The Kain–Fritsch Convective Parameterization: An Update

doi:10.1175/1520-0450(2004)043<0170:TKCPAU>2.0.CO;2

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The Kain–Fritsch Convective Parameterization: An Update

Journal Article•DOI•

The Kain–Fritsch Convective Parameterization: An Update

John S. Kain¹•Institutions (1)

Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies¹

01 Jan 2004-Journal of Applied Meteorology (American Meteorological Society)-Vol. 43, Iss: 1, pp 170-181

TL;DR: Modifications to the Kain‐Fritsch convective parameterization evolved from an effort to produce desired effects in numerical weather prediction while also rendering the scheme more faithful to observations and cloud-resolving modeling studies.

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Abstract: Numerous modifications to the Kain‐Fritsch convective parameterization have been implemented over the last decade. These modifications are described, and the motivating factors for the changes are discussed. Most changes were inspired by feedback from users of the scheme (primarily numerical modelers) and interpreters of the model output (mainly operational forecasters). The specific formulation of the modifications evolved from an effort to produce desired effects in numerical weather prediction while also rendering the scheme more faithful to observations and cloud-resolving modeling studies.

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DOI•

A Description of the Advanced Research WRF Version 3

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C. Skamarock, B. Klemp, Jimy Dudhia, O. Gill, Dale Barker, G. Duda, Xiang-Yu Huang, Wei Wang, G. Powers - Show less +5 more

01 Jan 2008

TL;DR: The Technical Note series provides an outlet for a variety of NCAR manuscripts that contribute in specialized ways to the body of scientific knowledge but which are not suitable for journal, monograph, or book publication.

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Abstract: The Technical Note series provides an outlet for a variety of NCAR manuscripts that contribute in specialized ways to the body of scientific knowledge but which are not suitable for journal, monograph, or book publication. Reports in this series are issued by the NCAR Scientific Divisions ; copies may be obtained on request from the Publications Office of NCAR. Designation symbols for the series include: Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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9,022 citations

Cites methods from "The Kain–Fritsch Convective Paramet..."

...The modified version of the Kain-Fritsch scheme (Kain, 2004) is based on Kain and Fritsch (1990) and Kain and Fritsch (1993), but has been modified based on testing within the Eta model....
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Journal Article•DOI•

Reactive nitrogen chemistry in aerosol water as a source of sulfate during haze events in China

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Yafang Cheng¹, Guangjie Zheng¹, Guangjie Zheng², Chao Wei¹, Qing Mu¹, Bo Zheng², Zhibin Wang¹, Meng Gao³, Qiang Zhang², Kebin He², Gregory R. Carmichael³, Ulrich Pöschl¹, Hang Su⁴ - Show less +9 more•Institutions (4)

Max Planck Society¹, Tsinghua University², University of Iowa³, Jinan University⁴

01 Dec 2016-Science Advances

TL;DR: In this paper, the missing source of sulfate and particulate matter can be explained by reactive nitrogen chemistry in aerosol water, where the alkaline aerosol components trap SO 2, which is oxidized by NO 2 to form sulfate, whereby high reaction rates are sustained by the high neutralizing capacity of the atmosphere.

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Abstract: Fine-particle pollution associated with winter haze threatens the health of more than 400 million people in the North China Plain. Sulfate is a major component of fine haze particles. Record sulfate concentrations of up to ~300 μg m −3 were observed during the January 2013 winter haze event in Beijing. State-of-the-art air quality models that rely on sulfate production mechanisms requiring photochemical oxidants cannot predict these high levels because of the weak photochemistry activity during haze events. We find that the missing source of sulfate and particulate matter can be explained by reactive nitrogen chemistry in aerosol water. The aerosol water serves as a reactor, where the alkaline aerosol components trap SO 2 , which is oxidized by NO 2 to form sulfate, whereby high reaction rates are sustained by the high neutralizing capacity of the atmosphere in northern China. This mechanism is self-amplifying because higher aerosol mass concentration corresponds to higher aerosol water content, leading to faster sulfate production and more severe haze pollution.

