Lapse Rate Based Temperature Downscaling (Bulk Processing)

Author(s)	O.Conrad (c) 2026
Library ID	climate_tools
Tool ID	35
Version	1.0
Menu	Climate and Weather \| Temperature

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

	Name	Type	Identifier	Description	Constraints
Input	Elevation	grid, input	`LORES_DEM`	-	-
	Temperature	grid list, input	`LORES_T`	-	-
	Lapse Rate	grid, input	`LORES_LAPSE`	-	-
	Elevation	grid, input	`HIRES_DEM`	-	-
Output	Temperature	grid list, output	`HIRES_T`	-	-
Options	Coarse Resolution	grid system	`LORES_GRID_SYSTEM`	-	-
	High Resolution	grid system	`HIRES_GRID_SYSTEM`	-	-
	Lapse Rate	choice	`LAPSE_METHOD`	-	Available Choices: [0] constant lapse rate [1] constant lapse rate from regression [2] varying lapse rate from grid Default: 1
	Regression	choice	`REGRS_LAPSE`	-	Available Choices: [0] elevation [1] elevation and position [2] elevation and position (2nd order polynom) Default: 2
	Limit Minimum Lapse Rate	boolean	`LIMIT_LAPSE`	If set, lapse rates from regression are limited to a minimum as specified by the constant lapse rate parameter.	Default: 0
	Constant Lapse Rate	floating point number	`CONST_LAPSE`	Constant lapse rate in degree of temperature per 100 meter.	Default: 0.600000

Command Line


Usage: saga_cmd climate_tools 35 [-LORES_DEM ] [-LORES_T ] [-LORES_LAPSE ] [-HIRES_DEM ] [-HIRES_T ] [-LAPSE_METHOD ] [-REGRS_LAPSE ] [-LIMIT_LAPSE ] [-CONST_LAPSE ]
  -LORES_DEM:        Elevation
	grid, input
  -LORES_T:          Temperature
	grid list, input
  -LORES_LAPSE:      Lapse Rate
	grid, input
  -HIRES_DEM:        Elevation
	grid, input
  -HIRES_T:          Temperature
	grid list, output
  -LAPSE_METHOD:
                          Lapse Rate
                          	choice
                          	Available Choices:
                          	[0] constant lapse rate
                          	[1] constant lapse rate from regression
                          	[2] varying lapse rate from grid
                          	Default: 1
  -REGRS_LAPSE:
                          Regression
                          	choice
                          	Available Choices:
                          	[0] elevation
                          	[1] elevation and position
                          	[2] elevation and position (2nd order polynom)
                          	Default: 2
  -LIMIT_LAPSE:      Limit Minimum Lapse Rate
	boolean
	Default: 0
  -CONST_LAPSE:   Constant Lapse Rate
	floating point number
	Default: 0.600000