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NASA NTRS1997

Remote Sensing the Patterns of Vector-borne Disease in El Nino and non-El Nino Years

The relationship between El Nino and non-El Nino and the patterns of vector-borne disease can be viewed at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. At one extreme are long term predictions of changing precipitation and temperature patterns at continental and global scales. At the opposite extreme are the local or site specific ecological changes associated with the long term events. In order to understand and address the human health consequences of El Nino events, especially the patterns of vector-borne diseases, it is necessary to combine both scales of observation. At a local or regional scale the patterns of vector-borne diseases are determined by temperature, precipitation, and habitat availability. These factors, as well as disease incidence can be altered by El Nino events. Remote sensing data such as that acquired by the NOAA AVHRR and Landsat TM sensors can be used to characterize and monitor changing ecological conditions and therefore predict vector-borne disease patterns. The authors present the results of preliminary work on the analysis of historical AVHRR and TM data acquired during El Nino and nonfatal Nino years to characterize ecological conditions in Peru on a monthly basis. This information will then be combined with disease data to determine the relationship between changes in ecological conditions and disease incidence. Our goal is to produce a sequence of remotely sensed images which can be used to show the ecological and disease patterns associated with long term El Nino events and predictions.

Wood, B. L.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Mesoscale Eddies, Satellite Altimetry, and New Production in the Sargasso Sea

Satellite altimetry and hydrographic observations are used to characterize the mesoscale eddy field in the Sargasso Sea near Bermuda and to address the role of physical processes on the supply of new nutrients to the euphotic zone. The observed sea level anomaly (SLA) field is dominated by the occurrence of westward propagating features with SLA signatures as large as 25 cm, Eulerian temporal scales of roughly a month, lifetimes of several months, spatial scales of approximately 200 km, and a propagation of approximately 5 cm/s . Hydrographic estimates of dynamic height anomaly (referenced to 4000 dbar) are well correlated with satellite SLA (r(sup 2) = 0.65), and at least 85% of the observed dynamic height variability is associated with the first baroclinic mode of motion. This allows us to apply the satellite observations to remotely estimate isopycnal displacements and the flux of nutrients into the euphotic zone due to eddy pumping. Eddy pumping is the process by which mesoscale eddies induce isopycnal displacements that lift nutrient- replete waters into the euphotic zone, driving new primary production. A kinematic approach to the estimation of the eddy pumping results in a flux of 0.24+/-0.1 mol N/sq m/yr (including a scale estimate for the small contribution due to 18 deg water eddies). This flux is more than an order of magnitude larger than the diapycnal diffusive flux as well as scale estimates for the vertical transport due to isopycnal mixing along sloping isopycnal surfaces. Eddy pumping and wintertime convection are the two dominant mechanisms transporting new nutrients into the euphotic zone, and the sum of all physical new nutrient supply fluxes effectively balances previous geochemical estimates of annual new production for this site. However, if biological transports (e.g., nitrogen fixation, etc.) are significant, the new nitrogen supply budget will be in excess of geochemical new production estimates. This suggests that the various physical and biological transport fluxes, as well as geochemical inferences of new production, still need to be reconciled and many outstanding questions remain.

Siegel, David A.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Self-Consistent Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling and Associated Plasma Energization Processes

