Land Surface Processes over South America through terrestrial parameterizations in the Land Information System (LIS) Framework

• Grant number: 16/14676-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: July 17, 2017
• End date: July 16, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Meteorology
• Principal Investigator: Luis Gustavo Gonçalves de Gonçalves
• Grantee: Luis Gustavo Gonçalves de Gonçalves
• Host Investigator: Xubin Zeng
• Host Institution: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Arizona, United States

Abstract

The quality of the weather and climate predictions are related not only to the quality of the numerical model employed but also to the initial and boundary conditions. With the advance of studies seeking to better understand the physical climatic system, comes the need to use numerical simulations that integrate the various earth system components. The National Institute for Space Research (INPE) through its Center for Weather Forecast and Climate Studies (CPTEC) has been invested in the recent years in the development of a Brazilian Earth System Model (BESM) where one of the areas that needs attention, particularly over Brazil and South America, is related to the land surface parameterizations. These parameterizations, in turn enable a correct representation of the water, energy and carbon reservoirs (including biogeochemical and biogeophysical processes) playing a key role on mid- to long-range numerical simulations. Since 2005, NASA has been developing a framework for integration of land surface parameterizations (LIS - Land Information System) for studies seeking to improve the quality of the land surface states such as soil moisture and temperature or vegetation dynamics, in addition to its coupling, to weather and climate prediction models. Therefore, the present proposal aim to perform a joint research with experienced scientists in modeling and land surface data assimilation at the University of Arizona to employ the LIS framework for use over South America (and further extend to Global applications) through a Land Data Assimilation System (LDAS). This work has as future benefit to CPTEC/INPE the opportunity to test different land surface parameterizations into its atmospheric modeling system and contribute to its earth system model.