The impact of a boundary layer height formulation on the GEOS-5 model climate

Abstract

Planetary boundary layer (PBL) processes are important for the estimation of surface-atmosphere exchanges that impact global climate. One way of characterizing the strength of these processes is the PBL depth. In the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS-5) atmospheric general circulation model, the PBL depth is also used in calculating the turbulent length scale, which, in turn, is used in estimating the turbulence and vertical mixing within the model. Therefore, changing the PBL depth definition directly affects the model climate. This study evaluates the climatological model response of two long-term simulations using different PBL depth definitions. The first definition is based on a bulk Richardson number; the second uses a combination of the same bulk Richardson number definition over land plus a definition based on the turbulent eddy diffusion coefficient over water. The two simulations produce different spatiotemporal patterns of temperature, specific humidity, and wind speed related to the differences in turbulence. The largest differences, as expected, are present over water. Due to differences in atmospheric stability, the relationship between the two PBL depth estimates differ among the majority of the oceans and off the west coasts of continents, affecting the climatic response. Due to its optimization of the climatic response while maintaining a realistic diurnal cycle of PBL depth, the mixed PBL depth configuration is preferred.