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Module Rh_Clouds_Mod

     Contact:   Isaac Held and Steve Klein
     Reviewers:


OVERVIEW


     The rh_clouds module computes the relative humidity based clouds 
     of Manabe and Wetherald.
     

     Given the model's instantaneous or time-averaged relative humidity
     the scheme calculates the levels that have clouds, and specifies
     the albedo and absorption for the two shortwave bands, and the 
     lognwave emissivity of the clouds.

      The algorithm for the RH_CLOUDS Module is as detailed below.

A "cloud" is defined to be present whenever the relative humidity is greater
or equal to r_crit, where r_crit varies linearly in 
sigma = pressure/surface_pressure:

   r_crit = rh_crit_top + sigma*(rh_crit_bot - rh_crit_top)

If clouds are present in adjacent levels, they constitute a single cloud

i.e., for a 10 level model (0,1,1,1,0,0,1,1,0,1,0) 
             ( 0 = no-cloud  1 = cloud)
             there are three clouds

Clouds are defined as "high"   if sigma <= high_middle
Clouds are defined as "middle" if high_middle < sigma <= middle_low
Clouds are defined as "low"    if middle_low < sigma 

The values of high_middle and middle_low are latitude-dependent, 

   x = (90.0 - abs(deg_lat))/90.
   high_middle = high_middle_pole + x*(high_middle_eq - high_middle_pole)
   middle_low  = middle_low_pole  + x*(middle_low_eq  - middle_low_pole )

where high_middle_pole etc are namelist parameters.


The short wave and near infrared albedos of each cloud type (high, middle low)
are  determined by a table look-up that depends on zenith angle 
-- ( so six functions of zenith angle are tabulated in all)
-- sigma at cloud base determines whether it is high, medium or low 
-- optical parameters do NOT depend on thickness of cloud

The short wave absorption coefficient of all clouds is set to 0.0
The near-infrared absorption coefficients for high, middle, and low clouds
  are set in the namelist
The infrared emissivity of each cloud type is also set in the namelist


OTHER MODULES USED


utilities_mod


PUBLIC INTERFACE


use rh_clouds_mod [,only: rh_clouds, rh_clouds_init, rh_clouds_end,
                          rh_clouds_sum, rh_clouds_avg]

rh_clouds      -      given the relative humidity (rh) field, zenith
                      angle and latitude, rh_clouds returns the cloud 
                      locations and their radiative properties 

rh_clouds_init -       called once to initialize rh_clouds module.  
                      This routine reads and initializes the namelist 
                      input. 

rh_clouds_end -       this ending routine writes to a restart file
                      'rh_clouds.res', rh field data so that the rh
                      clouds can smoothly be started in the next 
                      integration.

rh_clouds_sum -        called when to replace or increment the storage
                      value of the relative humidity.

rh_clouds_avg -        called when rh is retrieved from storage for a
                      radiation calculation.


PUBLIC ROUTINES


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

call rh_clouds(rh, p_full, p_surf, zenith, deg_lat,&
            n_cloud,top,bot,cldamt,alb_uv,alb_nir,abs_uv,abs_nir,emiss)

     (In the following the phrase "dimension(:) or (:,:)" means
      that this routine can be called either with all of the 
      variables so designated being either 1d or 2d arrays.
      All of these arrays should conform exactly.)

     (That is rh_clouds is a module procedure which can be called
      with full 3-dimensional arguments or a single point)

input

     rh         relative humidity on model levels (fraction)
                [real, dimension(:,:,:)]

     pfull      pressure at full model levels {Pascals}. 
                [real,dimension(:,:,nlev)] 
                IMPORTANT NOTE: p(j) < p(j+1)

     p_surf     surface pressure surface{Pascals} [real,dimension(:,:)]

     zenith     cosine of the solar zenith angle [real,dimension(:,:)]

     deg_lat    latitude in degrees [real,dimension(:,:)] 



output

     n_cloud    number of (random overlapping) clouds in column 
                [integer,dimension(:,:)]

     top        index of vertical level which contains the top of
                the i'th cloud in the column. [integer,dimension(:,:,i),
                where i = 1, n_cloud(:,:)]
    
     bot        index of vertical level which contains the bottom of
                the i'th cloud in the column. [integer,dimension(:,:,i)]
    
     cldamt     horiztonal area amount of i'th cloud (fraction)
                [real,dimension(:,:,i)]

     alb_uv       cloud reflectance in ultra-violet (uv) band of i'th cloud 
                (fraction) [real,dimension(:,:,i)]
     
     alb_nir      cloud reflectance in the near-infrared (nir) band of i'th 
                cloud (fraction) [real,dimension(:,:,i)] 

     abs_uv      cloud absorptance in the uv band of i'th cloud 
                (fraction) [real,dimension(:,:,i)]

     abs_nir     cloud absorptance in the nir band of i'th cloud 
                (fraction) [real,dimension(:,:,i)]

     emiss      longwave emissivity of the i'th cloud (fraction)
                [real,dimension(:,:,i)]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------


call rh_clouds_init (nlon,nlat,nlev)

input
    
     nlon       number of x dimension points [integer]

     nlat       number of y dimension points [integer]

     nlev       number of z dimension points [integer]
  

