Simulations are conducted using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model in a nested domain having horizontal grid lengths of 12 km, 4 km, and 1.33km, in order to establish the dynamic and thermodynamic controls that three popular cloud Micro Physics (MP) schemes exert over the sea-breeze-forced convection commonly seen over the Cape Canaveral region. Experiments focus on a period from 12-20 Aug 2016 in a regime dominated by high pressure and southeasterly flow; simulations were initialized at 06Z on each day during the week and run for a period of 24 hours. One double-moment and two single-moment MP schemes were employed in the simulations for comparison. Results demonstrate that the MP scheme can have a substantial influence on regional convective simulations - large enough to shift the trigger and location of convection. Large differences in domain averaged bulk hydrometeor quantities are found, particularly in the vertical profile of the rain bulk mixing ratio. Simulations employing the double moment scheme systematically underestimate the total precipitation throughout each day but also systematically produced stronger cold pools. Plots of vertical cloud water and potential temperature indicate a greater concentration of cloud droplets at an elevation of 2-4 km and a much larger latent heating when the double moment scheme was used. Modulation of the latent heat release within the double moment scheme is hypothesized to occur from the Drop Size Distribution (DSD), and the prescribed Cloud Condensation Nuclei CCN parameter used to calculate this distribution. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science in partial fulfillment of the Master of Science. / Spring Semester 2017. / April 25, 2017. / Meteorology / Includes bibliographical references. / Jeffery M. Chagnon, Professor Directing Thesis; Robert E. Hart, Committee Member; Henry E. Fuelberg, Committee Member.
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_552052 |
Contributors | Dawson, Matthew G. (authoraut), Chagnon, Jeffery M. (professor directing thesis), Hart, Robert E. (Robert Edward) (committee member), Fuelberg, Henry E. (committee member), Florida State University (degree granting institution), College of Arts and Sciences (degree granting college), Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science (degree granting departmentdgg) |
Publisher | Florida State University |
Source Sets | Florida State University |
Language | English, English |
Detected Language | English |
Type | Text, text, master thesis |
Format | 1 online resource (53 pages), computer, application/pdf |
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