| description abstract | To improve the triggering of clouds over landscape heterogeneity, it is suggested that the forcing by mesoscale circulations generated by landscape patches be included. For this purpose, it is suggested that a relatively simple zero-order closure be used to obtain a triggering parcel?s mesoscale perturbation vertical velocity, potential temperature, and specific humidity. In combination with a turbulent fluctuation averaged over a parcel area, one can obtain a parcel?s (total) velocity, temperature, and moisture. The authors used similarity theory to parameterize the mesoscale perturbations, using a dataset generated by a three-dimensional, high-resolution cumulus ensemble model with west-to-east land surface patches. Alternatively, the authors used one-dimensional budget equations that contain mesoscale and turbulent fluctuations (and source terms) to obtain the vertical profile of potential temperature and specific humidity within a triggering parcel. Here, it is suggested that first-order closure be used; these equations with first-order closure should provide more realistic profiles of temperature and moisture within a triggering parcel than with the zero-order scheme above. This is especially the case when moist (cloud) processes occur. An analysis of the model-produced dataset indicated that parameterizations for two terms needed to be developed to close the budget equations: the vertical flux of the mesoscale temperature and moisture. Similarity theory is used to parameterize these fluxes. | |
