scholarly journals Overview of the Meso-NH model version 5.4 and its applications

Author(s):  
Christine Lac ◽  
Jean-Pierre Chaboureau ◽  
Valéry Masson ◽  
Jean-Pierre Pinty ◽  
Pierre Tulet ◽  
...  

Abstract. This paper presents the Meso-NH model version 5.4. Meso-NH is an atmospheric non hydrostatic research model that is applied to a broad range of resolutions, from synoptic to turbulent scales, and is designed for studies of physics and chemistry. It is a limited-area model employing advanced numerical techniques, including monotonic advection schemes for scalar transport and fourth-order centered or odd-order WENO advection schemes for momentum. The model includes state-of- the-art physics parameterization schemes that are important to represent convective-scale phenomena and turbulent eddies, as well as flows at larger scales. In addition, Meso-NH has been expanded to provide capabilities for a range of Earth system prediction applications such as chemistry and aerosols, electricity and lightning, hydrology, wildland fires, volcanic eruptions and cyclones with ocean coupling. Here, we present the main innovations to the dynamics and physics of the code since the pioneer paper of Lafore et al. (1998) and provide an overview of recent applications and couplings.

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1929-1969 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Lac ◽  
Jean-Pierre Chaboureau ◽  
Valéry Masson ◽  
Jean-Pierre Pinty ◽  
Pierre Tulet ◽  
...  

Abstract. This paper presents the Meso-NH model version 5.4. Meso-NH is an atmospheric non hydrostatic research model that is applied to a broad range of resolutions, from synoptic to turbulent scales, and is designed for studies of physics and chemistry. It is a limited-area model employing advanced numerical techniques, including monotonic advection schemes for scalar transport and fourth-order centered or odd-order WENO advection schemes for momentum. The model includes state-of-the-art physics parameterization schemes that are important to represent convective-scale phenomena and turbulent eddies, as well as flows at larger scales. In addition, Meso-NH has been expanded to provide capabilities for a range of Earth system prediction applications such as chemistry and aerosols, electricity and lightning, hydrology, wildland fires, volcanic eruptions, and cyclones with ocean coupling. Here, we present the main innovations to the dynamics and physics of the code since the pioneer paper of Lafore et al. (1998) and provide an overview of recent applications and couplings.


2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 3647-3657 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan Luke Abraham ◽  
Alexander T. Archibald ◽  
Paul Cresswell ◽  
Sam Cusworth ◽  
Mohit Dalvi ◽  
...  

Abstract. The Met Office Unified Model (UM) is a state-of-the-art weather and climate model that is used operationally worldwide. UKCA is the chemistry and aerosol sub model of the UM that enables interactive composition and physical atmosphere interactions, but which adds an additional 120 000 lines of code to the model. Ensuring that the UM code and UM-UKCA (the UM running with interactive chemistry and aerosols) is well tested is thus essential. While a comprehensive test harness is in place at the Met Office and partner sites to aid in development, this is not available to many UM users. Recently, the Met Office have made available a virtual machine environment that can be used to run the UM on a desktop or laptop PC. Here we describe the development of a UM-UKCA configuration that is able to run within this virtual machine while only needing 6 GB of memory, before discussing the applications of this system for model development, testing, and training.


2019 ◽  
Vol 490 (4) ◽  
pp. 4622-4637 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroki Nagakura ◽  
Adam Burrows ◽  
David Radice ◽  
David Vartanyan

ABSTRACT Using our new state-of-the-art core-collapse supernova (CCSN) code Fornax, we explore the dependence upon spatial resolution of the outcome and character of three-dimensional (3D) supernova simulations. For the same 19 M⊙ progenitor star, energy and radial binning, neutrino microphysics, and nuclear equation of state, changing only the number of angular bins in the θ and ϕ directions, we witness that our lowest resolution 3D simulation does not explode. However, when jumping progressively up in resolution by factors of two in each angular direction on our spherical-polar grid, models then explode, and explode slightly more vigorously with increasing resolution. This suggests that there can be a qualitative dependence of the outcome of 3D CCSN simulations upon spatial resolution. The critical aspect of higher spatial resolution is the adequate capturing of the physics of neutrino-driven turbulence, in particular its Reynolds stress. The greater numerical viscosity of lower resolution simulations results in greater drag on the turbulent eddies that embody turbulent stress, and, hence, in a diminution of their vigor. Turbulent stress not only pushes the temporarily stalled shock further out, but bootstraps a concomitant increase in the deposited neutrino power. Both effects together lie at the core of the resolution dependence we observe.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross Noel Bannister ◽  
Stefano Migliorini ◽  
Alison Clare Rudd ◽  
Laura Hart Baker

