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A PBL-radiation model for application to regional numerical weather predictionOften in the short-range limited-area numerical weather prediction (NWP) of extratropical weather systems the effects of planetary boundary layer (PBL) processes are considered secondarily important. However, it may not be the case for the regional NWP of mesoscale convective systems over the arid and semi-arid highlands of the southwestern and south-central United States in late spring and summer. Over these dry regions, the PBL can grow quite high up into the lower middle troposphere (600 mb) due to very effective solar heating and hence a vigorous air-land thermal interaction can occur. The interaction representing a major heat source for regional dynamical systems can not be ignored. A one-dimensional PBL-radiation model was developed. The model PBL consists of a constant-flux surface layer superposed with a well-mixed (Ekman) layer. The vertical eddy mixing coefficients for heat and momentum in the surface layer are determined according to the surface similarity theory, while their vertical profiles in the Ekman layer are specified with a cubic polynomial. Prognostic equations are used for predicting the height of the nonneutral PBL. The atmospheric radiation is parameterized to define the surface heat source/sink for the growth and decay of the PBL. A series of real-data numerical experiments has been carried out to obtain a physical understanding how the model performs under various atmospheric and surface conditions. This one-dimensional model will eventually be incorporated into a mesoscale prediction system. The ultimate goal of this research is to improve the NWP of mesoscale convective storms over land.
Document ID
19900010078
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Chang, Chia-Bo (Texas Technological Univ. Lubbock, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
December 1, 1989
Publication Information
Publication: Alabama Univ., Research Reports: 1989 NASA(ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship Program
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Accession Number
90N19394
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NGT-01-008-021
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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