Capturing Spatiotemporal and Subgrid Variability in Global Land Surface Albedo Parameterization Akarsh Ralhan, Xin‐Zhong Liang Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems, 2026 Accurate surface albedo parameterization is critical for modeling Earth's energy balance. Yet, many schemes rely on static look‐up tables or semi‐empirical formulations that fail to capture spatiotemporal variations and complex radiative interactions. This study develops a physics‐informed machine‐learning parameterization using 19 years (2003–2021) of MODIS Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function data to predict direct and diffuse albedo in the visible and near‐infrared bands across major land‐cover categories. The framework leverages 10 biogeophysical predictors, including solar geometry, vegetation state, soil moisture, soil texture (STX), topography, and background climate. It comprises a dynamic component that resolves physical spatiotemporal patterns and a static correction, the Surface Albedo Localization Factor, which accounts for subgrid heterogeneity, together explaining most of the observed variability. The parameterization shows strong agreement with MODIS albedo (overall R 2 = 0.88, mean absolute percentage error [MAPE] = 7.5%), with performance ranging from R 2 = 0.85 in direct visible to R 2 = 0.90 in diffuse near‐infrared, and generally higher accuracy in the near‐infrared parts. It performs well across diverse LCCs, including grasslands, shrublands, croplands, and challenging barren regions where empirical methods underperform. SALF improves accuracy across all albedo parts (average R 2 increase of 0.16 and MAPE reduction of 5.1%). Feature‐importance analysis indicates that solar zenith angle and leaf area index are the dominant drivers of dynamic variability, whereas STX and topography influence static variability. Counterfactual experiments confirm biophysically consistent albedo responses, enhancing interpretability and model trust. This framework offers a physically grounded alternative to empirical schemes and has strong potential for integration into Earth system models to improve the representation of surface energy exchange.
Appreciation of Peer Reviewers for 2025 Abdelwahid Mellouki, Christian George, Filippo Giorgi, Gang Chen, Hella Garny, et al. Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, 2026 The editorial board of Journal of Geophysical Research (JGR): Atmospheres thanks the reviewers who refereed papers in 2025. The editors and associate editors wish to sincerely thank the 3,434 outstanding scientists who dedicated their time and expertise to reviewing manuscripts for the journal in 2025. We also extend our gratitude to those who recommended reviewers and volunteered to contribute to the peer review process. Peer review is a crucial process to ensure the integrity and rigor of science. Your thoughtful and constructive reviews have helped to improve the quality of papers in the journal, stimulated new ideas, and advanced the careers of many young scientists. They contributed to the high quality of JGR: Atmospheres and the standard of science in our discipline.
Appreciation of Peer Reviewers for 2024 Yafang Cheng, Rong Fu, Christian George, Filippo Giorgi, Yongyun Hu, et al. Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, 2025 The editorial board of JGR Atmospheres thanks the reviewers who refereed papers in 2024. The editors of Journal of Geophysical Research (JGR): Atmospheres wish to sincerely thank the 3,028 outstanding scientists who dedicated their time and expertise to reviewing manuscripts for the journal in 2024. We also extend our gratitude to those who recommended reviewers and volunteered to contribute to the peer review process. Peer review is a crucial process to ensure the integrity and rigor of science. Your thoughtful and constructive reviews have helped to improve the quality of papers in the journal, stimulated new ideas, and advanced the careers of many young scientists. They contributed to the high quality of JGR‐Atmospheres and the standard of science in our discipline.
