1. General Model Information
Name: AMBLE Atmospheric Model -Boundary Layer Emphasis
Acronym: AMBLE
Main medium: air
Main subject: biogeochemistry
Organization level: landscape
Type of model: partial differential equations (finite differences,3D)
Main application:
Keywords: atmospheric, atmosphere-terrain-land use-interactions, mesoscale, earth system
Contact:
Raymond W. Arritt
Associate Professor
Department of Agronomy
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-1010
USA
Phone: 515-294-9870
Fax: 515-294-3163
E-Mail: rwarritt@iastate.edu
R. W. Arritt (lead developer), with M. Segal, M. J. Mitchell, and C. A.
Author(s):
R. W. Arritt (lead developer), with M. Segal, M. J. Mitchell, and C. A.Clark. Portions of the code were adapted from routines developed by M. McCumber and J.Kain
Abstract:
AMBLE is a predictive 1-,2-,or 3-dimensional model based on primitive equations
of atmospheric flow. It includes sub-models for soil physics, vegetation, and
the upper ocean. The model is used primarily to study the interactions of the
atmosphere with terrain and land use. Time dependent atmospheric equations
are solved, as discretized onto a 1-D, 2-D, or 3-D finite difference grid.
Sub-models for soil physics and vegetative fluxes are solved concurrently with
the atmospheric sub-model. Fully-coupled, 2-way interaction exists amongst the
various sub-models.
Data input requires a representative atmospheric sounding in addition to
information on terrain, land use, and soil moisture. The model creates binary
output files which include the basic variables of state plus derived quantities
such as radiation and turbulent fluxes. The output files are then entered into
plotting programs and other post-analysis routines. The temporal scale is
typically a few hours to 2 days, although coupled ocean-atmosphere simulations
have run 30 days. The spatial scale in from 1 kilometer to several hundred
kilometers in the horizontal and typically 4 - 15 kilometers in the vertical.
Author of the abstract:
CIESIN (CONSORTIUM FOR
INTERNATIONAL EARTH SCIENCE INFORMATION NETWORK):
II. Technical Information
II.1 Executables:
Operating System(s): MS-DOS PCs to Cray Y-MP supercomputers
II.2 Source-code:
Programming Language(s): FORTRAN 77
II.3 Manuals:
II.4 Data:
III. Mathematical Information
III.1 Mathematics
III.2 Quantities
Requires a representative atmospheric sounding plus
III.2.1 Input
Requires a representative atmospheric sounding plusinformation on terrain, land use, and soil moisture.
Model Input Data Source: Sounding data are usually obtained from the conventionalradiosonde network or from soundings in field experiments. Land use data are obtained fromdigital elevation models and various sources. Proxy land use data such as NormalizedDifference Vegetation Index (NDVI) are also used. The model creates binary output files which include the basic variables
III.2.2 Output
The model creates binary output files which include the basic variablesof state plus derived quantities such as radiation and turbulent fluxes. The output files are thenentered into plotting programs and other post-analysis routines.
Temporal Scale: Usually a few hours to 1-2 days, although coupled ocean-atmospheresimulations have run 30 days.
Spatial Scale: From 1 km (non-hydrostatic version) to several hundred km in the horizontal,typically 4 - 15 km in the vertical
IV. References
Arritt, R. W., 1987, Boundary-Layer Meteorology, 40, 101-125
Arritt, R. W., 1989, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 115, 547-570
Segal, M. et al., 1993, Monthly Weather Review, 121, 1871-1873
V. Further information in the World-Wide-Web
VI. Additional remarks
The model's primary use is to study interactions of the atmosphere with terrain and land use, making it a potentially useful model in examining the relationships between atmospheric conditions and vegetation.
Last review of this document by: T. Gabele: 29. 8. 1997 -
Status of the document:
last modified by
Tobias Gabele Wed Aug 21 21:44:39 CEST 2002