Unified parameterization of the planetary boundary layer and shallow convection with a higher-order turbulence closure in the Community Atmosphere Model: Single-column experiments

This paper describes the coupling of the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM) version 5 with a unified multi-variate probability density function (PDF) parameterization, Cloud Layers Unified by Binormals (CLUBB). CLUBB replaces the planetary boundary layer (PBL), shallow convection, and cloud macrophysics schemes in CAM5 with a higher-order turbulence closure based on an assumed PDF. Comparisons of single-column versions of CAM5 and CAM-CLUBB are provided in this paper for several boundary layer regimes. As compared to large eddy simulations (LESs), CAM-CLUBB and CAM5 simulate marine stratocumulus regimes with similar accuracy. For shallow convective regimes, CAM-CLUBB improves the representation of cloud cover and liquid water path (LWP). In addition, for shallow convection CAM-CLUBB offers better fidelity for subgrid-scale vertical velocity, which is an important input for aerosol activation. Finally, CAM-CLUBB results are more robust to changes in vertical and temporal resolution when compared to CAM5.

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Author Bogenschutz, Peter A.
Gettelman, Andrew
Morrison, Hugh
Larson, V.
Schanen, D.
Meyer, N.
Craig, C.
Publisher UCAR/NCAR - Library
Publication Date 2012-11-14T00:00:00
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Topic Category geoscientificInformation
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Metadata Date 2025-07-15T21:31:28.142296
Metadata Record Identifier edu.ucar.opensky::articles:12519
Metadata Language eng; USA
Suggested Citation Bogenschutz, Peter A., Gettelman, Andrew, Morrison, Hugh, Larson, V., Schanen, D., Meyer, N., Craig, C.. (2012). Unified parameterization of the planetary boundary layer and shallow convection with a higher-order turbulence closure in the Community Atmosphere Model: Single-column experiments. UCAR/NCAR - Library. https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d76d5ttq. Accessed 23 August 2025.

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