Creating your simulated variables¶
Once you have created the emc2.core.Model and emc2.core.Instrument objects creating
the simulated variables is as easy as:
$ my_model = emc2.simulator.main.make_simulated_data(my_model, my_instrument, num_columns)
Cloud microphysical parameters¶
Once you have done this, the model will make several variables related to the subcolumn microphysical properties as well as the simulated moments. The microphysical properties output by EMC^2 consist of the number concentration, liquid water mixing ratio, and cloud fraction in each subcolumn.
Variable name |
Variable description |
Units |
strat_q_subcolumns_cl |
The cloud liquid water mixing
ratio in stratiform clouds.
|
kg/kg |
strat_q_subcolumns_ci |
The cloud ice mixing ratio in
stratiform clouds.
|
kg/kg |
strat_q_subcolumns_pl |
The precipitating liquid mixing
ratio in stratiform clouds.
|
kg/kg |
strat_q_subcolumns_pi |
The precipitating ice mixing ratio
in stratiform clouds.
|
kg/kg |
strat_n_subcolumns_cl |
The cloud liquid water particle number
concentration in stratiform clouds.
|
\(m^{-3}\) |
strat_n_subcolumns_ci |
The cloud ice particle number
concentration in stratiform clouds.
|
\(m^{-3}\) |
strat_n_subcolumns_pl |
The precipitating liquid particle concentration
in stratiform clouds.
|
\(m^{-3}\) |
strat_n_subcolumns_pi |
The precipitating ice particle
concentration in stratiform clouds.
|
\(m^{-3}\) |
strat_frac_subcolumns_cl |
The presence of liquid water particles in
stratiform clouds.
|
0 = No, 1 = Yes |
strat_frac_subcolumns_ci |
The presence of ice particles from stratiform
clouds.
|
0 = No, 1 = Yes |
strat_frac_subcolumns_pl |
The presence of liquid precipitation from
stratiform clouds.
|
0 = No, 1 = Yes |
strat_frac_subcolumns_pi |
The presence of ice precipitation from stratiform
clouds.
|
0 = No, 1 = Yes |
conv_q_subcolumns_cl |
The cloud liquid water mixing
ratio in convective clouds.
|
kg/kg |
conv_q_subcolumns_ci |
The cloud ice water mixing ratio in convective clouds
|
kg/kg |
conv_q_subcolumns_pl |
The precipitating liquid particle mixing
ratio in convective clouds.
|
kg/kg |
conv_q_subcolumns_pi |
The precipitating ice particle mixing ratio
in convective clouds.
|
kg/kg |
conv_n_subcolumns_cl |
The cloud liquid water particle
concentration in convective clouds.
|
\(m^{-3}\) |
conv_n_subcolumns_ci |
The cloud ice particle number
concentration in convective clouds.
|
\(m^{-3}\) |
conv_n_subcolumns_pl |
The precipitation liquid particle
concentration in convective clouds.
|
\(m^{-3}\) |
conv_n_subcolumns_pi |
The precipitation ice particle
concentration in ice clouds.
|
\(m^{-3}\) |
conv_frac_subcolumns_cl |
The presence of liquid water particles in
convective clouds.
|
0 = No, 1 = Yes |
conv_frac_subcolumns_ci |
The presence of ice particles from convection.
|
0 = No, 1 = Yes |
conv_frac_subcolumns_pl |
The presence of the volume covered by liquid
precipitation.
|
0 = No, 1 = Yes |
conv_frac_subcolumns_pi |
The presence of the volume covered by ice
precipitation.
|
0 = No, 1 = Yes |
Simulated radar variables¶
In addition, if you are simulating a radar, EMC^2 will output the following parameters for each model generated subcolumn.
