correlation systems or derived from the energy balance closure. In this work, specific requirements for estimating energy fluxes using a scintillometer were analyzed, as well as the accuracy of two flux calculation methods. We first focused on the classical method (used in standard software). We analysed the impact of the Bowen ratio according to both time averaging and ratio values; for instance, an averaged Bowen ratio (β) of less than 1 proved to be a significant source of measurement uncertainty. An alternative method, called the "β-closure method", for which the Bowen ratio measurement is not necessary, was also tested. In this case, it was observed that even for low β values, flux uncertainties were reduced and scintillometer data were well correlated with the Eddy Correlation results.

scholarly journals Estimating surface fluxes over middle and upper streams of the Heihe River Basin with ASTER imagery

2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 4619-4635 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Ma ◽  
Y. Ma ◽  
Z. Hu ◽  
B. Su ◽  
J. Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Surface Heat ◽  
Surface Fluxes ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Heihe River ◽  
Surface Heat Fluxes ◽  
Aster Data ◽  
Land Surface Heat Fluxes

Abstract. Surface fluxes are important boundary conditions for climatological modeling and the Asian monsoon system. Recent availability of high-resolution, multi-band imagery from the ASTER (Advanced Space-borne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) sensor has enabled us to estimate surface fluxes to bridge the gap between local scale flux measurements using micrometeorological instruments and regional scale land-atmosphere exchanges of water and heat fluxes that are fundamental for the understanding of the water cycle in the Asian monsoon system. A Surface Energy Balance System (SEBS) method based on ASTER data and field observations has been proposed and tested for deriving net radiation flux (Rn), soil heat flux (G0), sensible heat flux (H) and latent heat flux (λ E) over heterogeneous land surface in this paper. As a case study, the methodology was applied to the experimental area of the WATER (Watershed Allied Telemetry Experimental Research), located at the mid-to-upstream sections of the Heihe River, northwest China. The ASTER data of 3 May and 4 June in 2008 was used in this paper for the case of mid-to-upstream sections of the Heihe River Basin. To validate the proposed methodology, the ground-measured land surface heat fluxes (net radiation flux (Rn), soil heat flux (G0), sensible heat flux (H) and latent heat flux (λ E)) were compared to the ASTER derived values. The results show that the derived surface variables and land surface heat fluxes in different months over the study area are in good accordance with the land surface status. It is therefore concluded that the proposed methodology is successful for the retrieval of land surface heat fluxes using the ASTER data and filed observation over the study area.

scholarly journals Sensible Heat Fluxes in the Nearly Neutral Boundary Layer: The Impact of Frictional Heating within the Surface Layer

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (4) ◽  
pp. 1039-1053
Author(s):  
J. M. Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Surface Layer ◽  
Frictional Heating ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Surface Fluxes ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Sensible Heat ◽  
Simple Modification ◽  
Neutral Boundary Layer ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The effect of frictional dissipative heating on the calculation of surface fluxes in the atmospheric boundary layer using bulk flux formulas is considered. Although the importance of frictional dissipation in intense storms has been widely recognized, it is suggested here that its impact is also to be seen at more moderate wind speeds in apparently enhanced heat transfer coefficients and countergradient fluxes in nearly neutral conditions. A simple modification to the bulk flux formula can be made to account for its impact within the surface layer. This modification is consistent with an interpretation of the surface layer as one across which the flux of total energy is constant. The effect of this modification on tropical cyclones is assessed in an idealized model, where it is shown to reduce the predicted maximum wind speed by about 4%. In numerical simulations of three individual storms, the impacts are more subtle but indicate a reduction of the sensible heat flux into the storm and a cooling of the surface layer.

scholarly journals Fetch Effect on Flux-Variance Estimations of Sensible and Latent Heat Fluxes of Camellia Sinensis

Atmosphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 299
Author(s):  
Noman Ali Buttar ◽  
Hu Yongguang ◽  
Josef Tanny ◽  
M Waqar Akram ◽  
Abdul Shabbir
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Eddy Covariance ◽  
Latent Heat ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Soil Heat Flux ◽  
Surface Fluxes ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Effect Of Temperature ◽  
Sensible Heat ◽  
Fine Wire

