Effects of spatial resolution on WRF v3.8.1 simulated meteorology over the central Himalaya
<p>The sensitive ecosystem of the central Himalayan (CH) region, which is experiencing enhanced stress from anthropogenic forcing, requires adequate atmospheric observations and an improved representation of the Himalaya in the models. However, the accuracy of atmospheric models remains limite...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Geoscientific Model Development |
| Online Access: | https://gmd.copernicus.org/articles/14/1427/2021/gmd-14-1427-2021.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818700698201620480 |
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| author | J. Singh N. Singh N. Ojha A. Sharma A. Pozzer A. Pozzer N. Kiran Kumar K. Rajeev S. S. Gunthe V. R. Kotamarthi |
| author_facet | J. Singh N. Singh N. Ojha A. Sharma A. Pozzer A. Pozzer N. Kiran Kumar K. Rajeev S. S. Gunthe V. R. Kotamarthi |
| author_sort | J. Singh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>The sensitive ecosystem of the central Himalayan (CH) region, which is experiencing
enhanced stress from anthropogenic forcing, requires adequate atmospheric
observations and an improved representation of the Himalaya in the models.
However, the accuracy of atmospheric models remains limited in this region
due to highly complex mountainous topography. This article delineates the
effects of spatial resolution on the modeled meteorology and dynamics over
the CH by utilizing the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model
extensively evaluated against the Ganges Valley Aerosol Experiment (GVAX)
observations during the summer monsoon. The WRF simulation is performed over a
domain (d01) encompassing northern India at 15 km <span class="inline-formula">×</span> 15 km resolution and
two nests (d02 at 5 km <span class="inline-formula">×</span> 5 km and d03 at 1 km <span class="inline-formula">×</span> 1 km) centered over the CH, with
boundary conditions from the respective parent domains. WRF simulations reveal
higher variability in meteorology, e.g., relative humidity
(RH <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 70.3 %–96.1 %) and wind speed (WS <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 1.1–4.2 m s<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>), compared to
the ERA-Interim reanalysis (RH <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 80.0 %–85.0 %, WS <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 1.2–2.3 m s<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>) over northern India owing to the higher resolution. WRF-simulated
temporal evolution of meteorological variables is found to agree with
balloon-borne measurements, with stronger correlations aloft (<span class="inline-formula"><i>r</i></span> <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 0.44–0.92) than those in the lower troposphere (<span class="inline-formula"><i>r</i></span> <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 0.18–0.48). The
model overestimates temperature (warm bias by 2.8 <span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup></span>C) and underestimates
RH (dry bias by 6.4 %) at the surface in d01. Model results show a
significant improvement in d03 (<span class="inline-formula"><i>P</i></span> <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 827.6 hPa, <span class="inline-formula"><i>T</i></span> <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 19.8 <span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup></span>C,
RH <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 92.3 %), closer to the GVAX observations (<span class="inline-formula"><i>P</i></span> <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 801.4 hPa, <span class="inline-formula"><i>T</i></span> <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 19.5 <span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup></span>C, RH <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 94.7 %). Interpolating the output from the coarser domains
(d01, d02) to the altitude of the station reduces the biases in pressure and
temperature; however, it suppresses the diurnal variations, highlighting the
importance of well-resolved terrain (d03). Temporal variations in
near-surface <span class="inline-formula"><i>P</i></span>, <span class="inline-formula"><i>T</i></span>, and RH are also reproduced by WRF in d03 to an extent (<span class="inline-formula"><i>r</i><i>></i>0.5</span>). A sensitivity simulation incorporating the feedback from
the nested domain demonstrates the improvement in simulated <span class="inline-formula"><i>P</i></span>, <span class="inline-formula"><i>T</i></span>, and RH over
the CH. Our study shows that the WRF model setup at finer spatial resolution
can significantly reduce the biases in simulated meteorology, and such an
improved representation of the CH can be adopted through domain feedback into
regional-scale simulations. Interestingly, WRF simulates a dominant easterly
wind component at 1 km <span class="inline-formula">×</span> 1 km resolution (d03), which is missing in the
coarse simulations; however, the frequency of southeasterlies remains
underestimated. The model simulation implementing a high-resolution (3 s)
topography input (SRTM) improved the prediction of wind directions;
nevertheless, further<span id="page1428"/> improvements are required to better reproduce the
observed local-scale dynamics over the CH.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T15:09:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-32bca3d9b5f54e3094071051d5835874 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1991-959X 1991-9603 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T15:09:05Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geoscientific Model Development |