Magnetosphere-Ionosphere (MI) coupling and associated with this process electron and ion energization processes have interested scientists for decades and, in spite of experimental and theoretical research efforts, are still ones of the least well known dynamic processes in space plasma physics. The reason for this is that the numerous physical processes associated with MI coupling occur over multiple spatial lengths and temporal scales. One typical example of MI coupling is large scale ring current (RC) electrodynamic coupling that includes calculation of the magnetospheric electric field that is consistent with the ring current (RC) distribution. A general scheme for numerical simulation of such large-scale magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling processes has been presented earlier in many works. The mathematical formulation of these models are based on "modified frozen-in flux theorem" for an ensemble of adiabatically drifting particles in the magnetosphere. By tracking the flow of particles through the inner magnetosphere, the bounce-averaged phase space density of the hot ions and electrons can be reconstructed and the magnetospheric electric field can be calculated such that it is consistent with the particle distribution in the magnetosphere. The new a self-consistent ring current model has been developed that couples electron and ion magnetospheric dynamics with calculation of electric field. Two new features were taken into account in addition to the RC ions, we solve an electron kinetic equation in our model, self-consistently including these results in the solution. Second, using different analytical relationships, we calculate the height integrated ionospheric conductances as the function of precipitated high energy magnetospheric electrons and ions as produced by our model. This results in fundamental changes to the electric potential pattern in the inner magnetosphere, with a smaller Alfven boundary than previous potential formulations would predict but one consistent with recent satellite observations. This leads to deeper penetration of the plasma sheet ions and electrons into the inner magnetosphere and more effective ring current ions and electron energization.

Khazanov, G. V.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Finite Element Method for Capturing Ultra-relativistic Shocks

While finite element methods are used extensively by researchers solving computational fluid dynamics in fields other than astrophysics, their use in astrophysical fluid simulations has been predominantly overlooked. Current simulations using other methods such as finite difference and finite volume (based on finite difference) have shown remarkable results, but these methods are limited by their fundamental properties in aspects that are important for simulations with complex geometries and widely varying spatial and temporal scale differences. We have explored the use of finite element methods for astrophysical fluids in order to establish the validity of using such methods in astrophysical environments. We present our numerical technique applied to solving ultra-relativistic (Lorentz Factor Gamma >> 1) shocks which are prevalent in astrophysical studies including relativistic jets and gamma-ray burst studies. We show our finite element formulation applied to simulations where the Lorentz factor ranges up to 2236 and demonstrate its stability in solving ultra-relativistic flows. Our numerical method is based on the Flowfield Dependent Variation (FDV) Method, unique in that numerical diffusion is derived from physical parameters rather than traditional artificial viscosity methods. Numerical instabilities account for most of the difficulties when capturing shocks in this regime. Our method results in stable solutions and accurate results as compared with other methods.

Richardson, G. A.↗
NASA NTRS2003

A New Objective Technique for Verifying Mesoscale Numerical Weather Prediction Models

This report presents a new objective technique to verify predictions of the sea-breeze phenomenon over east-central Florida by the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) mesoscale numerical weather prediction (NWP) model. The Contour Error Map (CEM) technique identifies sea-breeze transition times in objectively-analyzed grids of observed and forecast wind, verifies the forecast sea-breeze transition times against the observed times, and computes the mean post-sea breeze wind direction and speed to compare the observed and forecast winds behind the sea-breeze front. The CEM technique is superior to traditional objective verification techniques and previously-used subjective verification methodologies because: It is automated, requiring little manual intervention, It accounts for both spatial and temporal scales and variations, It accurately identifies and verifies the sea-breeze transition times, and It provides verification contour maps and simple statistical parameters for easy interpretation. The CEM uses a parallel lowpass boxcar filter and a high-order bandpass filter to identify the sea-breeze transition times in the observed and model grid points. Once the transition times are identified, CEM fits a Gaussian histogram function to the actual histogram of transition time differences between the model and observations. The fitted parameters of the Gaussian function subsequently explain the timing bias and variance of the timing differences across the valid comparison domain. Once the transition times are all identified at each grid point, the CEM computes the mean wind direction and speed during the remainder of the day for all times and grid points after the sea-breeze transition time. The CEM technique performed quite well when compared to independent meteorological assessments of the sea-breeze transition times and results from a previously published subjective evaluation. The algorithm correctly identified a forecast or observed sea-breeze occurrence or absence 93% of the time during the two- month evaluation period from July and August 2000. Nearly all failures in CEM were the result of complex precipitation features (observed or forecast) that contaminated the wind field, resulting in a false identification of a sea-breeze transition. A qualitative comparison between the CEM timing errors and the subjectively determined observed and forecast transition times indicate that the algorithm performed very well overall. Most discrepancies between the CEM results and the subjective analysis were again caused by observed or forecast areas of precipitation that led to complex wind patterns. The CEM also failed on a day when the observed sea- breeze transition affected only a very small portion of the verification domain. Based on the results of CEM, the RAMS tended to predict the onset and movement of the sea-breeze transition too early and/or quickly. The domain-wide timing biases provided by CEM indicated an early bias on 30 out of 37 days when both an observed and forecast sea breeze occurred over the same portions of the analysis domain. These results are consistent with previous subjective verifications of the RAMS sea breeze predictions. A comparison of the mean post-sea breeze winds indicate that RAMS has a positive wind-speed bias for .all days, which is also consistent with the early bias in the sea-breeze transition time since the higher wind speeds resulted in a faster inland penetration of the sea breeze compared to reality.

