P1.20A
Mesoscale Simulations of Stratocumulus-topped Boundary Layers and Comparisons with Aircraft Observations (Formerly paper number 5.12)
Qing Wang, NPS, Monterey, CA; and T. Chang and S. Wang
Improvements on the prediction of stratocumulus clouds using mesoscale models have been hindered by several reasons, one of which is the lack of systematic evaluation of the modeled cloudy boundary layer fields against the directly observed quantities. The Dynamics and Chemistry Of the Marine Stratocumulus, phase II (DYCOMS-II) provides the best available datasets for such evaluation and improvements. In this study, we evaluated the Navy’s mesoscale model, the Coupled Oceanic and Atmospheric Prediction Systems (COAMPS), using the measurements from eight flights of DYCOMS made by the NCAR C-130 in the summer of 2001 off the coast of southern California. In particular, we analyzed the observed inversion structure and the statistical representation of the eddy thermodynamics at the cloud top and use these quantities to compare with the COAMPS model results. Through this analysis and inter-comparison, we intend to study the feasibility of improving COAMPS cloudy boundary layer simulation through better characterizing the inversion structure and the entrainment process. Initial analysis of the DYCOMS observations and COAMPS evaluation will be presented. Implications for model improvements will be discussed.
Poster Session 1, Cloudy and Convective BLs
Monday, 15 July 2002, 2:00 PM-2:00 PM
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