The parametrization of rainfall interception in GCMs

Experiments with a one-dimensional version of the Meteorological Office's 11-layer GCM are used to derive a simple calibrated subgrid parametrization of rainfall interception by the Amazonian rain forest. Two interception parametrizations, both incorporating subgrid variability of precipitation within a GCM grid box are presented and tested, and compared with observations made at a single location. the 1-D model is a fully interactive atmospheric column and incorporates all the GCM physics but is forced at its boundaries by climatic data. the interception losses appear to be sensitive to what fraction of area in the GCM grid box is covered by the rain and to the precise formulation of the interception process. the implications for the parametrization of the wet area in a GCM grid box are discussed and suggestions are made as to how to parametrize the fraction of wetted area in a GCM grid box.

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