ECHAM4/ATTILA

The Lagrangian model ATTILA (Atmospheric Tracer Transport In a LAgrangian model) has been developed to treat the global-scale transport of passive trace species in the atmosphere within the framework of a general circulation model (GCM). ATTILA runs online within the GCM ECHAM4 and uses the GCM produced wind field to advect the centroids of 80.000 to 180.000 constant mass air parcels into which the model atmosphere is divided. Each trace constituent is thereby represented by a mass mixing ratio in each parcel. ATTILA contains state-of-the-art parameterizations of convection, turbulent boundary layer mixing, and inter-parcel transport and provides an algorithm to map the tracer concentrations from the trajectories to the ECHAM model grid.

A description of the model including results from passive tracer experiments can be found in

C. Reithmeier and R. Sausen, 2000: ATTILA - Atmospheric Tracer Transport in a Lagrangian Model, Report No. 141, Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre, DLR - Oberpfaffenhofen, 82234 Wessling, Germany. Available via ipa@dlr.de or download zipped ps-File (490 kB) here. Or have a look at the abstract.

Further publications are in preparation.

Created by Christian Reithmeier. Last modified: 24.04.2001