Abstract. Ensemble-based predictions are increasingly used as an aid to weather forecasting and to data assimilation, where the aim is to capture the range of possible outcomes consistent with the underlying uncertainties. Constraints on computing resources mean that ensembles have a relatively small size, which can lead to an incomplete range of possible outcomes, and to inherent sampling errors. This paper discusses how an existing ensemble can be relatively easily increased in size, it develops a range of standard and extended diagnostics to help determine whether a given ensemble is large enough to be useful for forecasting and data assimilation purposes, and it applies the diagnostics to a convective-scale case study for illustration. Diagnostics include the effect of ensemble size on various aspects of rainfall forecasts, kinetic energy spectra, and (co)-variance statistics in the spatial and spectral domains. The work here extends the Met Office's 24 ensemble members to 93. It is found that the extra members do develop a significant degree of linear independence, they increase the ensemble spread (although with caveats to do with non-Gaussianity), they reduce sampling error in many statistical quantities (namely variances, correlations, and length-scales), and improve the effective spatial resolution of the ensemble. The extra members though do not improve the probabilistic rain rate forecasts. It is assumed that the 93-member ensemble approximates the error-free statistics, which is a practical assumption, but the data suggests that this number of members is ultimately not enough to justify this assumption, and therefore more ensembles are likely required for such convective-scale systems to further reduce sampling errors, especially for ensemble data assimilation purposes.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Knist ◽  
Markus Kayser ◽  
Felix Lauermann ◽  
Moritz Löffler ◽  
Volker Lehmann ◽  
...  

<p>Convective-scale forecasts require more detailed and continuous observational data of thermodynamic profiles and wind profiles in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) than currently provided. In order to meet these data requirements in the future, DWD evaluates various surface remote sensing systems targeted on ABL-profiling for routine network operation.</p> <p>One of the candidate systems in operation at the Observatory Lindenberg is a new pre-production broadband DIAL from Vaisala. DIAL instruments are well-established in research activities, but this instrument is developed for operationally providing water vapor profile observations in the ABL during all weather conditions. We present evaluation results of the DIAL’s operational performance regarding the quality of the water vapor profiles and report on its ability to monitor sub-grid scale processes, such as convection and associated weather phenomena. This includes comparisons with radiosounding observations (4 per day) over at least one year of continuous observations and additional comparisons with Raman lidar for a three-month period during summer 2021. Furthermore, we provide observation-minus-background statistics between the DIAL and the ICON limited area model (ICON-LAM) to evaluate the model performance, e.g. under convection, and to identify observational error sources.</p> <p>This contribution provides knowledge regarding the operational viability of the new pre-production broadband DIAL, its value for monitoring water vapour profiles 24/7 and ABL processes for future model applications.</p>


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan Luke Abraham ◽  
Alexander T. Archibald ◽  
Paul Cresswell ◽  
Sam Cusworth ◽  
Mohit Dalvi ◽  
...  

Abstract. The Met Office Unified Model (UM) is a state-of-the-art weather and climate model that is used operationally worldwide. UKCA is the chemistry and aerosol sub model of the UM that enables interactive composition and physical atmosphere interactions, but which adds an additional 120,000 lines of code to the model. Ensuring that the UM code and UM-UKCA (the UM running with interactive chemistry and aerosols) is well tested is therefore essential. While a comprehensive test harness is in place at the Met Office and partner sites to aid in development, this is not available to many UM users. Recently the Met Office have made available a Virtual Machine environment that can be used to run the UM on a desktop or laptop PC. Here we describe the development of a UM-UKCA configuration that is able to run within this Virtual Machine while only needing 6 GB of memory, before discussing the applications of this system for model development, testing, and training.


2015 ◽  
Vol 143 (5) ◽  
pp. 1583-1600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Harnisch ◽  
Christian Keil

Abstract A kilometer-scale ensemble data assimilation system (KENDA) based on a local ensemble transform Kalman filter (LETKF) has been developed for the Consortium for Small-Scale Modeling (COSMO) limited-area model. The data assimilation system provides an analysis ensemble that can be used to initialize ensemble forecasts at a horizontal grid resolution of 2.8 km. Convective-scale ensemble forecasts over Germany using ensemble initial conditions derived by the KENDA system are evaluated and compared to operational forecasts with downscaled initial conditions for a short summer period during June 2012. The choice of the inflation method applied in the LETKF significantly affects the ensemble analysis and forecast. Using a multiplicative background covariance inflation does not produce enough spread in the analysis ensemble leading to a degradation of the ensemble forecasts. Inflating the analysis ensemble instead by either multiplicative analysis covariance inflation or relaxation inflation methods enhances the analysis spread and is able to provide initial conditions that produce more consistent ensemble forecasts. The forecast quality for short forecast lead times up to 3 h is improved, and 21-h forecasts also benefit from the increased spread. Doubling the ensemble size has not only a clear positive impact on the analysis but also on the short-term ensemble forecasts, while a simple representation of model error perturbing parameters of the model physics has only a small impact. Precipitation and surface wind speed ensemble forecasts using the high-resolution KENDA-derived initial conditions are competitive compared to the operationally used downscaled initial conditions.


