Abstract

This report summarizes the parameterizations of surface processes currently being used in the NCAR grid point GCM. It treats in particular: (i) the calculation of ground, snow or sea ice surface temperature in response to net surface heating and depending on soil or snow heat capacity and thermal... Show moreThis report summarizes the parameterizations of surface processes currently being used in the NCAR grid point GCM. It treats in particular: (i) the calculation of ground, snow or sea ice surface temperature in response to net surface heating and depending on soil or snow heat capacity and thermal conductivity; (ii) the calculation of soil moisture, evaporation, surface and groundwater runoff; (iii) the specification of vegetation cover in terms of fractional ground shading, relative area of transpiring and nontranspiring plant surfaces, and land use type; (iv) the surface albedo in terms of soil moisture, vegetation cover, and snow cover, including the shading of snow by vegetation; (v) the plant water budget including dew, intercepted precipitation and transpiration as limited by stomatal resistance and soil dryness; (vi) surface drag coefficients as a function of bulk Richardson number and vegetation cover; (vii) the determination of foliage temperature in response to energy balance requirements and consequent fluxes of heat and moisture from the foliage to canopy air. Show less