[Wrf-users] Documentation of ARW output variables

[Fast, Jerome D]

Jan,

QNDROPSOURCE is one of the arrays associated with the cloud-aerosol
interactions that our team at PNNL have added.  Cloud-aerosol interactions
are activated using PROGN in the namelist.input file, and can be run in 2
modes: 1) without chemistry and prescribing an aerosol number and 2) with
prognostic chemistry and aerosols.  It only works with the Lin microphysics,
but we are currently extending it to the Thompson and Morrison microphysics
options.

You are correct - there is very little documentation on this yet.  The best
information now is contained in the WRF-Chem tutorials from the past 2
years.  The 2007 tutorial is available on the link with the 2007 WRF
workshop. I'm not sure the 2008 tutorial is available yet on-line.  The
WRF/Chem version 3 user's guide (ruc.fsl.noaa.gov/wrf/WG11/) and our web
site (www.pnl.gov/atmospheric/research/wrf-chem/) also has some general
information, and the following papers are best references:

Chapman, E.G., W.I. Gustafson Jr., R.C. Easter, J.C. Barnard, S.J. Ghan,
M.S. Pekour, and J.D. Fast, 2008: Coupling aerosols-cloud-radiative
processes in the WRF-chem model: Investigating the radiative impact of large
point sources. Submitted to Atmos. Chem. Phys. (available on-line).

Gustafson Jr., W.I., E.G. Chapman, S.J. Ghan, and J.D. Fast, 2007: Impact on
modeled cloud characteristics due to simplified treatment of uniform cloud
condensation nuclei during NEAQS 2004. Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L19809.

We will be writing up a more technical description of the cloud-aerosol
interactions (along with the rest of WRF-Chem developers) over the next 6
months.

Jerome

__________________________________________________
Jerome D. Fast, Ph.D.
Scientist
ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE AND GLOBAL CHANGE DIVISION
 
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
P.O. 999, MSIN K9-30
Richland, WA  99352
Tel: 509-372-6116
Jerome.Fast at pnl.gov
www.pnl.gov/atmospheric/staff/staff_info.asp?staff_num=5717

On 8/26/08 4:49 AM, "Jan Ploski" <Jan.Ploski at offis.de> wrote:

> Hello,
> 
> Is there a more detailed description of the WRF output variables beyond
> what is found in 5-44 of the ARW User's Guide? In particular, I was asked
> today about the meaning of QNDROPSOURCE ("Droplet number source"), but
> couldn't find anything (or is it where I'm supposed to study the source
> code?)
> 
> Another question I got from the same prospective user is whether WRF
> provides a "degree of subscale cloud cover" among its output variables.
> Any ideas?
> 
> Regards,
> Jan Ploski
> 
> --
> Dipl.-Inform. (FH) Jan Ploski
> OFFIS
> FuE Bereich Energie | R&D Division Energy
> Escherweg 2  - 26121 Oldenburg - Germany
> Phone/Fax: +49 441 9722 - 184 / 202
> E-Mail: Jan.Ploski at offis.de
> URL: http://www.offis.de
> _______________________________________________
> Wrf-users mailing list
> Wrf-users at ucar.edu
> http://mailman.ucar.edu/mailman/listinfo/wrf-users