Representing the influence of subgrid topography on hydrology
Estimates of the impact of global climate change on land surface hydrology require climate information on scales far smaller than those explicitly resolved by global climate models of today and the foreseeable future. To bridge the gap between what is required and what is resolved, we propose a subgrid-scale parameterization of the influence of topography on clouds, precipitation, and land surface hydrology. The parameterization represents subgrid variations in surface elevation in terms of discrete elevation classes. Separate cloud and surface processes are calculated for each elevation class. The simulated surface temperature, precipitation, snowpack, and soil moisture for each elevation class can then be distributed according to the spatial distribution of surface elevation within each grid cell. The scheme is being applied to the Pacific Northwest Laboratory`s climate version of the Penn State/NCAR Mesoscale Model. Validation is being addressed by driving the model with observed lateral boundary conditions for the Pacific Northwest and comparing with surface observations. Preliminary results from the simulation will be presented.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 10110946
- Report Number(s):
- PNL-SA--22546; CONF-9310135--4; ON: DE94004595
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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