There has been important progress over the last decade in the theoretical development and validation of models using scaling properties to represent geophysical processes. Many of these processes are highly nonlinear and intermittent over a wide range of physical scales.

This session is intended to take stock of the current status of modeling concepts and techniques that address explicitly the multiscale character of geophysical processes at the various scale-ranges (e.g. complex land-air or air-sea interfaces, hydrological, global atmospheric, topographic). Of particular interest is the role of scaling phenomenologies and dynamic down- or up-scaling techniques in formulating subgrid parameterizations.

The session will also address the current status of multiphysics parameterizations, when many altogether different processes (with possibly very different scaling properties) need to be combined in simplified descriptions at various scales. Attention will be paid also to the ability of models to describe the intermittency in many processes and to the formulation of critical tests. Contributions reporting theoretical, numerical, and field or laboratory experimental results, as well as engineering applications are welcome.