Appreciation of Peer Reviewers for 2023 Yafang Cheng, Rong Fu, Christian George, Filippo Giorgi, Ruby Leung, et al. Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, 2024
Rising Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Global Rice Paddies and Mitigation Strategies J Zhang, ... Nature Food , 2026 2026
A sub-seasonal to seasonal climate forecast informed irrigation scheduling tool for the Contiguous United States H Shi, X Cai, X Hu, A Jamal, D Li, C Sun, XZ Liang Environmental Modelling & Software, 106819 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Quantifying aggregated economic damages from “fat-tail” extremes high-temperature events in climate change H Deng, X Wu, H Xu, Y Wu, XZ Liang Structural Change and Economic Dynamics 75, 108-121 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
Future implications of climate change on maize yield and quality in the Yellow River Basin of China W Chen, X Long, J Wang, XZ Liang, D Zhang, H Ju Theoretical and Applied Climatology 156 (5), 253 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Impacts of land surface processes on summer extreme precipitation in Eastern China: Insights from CWRF simulations C Zhang, Q Li, XZ Liang, L Dong, B Xie, W Li, C Sun Atmospheric Research 314, 107783 , 2025 2025 Citations: 7
Impacts of bioenergy crop cultivation on regional climate, hydrology, and water quality in the US Northern high plains S Dangol, X Zhang, C Sun, K Liang, XZ Liang Water Resources Research 61 (2), e2024WR037782 , 2025 2025
Improved simulation of compound drought and heat extremes in eastern China through CWRF downscaling H Zhang, S Zhang, H Xu, G Zhang, Y Dai, XZ Liang Environmental Research Letters 19 (12), 124037 , 2024 2024 Citations: 2
A prototype early warning system for diarrhoeal disease to combat health threats of climate change in the asia-pacific region R Cruz Cano, H He, S Aryal, M Dhimal, DTA Thu, L Zhang, T Ma, ... Environmental Research Letters 19 (11), 114094 , 2024 2024 Citations: 3
CWRF downscaling with improved land surface initialization enhances spring–summer seasonal climate prediction skill in China H Zhang, XZ Liang, Y Dai, L Song, Q Li, F Wang, S Zhang Journal of Climate 37 (17), 4437-4459 , 2024 2024 Citations: 4
Comparative analysis of gravity wave characteristics in China and the United States using high vertical resolution radiosonde observations Q Chen, H Wu, H Long, XZ Liang Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 129 (14), e2023JD040492 , 2024 2024 Citations: 5
Improving diurnal precipitation forecasts through coherent coupling of cumulus and planetary boundary layer parameterizations H Mei, XZ Liang, M Zeng, Y Yang, C Sun, X Li Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 129 (11), e2023JD040295 , 2024 2024 Citations: 2
Enhancing summer extreme precipitation prediction in the Yangtze River Basin through CWRF downscaling and its skillful multi-physics ensemble approach Y Zhao, XZ Liang Climate Dynamics 62 (6), 5107-5128 , 2024 2024 Citations: 2
Remote effects of Tibetan Plateau spring land temperature on global subseasonal to seasonal precipitation prediction and comparison with effects of sea surface temperature: the … Y Xue, I Diallo, AA Boone, Y Zhang, X Zeng, WKM Lau, JD Neelin, T Yao, ... Climate Dynamics 62 (4), 2603-2628 , 2024 2024 Citations: 21
Understanding and improving Yangtze River Basin summer precipitation prediction using an optimal multi-Physics ensemble Y Zhao, F Qiao, XZ Liang, J Yu Frontiers of Earth Science 18 (1), 256-277 , 2024 2024 Citations: 3
DAWN: Dashboard for Agricultural Water Use and Nutrient Management—A Predictive Decision Support System to Improve Crop Production in a Changing Climate XZ Liang, D Gower, JA Kennedy, M Kenney, MC Maddox, M Gerst, ... Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 105 (2), E432-E441 , 2024 2024 Citations: 9
Balancing Non‐CO 2 GHG Emissions and Soil Carbon Change in U.S. Rice Paddies: A Retrospective Meta‐Analysis and Agricultural Modeling Study J Zhang, H Tian, Y You, XZ Liang, Z Ouyang, N Pan, S Pan AGU Advances 5 (1), e2023AV001052 , 2024 2024 Citations: 8
Biomass yield potential on U.S. marginal land and its contribution to reach net-zero emission Y He, D Jaiswal, SP Long, XZ Liang, ML Matthews Global Change Biology-Bioenergy 16, e13128 , 2024 2024 Citations: 22
Net greenhouse gas balance in US croplands: How can soils be part of the climate solution? Y You, H Tian, S Pan, H Shi, C Lu, WD Batchelor, B Cheng, D Hui, ... Global Change Biology 30 (1), e17109 , 2024 2024 Citations: 19
Advancing the SWAT model to simulate perennial bioenergy crops: A case study on switchgrass growth S Dangol, X Zhang, XZ Liang, E Blanc-Betes Environmental Modelling & Software 170, 105834 , 2023 2023 Citations: 8
