Evaluation of the Convective Boundary Layer in the NMC Medium Range Forecast Model

首席调查员将研究国家气象中心(NMC)中期(7-10天)预报模式预测的热带海洋对流边界层结构。模式的气候学将与辐射-对流平衡模式产生的热力学数据进行比较。将进行能量收支计算，以评估模式物理方面的不足，并评估边界层和较大尺度模式环境之间的反馈。将设计敏感性实验，以探索如何改进NMC模式中大气物理过程的表示。一个重要的任务是尝试通过显式计算积云动量输送来改进浅层云的参数化。这项研究将与NMC的科学家合作完成，作为NSF-NMC数值天气预报联合计划的一部分。这项研究将对改进业务性中期天气预报和更好地了解热带对流边界层做出重要贡献。

The principal investigator will study the structure of the convective boundary layer over the tropical oceans as predicted by the National Meteorological Center's (NMC) medium range (7-10 day) forecast model. The model's climatology will be compared with thermodynamic date produced with a radiative-convective equilibrium model. Energy budget calculations will be done to assess the deficiencies in the physics of the model and to evaluate the feedback between the boundary layer and the larger-scale model environment. Sensitivity experiments will be designed to explore how representation of atmospheric physical processes in the NMC model can be improved. An important task is to attempt to improve the shallow cloud parameterization by explictly calculating the cumulus momentum transport. The research will be done in collaboration with scientists at NMC as part of the NSF-NMC Joint Program in Numerical Weather Prediction. This research will be an important contribution to the improvement of operational medium weather forecasts and better understanding of the tropical convection boundary layer.