Improving precipitation simulations in CIESM through a new entrainment rate parameterization
Entrainment rate parameterization is important for convection schemes but uncertain in climate models. A new deep convective entrainment rate (λ) parameterization (HL parameterization) is developed from aircraft observations and implemented into the convection scheme (Song and Zhang, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017MS001191) in the Community Integrated Earth System Model version 1.1.0, replacing the previously used parameterization (Gregory parameterization). Compared with the Gregory parameterization, the HL parameterization simulates overall larger λ values and improves convective and large-scale precipitation simulations in the 30°S-30°N region, agreeing better with observations. The mechanism is that the HL parameterization suppresses deep convective cloud development macrophysically and microphysically compared with the Gregory parameterization. Indirectly, compared with the Gregory parameterization, the HL parameterization increases large-scale precipitation and reduces shallow convective precipitation, lowering total precipitation closer to observations. The HL parameterization enhances the model’s ability to simulate precipitation, providing a valuable reference for improving the deep convection scheme in climate models.
Authors
- Kai Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3295-7926)
- Guang J. Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9712-5226)
- Chunsong Lu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1173-1453)
- Sinan Gao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1537-9215)
- Hengqi Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4668-3391)
- Yu‐Hao Lin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3380-4609)
- Xin Bo He (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9243-7052)
- Junjun Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2022-6018)
- Wenhui Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1646-8201)
- Te Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1872-9540)
- Lei Zhu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3996-9014)
- Xiaohao Guo
Institutions
- China Meteorological Administration (CN)
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography (US)
- Nanyang Technological University (SG)
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (CN)
- Jiangsu Provincial Meteorological Bureau (CN)
- Aerospace Information Research Institute (CN)
- State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
- Published
- 2025-12-12
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01282-8
- Primary Topic
- Meteorological Phenomena and Simulations
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Nanjing University
- National Key Research and Development Program of China
- Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province