Different microphysics parameterizations of hydrometeor pathways in WRF simulation: A case of two high rainfall events in Nigeria

IF 1.8 4区地球科学 Q3 GEOCHEMISTRY & GEOPHYSICS

Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics Pub Date : 2025-02-06 DOI:10.1016/j.jastp.2025.106455

Anselem Onyejuruwa , Zhenghua Hu , Abu Reza Md Towfiqul Islam , Eniola Olaniyan , Kyaw Than Oo

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

This study evaluates the role and performance of microphysical processes and parameterizations in simulating two distinct rainfall events over Nigeria. Four microphysics (MP) schemes in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model—Goddard, Morrison, Thompson, and WDM6—were utilized. The analysis focused on mean rainfall rates, hydrometeor pathways, and spatial rainfall accumulation amounts and patterns.

Results indicate that while most MP schemes underestimated the mean rainfall rate, they reasonably captured the spatial distributions in both events. Based on statistical metrics of 24-h accumulated rainfall, the Goddard scheme produced the lowest mean absolute bias (MAB) and the highest rainfall detection ability (POD and TS) for the June rainfall event. For the February event, the Morrison scheme exhibited the least absolute bias and achieved high POD and TS values. The differences in rainfall production among the MP schemes were primarily attributed to variations in the growth rates of rainwater hydrometeors within the hydrometeor pathways (HPs), while rainfall duration was influenced by consistent collision and coalescence of cloud droplets. Excessive cloud water production also contributed to delays in rainwater formation, leading to reduced simulated rainfall. Additionally, the rapid melting of large graupel mass significantly affected the performance of different schemes in simulating rainfall. Furthermore, variations in low to mid-tropospheric vertical velocity and surface parameters (such as temperature and specific humidity) were shown to significantly control microphysical processes and, consequently, impact rainfall production.

Overall, the analysis suggests that more sophisticated MP schemes do not necessarily provide better simulations of precipitable hydrometeor pathways.

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来源期刊

Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics 地学-地球化学与地球物理

CiteScore

4.10

自引率

5.30%

发文量

审稿时长

6 months

期刊介绍： The Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics (JASTP) is an international journal concerned with the inter-disciplinary science of the Earth''s atmospheric and space environment, especially the highly varied and highly variable physical phenomena that occur in this natural laboratory and the processes that couple them. The journal covers the physical processes operating in the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, ionosphere, magnetosphere, the Sun, interplanetary medium, and heliosphere. Phenomena occurring in other "spheres", solar influences on climate, and supporting laboratory measurements are also considered. The journal deals especially with the coupling between the different regions. Solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and other energetic events on the Sun create interesting and important perturbations in the near-Earth space environment. The physics of such "space weather" is central to the Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics and the journal welcomes papers that lead in the direction of a predictive understanding of the coupled system. Regarding the upper atmosphere, the subjects of aeronomy, geomagnetism and geoelectricity, auroral phenomena, radio wave propagation, and plasma instabilities, are examples within the broad field of solar-terrestrial physics which emphasise the energy exchange between the solar wind, the magnetospheric and ionospheric plasmas, and the neutral gas. In the lower atmosphere, topics covered range from mesoscale to global scale dynamics, to atmospheric electricity, lightning and its effects, and to anthropogenic changes.