An accurate representation of land-surface-atmosphere (LSA) feedback is essential for the prediction of the state of the Earth system from nowcasting to decades. Particularly challenging is the correct simulation of the energy balance closure (EBC) and of entrainment fluxes at the top of the atmospheric boundary layer. New concepts for studying surface and entrainment fluxes in complex terrain are presented, which are based on a novel combination of scanning, active remote sensing systems and ensemble-based modeling. At the land surface, severe deficiencies of present land-surface models (LSMs) in the simulation of the EBC have been detected. Soil hydraulic coefficients, root water uptake, and the simulation of plant dynamics need to be improved. For agricultural landscapes, this is possible by the development and application of sophisticated crop growth models.
For closing the gap between models and observations, there are two major roles of new measurements:
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