The effect of simple to sophisticated surface processes on the surface energy and hydrologic budgets of a general circulation model
Using the Community Climate Model (CCM) of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), comparisons have been made of three multi-three simulations in which there is a varying degree of complexity in the land surface parameterization but the model version and prescribed sea surface temperatures are the same. The land surface parameterizations employed are a simple prescription of soil moisture (based on surface type), a 15 cm bucket-type soil moisture and Biosphere-Atmosphere Transfer Scheme (BATS) (which, for the version used, simulates a vegetative canopy and two soil layers). This study has shown that the treatment of the surface in a general circulation model (GCM) can effect the surface energy and hydrologic budgets. Both a simple bucket and more sophisticated parameterization (BATS) led to generally drier conditions over land in the summer hemisphere. These drier conditions were noted with a decrease in precipitation and latent heat flux. With the BATS simulation, the decreased latent heat flux over land was accompanied by a strong increase in sensible heat flux due to an increase in net radiation. With the BATS simulation it is difficult to discern if the changes are due to more detailed treatment to the surface or the inclusion of a diurnal cycle. 8 refs., 5 figs.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 5400975
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JC-106481; CONF-9110161-1; ON: DE91015694
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 5. conference on climate variations, Denver, CO (United States), 14-18 Oct 1991
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
58 GEOSCIENCES
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
CLIMATE MODELS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
GEOGRAPHICAL VARIATIONS
TOPOGRAPHY
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
B CODES
C CODES
ENERGY BUDGETS
G CODES
GROUND WATER
HEAT FLUX
HYDROLOGY
RUNOFF
SOILS
SURFACE WATERS
COMPUTER CODES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SIMULATION
VARIATIONS
WATER
540110*
580000 - Geosciences