Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Planetary boundary layer and surface layer sensitivity to land surface parameters

  • Published:
Boundary-Layer Meteorology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The sensitivity of the development of the convective planetary boundary layer (PBL) and the surface layer are examined using a coupled surface parameterization and detailed PBL model. First, the coupling is verified against observations from the First ISLSCP (‘International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project’) Field Experiment (FIFE). Results of the sensitivity experiments indicate that the PBL is most sensitive to the amount of soil water content, and the proximity of the soil water content to critical soil texture values (field capacity and wilting point). While vegetation cover is not the most sensitive parameter at the surface, its influence on the surface energy and hydrologic balance is crucial. Model sensitivity to minimum stomatal resistance, type of soil parameterization and canopy height (surface roughness and displacement depth) is also discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ács, F.: 1994, ‘A Coupled Soil-Vegetation Scheme: Description, Parameters, Validation and Sensitivity Studies’, J. Appl. Meteorol. 33, 268–284.

    Google Scholar 

  • Avissar, R. and Mahrer, Y.: 1988, ‘Mapping Frost Sensitive Areas with a Three-Dimensional Local Scale Numerical Model. Part 1: Physical and Numerical Aspects’, J. Appl. Meteorol. 27, 400–413.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benoit, R.: 1977, ‘On the Integration of the Surface Layer Profile Gradient Functions’, J. Appl. Meteorol. 16, 859–860.

    Google Scholar 

  • Betts, A. and Ball, J.: 1994, ‘Budget Analysis of FIFE 1987 Sonde Data’, J. Geophys. Res. 99(D2), 3655–3666.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bosilovich, M. G. and Sun, W.-Y.: 1995, ‘Formulation and Verification of a Land Surface Parameterization for Atmospheric Models’, Boundary-Layer Meteorol. 73, 321–341.

    Google Scholar 

  • Businger, J. A., Wyngaard, J. C., Izumi, Y. and Bradley, E. F.: 1971, ‘Flux Profile Relationships in the Atmospheric Surface Layer’, J. Atmos. Sci. 28, 181–189.

    Google Scholar 

  • Charney, J. G.: 1975, ‘Dynamics of Deserts and Drought in the Sahel’, Quart. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc. 101, 192–202.

    Google Scholar 

  • Charney, J. G., Quirk, W. J., Chow, S.-H. and Kornfeld, J.: 1977, ‘A Comparative Study of the Effects of Albedo Change on Drought in Semi-arid Regions’, J. Atmos. Sci. 34, 1366–1385.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clapp, R. B. and Hornberger, G. M.: 1978, ‘Empirical Equations for Some Soil Hydraulic Properties’, Water Resour. Res. 14, 601–604.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deardorff, J. W.: 1977, ‘A Parameterization of the Ground Surface Moisture Content for use in Atmospheric Prediction Models’, J. Appl. Meteorol. 16, 1182–1185.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deardorff, J. W.: 1978, ‘Efficient Prediction of Ground Surface Temperature and Moisture with Inclusion of a Layer of Vegetation’, J. Geophys. Res. 20, 1889–1903.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dickinson, R. E.: 1984, ‘Modeling Evapotranspiration for Three Dimensional Global Climate Models’, Climate Processes and Climate Sensitivity. Geophys. Monogr. 29, 58–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Doran, J. C., Shaw, W. and Hubbe, J.: 1995, ‘Boundary Layer Characteristics over Areas of Inhomogeneous Surface Fluxes’, J. Appl. Meteorol. 34, 559–571.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henderson Sellers, A.: 1993: ‘A Factorial Assessment of the Sensitivity of the BATS Land Surface Parameterization Scheme’, J. Climate 6, 227–247.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henderson Sellers, A., Yang, Z.-L. and Dickinson, R. E.: 1993, ‘The Project for Intercomparison of Land Surface Parameterization Schemes’, Bull. Amer. Meteorol. Soc. 74, 1335–1349.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacobs, C. M. J. and de Bruin, H. A. R.: 1992, ‘The Sensitivity of Regional Transpiration to Land Surface Characteristics: Significance of Feedback’, J. Climate 5, 683–698.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacquemin, B. and Noilhan, J.: 1990, ‘Sensitivity Study and Validation of a Land Surface Parameterization using the HAPEX-MOBILHY Data Set’, Boundary-Layer Meteorol. 52, 93–134.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kondo, J., Saigusa, N. and Sato, T.: 1992, ‘A Model and Experimental Study of Evaporation from Bare-soil Surfaces’, J. Appl. Meteorol. 31, 304–312.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahfouf, J. F. and Noilhan, J.: 1991, ‘Comparative Study of Various Formulations of Evaporation from Bare Soil using in Situ Data’, J. Appl. Meteorol. 30, 1354–1365.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCumber, M. C.: 1980, ‘A Numerical Simulation of the Influence of Heat and Moisture Fluxes Upon Mesoscale Circulations’, Ph.D. dissertation, University of Virginia. 255 pp.

  • Mihailovic, D., de Bruin, H. A. R., Jeftic, M. and van Dijken, A.: 1992, ‘A Study of the Sensitivity of Land Surface Parameterizations to the Inclusion of Different Fractional Covers and Soil Textures’, J. Appl. Meteorol. 31, 1477–1487.

    Google Scholar 

  • Monteith, J. L.: 1976, Vegetation and the Atmosphere. Vol. 2: Case Studies, Academic Press, 439 pp.

