Keywords
land surface model, framework, object-oriented, open source
Start Date
1-7-2012 12:00 AM
Abstract
The project GLOWA-Danube (http://www.glowa-danube.de) aimed atinvestigating the manifold consequences of Global Change on regional waterresources in the Upper Danube Basin. In order to achieve this task, aninterdisciplinary, university-based network of experts developed the integrativeDecision Support System OpenDanubia (OD). The common base for implementingand coupling the various scientific model components is a generic framework,which provides the coordination of the coupled models that run in parallelexchanging iteratively data via their interfaces. The OD framework takes care oftechnical aspects, such as ordered data exchange between sub-models, dataaggregation, data output, model parallelization and data distribution over thenetwork, which means that model developers do not have to be concerned aboutcomplexities evolving from coupling their models.Within this framework the sub-model NaturalEnvironment, representing a landsurface model, was developed and implemented. The object-oriented design of thissub-model facilitates a plain, logical representation of the actual physical processessimulated by the sub-model. Physical processes to be modelled are organized innaturally ordered, exchangeable lists that are executed on each spatialcomputation unit for each modelling time step, depending on their land cover. Thetype of land cover to be simulated on each freely defined spatial unit isdistinguished by one of the three types aquatic, terrestrial and glacier. Additionally,the type terrestrial is influenced by dynamic land use changes which can betriggered e.g. by the socio-economic OD sub-model Farming.This paper presents the basic design of the open source (GPL'ed) OD frameworkand highlights the implementation of the sub-model NaturalEnvironment within thisframework, as well as its interactions with other components included in OD.
Design and implementation of the land surface model NaturalEnvironment within the generic framework OpenDanubia for integrative, distributed environmental modelling
The project GLOWA-Danube (http://www.glowa-danube.de) aimed atinvestigating the manifold consequences of Global Change on regional waterresources in the Upper Danube Basin. In order to achieve this task, aninterdisciplinary, university-based network of experts developed the integrativeDecision Support System OpenDanubia (OD). The common base for implementingand coupling the various scientific model components is a generic framework,which provides the coordination of the coupled models that run in parallelexchanging iteratively data via their interfaces. The OD framework takes care oftechnical aspects, such as ordered data exchange between sub-models, dataaggregation, data output, model parallelization and data distribution over thenetwork, which means that model developers do not have to be concerned aboutcomplexities evolving from coupling their models.Within this framework the sub-model NaturalEnvironment, representing a landsurface model, was developed and implemented. The object-oriented design of thissub-model facilitates a plain, logical representation of the actual physical processessimulated by the sub-model. Physical processes to be modelled are organized innaturally ordered, exchangeable lists that are executed on each spatialcomputation unit for each modelling time step, depending on their land cover. Thetype of land cover to be simulated on each freely defined spatial unit isdistinguished by one of the three types aquatic, terrestrial and glacier. Additionally,the type terrestrial is influenced by dynamic land use changes which can betriggered e.g. by the socio-economic OD sub-model Farming.This paper presents the basic design of the open source (GPL'ed) OD frameworkand highlights the implementation of the sub-model NaturalEnvironment within thisframework, as well as its interactions with other components included in OD.
