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At least 451 records · Page 25

Quantifying the Temperature Dependence of the Multi-Species, Multi-Reaction Model. Part 1: Parameterization for a Meso-Carbon Micro-Bead Graphite

In this work, the temperature impact on the Multi-Species, Multi-Reaction (MSMR) model is studied. This is accomplished by acquiring data from slow rate lithiation and delithiation of a meso-carbon micro-bead (MCMB) graphite. The MSMR model is used to simulate linear-sweep voltammetry data of a porous electrode composed of graphite, and because the electrode is close to a state of dynamic equilibrium, the peaks in the differential voltage spectroscopy plot can be analyzed. Through this analysis, the temperature impact on the total fraction of available host sites in a particular MSMR gallery (X j ), the impact on the reference potential (U° j ), and the impact on the parameter detailing the deviation from Nernstian behavior ( ω j ) can be found. This is the first time the temperature dependence of the MSMR parameters have been experimentally analyzed. In Part 2, the impact of the temperature dependence of the MSMR parameters on the entropy coefficient of an intercalation material will be studied.

Paul, Abigail (ORCID:0000000172892069)↗

Improving Trigger Functions for Convective Parameterization Schemes Using GOAmazon Observations

Using observations from the Green Ocean Amazon (GOAmazon) field campaign, this study aims to improve trigger functions of convection schemes. Results show that the CAPE generation rate (dCAPE)-type triggers are the first tier and that the Bechtold and heated condensation framework (HCF) triggers are a distant second tier. The composite analysis reveals that the undilute dCAPE trigger underpredicts convection when there is bottom-heavy upward motion but overpredicts convection with low-level downward and upper-level upward motions. The empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis on vertical velocity shows that EOF1 (62.65%) exhibits upward motion throughout the troposphere and that EOF2 (28.05%) has lower-level upward motion and upper-level downward motion. Both of them have close relationships with precipitation, indicating the role of vertical velocity in triggering convection. The skill sensitivity analysis shows that the inclusion of 700-hPa upward motion significantly enhances the undilute dCAPE trigger. For the dilute dCAPE trigger, entrainment rate and dCAPE threshold are optimized to improve it. Opposite to dCAPE-type triggers, the Bechtold trigger overemphasizes the low-level vertical velocity and underpredicts the mature and decaying phases of long-lasting convection events. The HCF trigger overemphasizes the near-surface moist static energy and overlooks the vertical velocity. The performance of dCAPE-type triggers on various convective systems over the Amazon region is examined. The eastward-propagating systems are best represented, with only a few underpredictions in their decaying stages. The weak locally occurring systems and marginal phases of westward-propagating systems are easy to underpredict. The revised dCAPE-type triggers perform better on different convection systems and the diurnal cycle of convection.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

A Second-Order Time-Stepping Scheme for Simulating Ensembles of Parameterized Flow Problems

Abstract We consider settings for which one needs to perform multiple flow simulations based on the Navier–Stokes equations, each having different initial condition data, boundary condition data, forcing functions, and/or coefficients such as the viscosity. For such settings, we propose a second-order time accurate ensemble-based method that to simulate the whole set of solutions, requires, at each time step, the solution of only a single linear system with multiple right-hand-side vectors. Rigorous analyses are given proving the conditional stability and establishing error estimates for the proposed algorithm. Numerical experiments are provided that illustrate the analyses.

Mathematics↗

Parameterizations of Cloud Microphysics and Indirect Aerosol Effects

Aerosols and especially their effect on clouds are one of the key components of the climate system and the hydrological cycle [Ramanathan et al., 2001]. Yet, the aerosol effect on clouds remains largely unknown and the processes involved not well understood. A recent report published by the National Academy of Science states "The greatest uncertainty about the aerosol climate forcing - indeed, the largest of all the uncertainties about global climate forcing - is probably the indirect effect of aerosols on clouds [NRC, 2001]." The aerosol effect on clouds is often categorized into the traditional "first indirect (i.e., Twomey)" effect on the cloud droplet sizes for a constant liquid water path [Twomey, 1977] and the "semi-direct" effect on cloud coverage [e.g., Ackerman et al., 2000]. Enhanced aerosol concentrations can also suppress warm rain processes by producing a narrow droplet spectrum that inhibits collision and coalescence processes [e.g., Squires and Twomey, 1961; Warner and Twomey, 1967; Warner, 1968; Rosenfeld, 1999]. The aerosol effect on precipitation processes, also known as the second type of aerosol indirect effect [Albrecht, 1989], is even more complex, especially for mixed-phase convective clouds. Table 1 summarizes the key observational studies identifying the microphysical properties, cloud characteristics, thermodynamics and dynamics associated with cloud systems from high-aerosol continental environments. For example, atmospheric aerosol concentrations can influence cloud droplet size distributions, warm-rain process, cold-rain process, cloud-top height, the depth of the mixed phase region, and occurrence of lightning. In addition, high aerosol concentrations in urban environments could affect precipitation variability by providing an enhanced source of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). Hypotheses have been developed to explain the effect of urban regions on convection and precipitation [van den Heever and Cotton, 2007 and Shepherd, 2005]. Recently, a detailed spectral-bin microphysical scheme was implemented into the Goddard Cumulus Ensemble (GCE) model. Atmospheric aerosols are also described using number density size-distribution functions. A spectral-bin microphysical model is very expensive from a computational point of view and has only been implemented into the 2D version of the GCE at the present time. The model is tested by studying the evolution of deep tropical clouds in the west Pacific warm pool region and summertime convection over a mid-latitude continent with different concentrations of CCN: a low "clean" concentration and a high "dirty" concentration. The impact of atmospheric aerosol concentration on cloud and precipitation will be investigated.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Collaborative project. Ocean-atmosphere interaction from meso-to planetary-scale. Mechanisms, parameterization, and variability