| spelling | doaj.art-32bca3d9b5f54e3094071051d58358742022-12-21T21:43:43ZengCopernicus PublicationsGeoscientific Model Development1991-959X1991-96032021-03-01141427144310.5194/gmd-14-1427-2021Effects of spatial resolution on WRF v3.8.1 simulated meteorology over the central HimalayaJ. Singh0N. Singh1N. Ojha2A. Sharma3A. Pozzer4A. Pozzer5N. Kiran Kumar6K. Rajeev7S. S. Gunthe8V. R. Kotamarthi9Aryabhatta Research Institute of observational sciencES (ARIES), Nainital, IndiaAryabhatta Research Institute of observational sciencES (ARIES), Nainital, IndiaPhysical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, IndiaDepartment of Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Jodhpur, IndiaDepartment of Atmospheric Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz, GermanyEarth System Physics Section, International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, ItalySpace Physics Laboratory, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, IndiaSpace Physics Laboratory, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, IndiaEWRE Division, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, IndiaEnvironmental Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois, USA<p>The sensitive ecosystem of the central Himalayan (CH) region, which is experiencing enhanced stress from anthropogenic forcing, requires adequate atmospheric observations and an improved representation of the Himalaya in the models. However, the accuracy of atmospheric models remains limited in this region due to highly complex mountainous topography. This article delineates the effects of spatial resolution on the modeled meteorology and dynamics over the CH by utilizing the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model extensively evaluated against the Ganges Valley Aerosol Experiment (GVAX) observations during the summer monsoon. The WRF simulation is performed over a domain (d01) encompassing northern India at 15 km <span class="inline-formula">×</span> 15 km resolution and two nests (d02 at 5 km <span class="inline-formula">×</span> 5 km and d03 at 1 km <span class="inline-formula">×</span> 1 km) centered over the CH, with boundary conditions from the respective parent domains. WRF simulations reveal higher variability in meteorology, e.g., relative humidity (RH <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 70.3 %–96.1 %) and wind speed (WS <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 1.1–4.2 m s<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>), compared to the ERA-Interim reanalysis (RH <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 80.0 %–85.0 %, WS <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 1.2–2.3 m s<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>) over northern India owing to the higher resolution. WRF-simulated temporal evolution of meteorological variables is found to agree with balloon-borne measurements, with stronger correlations aloft (<span class="inline-formula"><i>r</i></span> <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 0.44–0.92) than those in the lower troposphere (<span class="inline-formula"><i>r</i></span> <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 0.18–0.48). The model overestimates temperature (warm bias by 2.8 <span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup></span>C) and underestimates RH (dry bias by 6.4 %) at the surface in d01. Model results show a significant improvement in d03 (<span class="inline-formula"><i>P</i></span> <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 827.6 hPa, <span class="inline-formula"><i>T</i></span> <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 19.8 <span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup></span>C, RH <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 92.3 %), closer to the GVAX observations (<span class="inline-formula"><i>P</i></span> <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 801.4 hPa, <span class="inline-formula"><i>T</i></span> <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 19.5 <span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup></span>C, RH <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 94.7 %). Interpolating the output from the coarser domains (d01, d02) to the altitude of the station reduces the biases in pressure and temperature; however, it suppresses the diurnal variations, highlighting the importance of well-resolved terrain (d03). Temporal variations in near-surface <span class="inline-formula"><i>P</i></span>, <span class="inline-formula"><i>T</i></span>, and RH are also reproduced by WRF in d03 to an extent (<span class="inline-formula"><i>r</i><i>></i>0.5</span>). A sensitivity simulation incorporating the feedback from the nested domain demonstrates the improvement in simulated <span class="inline-formula"><i>P</i></span>, <span class="inline-formula"><i>T</i></span>, and RH over the CH. Our study shows that the WRF model setup at finer spatial resolution can significantly reduce the biases in simulated meteorology, and such an improved representation of the CH can be adopted through domain feedback into regional-scale simulations. Interestingly, WRF simulates a dominant easterly wind component at 1 km <span class="inline-formula">×</span> 1 km resolution (d03), which is missing in the coarse simulations; however, the frequency of southeasterlies remains underestimated. The model simulation implementing a high-resolution (3 s) topography input (SRTM) improved the prediction of wind directions; nevertheless, further<span id="page1428"/> improvements are required to better reproduce the observed local-scale dynamics over the CH.</p>https://gmd.copernicus.org/articles/14/1427/2021/gmd-14-1427-2021.pdf |
| spellingShingle | J. Singh N. Singh N. Ojha A. Sharma A. Pozzer A. Pozzer N. Kiran Kumar K. Rajeev S. S. Gunthe V. R. Kotamarthi Effects of spatial resolution on WRF v3.8.1 simulated meteorology over the central Himalaya Geoscientific Model Development |
| title | Effects of spatial resolution on WRF v3.8.1 simulated meteorology over the central Himalaya |
| title_full | Effects of spatial resolution on WRF v3.8.1 simulated meteorology over the central Himalaya |
| title_fullStr | Effects of spatial resolution on WRF v3.8.1 simulated meteorology over the central Himalaya |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of spatial resolution on WRF v3.8.1 simulated meteorology over the central Himalaya |
| title_short | Effects of spatial resolution on WRF v3.8.1 simulated meteorology over the central Himalaya |
| title_sort | effects of spatial resolution on wrf v3 8 1 simulated meteorology over the central himalaya |
| url | https://gmd.copernicus.org/articles/14/1427/2021/gmd-14-1427-2021.pdf |
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