Parameterization of the Planetary Boundary layer for Use in General Circulation Models¹

Abstract

The surface stress and fluxes of heat and moisture are parameterized for use in numerical models of the general circulation of the atmosphere. The parameterization is designed to be consistent with recent advances in knowledge of both the planetary boundary layer and the surface layer. A key quantity throughout is the height, h, of the planetary boundary layer, which appears in the governing stability parameter, a bulk Richardson number. With upward heat flux, a time-dependent prediction equation is proposed for h that incorporates penetrative convection and vertical motion. Under stable conditions,