The benefits of spatial resolution increase in global simulations of the hydrological cycle evaluated for the Rhine and Mississippi basins
<p>To study the global hydrological cycle and its response to a changing climate, we rely on global climate models (GCMs) and global hydrological models (GHMs). The spatial resolution of these models is restricted by computational resources and therefore limits the processes and level of detai...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2019-04-01
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| Series: | Hydrology and Earth System Sciences |
| Online Access: | https://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/23/1779/2019/hess-23-1779-2019.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818303552888504320 |
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| author | I. Benedict C. C. van Heerwaarden A. H. Weerts A. H. Weerts W. Hazeleger W. Hazeleger |
| author_facet | I. Benedict C. C. van Heerwaarden A. H. Weerts A. H. Weerts W. Hazeleger W. Hazeleger |
| author_sort | I. Benedict |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>To study the global hydrological cycle and its response to a
changing climate, we rely on global climate models (GCMs) and global
hydrological models (GHMs). The spatial resolution of these models is
restricted by computational resources and therefore limits the processes and
level of detail that can be resolved. Increase in computer power therefore
permits increase in resolution, but it is an open question where this
resolution is invested best: in the GCM or GHM. In this study, we evaluated
the benefits of increased resolution, without modifying the representation of
physical processes in the models. By doing so, we can evaluate the benefits
of resolution alone. We assess and compare the benefits of an increased
resolution for a GCM and a GHM for two basins with long observational
records: the Rhine and Mississippi basins. Increasing the resolution of a GCM
(1.125 to 0.25<span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup></span>) results in an improved precipitation budget over the
Rhine basin, attributed to a more realistic large-scale circulation. These
improvements with increased resolution are not found for the Mississippi
basin, possibly because precipitation is strongly dependent on the
representation of still unresolved convective processes. Increasing the
resolution of the GCM improved the simulations of the monthly-averaged
discharge for the Rhine, but did not improve the representation of extreme
streamflow events. For the Mississippi basin, no substantial differences in
precipitation and discharge were found with the higher-resolution GCM
and GHM. Increasing the
resolution of parameters describing vegetation and orography in the
high-resolution GHM (from 0.5 to 0.05<span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup></span>) shows no significant
differences in discharge for both basins. A straightforward resolution
increase in the GHM is thus most likely not the best method to improve
discharge predictions, which emphasizes the need for better representation of
processes and improved parameterizations that go hand in hand with resolution
increase in a GHM.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T05:56:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1ce084a5a20a4aef96eb8ef15f512947 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1027-5606 1607-7938 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T05:56:37Z |
| publishDate | 2019-04-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Hydrology and Earth System Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-1ce084a5a20a4aef96eb8ef15f5129472022-12-21T23:57:25ZengCopernicus PublicationsHydrology and Earth System Sciences1027-56061607-79382019-04-01231779180010.5194/hess-23-1779-2019The benefits of spatial resolution increase in global simulations of the hydrological cycle evaluated for the Rhine and Mississippi basinsI. Benedict0C. C. van Heerwaarden1A. H. Weerts2A. H. Weerts3W. Hazeleger4W. Hazeleger5Meteorology and Air Quality Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 4, 6708 BP Wageningen, the NetherlandsMeteorology and Air Quality Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 4, 6708 BP Wageningen, the NetherlandsHydrology and Quantitative Water Management Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 4, 6708 BP Wageningen, the NetherlandsDeltares, P.O. Box 177, 2600 MH Delft, the NetherlandsMeteorology and Air Quality Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 4, 6708 BP Wageningen, the NetherlandsNetherlands eScience Center (NLeSC), Science Park 140, 1098 XG Amsterdam, the Netherlands<p>To study the global hydrological cycle and its response to a changing climate, we rely on global climate models (GCMs) and global hydrological models (GHMs). The spatial resolution of these models is restricted by computational resources and therefore limits the processes and level of detail that can be resolved. Increase in computer power therefore permits increase in resolution, but it is an open question where this resolution is invested best: in the GCM or GHM. In this study, we evaluated the benefits of increased resolution, without modifying the representation of physical processes in the models. By doing so, we can evaluate the benefits of resolution alone. We assess and compare the benefits of an increased resolution for a GCM and a GHM for two basins with long observational records: the Rhine and Mississippi basins. Increasing the resolution of a GCM (1.125 to 0.25<span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup></span>) results in an improved precipitation budget over the Rhine basin, attributed to a more realistic large-scale circulation. These improvements with increased resolution are not found for the Mississippi basin, possibly because precipitation is strongly dependent on the representation of still unresolved convective processes. Increasing the resolution of the GCM improved the simulations of the monthly-averaged discharge for the Rhine, but did not improve the representation of extreme streamflow events. For the Mississippi basin, no substantial differences in precipitation and discharge were found with the higher-resolution GCM and GHM. Increasing the resolution of parameters describing vegetation and orography in the high-resolution GHM (from 0.5 to 0.05<span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup></span>) shows no significant differences in discharge for both basins. A straightforward resolution increase in the GHM is thus most likely not the best method to improve discharge predictions, which emphasizes the need for better representation of processes and improved parameterizations that go hand in hand with resolution increase in a GHM.</p>https://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/23/1779/2019/hess-23-1779-2019.pdf |
| spellingShingle | I. Benedict C. C. van Heerwaarden A. H. Weerts A. H. Weerts W. Hazeleger W. Hazeleger The benefits of spatial resolution increase in global simulations of the hydrological cycle evaluated for the Rhine and Mississippi basins Hydrology and Earth System Sciences |
| title | The benefits of spatial resolution increase in global simulations of the hydrological cycle evaluated for the Rhine and Mississippi basins |
| title_full | The benefits of spatial resolution increase in global simulations of the hydrological cycle evaluated for the Rhine and Mississippi basins |
| title_fullStr | The benefits of spatial resolution increase in global simulations of the hydrological cycle evaluated for the Rhine and Mississippi basins |
| title_full_unstemmed | The benefits of spatial resolution increase in global simulations of the hydrological cycle evaluated for the Rhine and Mississippi basins |
| title_short | The benefits of spatial resolution increase in global simulations of the hydrological cycle evaluated for the Rhine and Mississippi basins |
| title_sort | benefits of spatial resolution increase in global simulations of the hydrological cycle evaluated for the rhine and mississippi basins |
| url | https://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/23/1779/2019/hess-23-1779-2019.pdf |
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