scholarly journals Sensitivity of boreal-summer circulation and precipitation to atmospheric aerosols in selected regions – Part 1: Africa and India

2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (10) ◽  
pp. 3989-4007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. C. Sud ◽  
E. Wilcox ◽  
W. K.-M. Lau ◽  
G. K. Walker ◽  
X.-H. Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Circulation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Initial Conditions ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Climate Simulation ◽  
Boreal Summer ◽  
Summer Circulation ◽  
Precipitation Difference

Abstract. Version-4 of the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS-4) General Circulation Model (GCM) was employed to assess the influence of potential changes in aerosols on the regional circulation, ambient temperatures, and precipitation in four selected regions: India and Africa (current paper), as well as North and South America (companion paper). Ensemble-simulations were carried out with the GCM to assess the aerosol direct and indirect effects, hereafter ADE and AIE. Each simulation was started from the NCEP-analyzed initial conditions for 1 May and was integrated through May-June-July-August of each year: 1982–1987 to provide an ensemble set of six simulations. In the first set, called experiment (#1), climatological aerosols were prescribed. The next two experiments (#2 and #3) had two sets of simulations each: one with 2X and other with 1/2X the climatological aerosols over each of the four selected regions. In experiment #2, the anomaly regions were advectively restricted (AR), i.e., the large-scale prognostic fields outside the aerosol anomaly regions were prescribed while in experiment #3, the anomaly regions were advectively Interactive (AI) as is the case in a normal GCM integrations, but with the same aerosols anomalies as in experiment #2. Intercomparisons of circulation, diabatic heating, and precipitation difference fields showed large disparities among the AR and AI simulations, which raised serious questions about the proverbial AR assumption, commonly invoked in regional climate simulation studies. Consequently AI simulation mode was chosen for the subsequent studies. Two more experiments (#4 and #5) were performed in the AI mode in which ADE and AIE were activated one at a time. The results showed that ADE and AIE work in concert to make the joint influences larger than sum of each acting alone. Moreover, the ADE and AIE influences were vastly different for the Indian and Africa regions, which suggest an imperative need to include them rationally in climate models. We also found that the aerosol induced increase of tropical cirrus clouds would potentially offset any cirrus thinning that may occur due to warming in response to CO2 increase.

Effects of mean state of climate models on the response to prescribed forcing: Sensitivity experiments with the SPEEDY general circulation model.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuele Di Carlo ◽  
Paolo Ruggieri ◽  
Paolo Davini ◽  
Stefano Tibaldi ◽  
Susanna Corti
Keyword(s):  
General Circulation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Southern Oscillation ◽  
Surface Condition ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Climate Simulation ◽  
Atmospheric Response ◽  
Large Ensemble ◽  
Mean State

<pre>Understanding how the general circulation of the atmosphere is affected by global warming is one of the grand challenges in climate science. Climate models are a valuable tool to: i) identifying potential mechanism for changes in general circulation, ii) recognizing signals that can be related to external forcing and iii) produce projections for future scenarios. Despite the use of large ensemble of continuosly improving climate models, uncertainty for the extratropical circulation is still large. It is therefore important to understand processes driving the variability of the circulation in climate models and how these processes are affected by model bias. To characterize the effect of models bias on the response to a given forcing, several simulations were performed with the Simplified Parameterizations, primitivE - Equation DYnamics (SPEEDY), an intermediate complexity model developed by International Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP). Four simulations are performed with a modified orography in order to obtain an atmospheric circulation at mid-latitudes characterized by different mean states and a control climate simulation carried in standard configuration is used as baseline. For each of these experiments, we have studied the climatic response to El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and to the Atlantic Multidecadal Variability (AMV). All the <em>Sensitivity </em>simulations were performed with a large ensemble (~100 members).</pre> <pre>Results show that indeed the model response is non-negligibly influenced by its mean state and reveal geographic areas where the sensitivity is large. On the other hand, they also show large scale regions of the world where the atmospheric response to ENSO and AMV is unlikely to depend on the atmospheric mean state. We also found that the relationship between changes in the model mean state and the response to the forcing appears to be non linear. These results cam be used to interpret and understand multi-model spread in atmospheric response to aforementioned surface condition.</pre>

Idealized Hot Spot Experiments with a General Circulation Model

2007 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 908-925 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric D. Maloney ◽  
Adam H. Sobel
Keyword(s):  
Latent Heat ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Initial Conditions ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Heat Content ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
External Parameter ◽  
Large Scale Circulation

