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Shortwave Radiation Options in the WRF Model. An oh-so fascinating study of the Dudhia , Goddard and RRTMG shortwave schemes. Radiation in the WRF. Current Schemes: All single column, 1-D schemes – each column treated independently
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Shortwave Radiation Options in the WRF Model An oh-so fascinating study of the Dudhia, Goddard and RRTMG shortwave schemes
Radiation in the WRF • Current Schemes: • All single column, 1-D schemes – each column treated independently • Good approximation if vertical depth is much less than horizontal scale • Radiation schemes resolve atmospheric heating from: • Radiative flux divergence • Surface downward longwave and shortwave radiation [for ground heat] • Shortwave radiation: • Includes wavelengths of solar spectrum • Accounts for absorption, reflection and scattering in atmosphere and on surfaces • Upward flux dependent on albedo • In atmosphere, determined by vapor/cloud content, as well as carbon dioxide, ozone and trace gas concentrations
Dudhia Scheme ra_sw_physics = 1 • Based on Dudhia 1989, from MM5 • Uses look-up tables for clouds from Stephens 1978 • Version 3 has option to account for terrain slope and shadowing effects on the surface solar flux • Simple downward integration of solar flux, which accounts for: • Clear air scattering • Water vapor absorption [Lacis and Hansen, 1974] • Cloud albedo and absorption
Goddard Schemera_sw_physics = 2 • Based on Chou and Suarez 1994 • Includes 11 spectral bands • Different climatological profiles available for numerous ozone options • Considers both diffuse and direct solar radiation in 2-stream approach, accounts for scattering and reflection
RRTMG Schemera_sw_physics = 4 • Uses MCICA [Monte Carlo Independent Column Approximation] method of random cloud overlap – statistical method to resolve sub-grid scale cloud variability • Finer resolution runs usually associated with WRF model means that clouds will most likely take up the entire grid space [binary clouds], in which case MCICA will not work.
Top of Atmosphere RadiationLongwave Radiation Upward Differences
Significant Variations and Conclusions • Goddard Scheme (ra_sw_physics=2) initialized differently and gave the most extreme values • Most variations were insignificant, other than mid-level drying in RRTMG scheme. • Much larger flux differences arise if clouds are sparse or absent during peak diurnal heating • Surface fluxes • Clear sky conditions – algorithmic differences in handling gaseous absorption/emission of longwave radiation and extinction of shortwave radiation • Differences in initial concentrations of trace gases • Differences in allowable cloud fractions
Resources • “Assessment of Radiation Options in the Advances Research WRF Weather Forecast Model”, Iacono and Nehrkorn • “A Description of the Advanced Research WRF Version 3”, Skamarocket al.