Simulating agroecosystem soil inorganic nitrogen dynamics under long-term management with an improved SWAT-C model K Liang, X Zhang, XZ Liang, VL Jin, G Birru, MR Schmer, GP Robertson, ... Science of the Total Environment 879, 162906 , 2023 2023 Citations: 24
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Intercomparison and interpretation of climate feedback processes in 19 atmospheric general circulation models RD Cess, GL Potter, JP Blanchet, GJ Boer, AD Del Genio, M Deque, ... Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres (1984–2012) 95 (D10), 16601-16615 , 1990 1990 Citations: 1194
Interpretation of cloud-climate feedback as produced by 14 atmospheric general circulation models RD Cess, GL Potter, JP Blanchet, GJ Boer, SJ Ghan, JT Kiehl, H Le Treut, ... Science 245 (4917), 513-516 , 1989 1989 Citations: 766
Observed diurnal cycle climatology of planetary boundary layer height S Liu, XZ Liang Journal of Climate 23 (21), 5790-5809 , 2010 2010 Citations: 588
A thermal infrared radiation parameterization for atmospheric studies MD Chou, MJ Suarez, XZ Liang, MMH Yan, C Cote 2001 Citations: 443
Regional climate change projections for the Northeast USA K Hayhoe, C Wake, B Anderson, XZ Liang, E Maurer, J Zhu, J Bradbury, ... Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 13 (5-6), 425-436 , 2008 2008 Citations: 401
Associations between China monsoon rainfall and tropospheric jets XZ Liang, WC Wang Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society 124 (552), 2597-2623 , 1998 1998 Citations: 341
Impact of atmospheric moisture storage on precipitation recycling F Dominguez, P Kumar, XZ Liang, M Ting Journal of climate 19 (8), 1513-1530 , 2006 2006 Citations: 340
Determining climate effects on US total agricultural productivity XZ Liang, Y Wu, RG Chambers, DL Schmoldt, W Gao, C Liu, YA Liu, ... Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 114 (12), E2285-E2292 , 2017 2017 Citations: 275
Interpretation of snow-climate feedback as produced by 17 general circulation models RD Cess, GL Potter, MH Zhang, JP Blanchet, S Chalita, R Colman, ... Science 253 (5022), 888-892 , 1991 1991 Citations: 258
Regional climate model simulation of summer precipitation diurnal cycle over the United States XZ Liang, L Li, A Dai, KE Kunkel Geophysical Research Letters 31 (24) , 2004 2004 Citations: 241
Regional climate model simulation of US precipitation during 1982-2002. Part I: Annual cycle XZ Liang, L Li, KE Kunkel, M Ting, JXL Wang Journal of Climate 17 (18), 3510-3529 , 2004 2004 Citations: 237
A preliminary synthesis of modeled climate change impacts on US regional ozone concentrations CP Weaver, XZ Liang, J Zhu, PJ Adams, P Amar, J Avise, M Caughey, ... Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 90 (12), 1843-1863 , 2009 2009 Citations: 220
Climatic forcing of nitrogen oxides through changes in tropospheric ozone and methane; global 3D model studies JS Fuglestvedt, TK Berntsen, ISA Isaksen, H Mao, XZ Liang, WC Wang Atmospheric Environment 33 (6), 961-977 , 1999 1999 Citations: 210
Development of a regional climate model for US Midwest applications. Part I: Sensitivity to buffer zone treatment XZ Liang, KE Kunkel, AN Samel Journal of Climate 14 (23), 4363-4378 , 2001 2001 Citations: 198
Regional Climate–Weather Research and Forecasting model XZ Liang, M Xu, X Yuan, T Ling, HI Choi, F Zhang, L Chen, S Liu, S Su, ... Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc 93, 1363-1387 , 2012 2012 Citations: 197
Regional climate model downscaling of the U.S. summer climate and future change XZ Liang, J Pan, J Zhu, KE Kunkel, JXL Wang, A Dai Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 111 (D10) , 2006 2006 Citations: 189
Regional climate models downscaling analysis of general circulation models present climate biases propagation into future change projections XZ Liang, KE Kunkel, GA Meehl, RG Jones, JXL Wang Geophysical research letters 35 (8) , 2008 2008 Citations: 186
Can CGCMs simulate the twentieth-century “warming hole” in the central United States? KE Kunkel, XZ Liang, J Zhu, Y Lin Journal of Climate 19 (17), 4137-4153 , 2006 2006 Citations: 180
A general method for validating statistical downscaling methods under future climate change M Vrac, ML Stein, K Hayhoe, XZ Liang Geophysical Research Letters 34 (18) , 2007 2007 Citations: 177
The Practitioner's Dilemma: How to Assess the Credibility of Downscaled Climate Projections JJ Barsugli, G Guentchev, RM Horton, A Wood, LO Mearns, XZ Liang, ... Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union 94 (46), 424-425 , 2013 2013 Citations: 159