CAREER: The Marine Cloud-Topped Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) and Large-Scale Circulations

行星边界层（英语：Planetary boundary layer，PBL）是大气层的最低层，与地球表面直接接触的一层，热量、动量、水分、气态物质和气溶胶粒子通过该层在自由大气和地球表面之间传输。 因此，边界层中的过程不仅与空气污染、风和降水等局部现象有关，而且通过与更大尺度过程的相互作用对气候本身也有影响，这一点并不奇怪。 这个CAREER奖的研究部分集中在两个问题上：（1）边界层如何与大规模的，热驱动的热带大气环流相互作用？ (2)在边界层中形成的云的降水如何改变这种相互作用的动力学？ 每个问题的解决方法都是通过数值建模。 第一，修改了大气环流模式（GCM），以更准确地代表在边界层的物理过程。 第二，大涡模拟（LES），以确定如何边界层的垂直结构是由降水的影响。 这项工作的教育部分包括开发一个关于大尺度大气流动与PBL相互作用的高级本科课程，并建立一个气候模拟实验室。 这一努力的结果将改善气候模拟，并为学生提供更好的机会接受气候数值模拟方面的培训。

The planetary boundary layer (PBL) is the lowest layer of the atmosphere - the layer in immediate contact with the earth's surface - through which heat, momentum, moisture, gaseous species, and aerosol particles are transported between the free atmosphere and the surface. It is no surprise that processes in the PBL have a bearing not only on local phenomena such as air pollution, wind, and precipitation, but also on the climate itself through interactions with larger scale processes. The research component of this CAREER award focuses on two questions: (1) How does the PBL interact with the large-scale, thermally driven, tropical atmospheric circulation? (2) How does precipitation from clouds that form in the PBL modify the dynamics of this interaction? The approach to each question is through numerical modeling. For the first, a General Circulation Model (GCM) is modified to represent more accurately the physical processes in the PBL. For the second, large eddy simulations (LES) are employed to determine how the vertical structure of the PBL is affected by precipitation. The educational component of the work consists of developing an upper-level undergraduate course on the interaction of large scale atmospheric flow with the PBL and establishing a climate simulation laboratory. The results of the effort will be improved climate simulation and better opportunities for students to be trained in the numerical modeling of climate.