Variable name |
Variable description |
Units |
sub_col_Ze_tot_strat |
The total radar reflectivity factor from stratiform
clouds.
|
dBZ |
sub_col_Vd_tot_strat |
The doppler Velocity from all hydrometeors in stratiform
clouds.
|
m/s |
sub_col_sigma_d_tot_strat |
The spectral width from all hydrometeors in stratiform
clouds.
|
m/s |
sub_col_Ze_tot_conv |
The total radar reflectivity factor from convective
clouds.
|
dBZ |
sub_col_Vd_tot_conv |
The doppler Velocity from all hydrometeors in convective
clouds.
|
m/s |
sub_col_sigma_d_tot_conv |
The spectral width from all hydrometeors in convective
clouds.
|
m/s |
For cloud liquid particles:
Variable name |
Variable description |
Units |
sub_col_Ze_cl_strat |
The radar reflectivity factor of cloud liquid particles
in clouds.
|
dBZ |
sub_col_Vd_cl_strat |
The doppler Velocity from cloud liquid particles in
stratiform clouds.
|
m/s |
sub_col_sigma_d_cl_strat |
The spectral width from cloud liquid particles in
stratiform clouds.
|
m/s |
sub_col_Ze_cl_conv |
The total radar reflectivity factor of cloud liquid
particles in convective clouds.
|
dBZ |
sub_col_Vd_cl_conv |
The doppler Velocity from cloud liquid particles
in convective clouds.
|
m/s |
sub_col_sigma_d_cl_conv |
The spectral width from cloud liquid particles in
convective clouds.
|
m/s |
For cloud ice particles:
Variable name |
Variable description |
Units |
sub_col_Ze_ci_strat |
The radar reflectivity factor of cloud ice particles
in clouds.
|
dBZ |
sub_col_Vd_ci_strat |
The doppler Velocity from cloud ice particles in
stratiform clouds.
|
m/s |
sub_col_sigma_d_ci_strat |
The spectral width from cloud ice particles in
stratiform clouds.
|
m/s |
sub_col_Ze_ci_conv |
The total radar reflectivity factor of cloud ice
particles in convective clouds.
|
dBZ |
sub_col_Vd_ci_conv |
The doppler Velocity from cloud ice particles
in convective clouds.
|
m/s |
sub_col_sigma_d_ci_conv |
The spectral width from cloud ice particles in
convective clouds.
|
m/s |
For liquid precipitation particles:
Variable name |
Variable description |
Units |
sub_col_Ze_pl_strat |
The radar reflectivity factor of liquid precipitation
particles in stratiform clouds.
|
dBZ |
sub_col_Vd_pl_strat |
The doppler Velocity of liquid precipitation
particles in stratiform clouds.
|
m/s |
sub_col_sigma_d_pl_strat |
The spectral width of liquid precipitation in
stratiform clouds.
|
m/s |
sub_col_Ze_pl_conv |
The radar reflectivity factor of liquid precipitation
particles in convective clouds.
|
dBZ |
sub_col_Vd_pl_conv |
The doppler Velocity of liquid precipitation particles
in convective clouds.
|
m/s |
sub_col_sigma_d_pl_conv |
The spectral width of liquid precipitation particles
convective clouds.
|
m/s |
For ice precipitation particles:
Variable name |
Variable description |
Units |
sub_col_Ze_pl_strat |
The radar reflectivity factor of ice precipitation
particles in stratiform clouds.
|
dBZ |
sub_col_Vd_pl_strat |
The doppler Velocity of ice precipitation
particles in stratiform clouds.
|
m/s |
sub_col_sigma_d_pl_strat |
The spectral width of ice precipitation in
stratiform clouds.
|
m/s |
sub_col_Ze_pl_conv |
The radar reflectivity factor of ice precipitation
particles in convective clouds.
|
dBZ |
sub_col_Vd_pl_conv |
The doppler Velocity of ice precipitation particles
in convective clouds.
|
m/s |
sub_col_sigma_d_pl_conv |
The spectral width of ice precipitation particles
convective clouds.
|
m/s |
Simulated lidar variables¶
If you are simulating a lidar, EMC^2 will output the following variables:
Variable name |
Variable description |
Units |
sub_col_alpha_p_tot_conv |
The extinction coefficient from all convective clouds. |
/m |
sub_col_beta_p_tot_conv |
The backscatter coefficient from all convective clouds |
/m |
sub_col_OD_tot_conv |
The optical depth from all convective clouds |
|
sub_col_alpha_p_tot_strat |
The extinction coefficient from all stratiform clouds. |
/m |
sub_col_beta_p_tot_strat |
The backscatter coefficient from all stratiform clouds |
/m |
sub_col_OD_tot_strat |
The optical depth from all stratiform clouds |
For the cloud liquid particles:
Variable name |
Variable description |
Units |
sub_col_alpha_p_cl_conv |
The extinction coefficient from the cloud liquid
particles in convective clouds.
