Numerical Studies of the Interaction of Mesoscale Convective Systems With the Tropical Ocean-Atmosphere Environment

该项目是一个以模型为基础的科学调查，有几项直接支持TOGA/COARE目标的任务。中尺度模式的开发和测试将集中在两个领域。首先，宾夕法尼亚州立大学/NCAR中尺度模式中的对流参数化将在TOGA COARE IOP的赤道海域进行测试，并进行适当修改，以使其能够准确地模拟热带对流。其次，现有的四维数据同化方案将被修改以用于热带地区，以便特场方案数据可以更有效地初始化中尺度模式。此外，该数据同化方案将作为根据TOGA COARE观测生成格网模式同化中尺度数据集的工具进行评估。然后将对中尺度模式进行敏感性研究，并对模式同化的数据集进行分析，以确定热带深对流如何与其大尺度海洋和大气环境相互作用。这项研究之所以重要，是因为它是TOGA/COARE研究之一，它将对流尺度的物理过程与影响世界气候特别敏感区域--西太平洋--TOGA COARE现场的气候变异性的较大尺度联系起来。

This project is a model-based scientific investigation with several tasks that directly support TOGA/COARE objectives. Mesoscale model development and testing will be focussed in two areas. First, the convective parameterization in the Penn State/NCAR mesoscale model will be tested for the equatorial maritime region of the TOGA COARE IOP, and modified appropriately to allow it to accurately simulate tropical convection. Secondly, an existing four-dimensional data assimilation scheme will be modified for use in the tropics so that the special field program data can be used to more effectively initialize the mesoscale model. In addition, this data-assimilation program will be evaluated as a tool for generation of gridded model- assimilated mesoscale data sets based on the TOGA COARE observations. Sensitivity studies with the mesoscale model, and analysis of the model-assimilated data sets, will then be performed to determine how tropical deep convection interacts with its large scale oceanic and atmospheric environment. This research is important because it serves as one of the studies of TOGA/COARE that links convective scale physical processes to the larger scales that impact climate variability in an especially climate sensitive region of the world, the western Pacific Ocean, the field site of TOGA COARE.