Cloud-radiative and microphysical impacts from precipitating hydrometeors in South Asian summer monsoon

Wanchen Wu, Purdue University

Abstract

A sensitivity test was performed to examine the radiative and microphysical feed- back of large hydrometeors (LHR) to both large-scale environment (LSE) and convec- tive systems in South Asian Summer Monsoon by Weather Research and Forecasting Advanced Research Model (WRF-ARW) equipped with Single-moment 6-class Mi- crophysics Scheme (WSM6) and new Goddard radiative transfer model. The cloud processes are fully represented and featured by WSM6. The results show ignoring LHR-radiative feedback can result in an average of SW gain around 20∼30 W/m2 at surface and LW loss around 5∼20 W/m2 at TOA over BoB, which are slightly larger than 3 ∼5 W/m2 estimated by Waliser at. el. (2011) for both surface SW gain and TOA LW loss. The absent of LHR-radiative effects only have slight difference in magnitude of monthly mean state compared to control run, while the exclusion of LHR can have a north shift of convective area which results in a huge bias in the monthly mean state. The results indicate the bias from exclusion of LHR is mainly from instantaneous fallout of LHR instead of neglect of LHR-radiative feedback. This study reveals the importance of LHR in microphysical parameterization. The MD cir- culation and convective structure could be changed substantially due to the absent of LHR. The cloud water and ice in convective systems as well as precipitation are greatly increased due to the absent of LHR, while the downdraft area is largely re- duced because of the incomplete microphysical processes. Overall, the overestimated the intensity, frequency and lifetime of MDs have substantial and profound influences on LSE and monthly mean state, which serves as an upper bound of the bias due to instantaneous fallout of LHR in GCM.

Degree

M.S.

Advisors

Tung, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Atmospheric sciences

COinS