A Scale-Consistent Terrestrial Systems Modeling Platform Based on COSMO, CLM, and ParFlow

• Published in: Monthly weather review Vol. 142; no. 9; pp. 3466 - 3483
• Main Authors: Shrestha, P, Sulis, M, Masbou, M, Kollet, S, Simmer, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington American Meteorological Society 01.09.2014
• Subjects: Atmospheric boundary layer; Atmospheric models; Boundary layer evolution; Boundary layers; Catchment area; Cosmos; Coupling; Drawdown; Evolution; Excess rainfall; Fluid mechanics; Ground-water flow; Groundwater; Groundwater flow; Groundwater table; Hydrologic models; Hydrologic processes; Hydrology; Joining; Land; Land surface models; Meteorology; Modelling; Modular; Modular systems; Moisture content; Moisture effects; One dimensional models; Platforms; Precipitation; Rain; Rainfall; Root zone; Runoff; Saturated flow; Saturation; Sea ice; Simulation; Small-scale models; Soil; Soil moisture; Soil moisture content; Surface fluxes; Surface-groundwater relations; Systems modelling; Three dimensional; Three dimensional flow; Three dimensional models; Topography; Vegetation; Water content; Water table; Weather forecasting; United States > US
• ISSN: 0027-0644; 1520-0493
• DOI: 10.1175/MWR-D-14-00029.1

A highly modular and scale-consistent Terrestrial Systems Modeling Platform (TerrSysMP) is presented. The modeling platform consists of an atmospheric model (Consortium for Small-Scale Modeling; COSMO), a land surface model (the NCAR Community Land Model, version 3.5; CLM3.5), and a 3D variably saturated groundwater flow model (ParFlow). An external coupler (Ocean Atmosphere Sea Ice Soil, version 3.0; OASIS3) with multiple executable approaches is employed to couple the three independently developed component models, which intrinsically allows for a separation of temporalspatial modeling scales and the coupling frequencies between the component models.