|
/m |
sub_col_beta_p_cl_conv |
The backscatter coefficient from the cloud liquid
particles in convective clouds
|
/m |
sub_col_OD_cl_conv |
The optical depth from the cloud liquid particles in
convective clouds.
|
|
sub_col_alpha_p_cl_strat |
The extinction coefficient from the cloud liquid
particles in convective clouds.
|
/m |
sub_col_beta_p_cl_strat |
The backscatter coefficient from all the cloud liquid
particles in stratiform clouds.
|
/m |
sub_col_OD_cl_strat |
The optical depth from cloud liquid particles in
stratiform clouds.
|
For the cloud ice particles:
Variable name |
Variable description |
Units |
sub_col_alpha_p_ci_conv |
The extinction coefficient from the cloud ice
particles in convective clouds.
|
/m |
sub_col_beta_p_ci_conv |
The backscatter coefficient from the cloud ice
particles in convective clouds
|
/m |
sub_col_OD_ci_conv |
The optical depth from the cloud ice particles in
convective clouds.
|
|
sub_col_alpha_p_ci_strat |
The extinction coefficient from the cloud ice
particles in convective clouds.
|
/m |
sub_col_beta_p_ci_strat |
The backscatter coefficient from all the cloud ice
particles in stratiform clouds.
|
/m |
sub_col_OD_ci_strat |
The optical depth from cloud ice particles in
stratiform clouds.
|
For the liquid precipitation particles:
Variable name |
Variable description |
Units |
sub_col_alpha_p_pl_conv |
The extinction coefficient from the liquid precipitation
particles in convective clouds.
|
/m |
sub_col_beta_p_pl_conv |
The backscatter coefficient from the liquid precipitation
particles in convective clouds
|
/m |
sub_col_OD_pl_conv |
The optical depth from liquid precipitation in
convective clouds.
|
|
sub_col_alpha_p_pl_strat |
The extinction coefficient from liquid precipitation
particles in convective clouds.
|
/m |
sub_col_beta_p_pl_strat |
The backscatter coefficient from liquid precipitation
particles in stratiform clouds.
|
/m |
sub_col_OD_pl_strat |
The optical depth from liquid precipitation particles in
stratiform clouds.
|
For the ice precipitation particles:
Variable name |
Variable description |
Units |
sub_col_alpha_p_pl_conv |
The extinction coefficient from the ice precipitation
particles in convective clouds.
|
/m |
sub_col_beta_p_pl_conv |
The backscatter coefficient from the ice precipitation
particles in convective clouds
|
/m |
sub_col_OD_pl_conv |
The optical depth from ice precipitation in
convective clouds.
|
|
sub_col_alpha_p_pl_strat |
The extinction coefficient from ice precipitation
particles in convective clouds.
|
/m |
sub_col_beta_p_pl_strat |
The backscatter coefficient from ice precipitation
particles in stratiform clouds.
|
/m |
sub_col_OD_pl_strat |
The optical depth from ice precipitation particles in
stratiform clouds.
|
Visualization of results¶
model.ds is a standard xarray dataset that includes all of xarray’s plotting capabilities. Therefore,
you can plot any of these parameters for a given subcolumn simply by doing:
$ model_display = act.plotting.TimeSeriesDisplay(my_model.ds.sel(subcolumn=0), figsize=(15,5))
$ model_display.plot('sub_col_Ze_cl_strat', cmap='act_HomeyerRainbow', vmin=-30, vmax=-15)
$ model_display.axes[0].invert_yaxis()
If we want to compare against observations, you can harness the power of the Atmospheric Community Toolkit to make time series displays of the outputs. For example, to plot the reflectivity from KAZR, simply do:
$ display = act.plotting.TimeSeriesDisplay(KAZR.ds, figsize=(15,5))
$ display.plot('reflectivity_copol', cmap='act_HomeyerRainbow', subplot_index=(0, ))
For more information on ACT’s plotting routines click here. In the future we plan on integrating ACT’s Display module to make this process even easier.