Case, Jonathan L.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Hybrid Synthetic/Real Aperture Antenna for High Resolution Microwave Imaging

Observations of key hydrological parameters at the spatial and temporal scales required in the post-2002 era face significant technological challenges. These measurements are based on relatively low frequency thermal microwave emission (at 1.4 GHz for soil moisture and salinity, 10 GHz and up for precipitation, and 19 and 37 GHz for snow). The long wavelengths at these frequencies coupled with the high spatial and radiometric resolutions required by the various global hydrology missions necessitate the use of very large apertures. Two-dimensional Synthetic Thinned Array Radiometry (2-D STAR), though promising in the long term, has many technical challenges in the areas of power, and sensitivity for very large apertures (i.e. greater than 300 wavelengths). This paper will discuss an alternative approach to the pure 2-D STAR, which uses an offset parabolic cylinder reflector fed by multiple elements to form a 1-D STAR. In essence a single STAR element is composed of a feedhorn and parabolic cylinder reflector. The elements are sparsely arrayed and thus can share a single reflector. This antenna would have no moving parts once deployed, have much higher sensitivity than a Y-shaped 2-D STAR of equivalent size, many fewer receivers than that 2-D STAR, and the reflector could be made of a thin film and lightweight deployment system for high packing density. The instrument using this approach would be a cross track push broom imager. An overview of the design parameters, potential deployment mechanisms and applications will be presented.

Doiron, Terence A.↗
NASA NTRS2002

A Downscaling Analysis of the Urban Influence on Rainfall: TRMM Satellite Component AMS Conference on Satellite Meteorology and Oceanography

A recent publication by Shepherd et al. (2002) demonstrated the feasibility of using TRMM precipitation radar (PR) estimates to identify precipitation anomalies caused by urbanization. The approach is particularly useful for investigating this global process because TRMM data span large portions of the globe and comprise an extended temporal dataset. Recent literature suggests that urbanized regions of Houston, Texas may be influencing lightning and precipitation formation over and downwind of the city. Possible mechanisms include: (1) enhanced convergence through interactions between the sea breeze, Galveston bay breeze, and urban heat island circulations, (2) enhanced convergence due to increased surface roughness over the city and/or destabilization of the boundary layer by the UHI, or (3) enhanced cloud condensation nuclei due to urban and industrial aerosol sources. In this study, a downscaling analysis of spatial and temporal trends in rainfall around the Houston Area is being conducted. The downscaling analysis concept involves identifying and quantifying urban rainfall anomalies at progressively smaller spatial and temporal scales using the TRMM satellite, ground-based radar, and a dense network of rain gauges. The goal is to test the hypothesis that the Houston urban district and regions in the climatological downwind region of the city exhibit enhanced rainfall amounts relative to the climatological upwind regions. TRMM was launched in 1997 and currently operates in a low-inclination (35 deg), non-sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 402 km (350 km prior to August 2001). The satellite analysis follows the methodologies described in Shepherd et al. (2002). Nearly five years of TRMM PR-derived mean monthly rainfall estimates are utilized to produce annual and warm season isohyetal analyses around Houston. Early results indicate that rainfall rates (mm/h) for the entire period are largest within 100 km northeast and east of Houston (e.g. the "hypothesized downwind region"). The mean rainfall rate over the Houston urban center is 30.5% larger than the upwind control region. The mean rainfall rate in the downwind region is 34.4% larger than the upwind region. An analysis of a parameter called the urban rainfall ratio (URR) illustrates that 65% (88%) of the satellite-derived rainfall rates in the downwind (upwind control) region are greater (less) than the mean background rainfall rate of the entire study region. When the data is stratified by summer months from 1998 to 2001 (June-August), even greater influence over and downwind of the urban area is observed in the statistics. This result is consistent with published reports of urban-generated rainfall being more prevalent in the warm season. The research demonstrates that the evolving TRMM satellite climatology is a credible way to detect mesoscale precipitation signatures that may be linked to urbanization. Early results also corroborate recent findings on Houston-induced convection/drainfall anomalies. Burian and Shepherd will report on other aspects of the downscaling analysis in future forums, but early rain gauge results are consistent with the satellite-based observations.

