Sela et al. (2026) Sensitivity of cloud structure and precipitation to cloud microphysics schemes in ICON and implications for global km-scale simulations

Identification

• Journal: Geoscientific model development
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-09-04
• Authors: Maor Sela, Philipp Weiss, Philip Stier
• DOI: 10.5194/gmd-19-8191-2026

Research Groups

• Department of Physics, University of Oxford
• European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts

Short Summary

This study examines the sensitivity of cloud structure and precipitation to microphysics schemes in ICON (Icosahedral Non-hydrostatic modelling framework) and its implications for global km-scale simulations. The results show that cloud hydrometeor characteristics are sensitive to the microphysics scheme, with differences between single- and double-moment schemes affecting simulated clouds and precipitation.

Objective

• Investigate the sensitivity of cloud structure and precipitation to microphysics schemes in ICON.
• Examine how these sensitivities interact with domain configuration.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Regional (Amazon basin) and global simulations.
• Temporal Scale: 12 d spin-up period, followed by analysis from 1 to 7 February 2020.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: ICON-MPIM (Icosahedral Non-hydrostatic modelling framework of the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology).
• Data sources: ERA5 reanalysis data, IMERG (Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement Mission), ABI (Advanced Baseline Imager) brightness temperature observations, and ATTO (Amazon Tall Tower Observatory) ceilometer measurements.

Main Results

• Cloud hydrometeor characteristics are sensitive to the microphysics scheme.
• Single-moment simulations predict higher LWP values, while double-moment simulations yield lower values.
• Global simulation shows clouds in the northern parts of the domain, whereas regional simulations remain relatively cloud-free in those areas.
• Double-moment simulation predicts up to twice the rain and six times the graupel compared to single-moment runs.

Contributions

• This study provides new insights into the sensitivity of cloud structure and precipitation to microphysics schemes in ICON.
• The results highlight the importance of considering both microphysics scheme and domain configuration when simulating clouds and precipitation.

Funding

• Not specified.

Citation

@article{Sela2026Sensitivity,
  author = {Sela, Maor and Weiss, Philipp and Stier, Philip},
  title = {Sensitivity of cloud structure and precipitation to cloud microphysics schemes in ICON and implications for global km-scale simulations},
  journal = {Geoscientific model development},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.5194/gmd-19-8191-2026},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-8191-2026}
}