Microphysics Parameterization in Convection and its Effects on Cloud Simulation in the NCAR CAM5

Microphysical processes in convection are important to convection-cloud-climate interactions and atmospheric hydrological cycle. They are also essential to understanding aerosol-cloud interaction. However, their parameterization in GCMs is crude. As part of an effort to improve the convection parameterization scheme for the NCAR CAM using observations, we incorporate a cloud microphysics parameterization into the Zhang-McFarlane convection scheme. The scheme is then evaluated against observations of cloud ice and water from the TWP-ICE experiment and other sources using the NCAR SCAM. It is found that this physically-based treatment of convective microphysics yields more realistic vertical profiles of convective cloud ice and liquid water contents. Cloud water and ice budgets are calculated to estimate the role of cloud water and ice detrainment from convection as water and ice sources for large-scale clouds. The new microphysics treatment is further implemented into CAM5 to test its effect on GCM simulations of clouds. Results will be presented at the meeting, and the implications on the simulation of hydrological cycle will be discussed.