Impact of PBL Schemes on the Simulation of PBL Height in the Central Amazon Basin

Mantovani, José Antonio; Carneiro, Rayonil; Borges, Camilla Kassar; Ibarra-Espinosa, Sergio; Aravéquia, José Antonio; Fisch, Gilberto; Herdies, Dirceu Luis

doi:10.3390/geosciences16040134

i

Impact of PBL Schemes on the Simulation of PBL Height in the Central Amazon Basin

2026
By Mantovani, José Antonio ; Carneiro, Rayonil ; Borges, Camilla Kassar ; Ibarra-Espinosa, Sergio ; Aravéquia, José Antonio ; Fisch, Gilberto ; Herdies, Dirceu Luis
Source: Geosciences, 16(4), 134

[PDF - 43.94 MB]

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Journal Title:

Geosciences
Personal Author:

Mantovani, José Antonio ; Carneiro, Rayonil ; Borges, Camilla Kassar ; Ibarra-Espinosa, Sergio ; Aravéquia, José Antonio ; Fisch, Gilberto ; Herdies, Dirceu Luis
NOAA Program & Office:

OAR (Oceanic and Atmospheric Research) ; CISESS (Cooperative Institute for Satellite Earth System Studies) ; GSL (Global Systems Laboratory)
Description:

This study evaluates the performance of eleven Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) schemes within the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model over the Central Amazon Basin, focusing on contrasting wet and dry season conditions observed during the GoAmazon2014/5 campaign. High-resolution (1 km) simulations were conducted for representative periods in each season and validated against in situ observations. Model performance was assessed using multiple statistical metrics with the explicit separation of daytime convective and nighttime stable PBL regimes. Results reveal substantial variability among PBL schemes, strongly modulated by the season and diurnal cycle. Overall performance was higher during the wet period, whereas dry period simulations exhibited larger uncertainties, particularly under nocturnal conditions. The Shin-Hong (SH) PBL scheme had the best skill on average to reproduce the observed PBL height (PBLH) during the wet period, while the University of Washington (UW) PBL scheme was the best during the dry period. The Mellor-Yamada-Janjic (MYJ) PBL scheme had the best skill for daytime PBLH in both periods. Spatial analysis demonstrated how PBL schemes impact the PBLH distribution over the Central Amazon Basin, revealing a river-influenced pattern. These findings highlight the strong sensitivity of the Amazon PBL depth to PBL schemes and underscore the importance of appropriate PBL parameterizations and the vertical resolution for tropical applications.
Source:

Geosciences, 16(4), 134
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences16040134
ISSN:

2076-3263
Format:

pdf
Publisher:

MDPI AG
Document Type:

Journal Article
License:

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Rights Information:

CC BY
Compliance:

Library
Download URL:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/75713/noaa_75713_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 43.94 MB]
Collection(s):

Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) ; NOAA Cooperative Institutes
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha-512:b2d97ddc37d453fe7a2f2738d884320c67d3c4007cfe8f49fa553fd47d5f006acfe6ace8d645dc644cf4e27191f757cbc63208da247f79058c979e67154da0f0

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