Atmospheric and Hydrospheric Sciences(A)
Session Sub CategoryAtmospheric Sciences, Meteorology & Atmospheric Environment
Session IDA-AS02
TitleCloud-Resolving Model Simulations for Cloud-Related Processes in Climate and Weather Studies
Short titleCloud-Resolving Models
Main ConvenerNameToshi Matsui
AffiliationNASA GSFC & ESSIC UMD
Co-Convener 1NameMasaki Satoh
AffiliationAtmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo
Co-Convener 2NameWei-Kuo Tao
AffiliationMesoscale Atmospheric Processes Laboratory
LanguageEE
ScopeCloud-system-related problems are at the heart of global and regional climate simulations and the understanding of climate change. Convective clouds not only release latent heat from condensation and vertically redistribute heat and moisture, but also play important role in the global and regional hydrological cycle through the precipitation and the modification of shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes at the ocean and land surface. However, the representation of cloud systems in general circulation models (GCMs) and regional climate models (RCMs) remains one of major challenges for the climate simulations. The improvement to the existing convection and cloud parameterization schemes in GCMs has been slow. The development of cloud-resolving models (CRMs) provides a unique opportunity to evaluate and improve the existing convection, cloud and radiation schemes. While GCMs require convection and cloud parameterizations, CRMs explicitly resolve convection and mesoscale organization, where cloud microphysical processes and cloud-radiation interactions directly respond to the cloud-scale dynamics. Increasing studies have been focused on the application of CRM simulations to improve parameterizations of subgrid-scale physical processes in GCMs; to understand the interaction of cloud systems with large-scale circulations; and to replace the cloud-related parameterizations in GCMs. The goal of this session is to showcase the current efforts on this challenging task and encourage the collaboration between the CRM, GCM and RCM modelers. Wider areas of studies on applications of CRM in climate, weather, and environmental simulations are also acceptable.
Type of presentationOral and Poster presentation
Invited authorsYousuke Sato(RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science)
Junshi Ito(Meteorological Research Institute)
Andrea M. Molod(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)