Tool NameLapse Rate Based Temperature Downscaling (Bulk Processing)
Tool ID35
Library IDclimate_tools
Version1.0
Author(s)O.Conrad (c) 2026

Description

The Lapse Rate Based Temperature Downscaling is quite simple, but might perform well for mountainous regions, where the altitudinal gradient is the main driver for local temperature variation. First, a given lapse rate is used to estimate sea level temperatures from elevation and temperature data at a coarse resolution. Second, the same lapse rate is used to estimate the terrain surface temperature using higher resoluted elevation data and the spline interpolated sea level temperatures from the previous step. The lapse rates can be defined as one constant value valid for the whole area of interest, or as varying value as defined by an additional input grid. Alternatively a constant lapse rate can be estimated from the coarse resolution input with a regression analysis.

Parameters

NameTypeIdentifierDescriptionConstraints
Input
Elevationgrid, inputLORES_DEM
Temperaturegrid list, inputLORES_T
Lapse Rategrid, inputLORES_LAPSE
Elevationgrid, inputHIRES_DEM
Output
Temperaturegrid list, outputHIRES_T
Options
Lapse RatechoiceLAPSE_METHODAvailable Choices:
[0] constant lapse rate
[1] constant lapse rate from regression
[2] varying lapse rate from grid
Default: 1
RegressionchoiceREGRS_LAPSEAvailable Choices:
[0] elevation
[1] elevation and position
[2] elevation and position (2nd order polynom)
Default: 2
Limit Minimum Lapse RatebooleanLIMIT_LAPSEIf set, lapse rates from regression are limited to a minimum as specified by the constant lapse rate parameter.Default: 0
Constant Lapse Ratefloating point numberCONST_LAPSEConstant lapse rate in degree of temperature per 100 meter.Default: 0.600000