Numerical modeling of atmospheric water content and probability evaluation. Part II

Starting from a numerical simulation of tropical atmosphere in radiative convective equilibrium a perturbation to the surface condition has been applied and the subsequent adjustment of the atmosphere has been analyzed. 3D data have been averaged in space and time using as energy variable to sort them the moist static energy, that is conserved for a moist atmosphere during adiabatic fluid parcel displacements. Since the energy balance of the system corresponds to vertically averaged terms of the MSE differential budget, a entropy derived variable-corresponding to a total thermodynamic energy variable- the theta(e) equivalent potential temperature, has been analyzed using the vertically block averaged column data sorted by MSE. A close correlation between the energy distribution analyzed as quartile and mean for the theta(e) and RH vertical profiles is found, highlighting the dynamical link existing between energy and moisture/heat statistical distribution of the system. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.