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Representation of microphysical processes in cloud-resolving models: Spectral (bin) microphysics versus bulk parameterization

Khain, A. P. ; Beheng, K. D. ; Heymsfield, A. ; Korolev, A. ; Krichak, S. O. ; Levin, Z. ; Pinsky, M. ; Phillips, Vaughan LU orcid ; Prabhakaran, T. and Teller, A. , et al. (2015) In Reviews of Geophysics 53(2). p.247-322
Abstract
Most atmospheric motions of different spatial scales and precipitation are closely related to phase transitions in clouds. The continuously increasing resolution of large-scale and mesoscale atmospheric models makes it feasible to treat the evolution of individual clouds. The explicit treatment of clouds requires the simulation of cloud microphysics. Two main approaches describing cloud microphysical properties and processes have been developed in the past four and a half decades: bulk microphysics parameterization and spectral (bin) microphysics (SBM). The development and utilization of both represent an important step forward in cloud modeling. This study presents a detailed survey of the physical basis and the applications of both bulk... (More)
Most atmospheric motions of different spatial scales and precipitation are closely related to phase transitions in clouds. The continuously increasing resolution of large-scale and mesoscale atmospheric models makes it feasible to treat the evolution of individual clouds. The explicit treatment of clouds requires the simulation of cloud microphysics. Two main approaches describing cloud microphysical properties and processes have been developed in the past four and a half decades: bulk microphysics parameterization and spectral (bin) microphysics (SBM). The development and utilization of both represent an important step forward in cloud modeling. This study presents a detailed survey of the physical basis and the applications of both bulk microphysics parameterization and SBM. The results obtained from simulations of a wide range of atmospheric phenomena, from tropical cyclones through Arctic clouds using these two approaches are compared. Advantages and disadvantages, as well as lines of future development for these methods are discussed. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
cloud microphysics, bulk parameterization, spectral bin microphysics, cloud-resolving models, numerical modeling
in
Reviews of Geophysics
volume
53
issue
2
pages
247 - 322
publisher
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
external identifiers
  • wos:000358322200004
  • scopus:84937438125
ISSN
8755-1209
DOI
10.1002/2014RG000468
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
536788da-bb5a-4fe0-9510-214c3042cd71 (old id 7779514)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:59:58
date last changed
2022-04-22 00:49:31
@article{536788da-bb5a-4fe0-9510-214c3042cd71,
  abstract     = {{Most atmospheric motions of different spatial scales and precipitation are closely related to phase transitions in clouds. The continuously increasing resolution of large-scale and mesoscale atmospheric models makes it feasible to treat the evolution of individual clouds. The explicit treatment of clouds requires the simulation of cloud microphysics. Two main approaches describing cloud microphysical properties and processes have been developed in the past four and a half decades: bulk microphysics parameterization and spectral (bin) microphysics (SBM). The development and utilization of both represent an important step forward in cloud modeling. This study presents a detailed survey of the physical basis and the applications of both bulk microphysics parameterization and SBM. The results obtained from simulations of a wide range of atmospheric phenomena, from tropical cyclones through Arctic clouds using these two approaches are compared. Advantages and disadvantages, as well as lines of future development for these methods are discussed.}},
  author       = {{Khain, A. P. and Beheng, K. D. and Heymsfield, A. and Korolev, A. and Krichak, S. O. and Levin, Z. and Pinsky, M. and Phillips, Vaughan and Prabhakaran, T. and Teller, A. and van den Heever, S. C. and Yano, J. -I.}},
  issn         = {{8755-1209}},
  keywords     = {{cloud microphysics; bulk parameterization; spectral bin microphysics; cloud-resolving models; numerical modeling}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{247--322}},
  publisher    = {{American Geophysical Union (AGU)}},
  series       = {{Reviews of Geophysics}},
  title        = {{Representation of microphysical processes in cloud-resolving models: Spectral (bin) microphysics versus bulk parameterization}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2014RG000468}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/2014RG000468}},
  volume       = {{53}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}