The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $100,000 Project Grant under the Geosciences program (CFDA 47.050) to examine the applicability of Monin-Obukhov Similarity Theory (MOST)-based surface layer parameterizations to complex surfaces in Earth System Models (ESMs). The 2-year project, running from July 2024 to June 2026, aims to improve the accuracy of how ESMs exchange energy and moisture between the land/ocean surface and the atmosphere above. Specifically, the research will evaluate the use of the Stiperski relations, which account for turbulence anisotropy, to better capture deviations from the traditional MOST approach. This will involve analyzing 7 years of data from 45 National Ecological Observation Network (NEON) eddy-covariance tower sites and conducting high-resolution large eddy simulations over 5 NEON locations. The ultimate goal is to develop updated surface-atmosphere exchange schemes ready for implementation in regional and global weather and climate models.
Generated 3/4/25, 7:47 AM