Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

A Cumulus Parameterization with State-Dependent Entrainment Rate. Part II: Impact on Climatology in a General Circulation Model

Minoru Chikira Research Institute for Global Change, JAMSTEC, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan

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Print Publication:
01 Jul 2010
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/2010JAS3317.1
Page(s):
2194–2211
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Abstract

The impact of a new cumulus parameterization developed in of this paper on climatology in an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) is compared with that of the Arakawa–Schubert scheme. The parameterization is characterized by a vertically variable entrainment rate depending on the surrounding environment. Two kinds of formulations on entrainment rate are tested and produce similar results in the AGCM. The results show reduction of precipitation over land and increase over the sea, weakening of the southern side of the double intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) over the southeastern Pacific, and better representation of the South Pacific convergence zone (SPCZ), all of which are consistent with observations. The population of cumulus congestus is significantly increased, thereby inducing additional heating in the lower troposphere. The diurnal variation over land shows that deep convection tends to be suppressed earlier because of the reduction of convective available potential energy and tropospheric humidity caused by the convective activity itself. An analysis of the daily outputs suggests that a better representation of the cumulus congestus and sensitivity of the scheme to tropospheric humidity are important for the realistic representation of the precipitation over the double ITCZ and SPCZ.

Corresponding author address: Minoru Chikira, Research Institute for Global Change, JAMSTEC, 3173-25 Showa-machi Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0001, Japan. Email: chikira@jamstec.go.jp

Abstract

The impact of a new cumulus parameterization developed in of this paper on climatology in an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) is compared with that of the Arakawa–Schubert scheme. The parameterization is characterized by a vertically variable entrainment rate depending on the surrounding environment. Two kinds of formulations on entrainment rate are tested and produce similar results in the AGCM. The results show reduction of precipitation over land and increase over the sea, weakening of the southern side of the double intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) over the southeastern Pacific, and better representation of the South Pacific convergence zone (SPCZ), all of which are consistent with observations. The population of cumulus congestus is significantly increased, thereby inducing additional heating in the lower troposphere. The diurnal variation over land shows that deep convection tends to be suppressed earlier because of the reduction of convective available potential energy and tropospheric humidity caused by the convective activity itself. An analysis of the daily outputs suggests that a better representation of the cumulus congestus and sensitivity of the scheme to tropospheric humidity are important for the realistic representation of the precipitation over the double ITCZ and SPCZ.

Corresponding author address: Minoru Chikira, Research Institute for Global Change, JAMSTEC, 3173-25 Showa-machi Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0001, Japan. Email: chikira@jamstec.go.jp

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