Abstract Idealized experiments are conducted using a GCM coupled to a 20-m slab ocean model to examine the short-term response to an initial localized positive equatorial SST anomaly, or “hot spot.” A hot spot is imposed upon an aquaplanet with globally uniform 28°C SST, insolation, and trace gas concentrations designed to mimic tropical warm pool conditions. No boundary condition or external parameter other than the Coriolis parameter varies with latitude. A 15-member ensemble is initiated using random atmospheric initial conditions. A 2°C equatorial warm anomaly is switched on, along with ocean coupling (day 0). Enhanced deep convection rapidly develops near the hot spot, forcing an anomalous large-scale circulation that resembles the linear response of a dry atmosphere to a localized heating, as in the Gill model. Enhanced convection, the anomalous large-scale circulation, and enhanced wind speed peak in amplitude at about day 15. Enhanced latent heat fluxes driven primarily by an increase in vector mean wind damp the anomalous heat content of the ocean near the hot spot before day 20. Between day 20 and day 50, suppressed latent heat fluxes due to suppressed synoptic eddy variance cause a warming of the remote Tropics in regions of anomalous low-level easterly flow. This wind-driven evaporative atmosphere–ocean exchange results in a 60–70-day oscillation in tropical mean oceanic heat content, accompanied by a compensating out-of-phase oscillation in vertically integrated atmospheric moist static energy. Beyond day 70 of the simulation, positive SST anomalies are found across much of the tropical belt. These slowly decay toward the 28°C background state.

Simulation of the Diurnal Cycle in Tropical Rainfall and Circulation during Boreal Summer with a High-Resolution GCM

2010 ◽  
Vol 138 (9) ◽  
pp. 3434-3453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey J. Ploshay ◽  
Ngar-Cheung Lau
Keyword(s):  
Diurnal Cycle ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Surface Wind ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Horizontal Resolution ◽  
Boreal Summer ◽  
Tropical Rainfall ◽  
Early Afternoon ◽  
Seaward Migration

Abstract The simulation of the diurnal cycle (DC) of precipitation and surface wind pattern by a general circulation model (GCM) with a uniform horizontal resolution of 50 km over the global domain is evaluated. The model output is compared with observational counterparts based on datasets provided by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission and reanalysis products of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. The summertime diurnal characteristics over tropical regions in Asia, the Americas, and Africa are portrayed using the amplitude and phase of the first harmonic of the 24-h cycle, departures of data fields during selected hours from the daily mean, and differences between extreme phases of the DC. There is general agreement between the model and observations with respect to the large-scale land–sea contrasts in the DC. Maximum land precipitation, onshore flows, and landward migration of rainfall signals from the coasts occur in the afternoon, whereas peak maritime rainfall and offshore flows prevail in the morning. Seaward migration of precipitation is discernible over the western Bay of Bengal and South China Sea during nocturnal and morning hours. The evolution from low-intensity rainfall in the morning/early afternoon to heavier precipitation several hours later is also evident over selected continental sites. However, the observed incidence of rainfall with very high intensity in midafternoon is not reproduced in the model atmosphere. Although the model provides an adequate simulation of the daytime upslope and nighttime downslope winds in the vicinity of mountain ranges, valleys, and basins, there are notable discrepancies between model and observations in the DC of precipitation near some of these orographic features. The model does not reproduce the observed seaward migration of precipitation from the western coasts of Myanmar (Burma) and India, and from individual islands of the Indonesian Archipelago at nighttime.

scholarly journals Simulation of winter and summer climates with PRL Atmospheric General Circulation Model

MAUSAM ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 391-400
Author(s):  
BIJU THOMAS ◽  
S.V. KASTURE ◽  
S. V. SATYAN
Keyword(s):  
General Circulation Model ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Atmospheric General Circulation Model ◽  
Initial Conditions ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Horizontal Resolution ◽  
Hemispheric Differences ◽  
Physical Research Laboratory ◽  
Atmospheric General Circulation

A global, spectral Atmospheric General Circulation Model (AGCM) has been developed indigenously at Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) for climate studies. The model has six a levels in the vertical and has horizontal resolution of 21 waves with rhomboidal truncation. The model includes smooth topography, planetary boundary layer, deep convection, large scale condensation, interactive hydrology, radiation with interactive clouds and diurnal cycle. Sea surface temperature and sea ice values were fixed based on climatological data for different calender months.   The model was integrated for six years starting with an isothermal atmosphere (2400K), zero winds initial conditions and forcing from incoming solar radiation. After one year the model stabilizes. The seasonal averages of various fields of the last five years are discussed in this paper. It is found that the model reproduces reasonably well the seasonal features of atmospheric circulation, seasonal variability and hemispheric differences.

