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Sensitivity analysis of different parameterization schemes using RegCM4.3 for the Carpathian region

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Abstract

In order to quantify the impact of the use of different parameterization schemes on regional climate model outputs, hindcast experiments have been completed applying the Regional Climate Model version 4.3 (RegCM4.3) for the Carpathian region and its surroundings at 10-km horizontal resolution with three different cumulus convection schemes. Besides, the sensitivity of outputs for subgrid-scale processes is also studied by activating the subgrid Biosphere-Atmosphere Transfer Scheme (BATS) model within other RegCM experiments. Among the analyzed factors, RegCM is most sensitive to the applied convection scheme. The impact of closure assumption related to the used convective parameterization is secondary, while the use of subgridding has less influence on the outputs. RegCM4.3 results show improved performance over our previous model simulations but still have larger amplitude for annual precipitation cycle than the measurement-based reference data. Our validation results for temperature and precipitation suggest that for the selected region, the overall best performance is achieved when using the mixed Grell-Emanuel scheme together with Fritsch and Chappell closure.

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Notes

  1. National Center for Atmospheric Research

  2. International Centre for Theoretical Physics

  3. Community Climate Model 3

  4. Biosphere-Atmosphere Transfer Scheme

  5. https://lta.cr.usgs.gov/GTOPO30

  6. https://lta.cr.usgs.gov/glcc/globdoc2_0

  7. European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis

  8. European Space Agency Climate Change Initiative Soil Moisture, http://www.esa-soilmoisture-cci.org

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Acknowledgments

Research leading to this paper has been supported by the following sources: the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund under grant K-83909, the AGRÁRKLIMA2 project (VKSZ_12-1-2013-0034), and the EEA Grant HU04 Adaptation to Climate Change Program (EEA-C13-10). Validation data is provided from CARPATCLIM Database, which has been compiled with the support of the European Commission in JRC in 2013.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Meteorology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. s. 1/A, Budapest, H-1117, Hungary

    Ildikó Pieczka, Rita Pongrácz, Karolina Szabóné André, Fanni Dóra Kelemen & Judit Bartholy

  2. Institute for Geophysics and Meteorology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany

    Fanni Dóra Kelemen

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  1. Ildikó Pieczka
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Correspondence to Ildikó Pieczka.

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Pieczka, I., Pongrácz, R., Szabóné André, K. et al. Sensitivity analysis of different parameterization schemes using RegCM4.3 for the Carpathian region. Theor Appl Climatol 130, 1175–1188 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-016-1941-4

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