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Title: Role of surface heat fluxes underneath cold pools

Journal Article · · Geophysical Research Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GL067262· OSTI ID:1235747
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Earth and Environmental Engineering, Earth Institute, School of Engineering and Applied Science Columbia University New York New York USA
  2. Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lamont Doherty Laboratory Columbia University New York New York USA
  3. Earth and Planetary Sciences Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts USA
  4. Earth and Planetary Sciences and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts USA
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Abstract The role of surface heat fluxes underneath cold pools is investigated using cloud‐resolving simulations with either interactive or horizontally homogenous surface heat fluxes over an ocean and a simplified land surface. Over the ocean, there are limited changes in the distribution of the cold pool temperature, humidity, and gust front velocity, yet interactive heat fluxes induce more cold pools, which are smaller, and convection is then less organized. Correspondingly, the updraft mass flux and lateral entrainment are modified. Over the land surface, the heat fluxes underneath cold pools drastically impact the cold pool characteristics with more numerous and smaller pools, which are warmer and more humid and accompanied by smaller gust front velocities. The interactive fluxes also modify the updraft mass flux and reduce convective organization. These results emphasize the importance of interactive surface fluxes instead of prescribed flux boundary conditions, as well as the formulation of surface heat fluxes, when studying convection.

Research Organization:
Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
DE‐SC0008720; DE‐SC0011094; DE‐SC0014203; SC0008720
OSTI ID:
1235747
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1235748; OSTI ID: 1435624
Journal Information:
Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Vol. 43 Journal Issue: 2; ISSN 0094-8276
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 49 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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