scholarly journals Quantitative Sensitivity Analysis of Physical Parameterizations for Cases of Deep Convection in the NASA GEOS-5

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 455-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek J. Posselt ◽  
Bruce Fryxell ◽  
Andrea Molod ◽  
Brian Williams
Keyword(s):  
General Circulation ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Deep Convection ◽  
Input Parameter ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Parameter Sensitivity ◽  
Global Climate Models ◽  
Simulation Code

Abstract Parameterization of processes that occur on length scales too small to resolve on a computational grid is a major source of uncertainty in global climate models. This study investigates the relative importance of a number of parameters used in the Goddard Earth Observing System Model, version 5 (GEOS-5), atmospheric general circulation model, focusing on cloud, convection, and boundary layer parameterizations. Latin hypercube sampling is used to generate a few hundred sets of 19 candidate physics parameters, which are subsequently used to generate ensembles of single-column model realizations of cloud content, precipitation, and radiative fluxes for four different field campaigns. A Gaussian process model is then used to create a computationally inexpensive emulator for the simulation code that can be used to determine a measure of relative parameter sensitivity by sampling the response surface for a very large number of input parameter sets. Parameter sensitivities are computed for different geographic locations and seasons to determine whether the intrinsic sensitivity of the model parameterizations changes with season and location. The results indicate the same subset of parameters collectively control the model output across all experiments, independent of changes in the environment. These are the threshold relative humidity for cloud formation, the ice fall speeds, convective and large-scale autoconversion, deep convection relaxation time scale, maximum convective updraft diameter, and minimum ice effective radius. However, there are differences in the degree of parameter sensitivity between continental and tropical convective cases, as well as systematic changes in the degree of parameter influence and parameter–parameter interaction.

Prediction of Indian Summer Monsoon Onset Using Dynamical Subseasonal Forecasts: Effects of Realistic Initialization of the Atmosphere

2015 ◽  
Vol 143 (3) ◽  
pp. 778-793 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Alessandri ◽  
Andrea Borrelli ◽  
Annalisa Cherchi ◽  
Stefano Materia ◽  
Antonio Navarra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Summer Monsoon ◽  
Indian Summer Monsoon ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Initial Conditions ◽  
Intraseasonal Oscillation ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Tropical Indian Ocean ◽  
Monsoon Onset ◽  
Mean State

Abstract Ensembles of retrospective 2-month dynamical forecasts initiated on 1 May are used to predict the onset of the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) for the period 1989–2005. The subseasonal predictions (SSPs) are based on a coupled general circulation model and recently they have been upgraded by the realistic initialization of the atmosphere with initial conditions taken from reanalysis. Two objective large-scale methods based on dynamical-circulation and hydrological indices are applied to detect the ISM onset. The SSPs show some skill in forecasting earlier-than-normal ISM onsets, while they have difficulty in predicting late onsets. It is shown that significant contribution to the skill in forecasting early ISM onsets comes from the newly developed initialization of the atmosphere from reanalysis. On one hand, atmospheric initialization produces a better representation of the atmospheric mean state in the initial conditions, leading to a systematically improved monsoon onset sequence. On the other hand, the initialization of the atmosphere allows some skill in forecasting the northward-propagating intraseasonal wind and precipitation anomalies over the tropical Indian Ocean. The northward-propagating intraseasonal modes trigger the monsoon in some early-onset years. The realistic phase initialization of these modes improves the forecasts of the associated earlier-than-normal monsoon onsets. The prediction of late onsets is not noticeably improved by the initialization of the atmosphere. It is suggested that late onsets of the monsoon are too far away from the start date of the forecasts to conserve enough memory of the intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) anomalies and of the improved representation of the mean state in the initial conditions.

scholarly journals The impact of precipitation evaporation on the atmospheric aerosol distribution in EC-Earth v3.2.0

