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Evaluating the land-surface component of NWP models using field experiment data, specifically BOREAS.

The direct comparison between field experiment time-series data and model data from near-by grid-points in data assimilation and forecast systems has proved very useful in identifying systematic errors in the model physical parameterizations (Betts et al., 1993; 1996a,b, 1997, 1998a,b,c,d), and in developing improved model parameterizations (Viterbo and Beljaars, 1995; Hong and Pan, 1996; Chen et al., 1996). Primarily these comparisons identify physical processes, which are represented poorly or not represented at all in the models. This review is based on an evaluation (Betts et al, 1998c) of the reanalysis models (Kalnay et al, 1996; Gibson et al, 1997) from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction and National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR) and European Centre for Medium-Range Forecasts (ECMWF) over grassland and the boreal forest. Here we will just show the boreal forest comparison using data for 1996 from the Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) old black spruce site at 55.879°N, 98.484°W near Thompson, Manitoba. There are some physical aspects of the northern boreal forest, which are not represented in the reanalysis models, which we will illustrate with data from Betts et al (1998d).

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Betts, A. K., 1998: Evaluating the land-surface component of NWP models using field experiment data, specifically BOREAS. ECMWF/WCRP/GEWEX Workshop, 29 June - 2 July 1998. http://www.ecmwf.int/publications/library/ecpublications/pdf/workshop/1998/Modelling/wsmodelling_betts.pdf