A Unified View of Convective Transports by Stratocumulus Clouds, Shallow Cumulus Clouds, and Deep Convection

Abstract

A bulk PBL model is developed with a simple internal vertical structure and a simple second-order closure, designed for use as a PBL parameterization in a large-scale model. The model allows the mean fields to vary with height within the PBL, and so must address the vertical profiles of the turbulent fluxes, going beyond the usual mixed-layer assumption that the fluxes of conservative variables are linear with height. This is accomplished using the same convective mass flux approach that has also used in cumulus parameterizations. The purpose of this brief paper is to show that such a mass flux model can include, in a single framework, the compensating subsidence concept, downgradient mixing, and well mixed layers.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 1989
Accession Number
ADA245706

Entities

People

  • David A. Randall

Organizations

  • Colorado State University

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Advection
  • Atmospheric Sciences
  • Clouds
  • Convection
  • Cumulus Clouds
  • Diffusion
  • Diffusion Coefficient
  • Dissipation
  • Equations
  • Mass
  • Mass Flow
  • Military Research
  • Models
  • Scale Models
  • Transport Ships

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Modeling, Data Assimilation, and Flux Boundary Layers