2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 1781-1816 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Kent ◽  
C. Jablonowski ◽  
J. P. Whitehead ◽  
R. B. Rood

Abstract. The accurate modelling of cascades to unresolved scales is an important part of the tracer transport component of dynamical cores of weather and climate models. This paper aims to investigate the ability of the advection schemes in the National Center for Atmospheric Research's Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (CAM5) to model this cascade. In order to quantify the effects of the different advection schemes in CAM5, four two-dimensional tracer transport test cases are presented. Three of the tests stretch the tracer below the scale of coarse resolution grids to ensure the downscale cascade of tracer variance. These results are compared with a high resolution reference solution, which is simulated on a resolution fine enough to resolve the tracer during the test. The fourth test has two separate flow cells, and is designed so that any tracer in the Western Hemisphere should not pass into the Eastern Hemisphere. This is to test whether the diffusion in transport schemes, often in the form of explicit hyper-diffusion terms or implicit through monotonic limiters, contains unphysical mixing. An intercomparison of three of the dynamical cores of the National Center for Atmospheric Research's Community Atmosphere Model version 5 is performed. The results show that the finite-volume (CAM-FV) and spectral element (CAM-SE) dynamical cores model the downscale cascade of tracer variance better than the semi-Lagrangian transport scheme of the Eulerian spectral transform core (CAM-EUL). Each scheme tested produces unphysical mass in the Eastern Hemisphere of the separate cells test.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Milan ◽  
Adam Clayton ◽  
Andrew Lorenc ◽  
Gareth Dow ◽  
Roberts Tubbs ◽  
...  

<p>The Met Office hourly 4D-Var was introduced operationally to its convective-scale limited area model (UKV) in summer 2017, improving forecast skill for nowcasting and short-range purposes. However, in recent tests a downscaler run from a global analysis tends to be better than hourly 4D-Var, especially for some variables (e.g. screen temperature). This is probably due to a poor representation of large-scale dynamics in the LAM DA system, which is now integrated on an extended domain, whilst the global model has improved to a 10km resolution and with better DA (hybrid 4D-Var). Therefore, the MO recognises the necessity of coupling large scale dynamics with convective systems using the better estimation of these motions from the global model.<br>We opted for a solution similar to spectral nudging, which uses large scale increments derived from a model with a better representation of these scales. At the same time, the short scales from UKV are maintained. We call this method ‘Background Increments’ (BGInc), as it updates the UKV background fields using a spectrally filtered increment derived from a different (global) model. This update is calculated just prior to computing the analysis increments from the hourly DA cycle. We investigated different set-ups for the implementation, changing the cut-off wavelength, the vertical weights, the frequency of updates of BGInc and other set-up features.<br>This novel system is now in a testing phase for operational purposes. From preliminary results, the forecast is improved for about the first 12 hours for different variables. We also notice a reduction in the gravity wave activity generated when new lateral boundary conditions are introduced to the LAM from the latest global forecast. This research shows the benefits of a better representation of large-scale motions for LAM forecasts. <br>In the short term, future development involves the computation of new static covariances using a better representation of the large-scale error. In the longer term, this technique could be useful in a hybrid 4D-Var scheme while enabling the use of large-scale ensemble perturbations in the analysis without causing large adjustments at the lateral boundaries.</p>


2019 ◽  
Vol 147 (9) ◽  
pp. 3223-3239
Author(s):  
Patrik Benáček ◽  
Máté Mile

Abstract The bias correction of satellite radiances is an essential component of data assimilation system in numerical weather prediction (NWP). The variational bias correction (VarBC) scheme is widely used by global NWP centers, but there are still open questions regarding its use in limited-area models (LAMs). We present a study of key VarBC aspects in the limited-area 3D-Var system using the state-of-the-art NWP system ALADIN. Two basic VarBC applications are tested, specifically adopting bias coefficients from the global model ARPEGE and cycling bias coefficients independently in the LAM ALADIN (VarBC-LAM). The latter application is studied using daily update of bias coefficients with regards to static and dynamic settings of the VarBC stiffness. Extensive testing shows that the VarBC-LAM methods outperform the use of global coefficients from ARPEGE providing the better quality of the model first guess (3-h forecast), in the assimilation cycle with the largest normalized impact of 2%–3% for temperature and wind components in the midtroposphere. Compared to the global coefficients, there was little forecast impact between 24 and 48 h from using the VarBC-LAM coefficients. The various VarBC-LAM methods were comparable, but the CAM method may be most useful when an unexpected bias shows up.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document