B11. E3SM-FIVE

Poster Title	Higher Vertical Resolution for Select Physical Processes in the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM)
First Author	Hsiang-He Lee
Topic	Atmospheric model development
Affiliation	E3SM Water Cycle, LLNL
Link to document

Title

Higher Vertical Resolution for Select Physical Processes in the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM)

Authors

Hsiang-He Lee . Peter Bogenschutz . Takanobu Yamaguchi (Unlicensed)

Abstract

The low cloud bias in atmospheric models for climate and weather remains an unsolved problem. Coarse vertical resolution in the current global climate models (GCM) may be a significant cause of low cloud bias because planetary boundary layer (PBL) parameterizations, including higher-order turbulence closure (HOC), cannot resolve sharp temperature and moisture gradients often found at the top of subtropical stratocumulus layers. The aim of this work is to implement a new computational method, the Framework for Improvement by Vertical Enhancement (FIVE) into the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) and its single column model. Three physics schemes are interfaced to vertically enhanced physics (VEP), which allows for these schemes to be computed on a higher vertical resolution grid compared to rest of the E3SM model.  In this presentation we use VEP for turbulence, microphysics, and radiation parameterizations and demonstrate better representation of subtropical boundary layer clouds while limiting additional computational cost from the increased number of levels.  We will also briefly discuss future plans for an adaptive vertical grid for VEP, which will allow for additional layers to be added only when/where they are needed.