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The non‐local model of mixing based on internal wave breaking, IDEMIX, is implemented as an enhancement of a turbulent kinetic energy closure model in three non‐eddy resolving general circulation ocean models that differ in the discretization and choice of computational grids. In IDEMIX internal wave energy is generated by an energy flux resulting from near‐inertial waves induced by wind forcing at the surface, and at the bottom, by an energy flux that parameterizes the transfer of energy between baroclinic and barotropic tides. In all model simulations with IDEMIX, the mixing work is increased compared to the reference solutions without IDEMIX, reaching values in better agreement with finestructure observations. Furthermore, the horizontal structure of the mixing work is more realistic as a consequence of the heterogeneous forcing functions. All models with IDEMIX simulate deeper thermocline depths related to stronger shallow overturning cells in the Indo‐Pacific. In the North Atlantic, deeper mixed layers in simulations with IDEMIX are associated with an increased Atlantic overturning circulation and an increase of northward heat transports toward more realistic values. The response of the deep Indo‐Pacific overturning circulation and the weak bottom cell of the Atlantic to the inclusion of IDEMIX is incoherent between the models, suggesting that additional unidentified processes and numerical mixing may confound the analysis. Applying different tidal forcing functions leads to simulation differences that are small compared to differences between the different models or between simulations with IDEMIX and without IDEMIX. Plain Language Summary: Waves in the ocean interior play a fundamental role for ocean dynamics since they can carry energy over long distances and, once they break, lead to turbulent mixing. This turbulent mixing can cause dense water masses to rise from the deep ocean with a direct impact on large‐scale currents. The wave dynamics occur on spatial scales that cannot be resolved in global ocean or climate models. To account for these processes, we apply the new parameterization IDEMIX that describes internal wave generation, propagation, and mixing. Using three different ocean models with and without IDEMIX ensures that we can identify model‐specific effects of the parameterization and discriminate them from those independent of the model. We find that the simulated mixing patterns agree better with observations once IDEMIX is applied. Large‐scale currents and the vertical temperature distribution are substantially affected by the internal wave parameterization. Whether this leads to an improved agreement with observed currents and water mass properties depends on the specific model and on numerical effects. In most cases, simulations with IDEMIX are not very sensitive to details of how the internal wave model is driven by tidal energy input. Key Points: the IDEMIX closure for a consistent representation of internal wave‐induced mixing is evaluated in three state‐of‐the‐art ocean modelsonly in simulations with IDEMIX can the models reproduce the magnitude and spatial variability of the observed mixing workmost changes with IDEMIX can be attributed to stronger mixing, but some effects are confounded by other processes and numerical mixing [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A single column model with parameterized large‐scale (LS) dynamics is used to better understand the response of steady‐state tropical precipitation to relative sea surface temperature under various representations of radiation, convection, and circulation. The large‐scale dynamics are parametrized via the weak temperature gradient (WTG), damped gravity wave (DGW), and spectral weak temperature gradient (Spectral WTG) method in NCAR's Single Column Atmosphere Model (SCAM6). Radiative cooling is either specified or interactive, and the convective parameterization is run using two different values of a parameter that controls the degree of convective inhibition. Results are interpreted in the context of the Global Atmospheric System Studies ‐Weak Temperature Gradient (GASS‐WTG) Intercomparison project. Using the same parameter settings and simulation configuration as in the GASS‐WTG Intercomparison project, SCAM6 under the WTG and DGW methods produces erratic results, suggestive of numerical instability. However, when key parameters are changed to weaken the large‐scale circulation's damping of tropospheric temperature variations, SCAM6 performs comparably to single column models in the GASS‐WTG Intercomparison project. The Spectral WTG method is less sensitive to changes in convection and radiation than are the other two methods, performing qualitatively similarly across all configurations considered. Under all three methods, circulation strength, represented in 1D by grid‐scale vertical velocity, is decreased when barriers to convection are reduced. This effect is most extreme under specified radiative cooling, and is shown to come