Sensitivity of physical parameterization schemes in WRF model for dynamic downscaling of climatic variables over the MRB

The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model was tested through 18 different combinations of physics parameters to simulate the regional climate over the Mackenzie River Basin (MRB). The objective was to investigate the response to the physics parameters for dynamic downscaling of climatic varia...

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Main Authors: Lia Pervin, Thian Yew Gan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IWA Publishing 2021-06-01
Series:Journal of Water and Climate Change
Subjects:
Online Access:http://jwcc.iwaponline.com/content/12/4/1043
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author Lia Pervin
Thian Yew Gan
author_facet Lia Pervin
Thian Yew Gan
author_sort Lia Pervin
collection DOAJ
description The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model was tested through 18 different combinations of physics parameters to simulate the regional climate over the Mackenzie River Basin (MRB). The objective was to investigate the response to the physics parameters for dynamic downscaling of climatic variables. The rainfall, temperature, albedo, and surface pressure from the 18 different WRF setups were compared with the reference data and were found sensitive to land surface physics and microphysics and to the radiation physics. The combination of Noah Land Surface Physics with the WRF Single-moment 6-class microphysics and CAM shortwave and longwave schemes produced comparable results for summer 2009. This WRF setup was further tested for summers 1979–1991 and it was found that WRF could simulate air temperature more accurately than the rainfall, since the rainfall over the mountainous regions was over-simulated. Then the selected combinations of WRF parameterizations were used to downscale the CanESM2 historical temperature and rainfall for summers 1979–2005, which showed good agreement with the reference data. The suggested WRF parameters from this study could be utilized for regional climate modeling of MRB. HIGHLIGHTS This study enhances the overall understanding of the hydrology and climatic pattern of a large river basin like the MRB (1.8 million square km).; The sensitivity test with various physics parameters gives an idea of the model behavior under different physics combinations.; Using the fine-tuned WRF setup short-term and long-term climate data (temperature, rainfall, albedo and surface pressure) were simulated.; The combinations of WRF parameterizations from this study could be used for comprehensive climate modeling of this region.;
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spelling doaj.art-e69cc200cbcd4bc8aaffa5597ea2d8c22022-12-21T22:54:59ZengIWA PublishingJournal of Water and Climate Change2040-22442408-93542021-06-011241043105810.2166/wcc.2020.036036Sensitivity of physical parameterization schemes in WRF model for dynamic downscaling of climatic variables over the MRBLia Pervin0Thian Yew Gan1 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada T6G 1H9 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 7-230 Donadeo Innovation Centre For Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada T6G 1H9 The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model was tested through 18 different combinations of physics parameters to simulate the regional climate over the Mackenzie River Basin (MRB). The objective was to investigate the response to the physics parameters for dynamic downscaling of climatic variables. The rainfall, temperature, albedo, and surface pressure from the 18 different WRF setups were compared with the reference data and were found sensitive to land surface physics and microphysics and to the radiation physics. The combination of Noah Land Surface Physics with the WRF Single-moment 6-class microphysics and CAM shortwave and longwave schemes produced comparable results for summer 2009. This WRF setup was further tested for summers 1979–1991 and it was found that WRF could simulate air temperature more accurately than the rainfall, since the rainfall over the mountainous regions was over-simulated. Then the selected combinations of WRF parameterizations were used to downscale the CanESM2 historical temperature and rainfall for summers 1979–2005, which showed good agreement with the reference data. The suggested WRF parameters from this study could be utilized for regional climate modeling of MRB. HIGHLIGHTS This study enhances the overall understanding of the hydrology and climatic pattern of a large river basin like the MRB (1.8 million square km).; The sensitivity test with various physics parameters gives an idea of the model behavior under different physics combinations.; Using the fine-tuned WRF setup short-term and long-term climate data (temperature, rainfall, albedo and surface pressure) were simulated.; The combinations of WRF parameterizations from this study could be used for comprehensive climate modeling of this region.;http://jwcc.iwaponline.com/content/12/4/1043dynamic downscalingphysical parametersregional climate sensitivitywrf model
spellingShingle Lia Pervin
Thian Yew Gan
Sensitivity of physical parameterization schemes in WRF model for dynamic downscaling of climatic variables over the MRB
Journal of Water and Climate Change
dynamic downscaling
physical parameters
regional climate sensitivity
wrf model
title Sensitivity of physical parameterization schemes in WRF model for dynamic downscaling of climatic variables over the MRB
title_full Sensitivity of physical parameterization schemes in WRF model for dynamic downscaling of climatic variables over the MRB
title_fullStr Sensitivity of physical parameterization schemes in WRF model for dynamic downscaling of climatic variables over the MRB
title_full_unstemmed Sensitivity of physical parameterization schemes in WRF model for dynamic downscaling of climatic variables over the MRB
title_short Sensitivity of physical parameterization schemes in WRF model for dynamic downscaling of climatic variables over the MRB
title_sort sensitivity of physical parameterization schemes in wrf model for dynamic downscaling of climatic variables over the mrb
topic dynamic downscaling
physical parameters
regional climate sensitivity
wrf model
url http://jwcc.iwaponline.com/content/12/4/1043
work_keys_str_mv AT liapervin sensitivityofphysicalparameterizationschemesinwrfmodelfordynamicdownscalingofclimaticvariablesoverthemrb
AT thianyewgan sensitivityofphysicalparameterizationschemesinwrfmodelfordynamicdownscalingofclimaticvariablesoverthemrb