URI Hurricane Boundary Layer Wind Model (URI-HBL)

Overview

The URI Hurricane Boundary Layer Wind Model (URI-HBL) is a high-resolution, three-dimensional numerical model developed at the University of Rhode Island to simulate boundary layer winds in hurricanes, driven by a prescribed upper-level vortex in gradient balance and motion-induced forcing. This branch implements the idealized, axisymmetric hurricane simulation framework developed in:

Jisan, Mansur Ali. Development and Application of a Hurricane Boundary Layer Wind Model for Landfalling Hurricanes. University of Rhode Island, 2024. https://doi.org/10.23860/diss-1640

The model consists of two main components: a parametric wind field generator that generates the initial and boundary conditions, and a 3D boundary layer model that simulates the wind field, including the surface and boundary layers of the hurricane.

Model Features and Applications

This idealized hurricane simulation branch is specifically designed for:

• Landfall Studies: Detailed analysis of hurricane boundary layer structure during landfall events
• Hurricane-Land Interaction: Investigation of wind field changes due to the roughness contrast between land and sea.
• Idealized Experiments: Controlled studies of hurricane boundary layer evolution due to the effect of land surface roughness.

Directory Structure

URI-HBL/
├── boundary_home/           # Source code and shared libraries
│   ├── source/
│   │   ├── parametric/      # Parametric model source
│   │   ├── model/           # Boundary layer model source
│   │   ├── shared/          # Shared modules and utilities
│   │   └── post_process/    # Post-processing tools
│   ├── LIBS/                # External libraries (mppnccombine, etc.)
│   └── inputs/              # Static input data files
├── boundary_parametric/     # Parametric model experiments
│   └── IDEAL/exps/1KM/      # 1km resolution setup
└── boundary_model/          # Boundary layer model experiments
    └── IDEAL/exps/1KM/      # 1km resolution setup

Prerequisites

Required Modules

Load the following modules before building and running the model:

module load spack-managed-icelake/v1.0
module load intel-oneapi-compilers/2024.2.1
module load intel-oneapi-mpi/2021.13.1
module load hdf5/1.14.3
module load netcdf-c/4.9.2
module load netcdf-fortran/4.6.1

System Requirements

• Intel Fortran compiler
• Intel MPI
• NetCDF libraries (C and Fortran)
• HDF5 library

Quick Start Guide

Step 1: Parametric Model Setup and Execution

1. Navigate to the parametric model directory:

   cd boundary_parametric/IDEAL/exps/1KM/

2. Configure the model:

   • Edit time_mod.F90 in the GRIDS/ directory to set up model grid and time parameters
   • Prepare track file in the INPUT/ directory (e.g., track_file_control, track_file_z50fast, track_file_z50slow)
   • Configure input.nml namelist file with appropriate settings
   • Ensure topog_storm_domain.nc (land-sea mask) is present in INPUT/

3. Build the parametric model:

   ./build_parametric.bash

4. Run the parametric model:

   ./run_parametric.bash

   Note: The parametric model runs in serial mode.

Step 2: Boundary Layer Model Setup and Execution

1. Copy parametric output: Copy the parametric model output file to the boundary layer model input directory:

   cp boundary_parametric/IDEAL/exps/1KM/OUTPUT/[parametric_output_file] \
      boundary_model/IDEAL/exps/1KM/INPUT/

2. Navigate to the boundary layer model directory:

   cd boundary_model/IDEAL/exps/1KM/

3. Configure the model:

   • Update input.nml to specify the parametric output filename
   • Configure diag_table to control output variables:
     • For 2D wind fields: include ubot, vbot
     • For 3D wind fields: include um, vm
     • See diag_table_all for complete list of available output parameters

4. Build the boundary layer model:

   ./build_model.bash

5. Run the boundary layer model:

   ./run_model.bash

   Note: The boundary layer model uses MPI parallelization. The domain decomposition is configured in grid_mod.F90.

Step 3: Post-Processing

The boundary layer model outputs separate NetCDF files for each MPI rank. To combine these into a single file:

./run_combine.bash

This script uses mppnccombine to merge all individual NetCDF files into a single output file.

Configuration Files

Key Configuration Files

1. time_mod.F90: Model grid and time step configuration
2. input.nml: Runtime namelist parameters
3. diag_table: Output variable selection
4. grid_mod.F90: Domain decomposition for MPI

Important Input Files

1. Track files: Hurricane track data (in INPUT/ directory)
2. topog_storm_domain.nc: Land-sea mask data (in INPUT/ directory).
   • Download topog_storm_domain.nc

Output Variables

Available Diagnostics (from diag_table_all):

• 2D Variables: ubot, vbot, utop, vtop, pgfx, pgfy, mask, znot, rain_acc
• 3D Variables: um, vm, umdt, vmdt, dudx, dudy, dudz, dvdx, dvdy, dvdz, wm, tur
• Temporal Variables: wsmax, xy_center, xy_corner

Common Output Configurations:

• 2D Wind Analysis: Include ubot, vbot, utop, vtop
• 3D Wind Analysis: Include um, vm, wm
• Surface Analysis: Include mask, znot, pgfx, pgfy

Example Workflow

# 1. Load modules
module load spack-managed-icelake/v1.0
module load intel-oneapi-compilers/2024.2.1
module load intel-oneapi-mpi/2021.13.1
module load hdf5/1.14.3
module load netcdf-c/4.9.2
module load netcdf-fortran/4.6.1

# 2. Run parametric model
cd boundary_parametric/IDEAL/exps/1KM/
./build_parametric.bash
./run_parametric.bash

# 3. Transfer output and run boundary model
cp OUTPUT/parametric_output.nc ../../../boundary_model/IDEAL/exps/1KM/INPUT/
cd ../../../boundary_model/IDEAL/exps/1KM/
./build_model.bash
./run_model.bash

# 4. Combine output files
./run_combine.bash

Workflow

flowchart TD
    A[Load Modules] --> B[Setup Input Files]
    B --> C[Parametric Model]
    C --> C1[Build & Run<br/>./build_parametric.bash<br/>./run_parametric.bash]
    C1 --> D[Copy Output to<br/>Boundary Model INPUT]
    D --> E[Boundary Layer Model]
    E --> E1[Configure diag_table<br/>Build & Run<br/>./build_model.bash<br/>./run_model.bash]
    E1 --> F[Combine Output<br/>./run_combine.bash]
    F --> G[Final NetCDF Output]
    
    %% Styling
    classDef parametric fill:#f3e5f5,stroke:#4a148c,stroke-width:2px
    classDef boundary fill:#e8f5e8,stroke:#1b5e20,stroke-width:2px
    classDef output fill:#fff3e0,stroke:#e65100,stroke-width:2px
    classDef process fill:#f5f5f5,stroke:#424242,stroke-width:2px
    
    class C,C1 parametric
    class E,E1 boundary
    class F,G output
    class A,B,D process

Loading

References and Citation

Jisan, Mansur Ali. Development and Application of a Hurricane Boundary Layer Wind Model for Landfalling Hurricanes. University of Rhode Island, 2024. https://doi.org/10.23860/diss-1640