Regional grid refinement in an Earth system model: impacts on the simulated Greenland surface mass balance
Abstract. In this study, the resolution dependence of the simulated Greenland ice sheet surface mass balance (GrIS SMB) in the variable-resolution Community Earth System Model (VR-CESM) is investigated. Coupled atmosphere–land simulations are performed on two regionally refined grids over Greenland...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | unknown |
Published: |
eScholarship, University of California
2019
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9mq493tf |
id |
ftcdlib:oai:escholarship.org/ark:/13030/qt9mq493tf |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftcdlib:oai:escholarship.org/ark:/13030/qt9mq493tf 2023-05-15T16:27:11+02:00 Regional grid refinement in an Earth system model: impacts on the simulated Greenland surface mass balance van Kampenhout, Leonardus Rhoades, Alan M Herrington, Adam R Zarzycki, Colin M Lenaerts, Jan TM Sacks, William J van den Broeke, Michiel R 1547 - 1564 2019-06-03 application/pdf https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9mq493tf unknown eScholarship, University of California qt9mq493tf https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9mq493tf public CRYOSPHERE, vol 13, iss 6 Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences Oceanography Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience article 2019 ftcdlib 2020-03-06T23:54:37Z Abstract. In this study, the resolution dependence of the simulated Greenland ice sheet surface mass balance (GrIS SMB) in the variable-resolution Community Earth System Model (VR-CESM) is investigated. Coupled atmosphere–land simulations are performed on two regionally refined grids over Greenland at 0.5∘ (∼55 km) and 0.25∘ (∼28 km), maintaining a quasi-uniform resolution of 1∘ (∼111 km) over the rest of the globe. On the refined grids, the SMB in the accumulation zone is significantly improved compared to airborne radar and in situ observations, with a general wetting (more snowfall) at the margins and a drying (less snowfall) in the interior GrIS. Total GrIS precipitation decreases with resolution, which is in line with best-available regional climate model results. In the ablation zone, CESM starts developing a positive SMB bias with increased resolution in some basins, notably in the east and the north. The mismatch in ablation is linked to changes in cloud cover in VR-CESM, and a reduced effectiveness of the elevation classes subgrid parametrization in CESM. Overall, our pilot study introduces VR-CESM as a new tool in the cryospheric sciences, which could be used to dynamically downscale SMB in scenario simulations and to force dynamical ice sheet models through the CESM coupling framework. Article in Journal/Newspaper Greenland Ice Sheet University of California: eScholarship Greenland |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of California: eScholarship |
op_collection_id |
ftcdlib |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences Oceanography Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience |
spellingShingle |
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences Oceanography Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience van Kampenhout, Leonardus Rhoades, Alan M Herrington, Adam R Zarzycki, Colin M Lenaerts, Jan TM Sacks, William J van den Broeke, Michiel R Regional grid refinement in an Earth system model: impacts on the simulated Greenland surface mass balance |
topic_facet |
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences Oceanography Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience |
description |
Abstract. In this study, the resolution dependence of the simulated Greenland ice sheet surface mass balance (GrIS SMB) in the variable-resolution Community Earth System Model (VR-CESM) is investigated. Coupled atmosphere–land simulations are performed on two regionally refined grids over Greenland at 0.5∘ (∼55 km) and 0.25∘ (∼28 km), maintaining a quasi-uniform resolution of 1∘ (∼111 km) over the rest of the globe. On the refined grids, the SMB in the accumulation zone is significantly improved compared to airborne radar and in situ observations, with a general wetting (more snowfall) at the margins and a drying (less snowfall) in the interior GrIS. Total GrIS precipitation decreases with resolution, which is in line with best-available regional climate model results. In the ablation zone, CESM starts developing a positive SMB bias with increased resolution in some basins, notably in the east and the north. The mismatch in ablation is linked to changes in cloud cover in VR-CESM, and a reduced effectiveness of the elevation classes subgrid parametrization in CESM. Overall, our pilot study introduces VR-CESM as a new tool in the cryospheric sciences, which could be used to dynamically downscale SMB in scenario simulations and to force dynamical ice sheet models through the CESM coupling framework. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
van Kampenhout, Leonardus Rhoades, Alan M Herrington, Adam R Zarzycki, Colin M Lenaerts, Jan TM Sacks, William J van den Broeke, Michiel R |
author_facet |
van Kampenhout, Leonardus Rhoades, Alan M Herrington, Adam R Zarzycki, Colin M Lenaerts, Jan TM Sacks, William J van den Broeke, Michiel R |
author_sort |
van Kampenhout, Leonardus |
title |
Regional grid refinement in an Earth system model: impacts on the simulated Greenland surface mass balance |
title_short |
Regional grid refinement in an Earth system model: impacts on the simulated Greenland surface mass balance |
title_full |
Regional grid refinement in an Earth system model: impacts on the simulated Greenland surface mass balance |
title_fullStr |
Regional grid refinement in an Earth system model: impacts on the simulated Greenland surface mass balance |
title_full_unstemmed |
Regional grid refinement in an Earth system model: impacts on the simulated Greenland surface mass balance |
title_sort |
regional grid refinement in an earth system model: impacts on the simulated greenland surface mass balance |
publisher |
eScholarship, University of California |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9mq493tf |
op_coverage |
1547 - 1564 |
geographic |
Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Greenland |
genre |
Greenland Ice Sheet |
genre_facet |
Greenland Ice Sheet |
op_source |
CRYOSPHERE, vol 13, iss 6 |
op_relation |
qt9mq493tf https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9mq493tf |
op_rights |
public |
_version_ |
1766016276721827840 |