Overview of the GEWEX Atmospheric Boundary Layer Study (GABLS)

In 2001 the steering group of GEWEX (formally known as the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment) initiated the GEWEX Atmospheric Boundary Layer Study (GABLS). The objective of GABLS is to improve the representation of the atmospheric boundary layer in regional and large-scale atmospheric models. As such, GABLS provides a platform for model inter-comparison and development to benefit studies of Climate, Weather, Air Quality, Wind Energy and other applications. The focus of GABLS has so far been on stable boundary layers (SBLs) over land and on the representation of the diurnal cycle under clear skies. Three inter-comparison studies have been organised and below a summary of some of the results and achievements is given. Here we primarily focus on the performance of single column versions of several state-of-the-art atmospheric models.