06 Aug 2009
06 Aug 2009
The Goddard multi-scale modeling system with unified physics
W.-K. Tao1, D. Anderson2, J. Chern1,3, J. Entin2, A. Hou4, P. Houser5, R. Kakar2, S. Lang1,6, W. Lau1, C. Peters-Lidard7, X. Li1,3, T. Matsui1,3, M. Rienecker4, M. R. Schoeberl8, B.-W. Shen1,9, J. J. Shi1,3, and X. Zeng1,3
W.-K. Tao et al.
W.-K. Tao1, D. Anderson2, J. Chern1,3, J. Entin2, A. Hou4, P. Houser5, R. Kakar2, S. Lang1,6, W. Lau1, C. Peters-Lidard7, X. Li1,3, T. Matsui1,3, M. Rienecker4, M. R. Schoeberl8, B.-W. Shen1,9, J. J. Shi1,3, and X. Zeng1,3
- 1Laboratory for Atmospheres, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
- 2NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C., USA
- 3Goddard Earth Sciences and Technology Center, University of Maryland at Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
- 4Goddard Modeling Assimilation Office NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
- 5George Mason University & Center for Research on Environment and Water, Calverton, MD, USA
- 6Science Systems and Applications Inc., Greenbelt, MD, USA
- 7Laboratory for Hydrospheric Processes, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
- 8Earth Science Directorate, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
- 9Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, MD, USA
- 1Laboratory for Atmospheres, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
- 2NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C., USA
- 3Goddard Earth Sciences and Technology Center, University of Maryland at Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
- 4Goddard Modeling Assimilation Office NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
- 5George Mason University & Center for Research on Environment and Water, Calverton, MD, USA
- 6Science Systems and Applications Inc., Greenbelt, MD, USA
- 7Laboratory for Hydrospheric Processes, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
- 8Earth Science Directorate, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
- 9Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, MD, USA
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Recently, a multi-scale modeling system with unified physics was developed at NASA Goddard. It consists of (1) a cloud-resolving model (CRM), (2) a regional-scale model, the NASA unified Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF), and (3) a coupled CRM-GCM (general circulation model, known as the Goddard Multi-scale Modeling Framework or MMF). The same cloud-microphysical processes, long- and short-wave radiative transfer and land-surface processes are applied in all of the models to study explicit cloud-radiation and cloud-surface interactive processes in this multi-scale modeling system. This modeling system has been coupled with a multi-satellite simulator for comparison and validation with NASA high-resolution satellite data.
This paper reviews the development and presents some applications of the multi-scale modeling system, including results from using the multi-scale modeling system to study the interactions between clouds, precipitation, and aerosols. In addition, use of the multi-satellite simulator to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the model-simulated precipitation processes will be discussed as well as future model developments and applications.
