more information regarding PLUMBER 2 simulations using the ./runtower…

doc/source/users_guide/running-single-points/supported-tower-sites.rst

@@ -70,13 +70,79 @@ PLUMBER Tower Single Point Simulations
 
 .. note:: A few important notes regarding the PLUMBER tower site simulations are that the default run type is ``ad``; additionally, PLUMBER cases all start in different years.
 
-Currently supported PLUMBER Sites can be found by running ``run_tower --help``.
-
+Currently, the ``run_tower`` tool supports running CTSM at PLUMBER 2 sites using forcing data from the PLUMBER2 projects. Detailed site information is provided in `Ukkola et al. 2022 <https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-449-2022>`_ , and the description of the experiment and its results is provided in `Abramowitz et al. 2024 <https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5517-2024>`_.
 Information on the specific sites can be found `here <https://researchdata.edu.au/plumber2-forcing-evaluation-surface-models/1656048>`_.
 
+Currently supported PLUMBER Sites can be found by running ``run_tower --help``. Keep in mind that the experiment was designed to run 170 sites; however, Abramowitz et al., identified different issues with the sites (e.g., sites with precipitation reported in one unit while the metadata informed of a different unit), and most of the article only uses 156 sites.
+
 To run CTSM at a PLUMBER site, change directories to where the run_tower tool is located, and then run the ``run_tower`` command. You can also add any additional arguments as described by the ``help`` options. These steps will look something like this::
 
- cd CTSM/tools/site_and_regional
- run_tower --plumber-sites AR-SLu
+    > cd CTSM/tools/site_and_regional
+    > run_tower --plumber-sites AR-SLu
+
 
 The output for a PLUMBER case will be set up similarly to the output for a NEON case, as described above.
+
+## Notes 
+
+A few points regarding the PLUMBER 2 simulations using the ``run_tower`` tool:
+
+
+1) By default, the tools call for surfdata files in a default location. These might not be available for all sites or all machines. Users can create their own surfdata files, using tools/site_and_regional/plumber2_usermods. 
+2) It is suggested to use the flags related to setup-only to examine how the site files are being configured before running the simulations.
+:: 
+> ./run_tower --plumber-sites ${site} --setup-only 
+
+3) It is suggested to add ``echo "baseflow_scalar = 0" >> user_nl_clm`` to the user_nl_clm file to avoid issues with the baseflow at the wetland sites.
+4) Currently, the tool is designed only for cases with active biochemistry. For SP simulations, it is recommended to review the usermods in detail and adjust them as needed. Key items to be considered include the variables to save. 
+5) Combining these notes, an example of running a PLUMBER site would look like this:
+:: 
+> ./run_tower --plumber-sites ${site} --output-root {folder-to-save-results} --overwrite --run-type {ad | postad | transient} --setup-only
+
+
+### Spin-up notes
+
+1) By default, all simulations (e.g., ad, post-ad, transient) are designed to run for 1 hour of wall clock time. For the spin-up simulations, we recommend extending the time to match the length of the simulations. `Lombardozzi et al. 2023 <https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-5979-2023>`_ used 300 years for AD and 100 years for post-ad. Users should keep in mind that colder areas might need longer spin-up times. 
+2) By default, the initial period of the simulations differs for the spin-up (e.g., ad and post-ad) and transient simulations. It is important to revisit for each site the best period to use for the spin-up simulations.
+3) We recommended spinning up with the no_leap calendar to avoid issues with Feb 28th and 29th on leap years. See below.
+
+:: 
+    >  ./xmlchange CALENDAR=NO_LEAP
+
+4) In AD and post-ad simulations, we recommend setting dtlimit=50 in the user_nl_datm_streams files to avoid time step issues. 
+
+
+### MPI related notes
+
+We recommend running the following lines to avoid MPI related issues. By default, these lines are included in the usermods; however, sometimes is needed to include them again. 
+
+:: 
+    > ./xmlchange --force MPILIB=mpi-serial
+    > ./xmlchange --force PIO_TYPENAME=netcdf
+    > ./xmlchange --force MAX_MPITASKS_PER_NODE=1
+
+
+### Potential modifications 
+
+The ``run_tower``  tool is designed to provided a streamlined way to run single point simulations at supported tower sites. In that way, it can be quickly modified to accommodate different needs. A few potential modifications include:
+1) Running FATES enabled simulations. 
+2) Running satellite phenology enabled simulations.
+
+At the moment, these modifications are not included in the tool; however, users can modify the usermods files to accommodate these needs.
+
+### A practical example
+
+Here is an example of running a PLUMBER site with the ``run_tower`` tool, including the notes mentioned above
+
+:: 
+    > cd CTSM/tools/site_and_regional
+    > tower="AU-ASM"
+    >  ./run_tower --plumber-sites ${tower} --output-root /path/to/save/results --overwrite --run-type ad --setup-only # first ad, then post-ad, then transient
+    >  cd case_name
+    >  echo "baseflow_scalar = 0" >> user_nl_clm
+    >  ./xmlchange CALENDAR=NO_LEAP
+    >  ./xmlchange --force MPILIB=mpi-serial
+    >  ./xmlchange --force PIO_TYPENAME=netcdf
+    >  ./xmlchange --force MAX_MPITASKS_PER_NODE=1
+
+Once these instructions are followed, it is key to check (a) the user_nl_data_streams to ensure that the right dt_limit is set and the right forcing files are being used, (b) the user_nl_clm to ensure that the right variables are being saved. Then, the case can be setup, built and submitted.