The Canadian Land Surface Scheme (CLASS) is a
land surface parametrization scheme for use in
large scale climate models. It is a state-of-the-art model, using
physically based equations to simulate the
energy
In physics, energy (from Ancient Greek: ἐνέργεια, ''enérgeia'', “activity”) is the quantitative property that is transferred to a body or to a physical system, recognizable in the performance of work and in the form of heat a ...
and
water
Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a ...
balances of
vegetation
Vegetation is an assemblage of plant species and the ground cover they provide. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic character ...
,
snow
Snow comprises individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes.
It consists of frozen crystalline water throughout ...
and
soil
Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Some scientific definitions distinguish ''dirt'' from ''soil'' by restricting the former te ...
. CLASS is being developed in a research project led by D. Verseghy at the
Canadian Atmospheric Environment Service.
See also
*
CCCma
CCCma (Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis) is part of the Climate Research Division of Environment Canada and is located at the University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia. Its purpose is to develop and apply climate models ...
- CLASS is used in CGCM3.1
References
* D. L. Verseghy, "The Canadian Land Surface Scheme (CLASS): its history and future," Atmosphere-Ocean, vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 1-13, 2000.
* D. L. Verseghy, "CLASS--A Canadian Land Surface Scheme for GCMS: I. Soil Model," International Journal of Climatology IJCLEU, vol. p 111-133, p. 44, 1991.
* D. L. Verseghy, N. A. McFarlane, and M. Lazare, "CLASS-A Canadian land surface scheme for GCMS, II. Vegetation model and coupled runs," Int. J. Climatol., vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 347-370, 1993.
External links
CLASS
Numerical climate and weather models
Hydrology models
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