Simulation of atmospheric microbursts using a numerical mesoscale model at high spatiotemporal resolution

Atmospheric microbursts are low‐level meteorological events that can produce significant damage on the surface and pose a major risk to aircraft flying close to the ground. Studies and ad hoc numerical models have been developed to understand the origin and dynamics of the microburst; nevertheless,...

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Authors: Bolgiani, Pedro, Fernández González, Sergio, Valero Rodríguez, Francisco, Merino, Andrés, García Ortega, Eduardo, Sánchez, José Luis, Martín, María Luisa
Format: article
Publication Date:2020
Country:España
Institution:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
Repository:Docta Complutense
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/6197
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/6197
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:52
Severe thunderstorm
Wet microburst
Downburst
Weather
Convection
Downdrafts
Dynamics
Outflows
Driven
Index
Física atmosférica
2501 Ciencias de la Atmósfera
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oai_identifier_str oai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/6197
network_acronym_str ES
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spelling Simulation of atmospheric microbursts using a numerical mesoscale model at high spatiotemporal resolutionBolgiani, PedroFernández González, SergioValero Rodríguez, FranciscoMerino, AndrésGarcía Ortega, EduardoSánchez, José LuisMartín, María Luisa52Severe thunderstormWet microburstDownburstWeatherConvectionDowndraftsDynamicsOutflowsDrivenIndexFísica atmosférica2501 Ciencias de la AtmósferaAtmospheric microbursts are low‐level meteorological events that can produce significant damage on the surface and pose a major risk to aircraft flying close to the ground. Studies and ad hoc numerical models have been developed to understand the origin and dynamics of the microburst; nevertheless, there are few researches of the phenomenon using global and mesoscale models. This is mainly due to the limitations in resolution, as microbursts normally span for less than 4 km and 20 min. In this paper, the Weather Research and Forecasting model is used at resolutions of 400 m and 3 min to test if it can properly capture the variables and dynamics of high‐reflectivity microbursts. Several microphysics and planetary boundary layer parametrizations are tested to find the best model configuration for the simulation of this kind of episodes. General conditions are evaluated by using thermodynamic diagrams. Surface and vertical wind speed, reflectivity, precipitation, and other variables for each simulated event are compared with observations, and the model's sensitivity to the variables is assessed. The dynamics and evolution of the microburst is evaluated using different plots of a chosen event. The results show that the model is able to reproduce high‐reflectivity microbursts in accordance with observations, although there is a tendency to underestimate the intensity of variables, most markedly on the wind vertical velocity. Regarding the microphysics schemes, the Morrison parametrization performs better than the WRF single‐moment 6‐class scheme. No major differences are found between the Mellor‐Yamada‐Janjic and the Mellor‐Yamada‐Nakanishi‐Niino planetary boundary layer parametrizations.American Geophysical UnionUniversidad Complutense de Madrid20202020-02-0520202020-02-05journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/6197reponame:Docta Complutenseinstname:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)Inglésengopen accesshttp://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2Atribución-NoComercial-SinDerivadas 3.0 Españahttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/es/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/61972026-06-02T12:44:21Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Simulation of atmospheric microbursts using a numerical mesoscale model at high spatiotemporal resolution
title Simulation of atmospheric microbursts using a numerical mesoscale model at high spatiotemporal resolution
spellingShingle Simulation of atmospheric microbursts using a numerical mesoscale model at high spatiotemporal resolution
Bolgiani, Pedro
52
Severe thunderstorm
Wet microburst
Downburst
Weather
Convection
Downdrafts
Dynamics
Outflows
Driven
Index
Física atmosférica
2501 Ciencias de la Atmósfera
title_short Simulation of atmospheric microbursts using a numerical mesoscale model at high spatiotemporal resolution
title_full Simulation of atmospheric microbursts using a numerical mesoscale model at high spatiotemporal resolution
title_fullStr Simulation of atmospheric microbursts using a numerical mesoscale model at high spatiotemporal resolution
title_full_unstemmed Simulation of atmospheric microbursts using a numerical mesoscale model at high spatiotemporal resolution
title_sort Simulation of atmospheric microbursts using a numerical mesoscale model at high spatiotemporal resolution
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Bolgiani, Pedro
Fernández González, Sergio
Valero Rodríguez, Francisco
Merino, Andrés
García Ortega, Eduardo
Sánchez, José Luis
Martín, María Luisa
author Bolgiani, Pedro
author_facet Bolgiani, Pedro
Fernández González, Sergio
Valero Rodríguez, Francisco
Merino, Andrés
García Ortega, Eduardo
Sánchez, José Luis
Martín, María Luisa
author_role author
author2 Fernández González, Sergio
Valero Rodríguez, Francisco
Merino, Andrés
García Ortega, Eduardo
Sánchez, José Luis
Martín, María Luisa
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Universidad Complutense de Madrid
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv 52
Severe thunderstorm
Wet microburst
Downburst
Weather
Convection
Downdrafts
Dynamics
Outflows
Driven
Index
Física atmosférica
2501 Ciencias de la Atmósfera
topic 52
Severe thunderstorm
Wet microburst
Downburst
Weather
Convection
Downdrafts
Dynamics
Outflows
Driven
Index
Física atmosférica
2501 Ciencias de la Atmósfera
description Atmospheric microbursts are low‐level meteorological events that can produce significant damage on the surface and pose a major risk to aircraft flying close to the ground. Studies and ad hoc numerical models have been developed to understand the origin and dynamics of the microburst; nevertheless, there are few researches of the phenomenon using global and mesoscale models. This is mainly due to the limitations in resolution, as microbursts normally span for less than 4 km and 20 min. In this paper, the Weather Research and Forecasting model is used at resolutions of 400 m and 3 min to test if it can properly capture the variables and dynamics of high‐reflectivity microbursts. Several microphysics and planetary boundary layer parametrizations are tested to find the best model configuration for the simulation of this kind of episodes. General conditions are evaluated by using thermodynamic diagrams. Surface and vertical wind speed, reflectivity, precipitation, and other variables for each simulated event are compared with observations, and the model's sensitivity to the variables is assessed. The dynamics and evolution of the microburst is evaluated using different plots of a chosen event. The results show that the model is able to reproduce high‐reflectivity microbursts in accordance with observations, although there is a tendency to underestimate the intensity of variables, most markedly on the wind vertical velocity. Regarding the microphysics schemes, the Morrison parametrization performs better than the WRF single‐moment 6‐class scheme. No major differences are found between the Mellor‐Yamada‐Janjic and the Mellor‐Yamada‐Nakanishi‐Niino planetary boundary layer parametrizations.
publishDate 2020
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2020
2020-02-05
2020
2020-02-05
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv journal article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
dc.type.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/6197
url https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/6197
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
eng
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
language eng
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
Atribución-NoComercial-SinDerivadas 3.0 España
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/es/
dc.rights.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
Atribución-NoComercial-SinDerivadas 3.0 España
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/es/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv American Geophysical Union
publisher.none.fl_str_mv American Geophysical Union
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Docta Complutense
instname:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
instname_str Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
reponame_str Docta Complutense
collection Docta Complutense
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
_version_ 1869423195316027392
score 15,300719

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