Dear users
I am using RegCM as my simulation tool. As we all know in any type of atmospheric model, parameterization is an important point to make representation of the subgrid scale information and out of them cumulus parameterization is the most important key factor. In every model, it contains no. of schemes for that and each having differences in different aspects. Although some stones can be thrown regarding their positive/negatives but fully correct justification is not possible. What I need is a good practical document having both theoretical and practical information on any one cumulus parameterizaion scheme. It discusses the formulation, equations, their solutions and computer code (fortran) to solve it.
I have tried a lot but couldn't found such complete document. Please reply.
Any kinds of help will be accepted.
I would like to recommend the attached document from the European Center. The text contains very clear definition of the problem and some excellent references such as the Arakawa and Schubert paper. I'm not aware about the document combining theory and practical information on any one cumulus parameterization scheme; it is not likely that you will find such a report.
Dear Suman,
as you might be aware, there are a large number of convection parameterisation schemes around, they have been developed and modified for the past 40+ years and are often still used based on the conceptual ideas developed at that time. The documentation of the schemes - at least of what the original authors thought that the scheme should do - can be found in the original papers.
It is very important to note however, that what is described in the original papers is not necessarily what can be found in the models they are implemented into. The exact configuration and numerical implementation of the ideas presented in the original texts is dictated by the framework of the host model and its climate. Also, it often is a matter of taste of the programmer and of course the implementation is not free of bugs. For example, the linked paper nicely shows the slightly unphysical behaviour of the standard convection scheme as used in the ECHAM model. This does not represent the physical ideas presented in the original papers, (Tiedtke 1989, Nordeng 1994), but is more an artefact of the implementation. So in order to actually understand the numerical implementation of a convection scheme inside one specific model, you have to really look at the code yourself of ask a responsible programmer of that model for their honest opinion. Let alone attempt to understand the behaviour of convection schemes in many different models....
I have heard people who know their model say, they would prefer to run their GCM at 100km resolution without the convection scheme because it does more harm than good.
This all implies that there have not really been any conceptually new developments in the area of convection parameterisation for the last 20+ years or so (WHICH HAVE MADE IT TO BE USED OPERATIONALLY), that our current models are built around these convection schemes and that uncertainties arising from assumptions made in the schemes might be amplified through unfortunate coupling to the remaining physical parameterisations. In my view, it is due time to finally develop new ideas regarding convection parmeterisation, but this might take a long time and bear fruits, i.e. publications, grants, etc, only in the long run.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2016MS000809/abstract
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