Abstract
Over the past decades, numerical weather prediction (NWP) and climate models around the world have been utilizing several ad-hoc approaches (e.g., long-tail stability correction functions, friction velocity limiters) to avoid three interrelated modeling issues -- decoupling of boundary layer from underlying land-surface, run-away cooling, and crashing -- in the context of stably stratified flows. In order to explain these NWP and climate modeling issues, a few researchers performed idealized single column and large-eddy simulations. They documented that these idealized simulations crashed (without much warning) when substantial amounts of downward (negative) sensible heat flux are prescribed as lower surface boundary conditions. Since these crashing simulations were usually accompanied by substantial temperature drop, these simulations were identified as runaway cooling events.
In this presentation, we demonstrate that the previously reported crashing events in idealized simulations are not related to the runaway cooling problem experienced by the atmospheric models. The crashing and runaway cooling events in these models occur when surface fluxes become negligibly small (very stable condition). In contrast, the root of the crashing problem in the idealized simulations can be traced back to the prescription of un-physically large downward (negative) sensible heat flux.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | 20th Symposium on Boundary Layers and Turbulence/18th Conference on Air-Sea Interaction, American Meteorological Society (9-13 July 2012, Boston, MA) |
Place of Publication | Boston |
Publisher | American Meteorological Society |
Pages | 6A.1 |
Publication status | Published - 2012 |
Event | 20th Symposium on Boundary Layers and Turbulence/18th Conference on Air-Sea Interaction - Boston, United States Duration: 9 Jul 2012 → 13 Jul 2012 |
Conference
Conference | 20th Symposium on Boundary Layers and Turbulence/18th Conference on Air-Sea Interaction |
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Country | United States |
City | Boston |
Period | 9/07/12 → 13/07/12 |