The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Default user image.

Vaughan Phillips

Research in the Area of Clouds, Aerosols and Climate

Default user image.

Representation of microphysical processes in cloud-resolving models: Spectral (bin) microphysics versus bulk parameterization

Author

  • A. P. Khain
  • K. D. Beheng
  • A. Heymsfield
  • A. Korolev
  • S. O. Krichak
  • Z. Levin
  • M. Pinsky
  • Vaughan Phillips
  • T. Prabhakaran
  • A. Teller
  • S. C. van den Heever
  • J. -I. Yano
Show all

Summary, in English

Most atmospheric motions of different spatial scales and precipitation are closely related to phase transitions in clouds. The continuously increasing resolution of large-scale and mesoscale atmospheric models makes it feasible to treat the evolution of individual clouds. The explicit treatment of clouds requires the simulation of cloud microphysics. Two main approaches describing cloud microphysical properties and processes have been developed in the past four and a half decades: bulk microphysics parameterization and spectral (bin) microphysics (SBM). The development and utilization of both represent an important step forward in cloud modeling. This study presents a detailed survey of the physical basis and the applications of both bulk microphysics parameterization and SBM. The results obtained from simulations of a wide range of atmospheric phenomena, from tropical cyclones through Arctic clouds using these two approaches are compared. Advantages and disadvantages, as well as lines of future development for these methods are discussed.

Department/s

  • Dept of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science
  • MERGE: ModElling the Regional and Global Earth system

Publishing year

2015

Language

English

Pages

247-322

Publication/Series

Reviews of Geophysics

Volume

53

Issue

2

Document type

Journal article review

Publisher

American Geophysical Union (AGU)

Topic

  • Climate Research

Keywords

  • cloud microphysics
  • bulk parameterization
  • spectral bin microphysics
  • cloud-resolving models
  • numerical modeling

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 8755-1209