Precise estimation of surface-atmosphere exchange is a major challenge in micrometeorology. Previous literature presented the eddy covariance (EC) as the most reliable method for the measurements of such fluxes. Nevertheless, the EC technique is quite expensive and complex, hence other simpler methods are sought. One of these methods is Flux-Variance (FV). The FV method estimates sensible heat flux (H) using high frequency (~10Hz) air temperature measurements by a fine wire thermocouple. Additional measurements of net radiation (Rn) and soil heat flux (G) allow the derivation of latent heat flux (LE) as the residual of the energy balance equation. In this study, the Flux Variance method was investigated, and the results were compared against eddy covariance measurements. The specific goal of the present study was to assess the performance of the FV method for the estimation of surface fluxes along a variable fetch. Experiment was carried out in a tea garden; an EC system measured latent and sensible heat fluxes and five fine-wire thermocouples were installed towards the wind dominant direction at different distances (fetch) of TC1 = 170 m, TC2 = 165 m, TC3 = 160 m, TC4 = 155 m and TC5 = 150 m from the field edge. Footprint analysis was employed to examine the effect of temperature measurement position on the ratio between 90% footprint and measurement height. Results showed a good agreement between FV and EC measurements of sensible heat flux, with all regression coefficients (R2) larger than 0.6; the sensor at 170 m (TC1), nearest to the EC system, had highest R2 = 0.86 and lowest root mean square error (RMSE = 25 Wm−2). The estimation of LE at TC1 was also in best agreement with eddy covariance, with the highest R2 = 0.90. The FV similarity constant varied along the fetch within the range 2.2–2.4.

How Much Do Different Land Models Matter for Climate Simulation? Part I: Climatology and Variability

2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (11) ◽  
pp. 3120-3134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiangfeng Wei ◽  
Paul A. Dirmeyer ◽  
Zhichang Guo ◽  
Li Zhang ◽  
Vasubandhu Misra
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Surface Temperature ◽  
Latent Heat ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Surface Fluxes ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Daily Maximum Temperature ◽  
Time Step ◽  
The Impact

Abstract An atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) is coupled to three different land surface schemes (LSSs), both individually and in combination (i.e., the LSSs receive the same AGCM forcing each time step and the averaged upward surface fluxes are passed back to the AGCM), to study the uncertainty of simulated climatologies and variabilities caused by different LSSs. This tiling of the LSSs is done to study the uncertainty of simulated mean climate and climate variability caused by variations between LSSs. The three LSSs produce significantly different surface fluxes over most of the land, no matter whether they are coupled individually or in combination. Although the three LSSs receive the same atmospheric forcing in the combined experiment, the inter-LSS spread of latent heat flux can be larger or smaller than the individually coupled experiment, depending mostly on the evaporation regime of the schemes in different regions. Differences in precipitation are the main reason for the different latent heat fluxes over semiarid regions, but for sensible heat flux, the atmospheric differences and LSS differences have comparable contributions. The influence of LSS uncertainties on the simulation of surface temperature is strongest in dry seasons, and its influence on daily maximum temperature is stronger than on minimum temperature. Land–atmosphere interaction can dampen the impact of LSS uncertainties on surface temperature in the tropics, but can strengthen their impact in middle to high latitudes. Variations in the persistence of surface heat fluxes exist among the LSSs, which, however, have little impact on the global pattern of precipitation persistence. The results provide guidance to future diagnosis of model uncertainties related to LSSs.

scholarly journals Estimation of the Latent Heat Flux over Irrigated Short Fescue Grass for Different Fetches

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 322
Author(s):  
Francesc Castellví ◽  
Pedro Gavilán
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Latent Heat ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Surface Fluxes ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
The Other ◽  
Sensible Heat ◽  
Surface Renewal ◽  
Residual Method ◽  
Flux Footprints

Often in agrometeorology the instrumentation required to estimate turbulent surface fluxes must be installed at sites where fetch is not sufficient for a sector of wind directions. For different integrated flux-footprints (IFFP) thresholds and taking as a reference the half-hourly latent heat fluxes (LE) measured with a large weighing lysimeter (LELys), the eddy covariance (EC) method and two methods based on surface renewal (SR) analysis to estimate LE were tested over short fescue grass. One method combined SR with the flux-gradient (profile) relationship, SR-P method, and the other with the dissipation method, SR-D method. When LE was estimated using traces of air moisture, good performances were obtained using the EC and the SR-P methods for samples with IFFP higher than 85%. However, the closest LE estimates were obtained using the residual method. For IFFP higher than 50%, the residual method combined with the sensible heat flux estimates determined using the SR-P method performed close to LELys and using the SR-D method good estimates were obtained for accumulated LELys. To estimate the sensible heat flux, the SR-D method can be recommended for day-to-day use by farmers because it is friendly and affordable.

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