Identification

Title

Evaluating mesoscale NWP models using kinetic energy spectra

Abstract

Kinetic energy spectra derived from observations in the free atmosphere possess a wavenumber dependence of k^-3 for large scales, characteristic of 2D turbulence, and transition to a k^-5/3 dependence in the mesoscale. Kinetic energy spectra computed using mesoscale and experimental near-cloud-scale NWP forecasts from the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model are examined, and it is found that the model-derived spectra match the observational spectra well, including the transition. The model spectra decay at the highest resolved wavenumbers compared with observations, indicating energy removal by the model's dissipation mechanisms. This departure from the observed spectra is used to define the model's effective resolution. Various dissipation mechanisms used in NWP models are tested in WRF model simulations to examine the mechanisms' impact on a model's effective resolution. The spinup of the spectra in forecasts is also explored, along with spectra variability in the free atmosphere and in forecasts under different synoptic regimes.

Resource type

document

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

http://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d7k074tg

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Classification of spatial data and services

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geoscientificInformation

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keyword value

Text

originating controlled vocabulary

title

Resource Type

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

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End position

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2004-12-01T00:00:00Z

Frequency of update

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Conformity

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Use constraints

Copyright 2004 American Meteorological Society (AMS). Permission to use figures, tables, and brief excerpts from this work in scientific and educational works is hereby granted provided that the source is acknowledged. Any use of material in this work that is determined to be "fair use" under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act or that satisfies the conditions specified in Section 108 of the U.S. Copyright Act (17 USC §108, as revised by P.L. 94-553) does not require the AMS's permission. Republication, systematic reproduction, posting in electronic form on servers, or other uses of this material, except as exempted by the above statement, requires written permission or a license form the AMS. Additional details are provided in the AMS Copyright Policy, available on the AMS Web site located at (http://www.ametsoc.org/AMS) or from the AMS at 617-227-2425 or copyright@ametsoc.org.

Limitations on public access

None

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

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