[ncl-talk] Question regarding the hybrid base pressure in NCL functions

[Dennis Shea]

I only skimmed your complicated script.
This is a longish response dealing with hybrid levels..

There are several different forms of 'hybrid' coordinates.

[1]
The initial hybrid coefficients I encountered were from the Climate
Atmosphere Model (CAM) within the Community Climate Model (CCM). FYI: The
CCM is the predecessor of the CESM.

The CCM [CAM] formula is:     hybrid_plevel(p) = hya(p)*p0 + hyb(p)*ps

The hy{a/b} coefficients are associated with  (1) 'mid-levels' and are
often denoted as  'hyam'  and 'hybm' or (2) 'interface levels' often
denoted as  'hyai'  and 'hybi'. The dimension sizes for the interface are
one larger than the hy{a/b}m coefficients.

The 'pres_hybrid_ccm'    uses the mid-level coefficients: 'hyam'  and
'hybm'.
The 'dpres_hybrid_ccm'  uses the interface-level coefficients: 'hyai'  and
'hybi'.

The _ccm suffix indicates that the CCM formulation is used.

     pres  =  pres_hybrid_ccm(ps, p0, hyam, hybm)
    dpres = dpres_hybrid_ccm(ps, p0, hyai, hybi)

 p0 should be 100000 (Pa) or 1000 (hPa). The units of p0 should match the
units of 'ps'

The hy{a/b} order is top-to-bottom.

[2]
Subsequently, it was called to my attention that ECMWF used a slight
variant of the _ccm formulation:
       hybrid_plevel(p) = HYA(p) + hyb(p)*ps     ;   HYA(p)=hya(p)*p0
Rather than create a new function (also new documentation and testing), I
noted this variation  in the _ccm function documentation. The
'{d}pres_hybrid_ccm' functions can be used with a simple change.

Let HYA{M/I}(p)=hya{m/i}(p)*p0, then

      hyam = HYAM/p0
      pres =    pres_hybrid_ccm(ps, p0, hyam, hybm)
      hyai  = HYAI/p0
     dpres = dpres_hybrid_ccm(ps, p0, hyai, hybi

[3]
Within the last year or two, NCAR's Data Support Section asked me to look
at the Japanese Meteorological Agency hybrid level formulation. This was
quite different. The formulation is based on Simmons & Burridge (1981):


*http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/pdf/10.1175/1520-0493%281981%29109%3C0758%3AAEAAMC%3E2.0.CO%3B2
<http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/pdf/10.1175/1520-0493%281981%29109%3C0758%3AAEAAMC%3E2.0.CO%3B2>*
    see equations 3.17 and 3.18

The JMA has a document that has additional information (see page 17):
       https://rda.ucar.edu/datasets/ds628.0/docs/JRA-55.handbook_
TL319_en.pdf

Punch line: the pressure levels for the 'mid-levels' are determined via a
much more complicated expression. This is done for conservation reasons.
The difference between the 'conservative' pressure levels and those
obtained using [2] are small but important.

The JAM data were from the 55-year Japanese ReAnalysis  project. Hence the
name:
   http://www.ncl.ucar.edu/Document/Functions/Built-in/
pres_hybrid_jra55.shtml

Note:this function requires bottom-to-top ordering because that is the way
the JRA55 files were ordered.

[4]
You sent me a file: ERA-Interim_coordvars.nc

It is always important to look at your data.

(a) Your hybrid coefficients are of the ECMWF type [2].
(b) Your data are ordered top-to-bottom.

I have attached my own hybrid-function library (hybrid_lib.ncl). These are
not supported or documented. There is some internal documentation. I have
also modified a test script of mine to use your data file(s).

%> ncl test.ncl  | less

Carefully look at the script and the output.

I added something at the end to help you with the correct use of 'cz2ccm'
You will have to provide the correct arguments.

Good Luck











On Thu, Jun 22, 2017 at 4:41 PM, Ghyslaine Boschat <
ghyslaine.boschat at unimelb.edu.au> wrote:

> Dear NCL users,
>
>
>
> I am using NCL version 6.4.0 to calculate vertically integrated meridional
> energy transports in the atmosphere using ERA-Interim. I am specifically
> using the NCL functions *cz2ccm* to calculate the geopotential height in
> hybrid coordinates and then *dpres_hybrid_ccm* to perform vertical
> integration of my data on model levels.
>
>
>
> Both these NCL functions require as input the hybrid base pressure *p0 *and
> hybrid coefficients a and b. p0 is usually equal to 100000Pa but is not
> available for ERA-Interim and I am not sure what to use…
>
>
>
> To my understanding, NCL assumes the coefficients are of the form:
>
>                                      p = a(k)*p0 + b(k)*ps
>
> whereas the equivalent ERA-Interim pressure equation is
>
>                                      p = A(k) + B(k)*ps
>
>
>
> Therefore, for ERA-Interim data do I need to just use *p0=1* or else keep *p0
> = 100000* with the provided hybrid coefficients becoming hyam= hyam/p0
> and hyai= hyai/p0 (i.e. A(k)=a(k)/p0)?
>
>
>
> My results are slightly different depending on these 2 options.
>
>
>
> Thank you for your help with this.
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
>
> Ghyslaine
>
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