Superparameterized CAM (SPCAM) 

SPCAM implements a 2D cloud resolving model (the System for Atmospheric Modeling SAM, Version 6.8.2) in CAM5.2 to replace its conventional parameterization for moist convection and large-scale condensation. Two different sets are provided. SAM1MOM use one moment SAM microphysics, and is based on Khairoutdinov and Randall (2001). M2005 uses two moment microphysics from Morrison et al 2005, and its implementation is based on Wang et al. (2011a; 2011b). In M2005, Explicit-Cloud-Parameterized-Pollutant (ECPP) approach is used to treat cloud processing of aerosols with statistics of cloud properties resolved by the cloud resolving model (Gustafson et al., 2008).

     Gustafson, W. I., L. K. Berg, R. C. Easter, and S. J. Ghan (2008), The Explicit-Cloud Parameterized-Pollutant hybrid approach for aerosol-cloud interactions in multiscale modeling framework models: tracer transport results, Environ Res Lett, 3(2), 025005.

     Khairoutdinov, M. F., and D. A. Randall (2001), A cloud resolving model as a cloud parameterization in the NCAR Community Climate System Model: Preliminary results, Geophys Res Lett, 28(18), 3617-3620.

     Wang, M., et al. (2011a), The multi-scale aerosol-climate model PNNL-MMF: model description and evaluation, Geosci. Model Dev., 4(1), 137--168, doi:10.5194/gmd-4-137-2011.

     Wang, M., S. Ghan, M. Ovchinnikov, X. Liu, R. Easter, E. Kassianov, Y. Qian, and H. Morrison (2011b), Aerosol indirect effects in a multi-scale aerosol-climate model PNNL-MMF, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11(11), 5431-5455.

     Morrison, H., Curry, J. A., & Khvorostyanov, V. I. (2005). A new double-moment microphysics parameterization for application in cloud and climate models. Part I: Description. Journal of the atmospheric sciences, 62(6), 1665-1677.

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VERSION on CAM trunk as of cam5_4_76

One compset:

New configure parameters:

 
 

Notes:


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VERSION: https://svn-ccsm-release.cgd.ucar.edu/model_development_releases/spcam2_0-cesm1_1_1 

Two compsets:

(dust_emis_fact = 0.50 in this compset, as the default 4.2 produces too little dust)

New configure parameters:

NOTES:

Bug -  description and fix

GCM and radiation time step mismatch

Description: In SPCAM, radiative transfer is calculated at every GCM time step (typically 600 seconds). This is achieved by setting dosw=.true. and dolw=.true. in the subroutine of radiation_tend in radiation.F90. However, the frequency of updating surface albedo is controlled through the function of radiation_do from radiation.F90. radiation_do is determined by iradsw (the frequency of shortwave radiation calculation) and iradlw (the frequency of long wave radiation calculation). The default frequency of shortwave and long wave calculation is one hour. In SPCAM5, the default values of iradsw and iradlw are not changed. Therefore surface albedo is updated every one hour, while radiation is calculated at every GCM time step. This causes some mismatch between surface albedo and radiative transfer calculation. In the worst scenario, this can cause the model to crash. This is because some nightly land grids can have surface albedo exceeding 1.0, which can then cause problems in shortwave radiation calculation. 

Temporary Fix: To fix this, we need to have radiation_do to be true at every GCM time step. The suggested fix is to add the following lines to the subroutine of radiation_init in radiation.F90:

   call phys_getopts( use_SPCAM_out  = use_SPCAM )
   if(use_SPCAM) then
     iradsw = 1
     iradlw = 1
   end if

This will tell the model to do radiation every GCM time step. radiation_do will then always return .true., which will update surface albedo at every GCM time step. The suggested fix works for both rrtmg and camrt radiation. Please note that adding these lines in radiation_setopts does not work, as use_SPCAM has not been defined yet before the call to radiation_setopts

Permanent fix will be implemented in the namelist in next release

Current Benchmarks

CAM4 single-moment microphysics simulations on Yellowstone

        ==> 6 ACH / sim day

CAM5 double-moment microphysics on Yellowstone:

       ==> 19 ACH / sim day --> more than 3 times slower than single-moment

History File Diagnostics

Available CRM level history file diagnostics

1) CRM-level variables

       ** M2005 microphysics scheme only **

2) GCM-level SPCAM variables

      ** M2005 microphysics scheme only **