Shepherd, J. Marshall↗
NASA NTRS2003

A Self-Contained Mapping Closure Approximation for Scalar Mixing

Scalar turbulence exhibits interplays of coherent structures and random fluctuations over a broad range of spatial and temporal scales. This feature necessitates a probabilistic description of the scalar dynamics, which can be achieved comprehensively by using probability density functions (PDFs). Therefore, the challenge is to obtain the scalar PDFs (Lundgren 1967; Dopazo 1979). Generally, the evolution of a scalar is governed by three dynamical processes: advection, diffusion and reaction. In a PDF approach (Pope 1985), the advection and reaction can be treated exactly but the effect of molecular diffusion has to be modeled. It has been shown (Pope 1985) that the effect of molecular diffusion can be expressed as conditional dissipation rates or conditional diffusions. The currently used models for the conditional dissipation rates and conditional diffusions (Pope 1991) have resisted deduction from the fundamental equations and are unable to yield satisfactory results for the basic test cases of decaying scalars in isotropic turbulence, although they have achieved some success in a variety of individual cases. The recently developed mapping closure approach (Pope 1991; Chen, Chen & Kraichnan 1989; Kraichnan 1990; Klimenko & Pope 2003) provides a deductive method for conditional dissipation rates and conditional di usions, and the models obtained can successfully describe the shape relaxation of the scalar PDF from an initial double delta distribution to a Gaussian one. However, the mapping closure approach is not able to provide the rate at which the scalar evolves. The evolution rate has to be modeled. Therefore, the mapping closure approach is not closed. In this letter, we will address this problem.

He, Guo-Wei↗
NASA NTRS2003

Estimating the Tropospheric Ozone Distribution by the Assimilation of Satellite Data

Tropospheric ozone is important to the environment, because it acts as a strong oxidant to control the concentrations of many reduced gases (methane, carbon monoxide, ... ), its radiative forcing plays a significant role in the greenhouse effect, and direct contact with ozone is harmful to human health. Tropospheric ozone, whose main sources are intrusion from the stratosphere and chemical production from source gases associated with urban pollution or biomass burning, varies on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Its transport and chemistry can be influenced by weather, seasonal, or multiannual variability. Despite the importance of tropospheric ozone, it contributes only about 10% of the total ozone loading in the atmosphere. Consequently, satellite instruments lose sensitivity below the stratospheric ozone peak, and provide little information about middle and lower tropospheric ozone. This talk will discuss recent modifications made to the satellite ozone data assimilation system at NASA's Data Assimilation Office (DAO) in order to provide better tropospheric ozone columns and profiles. We use a version of the system that assimilates only the data from the Solar Backscatter UltraViolet/2 (SBUV/2) instrument. The quality of the assimilated ozone in the tropical troposphere is evaluated by comparison with independent observations obtained from the Southern Hemispheric Additional Ozonesondes (SHADOZ) network. It is shown that the quality of ozone fields is sensitive to the winds used in the transport model. Increasing the vertical resolution of the model also has a beneficial impact. The assimilated ozone in the lower troposphere was substantially improved by inclusion of tropospheric ozone production, loss, and dry deposition rates from the Harvard GEOS-CHEM model. The mechanisms behind these results will be examined and the implications for our understanding of tropospheric ozone will be discussed.

