To enhance the understanding of the impact of small-scale processes in
the polar climate, this study focuses on the relative role of
snow-surface coupling, radiation and turbulent mixing in a clear-sky
Arctic stable boundary layer. We use the WRF single column model, and
run different combinations of parameterization schemes. With this
intercomparison of schemes, we confirm a wide variety in the state of
the atmosphere and the surface variables.
 
To understand this variety, a sensitivity analysis for one particular
combination of parameterization schemes is performed, using an
analysis method of process diagrams. The variation between the
sensitivity runs indicates a relative orientation of model
sensitivities to variations in each of the governing processes and
these can explain the variety of model results obtained in the
intercomparison of different parameterization schemes.

We apply the same method for several geostrophic wind speeds to
represent a large range of synoptic conditions. Results indicate a
shift in process significance for different wind regimes. Furthermore,
an interesting non-linear feature was found for turbulent mixing for
frequently occurring and low wind speed cases, where the 2m
temperature increases for decreased amounts of mixing.