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Influence of increased vertical resolution in RegCM4.5 on summer climate simulation over West Africa

Author Affiliations

  • 1Department of Physics, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Int. Res. J. Earth Sci., Volume 7, Issue (1), Pages 29-56, January,25 (2019)

Abstract

The response of climate parameters to increase in vertical resolution based on a fixed horizontal resolution is simulated using RegCM4.5. Eighteen and 23 vertical levels are used for the simulation with 50 km x 50 km horizontal resolution in the LEV18 and LEV23 experiments, respectively. All other model parameters are the same except for the number of model vertical levels. Most of the climate parameters are better resolved in the higher resolution experiment. Air temperature is well captured by both vertical resolutions at upper and mid troposphere but LEV23 performs better at the surface. Simulations of omega pressure velocity from both resolutions have biases in terms of vertical and north-south extents and strength. Increased vertical resolution generally improves the simulated climate and makes it more realistic.

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