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1443-1465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco de Bruine ◽  
Maarten Krol ◽  
Twan van Noije ◽  
Philippe Le Sager ◽  
Thomas Röckmann
Keyword(s):  
General Circulation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Global Climate Models ◽  
Orthogonal Polarization ◽  
Earth Model ◽  
Climate Projections ◽  
Aerosol Distribution ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. The representation of aerosol–cloud interaction in global climate models (GCMs) remains a large source of uncertainty in climate projections. Due to its complexity, precipitation evaporation is either ignored or taken into account in a simplified manner in GCMs. This research explores various ways to treat aerosol resuspension and determines the possible impact of precipitation evaporation and subsequent aerosol resuspension on global aerosol burdens and distribution. The representation of aerosol wet deposition by large-scale precipitation in the EC-Earth model has been improved by utilising additional precipitation-related 3-D fields from the dynamical core, the Integrated Forecasting System (IFS) general circulation model, in the chemistry and aerosol module Tracer Model, version 5 (TM5). A simple approach of scaling aerosol release with evaporated precipitation fraction leads to an increase in the global aerosol burden (+7.8 to +15 % for different aerosol species). However, when taking into account the different sizes and evaporation rate of raindrops following Gong et al. (2006), the release of aerosols is strongly reduced, and the total aerosol burden decreases by −3.0 to −8.5 %. Moreover, inclusion of cloud processing based on observations by Mitra et al. (1992) transforms scavenged small aerosol to coarse particles, which enhances removal by sedimentation and hence leads to a −10 to −11 % lower aerosol burden. Finally, when these two effects are combined, the global aerosol burden decreases by −11 to −19 %. Compared to the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite observations, aerosol optical depth (AOD) is generally underestimated in most parts of the world in all configurations of the TM5 model and although the representation is now physically more realistic, global AOD shows no large improvements in spatial patterns. Similarly, the agreement of the vertical profile with Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) satellite measurements does not improve significantly. We show, however, that aerosol resuspension has a considerable impact on the modelled aerosol distribution and needs to be taken into account.

scholarly journals Reproducibility of Seasonal Land Surface Climate

2006 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 114-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J. Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Land Surface ◽  
Seasonal Cycle ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Initial Conditions ◽  
Southern Oscillation ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Seasonal Prediction ◽  
Climate Simulation ◽  
Continental Climate

Abstract In this study, the sensitivity of the continental seasonal climate to initial conditions is estimated from an ensemble of decadal simulations of an atmospheric general circulation model with the same specifications of radiative forcings and monthly ocean boundary conditions, but with different initial states of atmosphere and land. As measures of the “reproducibility” of continental climate for different initial conditions, spatiotemporal correlations are computed across paired realizations of 11 model land surface variables in which the seasonal cycle is either included or excluded—the former case being pertinent to climate simulation and the latter to seasonal prediction. It is found that the land surface variables that include the seasonal cycle are impacted only marginally by changes in initial conditions; moreover, their seasonal climatologies exhibit high spatial reproducibility. In contrast, the reproducibility of a seasonal land surface anomaly is generally low, although it is substantially higher in the Tropics; its spatial reproducibility also markedly fluctuates in tandem with warm and cold phases of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation. However, the overall degree of reproducibility depends on the particular land surface anomaly considered. It is also shown that the predictability of a land surface anomaly implied by its reproducibility statistics is consistent with what is inferred from more conventional predictability metrics. Implications of these results for climate model intercomparison projects and for operational forecasts of seasonal continental climate also are elaborated.

scholarly journals Assessing the performance of 33 CMIP6 models in simulating the large-scale environmental fields of tropical cyclones

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Han ◽  
Mengzhuo Zhang ◽  
Zhongfeng Xu ◽  
Weidong Guo
Keyword(s):  
Interannual Variability ◽  
Tropical Cyclones ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Evaluation Method ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Horizontal Resolution ◽  
Vertical Shear ◽  
Multiple Variables

Abstract General circulation model (GCM) biases are one of the important sources of biases and uncertainty in dynamic downscaling–based simulations. The ability of regional climate models to simulate tropical cyclones (TCs) is strongly affected by the ability of GCMs to simulate the large-scale environmental field. Thus, in this work, we employ a recently developed multivariable integrated evaluation method to assess the performance of 33 CMIP6 (phase 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project) models in simulating multiple fields. The CMIP6 models are quantitatively evaluated against two reanalysis datasets over five ocean areas. The results show that most of the CMIP6 models overestimate the mid-level humidity in almost all tropical oceans. The multi-model ensemble mean overestimates the vertical shear of the horizontal winds in the Northeast Pacific and North Atlantic. An increase in model horizontal resolution appears to be helpful in improving the model simulations. For example, there are 6–8 models with higher resolution among the top 10 models in terms of overall model performance in simulating the climatology and interannual variability of multiple variables. Similarly, there are 7–8 models with lower resolution among the bottom 10 patterns. The model skill varies depending on the region and variable being evaluated. Although no model performs best in all regions and for all variables, some models do show relatively good capability in simulating the large-scale environmental field of TCs. For example, the MPI-ESM1-2-LR, MPI-ESM1-2-HR, and FIO-ESM-2-0 models show relatively good skill in simulating the climatology and interannual variability of the large-scale environmental field in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

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