Spectral (Bin) Microphysics Coupled with a Mesoscale Model (MM5). Part I: Model Description and First Results

Abstract

Abstract Considerable research investments have been made to improve the accuracy of forecasting precipitation systems in cloud-resolving, mesoscale atmospheric models. Yet, despite a significant improvement in model grid resolution and a decrease in initial condition uncertainty, the accurate prediction of precipitation amount and distribution still remains a difficult problem. Now, the development of a fast version of spectral (bin) microphysics (SBM Fast) offers significant potential for improving the description of precipitation-forming processes in mesoscale atmospheric models. The SBM Fast is based on solving a system of equations for size distribution functions for water drops and three types of ice crystals (plates, columns, and dendrites), as well as snowflakes, graupel, and hail/frozen drops. Ice processes are represented by three size distributions, instead of six in the original SBM code. The SBM uses first principles to simulate microphysical processes such as diffusional growth and collision. A budget for aerosols is used to obtain the spectrum of condensation nuclei, which is used to obtain the initial drop spectrum. Hence, SBM allows one to take into account aerosol effects on precipitation, and corresponding cloud effects on the atmospheric aerosol concentration and distribution. SBM Fast has been coupled with the three-dimensional fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–NCAR Mesoscale Model (MM5), which allows SBM Fast to simulate microphysics within a realistic, time-varying mesoscale environment. This paper describes the first three-dimensional SBM mesoscale model and presents results using 1-km resolution to simulate initial development of a cloud system over Florida on 27 July 1991. The focus is on initial cloud development along the west coast, just prior to sea-breeze formation. The results indicate that the aerosol concentration had a very important impact on cloud dynamics, microphysics, and rainfall. Vertical cross sections of clouds obtained using SBM Fast are compared to those from a version of the “Reisner2” bulk-parameterization scheme that uses the Kessler autoconversion formula. The results show that this version of “Reisner2” produced vertically upright clouds that progressed very quickly from initial cloud formation to raindrop formation. In contrast, clouds obtained using SBM were relatively long lasting with greater production of stratiform clouds.