[Wrf-users] Base-state potential temperature: 300 or 290 K?

[Dmitry Khvorostyanov]

Dear WRF Users,

I have a question concerning the value of the base-state potential 
temperature (the T00 variable in the WRF outputs).

In the WRF Users' Guide, p. 5-79 (v 3.4) the total potential temperature 
is defined as T + 300. At the same time the namelist variable 
'base_temp' equals 290.

Quickly looking through the code, it seems that the namelist value 290K 
is used for calculations, e.g., for the T2 field.

However, in some parts of the code (apparently post-processing) the 
value of 300 is explicitly set.

Also, trying to set 'base_temp' to 300 results in the eta levels 
definition error "dz (m) above fixed eta levels".

Has anybody had to deal with this point? What value do you use to 
reconstruct the total potential temperature field?

With best wishes,
Dmitry


-- 
Dmitry Khvorostyanov
Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique IPSL
Ecole Polytechnique 91128 Palaiseau Cedex
France