Objectives of the Working Group
The GCSS (GEWEX
Cloud System Study) Boundary
Layer Cloud Working Group aims to improve physical parameterizations
of clouds and cloud related processes, and their interactions. We
conduct careful intercomparisons between observational or laboratory
case studies, 3D large-eddy-simulation models, single-column-model
(SCM) versions of climate and numerical weather prediction (NWP) models
of cloud-topped boundary layers. Most of the leading groups modelling
boundary layer clouds have participated in our annual workshops, held
every 12-18 months.
The BLCWG is currently chaired by Adrian Lock of the Met Office, UK.
How to join
If you would like to keep in touch with our activities, you can join our email
list. Instructions on how to do this are here. Recent
announcements
| 19th June 2008 | A summary of the current and future GCSS BL cloud working group activities, as discussed at the Pan-GCSS Meeting (see announcement below), is available from here |
| 13th May 2008 | The 4th Pan-GCSS Meeting on "Advances on Modeling and Observing Clouds and Convection" will be held 2-6 June 2008 at Meteo-France, Toulouse, France. Further information on topics and a list of confirmed key-note speakers can be found on the meeting web site . The draft programme for the Boundary Layer Cloud break-out sessions is here . |
Current GCSS BLCWG activities
-
Precipitating trade cumulus
off Antigua during RICO.
- Case coordinators: Margreet van Zanten (LES) and A. Pier Siebesma (SCM) of KNMI.
- Case specifications. Initial submissions were due 1 September 2006. A revised case specification will be released in October 2006 and new submissions are welcome.
- All presentations from GCSS/GPCI/RICO workshop at GISS, NYC, Sept. 2006, including preliminary results from RICO case and RICO observational presentations.
- As an outcome of the DYCOMS RF02 nocturnal drizzling stratocumulus intercomparison case there is a strong need for a simple case that can evaluate microphysics schemes used in GCM's in isolation as to disentangle errors due to dynamics and errors due to microphysics. The actual construction for such a case is still under debate.
- Contact Person: Ulrike Lohmann of the Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, Switzerland
Related links to current GEWEX activities
- GABLS (the GEWEX Atmospheric Boundary Layer Study), whose mission is to coordinate research on boundary layer physics to improve the representation of the atmospheric boundary layer in numerical models.
- GPCI (the GCSS Pacific Cross-Section Intercomparison), which is comparing the observed thermodynamic structure and clouds along a vertical cross-section from the California coast to the central Pacific ITCZ during July 1998 and 2003 with simulations from regional and global simulations.
- An Ad Hoc activitity called DIME has the goal to provide "test kits" for model evaluation based on the GCSS Model Intercomparison Projects, including detailed results from the participating Cloud Resolving Models. William Rossow, NASA, GISS, is the chairperson.
