Engineering topics

Wang, Shouping

Publications and source records attributed to Wang, Shouping.

6 records

NASA NTRS1994

Roles of drizzle in a one-dimensional third-order turbulence closure model of the nocturnal stratus-topped marine boundary layer

This study focuses on the effects of drizzle in a one-dimensional third-order turbulence closure model of the nocturnal stratus-topped marine boundary layer. When the simulated drizzle rate is relatively small (maximum approximately equal to 0.6 mm/day), steady-state solutions are obtained. The boundary layer stabilizes essentially because drizzle causes evaporative cooling of the subcloud layer. This stabilization considerably reduces the buoyancy flux and turbulence kinetic energy below the stratus cloud. Thus, drizzle tends to decouple the cloud from the subcloud layer in the model, as suggested by many observational studies. In addition, the evaporation of drizzle in the subcloud layer creates small scattered clouds, which are likely to represent cumulus clouds, below the solid stratus cloud in the model. The sensitivity experiments show that these scattered clouds help maintain a coupled boundary layer. When the drizzle rate is relatively large (maximum approximately equal to 0.9 mm/day), the response of the model becomes transient with bursts in turbulent fluxes. This phenomenon is related to the formation of the scattered cloud layer below the solid stratus cloud. It appears that the model is inadequate to represent the heat and moisture transport by strong updrafts covering a small fractional area in cumulus convection.

Wang, Shouping↗

NASA NTRS1993

Modeling marine boundary-layer clouds with a two-layer model: A one-dimensional simulation

A two-layer model of the marine boundary layer is described. The model is used to simulate both stratocumulus and shallow cumulus clouds in downstream simulations. Over cold sea surfaces, the model predicts a relatively uniform structure in the boundary layer with 90%-100% cloud fraction. Over warm sea surfaces, the model predicts a relatively strong decoupled and conditionally unstable structure with a cloud fraction between 30% and 60%. A strong large-scale divergence considerably limits the height of the boundary layer and decreases relative humidity in the upper part of the cloud layer; thus, a low cloud fraction results. The efffects of drizzle on the boundary-layer structure and cloud fraction are also studied with downstream simulations. It is found that drizzle dries and stabilizes the cloud layer and tends to decouple the cloud from the subcloud layer. Consequently, solid stratocumulus clouds may break up and the cloud fraction may decrease because of drizzle.

Wang, Shouping↗

NASA NTRS1993

A regional simulation of marine boundary-layer clouds

A regional version of a two-layer model is used to simulate marine boundary-layer clouds over an area (20 deg - 42 deg and 117 - 145 deg W) of the eastern North Pacific. The large-scale conditions requried for the model are provided by European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts analyses and the Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set. The simulated cloud-top height and fractional cloudiness are compared with satellite data. The model predicts a realistic pattern of cloud-top height, although the heights appear to be overestimated in the southwest and underestimated along the eastern border of the domain. The overall simulated cloudiness is qualitatively comparable to the satellite derived, but the model predicts excessive cloudiness over cold ocean surfaces and insufficient cloudiness over an area centered at 30 deg N, 130 deg W. The possible causes for these discrepancies are discussed. Budget studies show that horizontal advection contributes substantially to the cloud-top height and cloud-layer moisture budgets. Thus, one may need to consider the effects of horizontal advection when validating steady-state solutions of a one-dimensional model. The simulated cloudiness is shown to be sensitive to large-scale subsidence, moisture above the clouds, and drizzle. An increase in the large-scale divergence by 2 x 10(exp -6)/sec decreases average cloudiness for the area by 30%. An increase in the moisture at 850 mb by 2 g/kg increases the cloudiness by 20%. The suppression of drizzle in the model increases the cloudiness by 34% and significantly changes its pattern.

Wang, Shouping↗

NASA NTRS1993

Global water cycle

This research is the MSFC component of a joint MSFC/Pennsylvania State University Eos Interdisciplinary Investigation on the global water cycle extension across the earth sciences. The primary long-term objective of this investigation is to determine the scope and interactions of the global water cycle with all components of the Earth system and to understand how it stimulates and regulates change on both global and regional scales. Significant accomplishments in the past year are presented and include the following: (1) water vapor variability; (2) multi-phase water analysis; (3) global modeling; and (4) optimal precipitation and stream flow analysis and hydrologic processes.

Robertson, Franklin↗

NASA NTRS1993

A modeling study of marine boundary layer clouds

Marine boundary layer (MBL) clouds are important components of the earth's climate system. These clouds drastically reduce the amount of solar radiation absorbed by the earth, but have little effect on the emitted infrared radiation on top of the atmosphere. In addition, these clouds are intimately involved in regulating boundary layer turbulent fluxes. For these reasons, it is important that general circulation models used for climate studies must realistically simulate the global distribution of the MBL. While the importance of these cloud systems is well recognized, many physical processes involved in these clouds are poorly understood and their representation in large-scale models remains an unresolved problem. The present research aims at the development and improvement of the parameterization of these cloud systems and an understanding of physical processes involved. This goal is addressed in two ways. One is to use regional modeling approach to validate and evaluate two-layer marine boundary layer models using satellite and ground-truth observations; the other is to combine this simple model with a high-order turbulence closure model to study the transition processes from stratocumulus to shallow cumulus clouds. Progress made in this effort is presented.

Wang, Shouping↗

NASA NTRS1991

Global water cycle

The primary objective is to determine the scope and interactions of the global water cycle with all components of the Earth system and to understand how it stimulates and regulates changes on both global and regional scales. The following subject areas are covered: (1) water vapor variability; (2) multi-phase water analysis; (3) diabatic heating; (4) MSU (Microwave Sounding Unit) temperature analysis; (5) Optimal precipitation and streamflow analysis; (6) CCM (Community Climate Model) hydrological cycle; (7) CCM1 climate sensitivity to lower boundary forcing; and (8) mesoscale modeling of atmosphere/surface interaction.

Robertson, Franklin R.↗