HD(CP)² - Clouds and Precipitation

HDCP2 — Fig. 1: HD(CP)2 area of interest and key observation sites and rain radar network. (Copyright: Andrea Lammert, UHH)

HD(CP)² is the acronym for "High definition clouds and precipitation for advancing climate prediction". This was a research initiative funded by BMBF. The main goal of this initiative was to cut down uncertainties in climate scenario model calculations as are based on cloud and precipitation processes to a half. The idea was to do this by comparing ultra fine spatially resolved (100 m horizontal, 10-50 m vertical) regional "hind cast" model simulations with correspondingly fine resolved observations of cloud and precipitation processes with the goal to improve current parametrizations and knowledge about cloud-precipitation processes. The ICON model (ICOsahedral Nonhydrostatic general circulation model) of the German Weather Service and the Max-Planck-Institut für Meteorologie was used for this purpose. A unique network of observation stations provided the required observational data. The figure 1 shows the region of interest together with key observation sites and the rain radar network used.

A considerable part of the observational data of clouds and precipitation that were required within HD(CP)² was provided in cooperation with ICDC in the SAMD archive.