Hydrology Modeling in Alaska: Model Documentation Template

Hydrology Modeling in Alaska: Model Documentation Template

(please fill out as much as possible)

Your name:Glen E. Liston

Model name: MicroMet/SnowModel/SnowTran-3D/SnowAssim

Authors: Glen Liston, Kelly Elder, Chris Hiemstra

Source code location (if public): Contact Glen Liston.

Citations and URLs for basic documentation:

ftp://ftp.cira.colostate.edu/liston/papers/first_author/

2006a.liston.JHM.pdf (MicroMet)

2006b.liston.JHM.pdf (SnowModel)

2007.liston.JGLAC.pdf (latest version of SnowTran-3D)

2008a.liston.JHM.pdf (SnowAssim)

2008b.liston.JHM.pdf (Example Application)

Source code language: FORTRAN 77

For the following section, you may wish to use appropriate keywords such as:

Physically-based, statistical, lumped parameter, spatially distributed, transitive model, equilibrium model, implicit, semi-implicit, explicit, TOPMODEL based, finite element, finite differences, routing, bottom boundary condition, parallel code, Richardson equation, optimization, forecast, etc

Model type and/or conceptual framework:Focus on snow processes. Runs over a spatial domain while marching forward in time.

Data needed to run the model (inputs):Gridded topography and land-cover type. Atmospheric forcings of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, and precipitation. These can come from either gridded atmospheric (re)analysis data or met stations.

Parameters and how they are derived:

Spatial element used to lump inputs and outputs: The model runs over a rectangular, gridded domain. The user defines the grid increments and time step used in the model simulation.

Sub-models (i.e. snow or ground thermodynamics):The model includes representations of just about any processes known to be important in the evolution of seasonal snow covers: blowing snow redistribution; static surface, blowing snow, and canopy intercepted snow sublimation; surface energy balance melt acounting; forest canopy processes; snowpack densification; etc.

Rainfall/runoff transformation mechanism:

Runoff routing within spatial elements and to basin outlet:

Method for including sub-grid scale processes: I think of this as being a subgrid-resolving model.

Resolution (possible & prudent):10’s of meters to 10’s of kilometers, depending on the application and concern for subgrid-scale processes. The model makes generally appropriate choices of which physical processes should be used, depending on the user-defined model resolution. These can be overridden by the user as part of the model setup processes.

Method of deriving topography:The model assumes you have generated the topography datasets used by the model as a pre-processing step.

Calibration approaches:

Treatment of frozen ground:

Publications using this model: See the publications referenced in the model summary papers listed above.

Strengths and Weaknesses in Alaska applications: Strong focus on snow. It could be coupled to a land surface hydrology model (e.g., soil moisture and runoff routing) to make it more widely applicable.