Representing
Goddard Mesoscale Dynamics and Modeling Group: Wei-Kuo Tao, Steve Lang, Roger Shi, Bowen Shen, Jiundar Chern, Xiping Zeng, Xiaowen Li, and Joanne Simpson

Abstract:
While cumulus ensemble (or cloud resolving) models explicitly simulate cloud dynamics and microphysics evolution, they are still subject to many uncertainties in cloud-precipitation microphysics processes due to a lack of practical evaluation frameworks that integrate simulations with routine, extensive observations from satellites. For this, comprehensive unified satellite simulator, Goddard Satellite Data Simulation Unit (SDSU), is being developed at the Goddard Mesoscale Dynamics and Modeling Group. The Goddard SDSU is the end-to-end multi satellite simulator unit that can compute satellite-consistent radiance or backscattering signals from visible to microwave spectrum ranges based upon the simulated atmosphere and condensates consistent to the microphysics within the cumulus ensemble models. These simulated radiances and backscattering can be directly compared with the high-resolution satellite direct observations in order to establish the satellite-based cloud-parameterization evaluation framework.

This presentation introduces applications of the Goddard SDSU and a simulator-based evaluation framework for the Goddard Multi-Scale Modeling System with Unified Physics Parameterization, including Goddard Cumulus Ensemble (GCE) model, Goddard Weather and Forecasting Research (WRF) model, and Goddard Multi-scale Modeling Framework (MMF). This new evaluation utilizes novel statistics of multi-frequency radiance and backscattering signals observed from the TRMM and A-Train constellations of satellites in order to evaluate cloud-precipitation types and microphysics in these modeling systems. To this end, key issues of model biases and model improvement will be discussed.