Convective organization in the super-parameterized community atmosphere model with constant surface temperature

Abstract:

Organization in a moist convecting atmosphere is investigated using the super-parameterized community atmosphere model (SPCAM) in aquaplanet setting with constant surface temperature, with and without planetary rotation. Without radiative and surface feedbacks, convective organization is dominated by convectively coupled gravity waves without planetary rotation and convectively coupled equatorial waves when there is planetary rotation. This behavior is well captured when the cloud resolving model (CRM) in SPCAM is replaced by its linear response function, computed following Kuang (2010), for the state of radiative convective equilibrium (RCE). With radiative feedback, however, convection self-aggregates, and with planetary rotation, the tropical zonal wavenumber-frequency spectrum features a red noise background. These behaviors in the presence of the radiative feedback are not captured when the CRM is replaced by its linear response function around the RCE state with radiative feedback included in the construction. Implications to organization in a moist convecting atmosphere will be discussed.

Kuang, Z., Linear response functions of a cumulus ensemble to temperature and moisture perturbations and implication to the dynamics of convectively coupled waves, J. Atmos. Sci., 67, 941-962, (2010)