Modeling challenges doused in simulations of important precipitation features
Tuesday, March 18, 2014 - 05:00
in Earth & Climate
Being all wet was exactly the approach for scientists looking to piece together precipitation puzzles. New research led by scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory investigated the reasons behind long-standing biases in climate models that depict a key climate feature known as the Intertropical Convergence Zone, or ITCZ. This feature is fueled by thermal energy in the tropics and forces warm, moist air to rise and dump rain over the tropics, and subsequently move toward the Earth's poles, descend and dry the subtropics.