Phillips Laboratory Global Spectral Numerical Weather Prediction Model

Abstract

This report documents the ten-year (1981-91) development of the Phillips Laboratory Global Spectral Model (PL GSM). Beginning with the National Meteorological Center Model of 1980, the hydrodynamics of the model were recoded and new physical parameterizations were developed for radiation, planetary boundary layer, cumulus convection, and gravity wave drag effects on the large- scale forecast fields. A sequence of tests and parameterization refinements were carried out to arrive ultimately at the current version of the PL GSM, termed PL-91. The report describes its performance with respect to that of the operational AFGWC GSM in a series of six January and June forecasts. The PL-91 version appears to produce better forecasts of virtually all parameters, producing small systematic errors and slower error growth. The model is envisioned to serve as a research tool to develop techniques for global cloud forecasting.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 11, 1992
Accession Number
ADA267293

Entities

People

  • Chien-hsiung Yang
  • Donald C. Norquist
  • Douglas C. Hahn
  • Sam Chang

Organizations

  • Phillips Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Human Systems
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Boundaries
  • Boundary Layer
  • Climate Change
  • Geography
  • Gravity
  • Gravity Waves
  • Grids
  • Heat Energy
  • High Latitudes
  • North America
  • Physics
  • Pressure Distribution
  • Ridges
  • Terrain
  • Topography
  • United States
  • Weather Forecasting

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Atmospheric Remote Sensing.
  • Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Modeling, Data Assimilation, and Flux Boundary Layers
  • Systems Analysis and Design