Performance evaluation of land surface models and cumulus convection schemes in the simulation of Indian summer monsoon using a regional climate model

Abstract

In this study, an attempt has been made to investigate the sensitivity of land surface models (LSM) and cumulus convection schemes (CCS) using a regional climate model, RegCM Version-4.1 in simulating the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM). Numerical experiments were conducted in seasonal scale (May–September) for three consecutive years: 2007, 2008, 2009 with two LSMs (Biosphere Atmosphere Transfer Scheme (BATS), Community Land Model (CLM 3.5) and five CCSs (MIT, KUO, GRELL, GRELL over land and MIT over ocean (GL_MO), GRELL over ocean and MIT over land (GO_ML)). Important synoptic features are validated using various reanalysis datasets and satellite derived products from TRMM and CRU data. Seasonally averaged surface temperature is reasonably well simulated by the model using both the LSMs along with CCSs namely, MIT, GO_ML and GL_MO schemes. Model simulations reveal slight warm bias using these schemes whereas significant cold bias is seen with KUO and GRELL schemes during all three years. It is noticed that the simulated Somali Jet (SJ) is weak in all simulations except MIT scheme in the simulations with (both BATS and CLM) in which the strength of SJ reasonably well captured. Although the model is able to simulate the Tropical Easterly Jet (TEJ) and Sub-Tropical Westerly Jet (STWJ) with all the CCSs in terms of their location and strength, the performance of MIT scheme seems to be better than the rest of the CCSs. Seasonal rainfall is not well simulated by the model. Significant underestimation of Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall (ISMR) is observed over Central and North West India. Spatial distribution of seasonal ISMR is comparatively better simulated by the model with MIT followed by GO_ML scheme in combination with CLM although it overestimates rainfall over heavy precipitation zones. On overall statistical analysis, it is noticed that RegCM4 shows better skill in simulating ISM with MIT scheme using CLM.