The four land surface models:

• NOAH
• MOSAIC
• CLM
• VIC

Readme file for the GLDAS dataset

GRIBTAB files needed to read the data:

• GRIBTAB for CLM output (gribtab_CLM.txt)
• GRIBTAB for MOSAIC output (gribtab_MOS.txt)
• GRIBTAB for NOAH output (gribtab_NOAH.txt)
• GRIBTAB for VIC output (gribtab_VIC.txt) 

Land Surface Models

National Centers for Environmental Prediction/Oregon State University/Air Force/Hydrologic Research Lab Model (NOAH)

The community NOAH LSM was developed beginning in 1993 through a collaboration of investigators from public and private institutions, spearheaded by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (Chen et al. 1996; Koren et al. 1999). NOAH is a stand-alone, 1-D column model which can be executed in either coupled or uncoupled mode.  The model applies finite-difference spatial discretization methods and a Crank-Nicholson time-integration scheme to numerically integrate the governing equations of the physical processes of the soil-vegetation-snowpack medium. NOAH has been used operationally in NCEP models since 1996, and it continues to benefit from a steady progression of improvements (Betts et al. 1997; Ek et al. 2003). For more information, go to:

http://www.emc.ncep.noaa.gov/mmb/gcp/noahlsm/Noah_LSM_USERGUIDE_2.7.1.htm

MOSAIC Model

MOSAIC (Koster and Suarez 1996) is a well established and theoretically sound LSM, as demonstrated by its performance in PILPS and GSWP experiments. MOSAIC's physics and surface flux calculations are similar to the SiB LSM (Sellers et al., 1986). It is a stand-alone, 1-D column model that can be run both uncoupled and coupled to the atmospheric column. MOSAIC was the first to treat subgrid scale variability by dividing each model grid cell into a MOSAIC of tiles (after Avissar and Pielke 1989) based on the distribution of vegetation types within the cell. This capability is now available in the LIS interface for all the models it drives.

Common Land Model (CLM)

CLM was conceived at the 1998 National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Climate System Model (CSM) meeting, and it was subsequently developed by a grass-roots collaboration of scientists. CLM includes superior components from each of three contributing models: the NCAR Land Surface Model (Bonan 1998), the Biosphere-Atmosphere Transfer Scheme (Dickinson et al. 1993), and the LSM of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Dai and Zeng 1997). The model applies finite-difference spatial discretization methods and a fully implicit time integration scheme to numerically integrate the governing equations. CLM can be run as a stand-alone, 1-D column model. It is also the land model for NCAR's coupled Community Climate System Model (CCSM). CLM continues to evolve, but only proven and well-tested physical parameterizations and numerical schemes are installed in the official version of the code. LIS currently uses CLM version 2.0. For more information, see:

http://www.cgd.ucar.edu/tss/clm/

Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) Model

VIC (Liang et al. 1994; Liang et al. 1996) was originally developed in early 90’s and is maintained and upgraded at the University of Washington.  The model focuses on runoff processes that are represented by the variable infiltration curve, a parameterization of sub-grid variability in soil moisture holding capacity, and nonlinear baseflow.  VIC is a stand-alone, 1-D column model that is run uncoupled.  Various simulation modes are available including, water balance, energy balance, frozen soil, and other special cases.  This macro-scale hydrology model is used extensively in research over the watersheds in the U.S. as well as globally (e.g. Liang et al. 1998; Hamlet et al. 1999; Nijssen et al. 2001). For more information, see:

http://www.hydro.washington.edu/Lettenmaier/Models/VIC/VIChome.html

References

Avissar, R. and R.A. Pielke, A parameterization of heterogeneous land-surface for atmospheric numerical models and its impact on regional meteorology. Mon. Wea. Rev., 117:2113-2136, 1989.

Betts, A., F. Chen, K. Mitchell, and Z. Janjic, Assessment of the land surface and boundary layer models in two operational versions of the NCEP Eta model using FIFE data. Mon.Wea. Rev., 125, 2896-2916, 1997.

Bonan, G.B., The land surface climatology of the NCAR Land Surface Model coupled to the NCAR Community Climate Model. J. Climate, 11, 1307-1326, 1998.

Chen, F., K. Mitchell, J. Schaake, Y. Xue, H. Pan, V. Koren, Y. Duan, M. Ek, and A. Betts, Modeling of land-surface evaporation by four schemes and comparison with FIFE observations. J. Geophys. Res.,101 (D3), 7251-7268, 1996.

Dai, Y., and Q. Zeng, 1997: A land surface model (IAP94) for climate studies, Part I: Formulation and validation in off-line experiments. Advances in Atmos. Sci., 14, 443-460.

Dickinson, R. E., A. Henderson-Sellers, and P. J. Kennedy, Biosphere–Atmosphere Transfer Scheme (BATS) version 1e as coupled to the NCAR Community Climate Model. NCAR Tech. Note NCAR/TN-387+STR, 72 pp., 1993.

Ek, M. B., K. E. Mitchell, Y. Lin, E. Rogers, P. Grunmann, V. Koren, G. Gayno, and J. D. Tarpley, Implementation of Noah land surface model advances in the National Centers for Environmental Prediction operational mesoscale Eta model, J. Geophys. Res., 108(D22), 8851, doi:10.1029/2002JD003296, 2003.

Hamlet, A.F. and D.P. Lettenmaier, Effects of Climate Change on Hydrology and Water Resources in the Columbia River Basin, Am. Water Res. Assoc., 35(6), 1597-1623, 1999.

Koren, V., J. Schaake, K. Mitchell, Q. Y. Duan, F. Chen, and J. M. Baker, A parameterization of snowpack and frozen ground intended for NCEP weather and climate models. J. Geophys. Res.,104, 19569-19585, 1999.

Koster, R. D., and M. J. Suarez, Energy and Water Balance Calculations in the MOSAIC LSM. NASA Technical Memorandum 104606, 9, 76 pp., 1996.

Liang, X., D. P. Lettenmaier, E. F. Wood, and S. J. Burges, A Simple hydrologically Based Model of Land Surface Water and Energy Fluxes for GSMs, J. Geophys. Res., 99(D7), 14,415-14,428, 1994.

Liang, X., D. P. Lettenmaier, E. F. Wood, One-dimensional Statistical Dynamic Representation of Subgrid Spatial Variability of Precipitation in the Two-Layer Variable Infiltration Capacity Model, J. Geophys. Res., 101(D16) 21,403-21,422, 1996.

Liang, X., E. F. Wood, D. Lohmann, D.P. Lettenmaier, and others, The Project for Intercomparison of Land-surface Parameterization Schemes (PILPS) Phase-2c Red-Arkansas River Basin Experiment: 2. Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Energy Fluxes, J. Global and Planetary Change, 19, 137-159, 1998.

Nijssen, B.N., R. Schnur and D.P. Lettenmaier, Global retrospective estimation of soil moisture using the VIC land surface model, 1980-1993, J. Clim. 14, 1790-1808. , 2001.

Sellers, P. J., Y. Mintz, and A. Dalcher, 1986: A simple biosphere model (SiB) for use within general circulation models. J. Atmos. Sci., 43: 505-531.