|
|
How Do Models Make Clouds?
for more advanced readers
KUO SCHEME
In this scheme, convection depends on the amount of moisture in a grid cell and on the movements of moisture into and out of the grid cell. General Idea
The Kuo Scheme assumes that a fraction of the water vapor available in each grid cell condenses into rain and rains out of the cell. The rest of the water vapor remains for the next time step. How does the water vapor get into the grid cell in the first place? At the beginning of the model, each grid cell is given a realistic amount of water vapor. Then, during each time step, the "moisture convergence" is calculated. This is the total amount of moisture that enters the grid cell. Water vapor can be blown into or out of the cell by the winds. It can also enter the grid cell through evaporation from the surface of the Earth, and it can leave the grid cell by condensing onto the surface. If moisture convergence is positive, this means that moisture is entering the grid cell. If moisture convergence is negative, then moisture is leaving the cell. Next page -> how do models make clouds, continued
Links and resources
for more advanced readers
KUO SCHEME
In this scheme, convection depends on the amount of moisture in a grid cell and on the movements of moisture into and out of the grid cell. General Idea
The Kuo Scheme assumes that a fraction of the water vapor available in each grid cell condenses into rain and rains out of the cell. The rest of the water vapor remains for the next time step. How does the water vapor get into the grid cell in the first place? At the beginning of the model, each grid cell is given a realistic amount of water vapor. Then, during each time step, the "moisture convergence" is calculated. This is the total amount of moisture that enters the grid cell. Water vapor can be blown into or out of the cell by the winds. It can also enter the grid cell through evaporation from the surface of the Earth, and it can leave the grid cell by condensing onto the surface. If moisture convergence is positive, this means that moisture is entering the grid cell. If moisture convergence is negative, then moisture is leaving the cell. Next page -> how do models make clouds, continued
Links and resources