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821 citations

Journal Article•DOI•

Regional climate modeling on European scales: a joint standard evaluation of the EURO-CORDEX RCM ensemble

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Sven Kotlarski¹, Klaus Keuler², Ole Bøssing Christensen³, Augustin Colette, Michel Déqué⁴, Andreas Gobiet⁵, Klaus Goergen⁶, Daniela Jacob⁷, Daniel Lüthi¹, E. van Meijgaard⁸, Grigory Nikulin⁹, Christoph Schär¹, Claas Teichmann⁷, Robert Vautard⁴, Kirsten Warrach-Sagi¹⁰, Volker Wulfmeyer¹⁰ - Show less +12 more•Institutions (10)

ETH Zurich¹, Brandenburg University of Technology², Danish Meteorological Institute³, Centre national de la recherche scientifique⁴, University of Graz⁵, University of Bonn⁶, Max Planck Society⁷, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute⁸, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute⁹, University of Hohenheim¹⁰

10 Jul 2014-Geoscientific Model Development

TL;DR: In this article, an evaluation of the ERA-Interim-driven EURO-CORDEX regional climate model (RCM) ensemble is presented, focusing on near-surface air temperature and precipitation, and using the E-OBS data set as observational reference.

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Abstract: . EURO-CORDEX is an international climate downscaling initiative that aims to provide high-resolution climate scenarios for Europe. Here an evaluation of the ERA-Interim-driven EURO-CORDEX regional climate model (RCM) ensemble is presented. The study documents the performance of the individual models in representing the basic spatiotemporal patterns of the European climate for the period 1989–2008. Model evaluation focuses on near-surface air temperature and precipitation, and uses the E-OBS data set as observational reference. The ensemble consists of 17 simulations carried out by seven different models at grid resolutions of 12 km (nine experiments) and 50 km (eight experiments). Several performance metrics computed from monthly and seasonal mean values are used to assess model performance over eight subdomains of the European continent. Results are compared to those for the ERA40-driven ENSEMBLES simulations. The analysis confirms the ability of RCMs to capture the basic features of the European climate, including its variability in space and time. But it also identifies nonnegligible deficiencies of the simulations for selected metrics, regions and seasons. Seasonally and regionally averaged temperature biases are mostly smaller than 1.5 °C, while precipitation biases are typically located in the ±40% range. Some bias characteristics, such as a predominant cold and wet bias in most seasons and over most parts of Europe and a warm and dry summer bias over southern and southeastern Europe reflect common model biases. For seasonal mean quantities averaged over large European subdomains, no clear benefit of an increased spatial resolution (12 vs. 50 km) can be identified. The bias ranges of the EURO-CORDEX ensemble mostly correspond to those of the ENSEMBLES simulations, but some improvements in model performance can be identified (e.g., a less pronounced southern European warm summer bias). The temperature bias spread across different configurations of one individual model can be of a similar magnitude as the spread across different models, demonstrating a strong influence of the specific choices in physical parameterizations and experimental setup on model performance. Based on a number of simply reproducible metrics, the present study quantifies the currently achievable accuracy of RCMs used for regional climate simulations over Europe and provides a quality standard for future model developments.

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778 citations

DOI•

A Description of the Advanced Research WRF Model Version 4

[...]

C. Skamarock, B. Klemp, Jimy Dudhia, O. Gill, Zhiquan Liu, Judith Berner, Wei Wang, G. Powers, G. Duda, Dale Barker, Xiang-Yu Huang - Show less +7 more

01 Jan 2019

639 citations

Cites methods from "The Kain–Fritsch Convective Paramet..."

...1 Kain-Fritsch schemes Modified Kain-Fritsch Scheme The modified version of the Kain-Fritsch scheme (Kain, 2004) is based on Kain and Fritsch (1990) and Kain and Fritsch (1993), but has been modified based on testing within the Eta model....
[...]

Journal Article•DOI•

The Rossby Centre Regional Climate model RCA3: model description and performance

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Patrick Samuelsson, Colin Jones, Ulrika Willén, Anders Ullerstig, Stefan Gollvik, Ulf Hansson, Christer Jansson, Erik Kjellström, Grigory Nikulin, Klaus Wyser - Show less +6 more

01 Jan 2011-Tellus A

TL;DR: The Rossby Centre Regional Climate Model (RCA3) as mentioned in this paper is the most recent version of the RCA3 model and is based on a tiled land-surface scheme.

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Abstract: This paper describes the third full release of the Rossby Centre Regional Climate model (RCA3), with an emphasis on changes compared to earlier versions, in particular the introduction of a new tiled land-surface scheme. The model performance over Europe when driven at the boundaries by ERA40 reanalysis is discussed and systematic biases identified. This discussion is performed for key near-surface variables, such as temperature, precipitation, wind speed and snow amounts at both seasonal and daily timescales. An analysis of simulated clouds and surface turbulent and radiation fluxes is also made, to understand the causes of the identified biases. RCA3 shows equally good, or better, correspondence to observations than previous model versions at both analysed timescales. The primary model bias relates to an underestimate of the diurnal surface temperature range over Northern Europe, which maximizes in summer. This error is mainly linked to an overestimate of soil heat flux. It is shown that the introduction of an organic soil component reduces the error significantly. During the summer season, precipitation and surface evaporation are both overestimated over Northern Europe, whereas for most other regions and seasons precipitation and surface turbulent fluxes are well simulated.