Hayashi, Hiroo↗
NASA NTRS2004

In-Situ Dating on Mars: The Potential of OSL Dating

More and more evidence is being accumulated that Mars has experienced aeolian, fluvial, and periglacial activity in the (relatively) recent past [1, 2, 3]. However, the temporal scale on which these processes took place is very poorly constrained since crater counting has errors comparable to the age for younger terrains (approx. 1 Ma). Consequently, many researchers have called for methods to establish the climatic and geomorphic history of Mars [4]. Lepper and McKeever [5] suggested developing optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating techniques for in-situ dating of martian sediments. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) is closely related to OSL and could easily be incorporated on the same instrument platform [6]. These two methods can aid in developing a geological and climatic history of Mars over the last approx. one million years. Since the initial investigations, work has been carried out to develop OSL instrumentation and dating procedures that are suitable to the unique challenges of the martian environment. In this paper, we highlight the advances made in this project, focusing on OSL dating principles, assumptions, and procedures.

Blair, M. W.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Earth Rotation Dynamics: Review and Prospects

Modem space geodetic measurement of Earth rotation variations, particularly by means of the VLBI technique, has over the years allowed studies of Earth rotation dynamics to advance in ever-increasing precision, accuracy, and temporal resolution. A review will be presented on our understanding of the geophysical and climatic causes, or "excitations", for length-of-day change, polar motion, and nutations. These excitations sources come from mass transports that constantly take place in the Earth system comprised of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, mantle, and the cores. In this sense, together with other space geodetic measurements of time-variable gravity and geocenter motion, Earth rotation variations become a remote-sensing tool for the integral of all mass transports, providing valuable information about the latter on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Future prospects with respect to geophysical studies with even higher accuracy and resolution will be discussed.

Chao, Benjamin F.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Method for determining stable isotope ratios of dissolved organic carbon in interstitial and other natural marine waters

A procedure is described for the analysis of the stable carbon isotopic composition of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in natural waters from marine and higher-salinity environments. Rapid (less than 5 min) and complete oxidation of DOC is achieved using a modification of previous photochemical oxidation techniques. The CO2 evolved from DOC oxidation can be collected in less than 10 min for isotopic analysis. The procedure is at present suitable for oxidation and collection of 1-5 micromoles of carbon and has an associated blank of 0.1-0.2 micromole of carbon. Complete photochemical oxidation of DOC standards was demonstrated by quantitative recovery of CO2 as measured manometrically. Isotopic analyses of standards by photochemical and high-temperature sealed-tube combustion methods agreed to within 0.3%. Photochemical oxidation of DOC in a representative sediment pore-water sample was also quantitative, as shown by the excellent agreement between the photochemical and sealed-tube methods. The delta 13C values obtained for pore-water DOC using the two methods of oxidation were identical, suggesting that the modified photochemical method is adequate for the isotopically non-fractionated oxidation of pore-water DOC. The procedure was evaluated through an analysis of DOC in pond and pore waters from a hypersaline microbial mat environment. Concentrations of DOC in the water column over the mat displayed a diel pattern, but the isotopic composition of this DOC remained relatively constant (average delta 13C = -12.4%). Pore-water DOC exhibited a distinct concentration maximum in the mat surface layer, and delta 13C of pore-water DOC was nearly 8% lighter at 1.5-2.0-cm depth than in the mat surface layer (0-0.5-cm depth). These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the method in elucidating differences in DOC concentration and delta 13C over biogeochemically relevant spatial and temporal scales. Carbon isotopic analysis of DOC in natural waters, especially pore waters, should be a useful probe of biogeochemical processes in recent environments.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗
NASA NTRS2004