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

call rh_clouds_end (nlon,nlat,nlev)

[No interface for rh_clouds_end]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

call subroutine rh_clouds_sum (is, js, rh)

input 

     is         integer of starting x position of data window [integer]
       
     js         integer of starting y position of data window [integer]
   
     rh         relative humidity (fraction)  [real, dimension(:,:,:)]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

call subroutine rh_clouds_avg (is, js, rh)

input 

     is         integer of starting x position of data window [integer]
       
     js         integer of starting y position of data window [integer]

 output
 
     rh         relative humidity (fraction)  [real, dimension(:,:,:)]

     ierr       integer error variable



NAMELIST


&rh_clouds_nml

       
    high_middle_pole  sigma coordinate boundary between high and
                          middle clouds at the pole 
                      [real, default: high_middle_pole=0.7]

    high_middle_eq    sigma coordinate boundary between high and
                          middle clouds at the equator
                      [real, default: high_middle_eq=0.4]

    middle_low_pole   sigma coordinate boundary between low and
                          middle clouds at the pole 
                      [real, default: middle_low_pole=0.85]

    middle_low_eq     sigma coordinate boundary between low and
                          middle clouds at the equator
                      [real, default: middle_low_eq=0.7]

    rh_crit_bot       critical relative humidity to define occur of cloud
                        at sigma = 1         when do_mcm_crit_rh=.false.
                            or
                        at lowest full level when do_mcm_crit_rh=.true.
                      [real, default: rh_crit_bot=1.0]

    rh_crit_top       critical relative humidity to define occur of cloud
                          at sigma = 0
                      [real, default: rh_crit_top=0.9]

    do_mcm_crit_rh    See rh_crit_bot
                      [logical, default: do_mcm_crit_rh=.false.]

    do_mcm_no_clouds_top: Prevents clouds at top model level. 
                      [logical, default: do_mcm_no_clouds_top=.false.]

    tuning_coeff_low_cld: Multiplies low cloud albedos to change default values.
                       Intended for use with Manabe Climate Model.
		       [real, default: tuning_coeff_low_cld = 1.0]

    high_abs          Near-infrared absorptivities of high clouds
                      [real, default: high_abs = 0.04]

    middle_abs        Near-infrared absorptivities of middle level clouds
                      [real, default: middle_abs = 0.30]

    low_abs           Near-infrared absorptivities of low clouds
                      [real, default: low_abs = 0.40]

    high_emiss        Infrared emissivities of high clouds
                      [real, default: high_emiss = 0.6]

    middle_emiss      Infrared emissivities of middle level clouds
                      [real, default: middle_emiss = 1.0]

    low_emiss         Infrared emissivities of low clouds
                      [real, default: low_emiss = 1.0]

    do_average        Use time-averaged rh values when computing
                          clouds
                      [logical, default: do_average = .true.]


CHANGE HISTORY


Prior Changes (1/24/2009)

    Fixed a bug with the reading and writing of restart data (nsum).

Prior Changes (10/4/1999)

    MPP version created. Changes to open_file and error_mesg arguments, 
    Fortran write statements to standard output only on PE 0, Fortran close
    statement changed to call close_file, and Fortran read/write statements
    for restart files changed to call read_data/write_data.


ERROR MESSAGES


'input argument has the wrong size' is returned from rh_clouds_avg when
 dimensions of rh output array does not match the stored rh field.

'dimensions of zenith and top do not match' is returned when the input
arguments to rh_clouds do not match the shapes of the arrays.

'dimension of deg_lat and top do not match' is returned when the input
arguments to rh_clouds do not match the shapes of the arrays.

'third dimension of top not large enough' is an internal error message
of rh_clouds subroutine which arises is dimensions of top do not have enough
entries to fulfill the need. 


REFERENCES


     Wetherald, R. T. and S. Manabe, 1988, J. Atmos. Sci., vol. 45,
     pp. 1397-1415.


FUTURE PLANS


     No Plans at present.