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626 citations

Cites methods from "The Kain–Fritsch Convective Paramet..."

...Convective processes are described with an entraining and detraining plume model using the approach of Kain and Fritsch (1990, 1993) and Kain (2004)....
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References

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Open Access

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Journal Article•DOI•

A Comprehensive Mass Flux Scheme for Cumulus Parameterization in Large-Scale Models

[...]

M. Tiedtke¹•Institutions (1)

European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts¹

01 Aug 1989-Monthly Weather Review

TL;DR: In this paper, a simple spectral cloud ensemble was proposed to provide realistic values of the thermal forcing by convection under various synoptic conditions, such as tropical penetrative convection, tradewind cumuli, and extratropical organized convection.

...read moreread less

Abstract: Observational studies indicate that a mass flux approach may provide a realistic framework for cumulus parameterization in large-scale models, but this approach, through the introduction of a spectral cloud ensemble, leads normally to rather complex schemes. In this paper the question is addressed whether much simpler schemes can already provide realistic values of the thermal forcing by convection under various synoptic conditions. This is done through verifying such a scheme first on data from field experiments for periods of tropical penetrative convection (GATE, Marshall Islands), tradewind cumuli (ATEX, BOMEX) and extratropical organized convection (SESAME-79) and then in a NWP model. The scheme considers a population of clouds where the cloud ensemble is described by a one-dimensional bulk model as earlier applied by Yanai et al. in a diagnostic study of tropical convection. Cumulus scale downdrafts are included. Various types of convection are represented, i.e., penetrative convection in c...

...read moreread less

3,296 citations

"The Kain–Fritsch Convective Paramet..." refers background in this paper

...A number of convective parameterization schemes (CPSs) have been developed over the years (e.g., Manabe et al. 1965; Ooyama 1971; Kuo 1974; Arakawa and Schubert 1974; Fritsch and Chappell 1980; Bougeault 1985; Betts 1986; Frank and Cohen 1987; Tiedtke 1989; Gregory and Rowntree 1990; Emanuel 1991; Grell 1993), and many of these schemes continue to be used and modified (e....
[...]
...…Manabe et al. 1965; Ooyama 1971; Kuo 1974; Arakawa and Schubert 1974; Fritsch and Chappell 1980; Bougeault 1985; Betts 1986; Frank and Cohen 1987; Tiedtke 1989; Gregory and Rowntree 1990; Emanuel 1991; Grell 1993), and many of these schemes continue to be used and modified (e.g., Janjić 1994;…...
[...]
...A number of convective parameterization schemes (CPSs) have been developed over the years (e.g., Manabe et al. 1965; Ooyama 1971; Kuo 1974; Arakawa and Schubert 1974; Fritsch and Chappell 1980; Bougeault 1985; Betts 1986; Frank and Cohen 1987; Tiedtke 1989; Gregory and Rowntree 1990; Emanuel 1991; Grell 1993), and many of these schemes continue to be used and modified (e.g., Janjić 1994; Cheng and Arakawa 1997; Emanuel and Zivkovic-Rothman 1999; Gregory et al. 2000; Grell and Devenyi 2002)....
[...]
...As a consequence, the performance of mass flux CPSs is very sensitive to parameters that control the ratio of these mass fluxes in the lower troposphere (Tiedtke 1989)....
[...]
...Once these properties are known, one can specify either (a) the downdraft mass flux value at some level (e.g., Tiedtke 1989; Frank and Cohen 1987) or (b) the amount of condensate available for evaporation in the downdrafts (e.g., Fritsch and Chappell 1980; Grell 1993) and then solve for the other....
[...]

Journal Article•DOI•

The Step-Mountain Eta Coordinate Model: Further Developments of the Convection, Viscous Sublayer, and Turbulence Closure Schemes

[...]

Zavisa Janjic¹•Institutions (1)

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research¹

01 May 1994-Monthly Weather Review

TL;DR: In this article, a major revision of the Betts and Miller convection scheme was made, a new marine viscous sublayer scheme was designed, and the Mellor-Yamada planetary boundary layer (PBL) formulation was retuned.

