PALM-LES dataset for evaluating the impact of radiative transfer solvers on shallow cumulus cloud development

This dataset contains output from large-eddy simulations of shallow cumulus clouds, each driven by one of three different radiative transfer solvers. The simulations were performed with the PALM model on a grid with 100 m horizontal and 50 m vertical resolution. After an 11-hour spin-up period, they cover almost one full diurnal cycle, including both daytime and nighttime conditions, with output provided at a temporal resolution of 60 s. The three radiative transfer schemes applied are a conventional 1D delta-Eddington approximation, the fully 3D TenStream solver, and the dynamic TenStream solver, which accelerates 3D radiative transfer calculations by using incomplete solves. Because the simulations are identical except for the radiative transfer method applied, the dataset enables an analysis of how cloud development differs depending on whether 1D or 3D radiative transfer is used, and an assessment of how well the dynamic TenStream solver reproduces key 3D radiative effects.

Access to data