Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Evaluation of Soil Moisture in the NCEP–NCAR and NCEP–DOE Global Reanalyses

Cheng-Hsuan Lu RS Information Systems Inc., McLean, Virginia, and NOAA/NWS/NCEP Environmental Modeling Center, Camp Springs, Maryland

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Masao Kanamitsu Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California

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John O. Roads Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California

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Wesley Ebisuzaki NOAA/NWS/NCEP Climate Prediction Center, Camp Springs, Maryland

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Kenneth E. Mitchell NOAA/NWS/NCEP Environmental Modeling Center, Camp Springs, Maryland

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Dag Lohmann NOAA/NWS/NCEP Environmental Modeling Center, Camp Springs, Maryland

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Print Publication:
01 Aug 2005
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/JHM427.1
Page(s):
391–408
Restricted access

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Abstract

This study compares soil moisture analyses from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction–National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP–NCAR) global reanalysis (R-1) and the later NCEP– Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP) global reanalysis (R-2). The R-1 soil moisture is strongly controlled by nudging it to a prescribed climatology, whereas the R-2 soil moisture is adjusted according to differences between model-generated and observed precipitation. While mean soil moisture fields from R-1 and R-2 show many geographic similarities, there are some major differences. This study uses in situ observations from the Global Soil Moisture Data Bank to evaluate the two global reanalysis products. In general, R-2 does a better job of simulating interannual variations, the mean seasonal cycle, and the persistence of soil moisture, when compared to observations. However, the R-2 reanalysis does not necessarily represent observed soil moisture characteristics well in all aspects. Sometimes R-1 provides a better soil moisture analysis on monthly time scales, which is likely a consequence of the deficiencies in the R-2 surface water balance.

Corresponding author address: Dr. Cheng-Hsuan Lu, NOAA/NWS/NCEP Environmental Modeling Center, 5200 Auth Road, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Email: Sarah.Lu@noaa.gov

Abstract

This study compares soil moisture analyses from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction–National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP–NCAR) global reanalysis (R-1) and the later NCEP– Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP) global reanalysis (R-2). The R-1 soil moisture is strongly controlled by nudging it to a prescribed climatology, whereas the R-2 soil moisture is adjusted according to differences between model-generated and observed precipitation. While mean soil moisture fields from R-1 and R-2 show many geographic similarities, there are some major differences. This study uses in situ observations from the Global Soil Moisture Data Bank to evaluate the two global reanalysis products. In general, R-2 does a better job of simulating interannual variations, the mean seasonal cycle, and the persistence of soil moisture, when compared to observations. However, the R-2 reanalysis does not necessarily represent observed soil moisture characteristics well in all aspects. Sometimes R-1 provides a better soil moisture analysis on monthly time scales, which is likely a consequence of the deficiencies in the R-2 surface water balance.

Corresponding author address: Dr. Cheng-Hsuan Lu, NOAA/NWS/NCEP Environmental Modeling Center, 5200 Auth Road, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Email: Sarah.Lu@noaa.gov

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Journal of Hydrometeorology

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