This project aims to improve long term global climate simulations by resolving ocean mesoscale activity and the corresponding response in the atmosphere. The main computational objectives are; i) to perform and assess Community Earth System Model (CESM) simulations with the new Community Atmospheric Model (CAM) spectral element dynamical core; ii) use static mesh refinement to focus on oceanic fronts; iii) develop a new Earth System Modeling tool to investigate the atmospheric response to fronts by selectively filtering surface flux fields in the CESM coupler. The climate research objectives are 1) to improve the coupling of ocean fronts and the atmospheric boundary layer via investigations of dependency on model resolution and stability functions: 2) to understand and simulate the ensuing tropospheric response that has recently been documented in observations: and 3) to investigate the relationship of ocean frontal variability to low frequency climate variability and the accompanying storm tracks and extremes in high resolution simulations. This is a collaborative multi-institution project consisting of computational scientists, climate scientists and climate model developers. It specifically aims at DOE objectives of advancing simulation and predictive capability of climate models through improvements in resolution and physical process representation.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Final Report to the U.S. Department of Energy for studies of Evaluation of Turbulence Parameterizations for Cloud-Resolving Models

The intermediately-prognostic higher-order turbulence closure (IPHOC) introduces a joint double-Gaussian distribution of liquid water potential temperature (θ l ), total water mixing ratio (q t ), and vertical velocity (w ) to represent any skewed turbulence circulations .The distribution is inferred from the first-, second-, and third-order moments of the variables given above, and is used to diagnose cloud fraction and grid-mean liquid water mixing ratio, as well as the buoyancy and fourth-order terms in the equations describing the evolution of the second- and third-order moments. Only three third-order moments (those of θ l , q t , and w ) are predicted in the IPHOC.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

Collaborative Research: Reducing tropical precipitation biases in CESM — Tests of unified parameterizations with ARM observations

The primary objective of this proposal was to quantify and understand biases in the diurnal cycle of precipitation over land and in the frequency of occurrence of light precipitation. The two specific NOAA/ESRL roles were: to use a cloud-resolving model (WRF) to understand the role of microphysics in this bias. In particular we were concerned that the microphysical representations in cloud models might display sensitivity to aerosol loadings; Analyze radar, precipitation, and radiosonde observations from TWP-ICE and compare the spatial distribution and other precipitation characteristics to those generated by WRF; and Facilitate CLUBB development for use in GCMs

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Collaborative project. Ocean-atmosphere interaction from meso- to planetary-scale. Mechanics, parameterization, and variability

Most climate models are currently run with grid spacings of around 100km, which, with today’s computing power, allows for long (up to 1000 year) simulations, or ensembles of simulations to explore climate change and variability. However this grid spacing does not resolve important components of the weather/climate system such as atmospheric fronts and mesoscale systems, and ocean boundary currents and eddies. The overall aim of this project has been to look at the effect of these small-scale features on the weather/climate system using a suite of high and low resolution climate models, idealized models and observations. High-resolution global coupled integrations using CAM/CESM were carried out at NCAR by the lead PI. At TAMU, we have complemented the work at NCAR by analyzing datasets from the high-resolution (28km) CESM integrations (Small et al., 2014) as well as very high resolution (9km, 3km) runs using a coupled regional climate (CRCM) carried out locally. The main tasks carried out were: 1. Analysis of surface wind in observations and high-resolution CAM/CCSM simulations 2. Development of a feature-tracking algorithm for studying midlatitude air-sea interaction by following oceanic mesoscale eddies and creating composites of the atmospheric response overlying the eddies. 3. Applying the Lagrangian analysis technique in the Gulf Stream region to compare data from observational reanalyses, global CESM coupled simulations, 9km regional coupled simulations and 3km convection-resolving regional coupled simulations. Our main findings are that oceanic mesoscale eddies influence not just the atmospheric boundary layer above them, but also the lower portions of the free troposphere above the boundary layer. Such a vertical response could have implications for a remote influence of Gulf Stream oceanic eddies on North Atlantic weather patterns through modulation of the storm track, similar to what has been noted in the North Pacific. The coarse resolution observational reanalyses perhaps underestimate the atmospheric response, but the 28km global model resolution appears to be adequate to capture some, but not all, aspects of the boundary response. The higher resolution regional models show a stronger response in certain fields such as the latent heat flux.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Investigating Marine Boundary Layer Parameterizations by Combining Observations with Models via State Estimation

