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Evaluation of the mass‐flux approach to parametrizing deep convection
Author(s) -
Swann Hugh
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
quarterly journal of the royal meteorological society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.744
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1477-870X
pISSN - 0035-9009
DOI - 10.1002/qj.49712757406
Subject(s) - mass flux , entrainment (biomusicology) , parametrization (atmospheric modeling) , convection , flux (metallurgy) , environmental science , deep convection , mechanics , atmospheric sciences , plume , meteorology , materials science , physics , quantum mechanics , rhythm , acoustics , metallurgy , radiative transfer
Cloud‐resolving model (CRM) simulations of deep convection in a variety of environmental conditions are used to analyse assumptions in bulk‐updraught convection parametrization schemes, which are commonly employed in climate and weather‐prediction models. It is shown that the mass‐flux approach can faithfully represent the effect of convection on the large‐scale fields, provided that the mass flux and other bulk properties of the updraughts (and downdraughts) are accurately predicted. Entrainment and detrainment (which govern the shape of the mass‐flux profile and the dilution of the bulk updraught with environment air) are calculated from CRM simulations. Limitations in the basic premiss of the classical entraining/detraining plume model are revealed and an alternative method of predicting bulk‐updraught temperature is suggested.