from increased static stability in the column's reference radiative‐convective equilibrium profile. This argument can be extended to interactive radiation cases as well, though perhaps less conclusively. Plain Language Summary: Single column models, as the name suggests, only model the vertical dimension of the atmosphere. They are simpler than full‐scale 3D global circulation models, but nonetheless play an important role in model development and in better understanding physical phenomena. We use NCAR's Single Column Atmosphere Model (SCAM6) to better understand tropical rainfall. In a single column model, the atmospheric wind coming from other locations (the large‐scale circulation) must be either specified or approximated using a parameterization. We implement three different parameterizations of the large‐scale circulation into SCAM6 and assess how SCAM6 responds to various changes while using these parameterizations. The Global Atmospheric System Studies‐Weak Temperature Gradient (GASS‐WTG) Intercomparison project assessed the performance of various other single column models using two parameterizations of the large‐scale circulation. We fold SCAM6 into this Intercomparison, and we find that SCAM6 performs substantially differently to its peers under the settings used in the GASS‐WTG Intercomparison project, but more comparably to its peers when key circulation parameters are relaxed. Another notable finding is that, across all three parameterizations of large‐scale dynamics, circulation strength decreases when we reduce SCAM6's barrier to convection. Key Points: We use three different methods to parameterize the large‐scale (LS) dynamics in NCAR's single column atmospheric model (SCAM6)As in the Global Atmospheric System Studies Intercomparison, we test SCAM6's response to various boundary conditions and model parametersUnder all three methods, circulation strength is decreased when barriers to convection are reduced [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the simulation of nocturnal precipitation, we develop a parameterization for the elevated convection that is launched from the level of maximum grid‐mean moist static energy, when grid‐mean vertical flow is upward at the launching interface. The parameterized elevated convection is forced by both cold pool‐driven and partially resolved external mesoscale organized flows. Properties of the external mesoscale flow are estimated from grid‐mean vertical velocity and three dimensional advection tendencies of temperature and moisture. The new parameterization is implemented into a unified convection scheme (UNICON) and tested for both the single‐column case at the Southern Great Plain (SGP) site in US and in global simulations. At the SGP site, the parameterized elevated convection strengthens nocturnal convection, increases nocturnal precipitation, and better simulates the observed diurnal cycle of precipitation. It appears that the elevated and surface‐based convections interact with each other by stabilizing the atmospheric column, which affects subsequent convection. Global simulation shows that the elevated convection mostly occurs over the continents during the night, and also over the oceanic mid‐latitude warm air advection and storm track regions during summer. Without degrading global mean climate, the elevated convection improves the simulation of nocturnal precipitation in the mid‐US but simulates somewhat strong nocturnal precipitation in northeastern Asia. It seems that a key to simulate observed nocturnal precipitation is to appropriately parameterize the impacts of external organized flow on the elevated convection. Plain Language Summary: Precipitation has a strong diurnal cycle as a result of complex interactions between the atmosphere and the surface through moist convection. The diurnal cycle of precipitation has a significant impact on surface energy and water budgets, and its accumulated effect may appear even on the climate timescale. However, most general circulation models (GCM) poorly simulate the observed diurnal cycle of precipitation. Particularly, it has been difficult to simulate nocturnal precipitation over the central US during summer. To improve the simulation of nocturnal precipitation, we develop a new parameterization for the elevated convection. Both single‐column and global test simulations show that the new parameterization increases nocturnal precipitation and better simulates the observed diurnal cycle of precipitation. Our research will contribute to improving the performance of GCM and so better simulating current and future climates. Key Points: To improve the simulation of nocturnal precipitation, we develop a parameterization for the elevated convectionIn the mid‐US, the new parameterization increases nocturnal precipitation and better simulates the observed diurnal cycle of precipitationA key to simulate observed nocturnal precipitation is to parameterize the impacts of external mesoscale flow on the elevated convection [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]