Interactions between tropical convection and large-scale dynamics

A key issue in understanding tropical climate and its variability is our limited knowledge about the interactions between deep convection and the large-scale tropical circulation. A powerful tool for studying convection is the Cloud Resolving Model (CRM), which in principle can capture the interactions, but in practice does not because CRM simulations are forced by prescribing the large-scale circulation. This project aims to exploit and extend weak-temperature-gradient theory in order to couple together two CRMs through a diagnosed large-scale circulation. The first stage will be to establish the modelling framework, and later stages will address specific questions about tropical climate: Can a large-scale circulation driven by convection develop in a homogeneous environment? How do convection and the large-scale circulation develop in response to spatially-inhomogeneous boundary conditions? How do convection and the large-scale circulation evolve in response to time-varying boundary conditions? How do interactions between convection and the large-scale circulation influence transitions from shallow to deep convection?

Some links for this work:

Publications:

1. PhD thesis by Jan Kamieniecki
2. A paper on the thermodynamics of WTG-coupled systems
3. A paper on SCM parameterization testing exploiting WTG copupling methodologies
4. A model intercomparison for conditions of non-uniform SST
5. A model intercomparison for conditions of uniform SST
6. A paper contrasting local and remotely-forced transitions between suppressed and active convection
7. PhD thesis by Chimene Daleu
8. A paper contrasting one-way and two-way coupling using the weak temperature gradient approximation

Collaborators:

Chimene Daleu also has some information about this research on her website, including some internal presentations and reports that are not directly available below.

Talks:

1. A seminar giving an overview of our weak-temperature gradient work, presented at Exeter university. (And a similar version, given as a seminar at Leeds university.)
2. A talk comparing convective aggregration in idealized and realistic simulations, presented by Anna Deluca in Dresden.
3. A talk on a GASS intercomparison of large-scale coupling methods, presented by Chimene Daleu at New Mexico.
4. A talk contrasting one-way and two-way coupling, presented by Chimene Daleu at the 1st PAN-GASS conference in Boulder.
5. A talk on WTG coupling of two CRMs with homogeneous surface conditions, presented by Chimene Daleu at the RMetS 2011 student assembly in Exeter.

Posters:

1. A poster on thermodynamic work done in coupled WTG configurations, presented by Jan Kamieniecki at the 2017 EGU conference in Vienna.
2. A poster comparing convective aggregration in idealized and realistic simulations, presented by Anna Deluca at the 2015 AGU conference in San Fransisco.
3. A poster on the transition from suppressed to active convection, presented by Chimene Daleu at the 7th GEWEX conference in the Hague.
4. A poster contrasting one-way and two-way coupling, presented by Chimene Daleu at the 1st PAN-GASS conference in Boulder.
5. A poster on WTG coupling of two CRMs with homogeneous surface conditions, presented by Chimene Daleu at the RMetS 2011 conference in Exeter.

Others:

1. WTG intercomparison project
2. Chimene's nomination for 2013 PhD researcher of the year