TOGA: Process-Oriented Diagnostic Modeling for TOGA-COARE

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This research uses an innovation diagnostic modeling approach together with TOGA-COARE data sets to test and validate critical aspects of physical process parameterizations. The model is a computationally efficient and economical one-dimensional (vertical) model, resembling a single GCM grid cell, to be applied to sites in the TOGA-COARE domain. The present version of the model contains a full set of modern GCM parameterization of subgrid physical processes. It includes vertical transport by convection and turbulent mixing, radiative transfer with interactive clouds, and a complete hydrologic cycle. The ocean model is currently a simple mixed layer, synchronously coupled to the atmosphere through a surface energy budget computation. To force the model, the advective terms in the budget equations will be specified observationally from TOGA-COARE observations. The model is diagnostic rather than prognostic. Its input is an initial state, plus the time-dependent advection terms in the conservation equations, provided at all model layers. Its output is a complete heat and water budget for the coupled ocean- atmosphere column, including temperature and moisture profiles, clouds and their radiative properties, diabatic heating terms, surface energy balance components, and hydrologic cycle elements, all specified as functions of time. Sample integrations of the model for test cases are presented and verified against observations. These diagnostic analyses suggest that this type of model may be useful in TOGA-COARE for applications including interpretation of results from multi-dimensional models, validation of surface flux data, and estimation of sensitivity to alternative physical processes. The proposal describes a coordinated program of model development, diagnostic modeling, and linkages with GCM experiments and with observations. This research is important because it is one of the TOGA-COARE studies that investigates air-sea interactions in the context of the physical processes that impact climate variability, in an especially climate sensitive region of the world, the western Pacific Ocean, the field site of TOGA-COARE.