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Improving Dust Simulations In WRF-CHEM V4.1.3 Coupled With The Gocart Aerosol Module

Abstract

In this paper, we rectify inconsistencies that emerge in the Weather Research and Forecasting model with chemistry (WRF-Chem) v3.2 code when using the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) aerosol module. These inconsistencies have been reported, and corrections have been implemented in WRF-Chem v4.1.3. Here, we use a WRF-Chem experimental setup configured over the Middle East (ME) to estimate the effects of these inconsistencies. Firstly, we show that the old version underestimates the PM2.5 diagnostic output by 7?% and overestimates PM10 by 5?% in comparison with the corrected one. Secondly, we demonstrate that submicron dust particles' contribution was incorrectly accounted for in the calculation of optical properties. Therefore, aerosol optical depth (AOD) in the old version was 25?%–30?% less than in the corrected one. Thirdly, we show that the gravitational settling procedure, in comparison with the corrected version, caused higher dust column loadings by 4?%–6?%, PM10 surface concentrations by 2?%–4?%, and mass of the gravitationally settled dust by 5?%–10?%. The cumulative effect of the found inconsistencies led to the significantly higher dust content in the atmosphere in comparison with the corrected WRF-Chem version. Our results explain why in many WRF-Chem simulations PM10 concentrations were exaggerated. We present the methodology for calculating diagnostics we used to estimate the impacts of introduced code modifications. We share the developed Merra2BC interpolator, which allows processing Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, version 2 (MERRA-2) output for constructing initial and boundary conditions for chemical species and aerosols.

Article / Publication Data
Active/Online
YES
Status
FINAL PRINT PUBLICATION
Volume
14
Available Metadata
Accepted On
December 11, 2020
DOI ↗
Fiscal Year
NOAA IR URL ↗
Peer Reviewed
YES
Publication Name
Geoscientific Model Development
Published On
January 25, 2021
Final Online Publication On
January 25, 2021
Publisher Name
European Geosciences Union
Print Volume
14
Print Number
1
Page Range
473–493
Issue
1
Submitted On
April 08, 2020
Project Type
LAB SUPPORTED
URL ↗

Authors

Authors who have authored or contributed to this publication.