Spurious Convective Organization in Simulated Squall Lines Owing to Moist Absolutely Unstable Layers

Abstract

Abstract A spurious updraft pattern has been documented in some numerical simulations of squall lines. The pattern is notable because of a regular, repeating pattern of updrafts and downdrafts that are three–six grid lengths wide. This study examines the environmental and numerical conditions that lead to this problem. The spurious pattern is found only in simulations of upshear-tilted convective systems. Furthermore, the pattern coincides with deep (2–3 km) and wide (5–20 km) moist absolutely unstable layers (MAULs)—saturated layers of air that are statically unstable. In this physical environment, small-scale perturbations grow rapidly. The necessarily imperfect numerical schemes of the model introduce spurious small-scale perturbations into the MAULs, and these perturbations amplify owing to the unstable stratification. Some techniques are investigated that diffuse the perturbations or minimize their introduction in the statically unstable flow.