Large-Scale Forcing Data Set for SPARTICUS Available

 
Published: 11 March 2013
Precipitation (top) and Omega (bottom) in April 2010 at SGP based on large-scale forcing data for SPARTICUS.

A new large-scale forcing data set is now available for the Variational Analysis (VARANAL) value-added product (VAP) using data from the Small Particles in Cirrus (SPARTICUS) field campaign.

The constrained variational objective analysis approach described in Zhang and Lin (1997) and Zhang et al. (2001) was used to derive the large-scale single-column/cloud-resolving model forcing and evaluation data set from the observational data collected at ARM Facility’s Southern Great Plains (SGP) site during SPARTICUS. The analysis data cover the period from 0Z 1 January–21Z 30 June 2010. The forcing data represent an average over the analysis domain of about a 150-kilometer radius of the SGP Central Facility. The data are available in both ASCII and netCDF formats. Quicklook plots of the data are also available.

The forcing for SPARTICUS was developed based on the hourly RUC-2 analyses (the NOAA rapid update cycle). The surface radiation and precipitation observed at SGP and top-of-atmosphere radiation measurement by the GOES satellite at the analysis domain were used as constraints to adjust atmospheric state variables to conserve column-integrated mass, moisture, and static energy so that the final analysis data are dynamically and thermodynamically consistent. Note that sounding data were not used in this data set.

Additional data availability for VARANAL includes:

  • Continuous at SGP from 1999–2009
  • Field campaign data:
    • SGP: 04/1997, 06/1997, 09/1997, 04/1998, 01/1999, 03/1999, 07/1999, 03/2000, 09/2000, 11/2000, 11/2002, 05/2003, 06/2007 (CLASIC), 04/2011 (MC3E)
    • North Slope of Alaska (NSA): 10/2004 (M-PACE), 04/2008 (ISDAC)
    • Tropical Western Pacific (TWP) Darwin: 01/2006–02/2006 (TWP-ICE)
    • ARM Mobile Facility (AMF) deployments: 11/2008–02/2009 (China).

More information is available at the VAP web page and in the README file that accompanies the data files in the Data Archive’s evaluation area. To access these data, log in to the Data Archive. (Go here to request an account.)

As always, feedback and use of the data are welcomed and encouraged. For questions, or to report data problems, please contact Shaocheng Xie, Renata McCoy, or Yunyan Zhang.