In this project we have improved numerical weather prediction analyses and forecasts of low level winds in the marine boundary layer. This has been accomplished with the following tools; The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Weather and Research Forecasting model, WRF, both in his single column (SCM) and three-dimensional (3D) versions; The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Wave Watch III (WWIII); SE algorithms from the Data Assimilation Research Testbed (DART, Anderson et al. 2009); and Observations of key quantities of the lower MBL, including temperature and winds at multiple levels above the sea surface. The experiments with the WRF SCM / DART system have lead to large improvements with respect to a standard WRF configuration, which is currently commonly used by the wind energy industry. The single column model appears to be a tool particularly suitable for off-shore wind energy applications given its accuracy, the ability to quantify uncertainty, and the minimal computational resource requirements. In situations where the impact of an upwind wind park may be of interest in a downwind location, a 3D approach may be more suitable. We have demonstrated that with the WRF 3D / DART system the accuracy of wind predictions (and other meteorological parameters) can be improved over a 3D computational domain, and not only at specific locations. All the scripting systems developed in this project (i.e., to run WRF SCM / DART, WRF 3D / DART, and the coupling between WRF and WWIII) and the several modifications and upgrades made to the WRF SCM model will be shared with the broader community.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Parameterization of a Cookoff Model for LX-07

A thermal decomposition model for PBX 9501 (95% HMX, 2.5% Estane® binder, 2.5% BDNPA/F nitro-plasticizer) was implemented by Dickson, et. al. The objective in this study is to estimate parameters associated with this kinetics model so it can be applied to carry out thermal ignition predictions for LX-07 (90% HMX, 10% Viton binder). LX-07 thermal ignition experiments have been carried out using the “Sandia Instrumented Thermal Ignition Apparatus”, SITI. The SITI design consists of solid cylinders (1” diameter × 1” height) of high explosive (HE) confined by a cylindrical aluminum case. An electric heater is wrapped around the outer surface of the case. This heater produces a temperature heating ramp on the outer surface of the case. Internal thermocouples measure the HE temperature rise from the center to locations close to the HE-aluminum interface. The energetic material is heated until thermal ignition occurs. A two–dimensional axisymmetric heat conduction finite element model is used to simulate these experiments. The HE thermal decomposition kinetics is coupled to a heat conduction model trough the definition of an energy source term. The parameters used to define the HE thermal decomposition model are optimized to obtain a good agreement with the experimental time to thermal ignition and temperatures. Also, heat capacity and thermal conductivity of the LX-07 mixture were estimated using temperatures measured at the center of the HE before the solid to solid HMX phase transition occurred.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗

Eulerian and Lagrangian Parameterization of the Oceanic Mixed Layer using Large Eddy Simulation and MPAS-Ocean

We have conducted a suite of Large Eddy Simulation (LES) to form the basis of a multi-model comparison (left). The results have led to proposed model improvements. We have verified that Eulerian-Lagrangian effective diffusivity estimates of mesoscale mixing are consistent with traditional particle statistics metrics (right). LES and Lagrangian particles will be utilized to better represent the movement of water into and out of the mixed layer.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

A parameterized ray-tracing model for evaluation of hemispherical lensing of a uniform, telecentric object aperture -- performance improvement estimates for segmented scintillators with miniature lens arrays

A parametric model describing the collimation of radiation from a uniform circular aperture by a hemispherical lens of the same radius has been developed for rapid estimation of the potential benefit of miniature dielectric lens arrays in lens-coupled gamma ray cameras (GRCs) with segmented scintillators. A simplified ray-tracing approach is adopted that makes use of small angle approximations relevant to GRCs used in nuclear science at Los Alamos National Laboratory and elsewhere. Application of this analysis technique in a first-pass design optimization process results in the optimistic estimate that miniature lenses fabricated from typical optical quality glass might boost optical coupling by as much as a factor of 4 (6 dB gain). However, this is not likely to be economically attractive compared to other techniques, such as reduction of the GRC lens f-number.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Collaborative Project: Ocean-Atmosphere Interaction From Meso- to Planetary-Scale: Mechanisms, Parameterization, and Variability

The project focused on the dynamics and scale dependence of the boundary layer response, the coupled responses in the Pacific, and low frequency oceanic processes. Using theory and model simulations, we found coupling of sea surface temperatures associated with the ocean eddy field and the atmospheric boundary layer be dependent on scale, and captured in wave-number space by transfer functions. Investigations of coupled processes focused on the sea surface temperatures scales of eastern boundary upwelling system, and showed stability and eddy variance in the Kuroshio Extension to be predictable with lead times of several years through ocean Rossby waves and coupling with the atmosphere. In addition to these dynamical processes, we found that a significant part of the ocean evolution is associated with density compensating temperature and salinity anomalies, that, unlike Rossby waves, behave like passive tracers and follow the mean circulation.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