...read moreread less

Abstract: The step-mountain eta model has shown a surprising skill in forecasting severe storms. Much of the credit for this should be given to the Betts and Miller (hereafter referred to as BM) convection scheme and the Mellor-Yamada (hereafter referred to as MY) planetary boundary layer (PBL) formulation. However, the eta model was occasionally producing heavy spurious precipitation over warm water, as well as widely spread light precipitation over oceans. In addition, the convective forcing, particularly the shallow one, could lead to negative entropy changes. As the possible causes of the problems, the convection scheme, the processes at the air-water interface, and the MY level 2 and level 2.5 PBL schemes were reexamined. A major revision of the BM scheme was made, a new marine viscous sublayer scheme was designed, and the MY schemes were retuned. The deep convective regimes are postulated to be characterized by a parameter called “cloud efficiency.” The relaxation time is extended for low cloud effic...

...read moreread less

2,836 citations

"The Kain–Fritsch Convective Paramet..." refers background or methods in this paper

...A number of convective parameterization schemes (CPSs) have been developed over the years (e.g., Manabe et al. 1965; Ooyama 1971; Kuo 1974; Arakawa and Schubert 1974; Fritsch and Chappell 1980; Bougeault 1985; Betts 1986; Frank and Cohen 1987; Tiedtke 1989; Gregory and Rowntree 1990; Emanuel 1991; Grell 1993), and many of these schemes continue to be used and modified (e.g., Janjić 1994; Cheng and Arakawa 1997; Emanuel and Zivkovic-Rothman 1999; Gregory et al. 2000; Grell and Devenyi 2002)....
[...]
...As a consequence, the performance of mass flux CPSs is very sensitive to parameters that control the ratio of these mass fluxes in the lower troposphere (Tiedtke 1989)....
[...]
...Indeed, the impact of large-scale destabilizing processes is included (either directly or indirectly) in the trigger functions of most other CPSs (e.g., Arakawa and Schubert 1974; Anthes 1977; Bougeault 1985; Tiedtke 1989; Grell 1993; Janjić 1994)....
[...]
...In the modified KF scheme, shallow convection is activated when all of the criteria for deep convection are satisfied except that the cloud model yields an updraft more shallow than the minimum cloud depth, similar to the convective schemes in the NCEP Eta Model (Janjić 1994; Baldwin et al. 2002) and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Integrated Forecast System (Gregory et al. 2000)....
[...]
...…satisfied except that the cloud model yields an updraft more shallow than the minimum cloud depth, similar to the convective schemes in the NCEP Eta Model (Janjić 1994; Baldwin et al. 2002) and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Integrated Forecast System (Gregory et al. 2000)....
[...]

Journal Article•DOI•

Interaction of a Cumulus Cloud Ensemble with the Large-Scale Environment, Part I

[...]

Akio Arakawa¹, Wayne H. Schubert¹•Institutions (1)

University of California, Los Angeles¹

01 Apr 1974-Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences

TL;DR: In this paper, large-scale modification of the environment by cumulus clouds is discussed in terms of entrainment, detraining, evaporation, and subsidence, and budget equations for mass, static energy, water vapor, and liquid water are considered.

...read moreread less

Abstract: Large-scale modification of the environment by cumulus clouds is discussed in terms of entrainment, detrainment, evaporation, and subsidence. Drying, warming, and condensation by vertical displacement of air are considered as well as budget equations for mass, static energy, water vapor, and liquid water.

...read moreread less

2,449 citations

"The Kain–Fritsch Convective Paramet..." refers background or result in this paper

...Indeed, the impact of large-scale destabilizing processes is included (either directly or indirectly) in the trigger functions of most other CPSs (e.g., Arakawa and Schubert 1974; Anthes 1977; Bougeault 1985; Tiedtke 1989; Grell 1993; Janjić 1994)....
[...]
...This point of view is consistent with its use in one of the earliest and most enduring convective parameterizations, the Arakawa and Schubert (1974) scheme....
[...]
...…of convective parameterization schemes (CPSs) have been developed over the years (e.g., Manabe et al. 1965; Ooyama 1971; Kuo 1974; Arakawa and Schubert 1974; Fritsch and Chappell 1980; Bougeault 1985; Betts 1986; Frank and Cohen 1987; Tiedtke 1989; Gregory and Rowntree 1990; Emanuel 1991;…...
[...]

Journal Article•DOI•

A One-Dimensional Entraining/Detraining Plume Model and Its Application in Convective Parameterization

[...]

