Evaluation of the CAM6 Climate Model Using Cloud Observations at McMurdo Station, Antarctica
A comparative analysis between observational data from McMurdo Station, Antarctica and the Community Atmosphere Model version 6 (CAM6) simulation is performed focusing on cloud characteristics and their thermodynamic conditions. Ka-band Zenith Radar (KAZR) and High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) r...
Published in: | Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres |
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Online Access: | http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1814508 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1814508 https://doi.org/10.1029/2021jd034653 |
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ftosti:oai:osti.gov:1814508 2023-07-30T03:57:31+02:00 Evaluation of the CAM6 Climate Model Using Cloud Observations at McMurdo Station, Antarctica Yip, Jackson Diao, Minghui Barone, Tyler Silber, Israel Gettelman, Andrew 2022-08-02 application/pdf http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1814508 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1814508 https://doi.org/10.1029/2021jd034653 unknown http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1814508 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1814508 https://doi.org/10.1029/2021jd034653 doi:10.1029/2021jd034653 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES 2022 ftosti https://doi.org/10.1029/2021jd034653 2023-07-11T10:06:16Z A comparative analysis between observational data from McMurdo Station, Antarctica and the Community Atmosphere Model version 6 (CAM6) simulation is performed focusing on cloud characteristics and their thermodynamic conditions. Ka-band Zenith Radar (KAZR) and High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) retrievals are used as the basis of cloud fraction and cloud phase identifications. Radiosondes released at 12-h increments provide atmospheric profiles for evaluating the simulated thermodynamic conditions. Our findings show that the CAM6 simulation consistently overestimates (underestimates) cloud fraction above (below) 3 km in four seasons of a year. Normalized by total in-cloud samples, ice and mixed phase occurrence frequencies are underestimated and liquid phase frequency is overestimated by the model at cloud fractions above 0.6, while at cloud fractions below 0.6 ice phase frequency is overestimated and liquid-containing phase frequency is underestimated by the model. The cloud fraction biases are closely associated with concurrent biases in relative humidity (RH), that is, high (low) RH biases above (below) 2 km. Frequencies of correctly simulating ice and liquid-containing phase increase when the absolute biases of RH decrease. Cloud fraction biases also show a positive correlation with RH biases. Water vapor mixing ratio biases are the primary contributor to RH biases, and hence, likely a key factor controlling the cloud biases. This diagnosis of the evident shortfalls of representations of cloud characteristics in CAM6 simulation at McMurdo Station brings new insight in improving the governing model physics therein. Other/Unknown Material Antarc* Antarctica SciTec Connect (Office of Scientific and Technical Information - OSTI, U.S. Department of Energy) McMurdo Station ENVELOPE(166.667,166.667,-77.850,-77.850) Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 126 16 |
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Open Polar |
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SciTec Connect (Office of Scientific and Technical Information - OSTI, U.S. Department of Energy) |
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ftosti |
language |
unknown |
topic |
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES |
spellingShingle |
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Yip, Jackson Diao, Minghui Barone, Tyler Silber, Israel Gettelman, Andrew Evaluation of the CAM6 Climate Model Using Cloud Observations at McMurdo Station, Antarctica |
topic_facet |
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES |
description |
A comparative analysis between observational data from McMurdo Station, Antarctica and the Community Atmosphere Model version 6 (CAM6) simulation is performed focusing on cloud characteristics and their thermodynamic conditions. Ka-band Zenith Radar (KAZR) and High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) retrievals are used as the basis of cloud fraction and cloud phase identifications. Radiosondes released at 12-h increments provide atmospheric profiles for evaluating the simulated thermodynamic conditions. Our findings show that the CAM6 simulation consistently overestimates (underestimates) cloud fraction above (below) 3 km in four seasons of a year. Normalized by total in-cloud samples, ice and mixed phase occurrence frequencies are underestimated and liquid phase frequency is overestimated by the model at cloud fractions above 0.6, while at cloud fractions below 0.6 ice phase frequency is overestimated and liquid-containing phase frequency is underestimated by the model. The cloud fraction biases are closely associated with concurrent biases in relative humidity (RH), that is, high (low) RH biases above (below) 2 km. Frequencies of correctly simulating ice and liquid-containing phase increase when the absolute biases of RH decrease. Cloud fraction biases also show a positive correlation with RH biases. Water vapor mixing ratio biases are the primary contributor to RH biases, and hence, likely a key factor controlling the cloud biases. This diagnosis of the evident shortfalls of representations of cloud characteristics in CAM6 simulation at McMurdo Station brings new insight in improving the governing model physics therein. |
author |
Yip, Jackson Diao, Minghui Barone, Tyler Silber, Israel Gettelman, Andrew |
author_facet |
Yip, Jackson Diao, Minghui Barone, Tyler Silber, Israel Gettelman, Andrew |
author_sort |
Yip, Jackson |
title |
Evaluation of the CAM6 Climate Model Using Cloud Observations at McMurdo Station, Antarctica |
title_short |
Evaluation of the CAM6 Climate Model Using Cloud Observations at McMurdo Station, Antarctica |
title_full |
Evaluation of the CAM6 Climate Model Using Cloud Observations at McMurdo Station, Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Evaluation of the CAM6 Climate Model Using Cloud Observations at McMurdo Station, Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Evaluation of the CAM6 Climate Model Using Cloud Observations at McMurdo Station, Antarctica |
title_sort |
evaluation of the cam6 climate model using cloud observations at mcmurdo station, antarctica |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1814508 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1814508 https://doi.org/10.1029/2021jd034653 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(166.667,166.667,-77.850,-77.850) |
geographic |
McMurdo Station |
geographic_facet |
McMurdo Station |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctica |
op_relation |
http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1814508 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1814508 https://doi.org/10.1029/2021jd034653 doi:10.1029/2021jd034653 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1029/2021jd034653 |
container_title |
Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres |
container_volume |
126 |
container_issue |
16 |
_version_ |
1772817846439510016 |