Developing a Model Summer Climatology of Dome C, Antarctica Using a Regional Climate Model

Dome C, Antarctica is a polar desert with little precipitation and frigid temperatures. Observations show that stable boundary layers occur frequently during the austral summer. Stable boundary layers are difficult to model, highlighting errors in model parameterizations that are often hidden during convective and advective situations. The GABLS-4 model intercomparison focuses on stable boundary layer conditions at Dome C on 11-12 December 2009. Sensitivity studies have shown that both radiative and moisture fluxes in the GABLS-4 case are sensitive to model vertical structure and surface spectral albedo. We have performed further studies investigating the sensitivity of these fluxes to the surface parameterization and forcing terms by developing a summertime boundary layer climatology using PolarWRF. We evaluate how well the observed stability and surface fluxes are reproduced by the model, and how typical the GABLS-4 case is in the model environment.