Impact of dynamical and microphysical schemes on black carbon prediction in a regional climate model over India

Abstract

Aerosol concentrations and their properties strongly depend on dynamics of atmosphere. Effects of physical and dynamical parameterizations on meteorology and black carbon (BC) mass in Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-CHEM) are investigated over India. Simulations are performed in ten experiments considering two boundary layer, three cumulus parameterization, and five microphysics schemes during winter and monsoon of 2008. Morrison double-moment physical parameterization, Yonsei University boundary layer parameterization with Kain-Fritsch and Grell-Freitas cumulus parameterization schemes are found suitable to simulate meteorology and BC mass over India. BC mass is found to be underestimated in almost all experiments during winter; while, BC mass is overestimated in monsoon over Ahmedabad, Delhi, and Kanpur, which suggests inefficient wet scavenging of BC in monsoon, while lower emission rate may cause differences in winter. The results will be useful in understanding parameterizations and their impact on aerosols.