Earth Rotational Variations Excited by Geophysical Fluids

Modern space geodetic measurement of Earth rotation variations, particularly by means of the VLBI technique, has over the years allowed studies of Earth rotation dynamics to advance in ever-increasing precision, accuracy, and temporal resolution. A review will be presented on our understanding of the geophysical and climatic causes, or "excitations". for length-of-day change, polar motion, and nutations. These excitations sources come from mass transports that constantly take place in the Earth system comprised of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, mantle, and the cores. In this sense, together with other space geodetic measurements of time-variable gravity and geocenter motion, Earth rotation variations become a remote-sensing tool for the integral of all mass transports, providing valuable information about the latter on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Future prospects with respect to geophysical studies with even higher accuracy and resolution will be discussed.

Chao, Benjamin F.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Observing the Global Water Cycle from Space

This paper presents an approach to measuring all major components of the water cycle from space. Key elements of the global water cycle are discussed in terms of the storage of water-in the ocean, air, cloud and precipitation, in soil, ground water, snow and ice, and in lakes and rivers, and in terms of the global fluxes of water between these reservoirs. Approaches to measuring or otherwise evaluating the global water cycle are presented, and the limitations on known accuracy for many components of the water cycle are discussed, as are the characteristic spatial and temporal scales of the different water cycle components. Using these observational requirements for a global water cycle observing system, an approach to measuring the global water cycle from space is developed. The capabilities of various active and passive microwave instruments are discussed, as is the potential of supporting measurements from other sources. Examples of space observational systems, including TRMM/GPM precipitation measurement, cloud radars, soil moisture, sea surface salinity, temperature and humidity profiling, other measurement approaches and assimilation of the microwave and other data into interpretative computer models are discussed to develop the observational possibilities. The selection of orbits is then addressed, for orbit selection and antenna size/beamwidth considerations determine the sampling characteristics for satellite measurement systems. These considerations dictate a particular set of measurement possibilities, which are then matched to the observational sampling requirements based on the science. The results define a network of satellite instrumentation systems, many in low Earth orbit, a few in geostationary orbit, and all tied together through a sampling network that feeds the observations into a data-assimilative computer model.

Hildebrand, P. H.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Comparison of Monthly Mean Cloud Fraction and Cloud Optical depth Determined from Surface Cloud Radar, TOVS, AVHRR, and MODIS over Barrow, Alaska

A one year comparison is made of mean monthly values of cloud fraction and cloud optical depth over Barrow, Alaska (71 deg 19.378 min North, 156 deg 36.934 min West) between 35 GHz radar-based retrievals, the TOVS Pathfinder Path-P product, the AVHRR APP-X product, and a MODIS based cloud retrieval product from the CERES-Team. The data sets represent largely disparate spatial and temporal scales, however, in this paper, the focus is to provide a preliminary analysis of how the mean monthly values derived from these different data sets compare, and determine how they can best be used separately, and in combination to provide reliable estimates of long-term trends of changing cloud properties. The radar and satellite data sets described here incorporate Arctic specific modifications that account for cloud detection challenges specific to the Arctic environment. The year 2000 was chosen for this initial comparison because the cloud radar data was particularly continuous and reliable that year, and all of the satellite retrievals of interest were also available for the year 2000. Cloud fraction was chosen as a comparison variable as accurate detection of cloud is the primary product that is necessary for any other cloud property retrievals. Cloud optical depth was additionally selected as it is likely the single cloud property that is most closely correlated to cloud influences on surface radiation budgets.

