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Numerical Model Sensitivity to Heterogeneous Satellite Derived Vegetation RoughnessThe sensitivity of a mesoscale weather prediction model to a 1 km satellite-based vegetation roughness initialization is investigated for a domain within the south central United States. Three different roughness databases are employed: i) a control or standard lookup table roughness that is a function only of land cover type, ii) a spatially heterogeneous roughness database, specific to the domain, that was previously derived using a physically based procedure and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imagery, and iii) a MODIS climatologic roughness database that like (i) is a function only of land cover type, but possesses domain specific mean values from (ii). The model used is the Weather Research and Forecast Model (WRF) coupled to the Community Land Model within the Land Information System (LIS). For each simulation, a statistical comparison is made between modeled results and ground observations within a domain including Oklahoma, Eastern Arkansas, and Northwest Louisiana during a 4-day period within IHOP 2002. Sensitivity analysis compares the impact the three roughness initializations on time-series temperature, precipitation probability of detection (POD), average wind speed, boundary layer height, and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE). Overall, the results indicate that, for the current investigation, replacement of the standard look-up table values with the satellite-derived values statistically improves model performance for most observed variables. Such natural roughness heterogeneity enhances the surface wind speed, PBL height and TKE production up to 10 percent, with a lesser effect over grassland, and greater effect over mixed land cover domains.
Document ID
20110011910
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Jasinski, Michael
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Eastman, Joseph
(WindLogics, Inc. Grand Rapids, MN, United States)
Borak, Jordan
(Wyle Information Systems Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
April 1, 2011
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Report/Patent Number
GSFC.JA.4322.2011
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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