Ground-based lidar processing and simulator framework for comparing models and observations (ALCF 1.0)
Automatic lidars and ceilometers (ALCs) provide valuable information on cloud and aerosols but have not been systematically used in the evaluation of general circulation models (GCMs) and numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. Obstacles associated with the diversity of instruments, a lack of sta...
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ftzenodo:oai:zenodo.org:4421532 2024-09-15T17:41:10+00:00 Ground-based lidar processing and simulator framework for comparing models and observations (ALCF 1.0) Kuma, Peter McDonald, Adrian J. Morgenstern, Olaf Querel, Richard Silber, Israel Flynn, Connor J. 2021-01-06 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4421532 eng eng Zenodo https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-43-2021 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4411633 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3785714 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4421532 oai:zenodo.org:4421532 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode Geoscientific Model Development, 14(1), 43-72, (2021-01-06) info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2021 ftzenodo https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.442153210.5194/gmd-14-43-202110.5281/zenodo.441163310.5281/zenodo.3785714 2024-07-27T07:21:13Z Automatic lidars and ceilometers (ALCs) provide valuable information on cloud and aerosols but have not been systematically used in the evaluation of general circulation models (GCMs) and numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. Obstacles associated with the diversity of instruments, a lack of standardisation of data products and open processing tools mean that the value of large ALC networks worldwide is not being realised. We discuss a tool, called the Automatic Lidar and Ceilometer Framework (ALCF), that overcomes these problems and also includes a ground-based lidar simulator, which calculates the radiative transfer of laser radiation and allows one-to-one comparison with models. Our ground-based lidar simulator is based on the Cloud Feedback Model Intercomparison Project (CFMIP) Observation Simulator Package (COSP), which has been extensively used for spaceborne lidar intercomparisons. The ALCF implements all steps needed to transform and calibrate raw ALC data and create simulated attenuated volume backscattering coefficient profiles for one-to-one comparison and complete statistical analysis of clouds. The framework supports multiple common commercial ALCs (Vaisala CL31, CL51, Lufft CHM 15k and Droplet Measurement Technologies MiniMPL), reanalyses (JRA-55, ERA5 and MERRA-2) and models (the Unified Model and AMPS – the Antarctic Mesoscale Prediction System). To demonstrate its capabilities, we present case studies evaluating cloud in the supported reanalyses and models using CL31, CL51, CHM 15k and MiniMPL observations at three sites in New Zealand. We show that the reanalyses and models generally underestimate cloud fraction. If sufficiently high-temporal-resolution model output is available (better than 6-hourly), a direct comparison of individual clouds is also possible. We demonstrate that the ALCF can be used as a generic evaluation tool to examine cloud occurrence and cloud properties in reanalyses, NWP models, and GCMs, potentially utilising the large amounts of ALC data already available. This ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Zenodo |
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language |
English |
description |
Automatic lidars and ceilometers (ALCs) provide valuable information on cloud and aerosols but have not been systematically used in the evaluation of general circulation models (GCMs) and numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. Obstacles associated with the diversity of instruments, a lack of standardisation of data products and open processing tools mean that the value of large ALC networks worldwide is not being realised. We discuss a tool, called the Automatic Lidar and Ceilometer Framework (ALCF), that overcomes these problems and also includes a ground-based lidar simulator, which calculates the radiative transfer of laser radiation and allows one-to-one comparison with models. Our ground-based lidar simulator is based on the Cloud Feedback Model Intercomparison Project (CFMIP) Observation Simulator Package (COSP), which has been extensively used for spaceborne lidar intercomparisons. The ALCF implements all steps needed to transform and calibrate raw ALC data and create simulated attenuated volume backscattering coefficient profiles for one-to-one comparison and complete statistical analysis of clouds. The framework supports multiple common commercial ALCs (Vaisala CL31, CL51, Lufft CHM 15k and Droplet Measurement Technologies MiniMPL), reanalyses (JRA-55, ERA5 and MERRA-2) and models (the Unified Model and AMPS – the Antarctic Mesoscale Prediction System). To demonstrate its capabilities, we present case studies evaluating cloud in the supported reanalyses and models using CL31, CL51, CHM 15k and MiniMPL observations at three sites in New Zealand. We show that the reanalyses and models generally underestimate cloud fraction. If sufficiently high-temporal-resolution model output is available (better than 6-hourly), a direct comparison of individual clouds is also possible. We demonstrate that the ALCF can be used as a generic evaluation tool to examine cloud occurrence and cloud properties in reanalyses, NWP models, and GCMs, potentially utilising the large amounts of ALC data already available. This ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Kuma, Peter McDonald, Adrian J. Morgenstern, Olaf Querel, Richard Silber, Israel Flynn, Connor J. |
spellingShingle |
Kuma, Peter McDonald, Adrian J. Morgenstern, Olaf Querel, Richard Silber, Israel Flynn, Connor J. Ground-based lidar processing and simulator framework for comparing models and observations (ALCF 1.0) |
author_facet |
Kuma, Peter McDonald, Adrian J. Morgenstern, Olaf Querel, Richard Silber, Israel Flynn, Connor J. |
author_sort |
Kuma, Peter |
title |
Ground-based lidar processing and simulator framework for comparing models and observations (ALCF 1.0) |
title_short |
Ground-based lidar processing and simulator framework for comparing models and observations (ALCF 1.0) |
title_full |
Ground-based lidar processing and simulator framework for comparing models and observations (ALCF 1.0) |
title_fullStr |
Ground-based lidar processing and simulator framework for comparing models and observations (ALCF 1.0) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Ground-based lidar processing and simulator framework for comparing models and observations (ALCF 1.0) |
title_sort |
ground-based lidar processing and simulator framework for comparing models and observations (alcf 1.0) |
publisher |
Zenodo |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4421532 |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic |
op_source |
Geoscientific Model Development, 14(1), 43-72, (2021-01-06) |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-43-2021 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4411633 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3785714 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4421532 oai:zenodo.org:4421532 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.442153210.5194/gmd-14-43-202110.5281/zenodo.441163310.5281/zenodo.3785714 |
_version_ |
1810487290493927424 |