Uttal, Taneil↗
NASA NTRS2005

Coupled fvGCM-GCE Modeling System, 3D Cloud-Resolving Model and Cloud Library

Recent GEWEX Cloud System Study (GCSS) model comparison projects have indicated that cloud-resolving models (CRMs) agree with observations better than traditional singlecolumn models in simulating various types of clouds and cloud systems from Merent geographic locations. Current and future NASA satellite programs can provide cloud, precipitation, aerosol and other data at very fine spatial and temporal scales. It requires a coupled global circulation model (GCM) and cloudscale model (termed a super-parameterization or multiscale modeling framework, MMF) to use these satellite data to improve the understanding of the physical processes that are responsible for the variation in global and regional climate and hydrological systems. The use of a GCM will enable global coverage, and the use of a CRM will allow for better and more sophisticated physical parameteridon NASA satellite and field campaign cloud related datasets can provide initial conditions as well as validation for both the MMF and CRMs. A seed fund is available at NASA Goddard to build a MMF based on the 2D Goddard cumulus Ensemble (GCE) model and the Goddard finite volume general circulation model (fvGCM). A prototype MMF in being developed and production nms will be conducted at the beginning of 2005. In this talk, I will present: (1) A brief review on GCE model and its applications on precipitation processes, (2) The Goddard MMF and the major difference between two existing MMFs (CSU MMF and Goddard MMF), (3) A cloud library generated by Goddard MMF, and 3D GCE model, and (4) A brief discussion on the GCE model on developing a global cloud simulator.

Tao, Wei-Kuo↗
NASA NTRS2004

Coupled fvGCM-GCE Modeling System, TRMM Latent Heating and Cloud Library

Recent GEWEX Cloud System Study (GCSS) model comparison projects have indicated that cloud-resolving models (CRMs) agree with observations better than traditional single-column models in simulating various types of clouds and cloud systems from different geographic locations. Current and future NASA satellite programs can provide cloud, precipitation, aerosol and other data at very fine spatial and temporal scales. It requires a coupled global circulation model (GCM) and cloud-scale model (termed a super-parameterization or multi-scale modeling framework, MMF) to use these satellite data to imiprove the understanding of the physical processes that are responsible for the variation in global and regional climate and hydrological systems. The use of a GCM will enable global coverage, and the use of a CRM will allow for better and more sophisticated physical parameterization. NASA satellite and field campaign cloud related datasets can provide initial conditions as well as validation for both the MMF and CRMs. A seed fund is available at NASA Goddard to build a MMF based on the 2D GCE model and the Goddard finite volume general circulation model (fvGCM). A prototype MMF will be developed by the end of 2004 and production runs will be conducted at the beginning of 2005. The purpose of this proposal is to augment the current Goddard MMF and other cloud modeling activities. I this talk, I will present: (1) A summary of the second Cloud Modeling Workshop took place at NASA Goddard, (2) A summary of the third TRMM Latent Heating Workshop took place at Nara Japan, (3) A brief discussion on the Goddard research plan of using Weather Research Forecast (WRF) model, and (4) A brief discussion on the GCE model on developing a global cloud simulator.

Tao, Wei-Kuo↗
NASA NTRS2005

Coupled fvGCM-GCE Modeling System: TRMM Latent Heating and Cloud Library

Recent GEWEX Cloud System Study (GCSS) model comparison projects have indicated that cloud-resolving models (CRMs) agree with observations better than traditional single-column models in simulating various types of clouds and cloud systems from different geographic locations. Current and future NASA satellite programs can provide cloud, precipitation, aerosol and other data at very fine spatial and temporal scales. It requires a coupled global circulation model (GCM) and cloud-scale model (termed a super-parameterization or multi-scale modeling framework, MMF) to use these satellite data to improve the understanding of the physical processes that are responsible for the variation in global and regional climate and hydrological systems. The use of a GCM will enable global coverage, and the use of a CRM will allow for better and more sophisticated physical parameterization. NASA satellite and field campaign cloud related datasets can provide initial conditions as well as validation for both the MMF and CRMs. A seed fund is available at NASA Goddard to build a MMF based on the 2D GCE model and the Goddard finite volume general circulation model (fvGCM). A prototype MMF will be developed by the end of 2004 and production runs will be conducted at the beginning of 2005. The purpose of this proposal is to augment the current Goddard MMF and other cloud modeling activities. In this talk, I will present: (1) A summary of the second Cloud Modeling Workshop took place at NASA Goddard, (2) A summary of the third TRMM Latent Heating Workshop took place at Nara Japan, (3) A brief discussion on the GCE model on developing a global cloud simulator.

Tao, Wei-Kuo↗