  • Nickerson, E. and Smiley, V.: 1975, ‘Surface Layer and Energy Budget Parameterization for Mesoscale Models’, J. Appl. Meteorol. 14, 297–300.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nie, D., Demetriades-Shah, T. and Kanemasu, E. T.: 1992, ‘Surface Energy Fluxes on Four Slope Sites During FIFE 1988’, J. Geophys. Res. 97(D17), 18641–18649.

    Google Scholar 

  • Noilhan, J. and Planton, S.: 1989, ‘A Simple Parameterization of Land Surface Processes for Meteorological Models’, Mon. Wea. Rev. 117, 536–549.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pielke, R.: 1984, Mesoscale Meteorological Modeling, Academic Press, 612 pp.

  • Pitman, A. J.: 1994, ‘Assessing the Sensitivity of a Land Surface Scheme to the Parameter Values using a Single Column Model’, J. Climate 7, 1856–1869.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pleim, J. E. and Xiu, A.: 1995, ‘Development and Testing of a Surface Flux and Planetary Boundary Layer Model for Application in Mesoscale Models’, J. Appl. Meteorol. 34, 16–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sellers, P. J., Mintz, Y., Sud, Y. and Dalcher, A.: 1986, ‘The Design of a Simple Biosphere Model (SiB) for Use Within General Circulation Models’, J. Atmos. Sci. 43, 505–531.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sellers, P. J., Hall, F. G., Asrar, G., Strebel, D. E. and Murphy, R. E.: 1988, ‘The First ISLSCP Field Experiment (FIFE)’, Bull. Amer. Meteorol. Soc. 69, 22–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sellers, P. J. and Hall, F. G.: 1992, ‘FIFE in 1992: Results, Scientific Gains, and Future Research Directions’, J. Geophys. Res. 97(D17), 19091–19109.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siebert, J., Sievers, U. and Zdunkowski, W.: 1992, ‘A One-Dimensional Simulation of the Interaction Between Land Surface Processes and the Atmosphere’, Boundary-Layer Meteorol. 59, 1–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, E., Crosson, W. and Tanner, B.: 1992, ‘Estimation of Surface Heat and Moisture Fluxes Over a Prairie Grassland 1. In situ Energy Budget Measurements Incorporating a Cooled Mirror Dew Point Hygrometer’, J. Geophys. Res. 97(D17), 18557–18582.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strebel, D. E., Newcomer, J. A., Ornsby, J. P., Hall, F. G. and Sellers, P. J.: 1990, ‘The FIFE Information System’, IEEE Trans. Geosci. and Remote Sensing, 28, 703–710.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun, W.-Y.: 1993a, ‘Numerical Simulation of a Planetary Boundary Layer: Part I. Cloud Free Case’, Beitr. Phys. Atmosph. 66, 3–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun, W.-Y.: 1993b, ‘Numerical Simulation of a Planetary Boundary Layer: Part I. Cloudy Case’, Beitr. Phys. Atmosph. 66, 17–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun, W.-Y. and Chern, J.-D.: 1994, ‘Numerical Experiments of Vortices in the Wakes of Large Idealized Mountains’, J. Atmos. Sci. 51, 191–209.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun, W.-Y. and Chern, J.-D.: 1993, ‘Diurnal Variation of Lee Vortices in Taiwan and the Surrounding Area’, J. Atmos. Sci. 50, 3404–3430.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun, W.-Y. and Wu, C.-C.: 1992, ‘Formation and Diurnal Variation of the Dryline’, J. Atmos. Sci. 49, 1606–1619.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun, W.-Y. and Yildirim, A.: 1989, ‘Air Mass Modification Over Lake Michigan’, Boundary-Layer Meteorol. 48, 345–360.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun, W.-Y. and Chang, C.-Z.: 1986a, ‘Diffusion Model for a Convective Layer. Part I: Numerical Simulation of a Convective Boundary Layer’, J. Clim. Appl. Meteorol. 25, 1445–1453.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun, W.-Y. and Chang, C.-Z.: 1986b, ‘Diffusion Model for a Convective Layer. Part II: Plume Released from a Continuous Point Source’, J. Clim. Appl. Meteorol. 25, 1454–1463.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wetzel, P. J. and Chang, J. T.: 1988, ‘Evapotranspiration from Nonuniform Surface: A First Approach for Short Term Numerical Weather Prediction’, Mon. Wea. Rev. 116, 600–621.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wetzel, P. J. and Chang, J. T.: 1987, ‘Concerning the Relationship Between Evapotranspiration and Soil Moisture’, J. Clim. Appl. Meteorol, 26, 18–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, M., Henderson Sellers, A., Dickinson, R. and Kennedy, P. J.: 1987, ‘Sensitivity of the Biosphere Atmosphere Transfer Scheme (BATS) to the Inclusion of Variable Soil Characteristics’, J. Clim. Appl. Meteorol. 26, 341–362.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang, R., Shukla, J. and Sellers, P. J.: 1994 ‘The Influence of Changes in Vegetation Type on the Surface Energy Budget’, Adv. Atmos. Sci. 11, 139–161.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Purdue University, 47907-1397, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA

    Wen-Yih Sun & Michael G. Bosilovich

Authors
  1. Wen-Yih Sun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michael G. Bosilovich
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sun, WY., Bosilovich, M.G. Planetary boundary layer and surface layer sensitivity to land surface parameters. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 77, 353–378 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00123532

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00123532

Keywords

Search

Navigation