John S. Kain¹, J. Michael Fritsch¹•Institutions (1)

Pennsylvania State University¹

01 Dec 1990-Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences

TL;DR: In this article, a new one-dimensional cloud model is proposed for mesoscale convective parameterization schemes (CPSs), which is unique in its representation of environmental entrainment and updraft detrainment rates.

...read moreread less

Abstract: A new one-dimensional cloud model, specifically designed for application in mesoscale convective parameterization schemes (CPSs), is introduced. The model is unique in its representation of environmental entrainment and updraft detrainment rates. In particular, the two-way exchange of mass between clouds and their environment is modulated at each vertical level by a buoyancy sorting mechanism at the interface of clear and cloudy air. The new entrainment/detrainment scheme allows vertical profiles of both updraft moisture detrainment and updraft vertical mass flux to vary in a physically realistic way as a function of the cloud-scale environment. These performance characteristics allow the parameterized vertical distribution of convective heating and drying to be much more responsive to environmental conditions than is possible with a traditional one-dimensional entraining plume model. The sensitivities of the new model to variations in environmental convective available potential energy and verti...

...read moreread less

1,999 citations

"The Kain–Fritsch Convective Paramet..." refers methods in this paper

...One such parameterization is the Kain– Fritsch (KF) scheme (Kain and Fritsch 1990, 1993, hereinafter KF90, KF93, respectively), which has been used successfully for many years in the Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model (Wang and Seaman 1997; Kuo et…...
[...]

Journal Article•DOI•

Prognostic evaluation of assumptions used by cumulus parameterizations

[...]

Georg Grell¹•Institutions (1)

National Center for Atmospheric Research¹

01 Mar 1993-Monthly Weather Review

TL;DR: Using a spectral-type cumulus parameterization that includes moist downdrafts within a three-dimensional mesoscale model, various disparate closure assumptions are systematically tested within the generalized framework of dynamic control, static control, and feedback as discussed by the authors.

...read moreread less

Abstract: Using a spectral-type cumulus parameterization that includes moist downdrafts within a three-dimensional mesoscale model, various disparate closure assumptions are systematically tested within the generalized framework of dynamic control, static control, and feedback. Only one assumption at a time is changed and tested using a midlatitude environment of severe convection. A control run is presented, which shows good agreement with observations in many aspects. Results of the sensitivity tests are compared to observations in terms of sea level pressure, rainfall patterns, and domain-averaged bias errors (compared to the control run) of various properties. The dynamic control is the part that determines the modulation of the convection by the environment. It is shown that rate of destabilization, as well as instantaneous stability, work well for the dynamic control. Integrated moisture convergence leads to underprediction of rainfall rates and subsequent degrading of the results in terms of movemen...

...read moreread less

1,818 citations

"The Kain–Fritsch Convective Paramet..." refers background in this paper

...A number of convective parameterization schemes (CPSs) have been developed over the years (e.g., Manabe et al. 1965; Ooyama 1971; Kuo 1974; Arakawa and Schubert 1974; Fritsch and Chappell 1980; Bougeault 1985; Betts 1986; Frank and Cohen 1987; Tiedtke 1989; Gregory and Rowntree 1990; Emanuel 1991; Grell 1993), and many of these schemes continue to be used and modified (e....
[...]
...A number of convective parameterization schemes (CPSs) have been developed over the years (e.g., Manabe et al. 1965; Ooyama 1971; Kuo 1974; Arakawa and Schubert 1974; Fritsch and Chappell 1980; Bougeault 1985; Betts 1986; Frank and Cohen 1987; Tiedtke 1989; Gregory and Rowntree 1990; Emanuel 1991; Grell 1993), and many of these schemes continue to be used and modified (e.g., Janjić 1994; Cheng and Arakawa 1997; Emanuel and Zivkovic-Rothman 1999; Gregory et al. 2000; Grell and Devenyi 2002)....
[...]
..., Tiedtke 1989; Frank and Cohen 1987) or (b) the amount of condensate available for evaporation in the downdrafts (e.g., Fritsch and Chappell 1980; Grell 1993) and then solve for the other....
[...]
...As a consequence, the performance of mass flux CPSs is very sensitive to parameters that control the ratio of these mass fluxes in the lower troposphere (Tiedtke 1989)....
[...]
...Once these properties are known, one can specify either (a) the downdraft mass flux value at some level (e.g., Tiedtke 1989; Frank and Cohen 1987) or (b) the amount of condensate available for evaporation in the downdrafts (e.g., Fritsch and Chappell 1980; Grell 1993) and then solve for the other....
[...]