Arctic Regional Climate Simulations Intercomparison
A useful course for improving regional climate simulations is the comparison of simulations produced by different models with each other as well as with available observations. Strengths and weaknesses of model structures, numerics and parameterizations can be assessed side-by-side.
In a first ARCMIP study, eight regional climate models of the Arctic have been compared. This first ARCMIP experiment focusses on the SHEBA year, October 1997-October 1998. This period is notable for the extensive field programs taking place in the western Arctic. The modelers participating in this project will perform a common set of simulations over this period and a set of agreed-upon common domains that include the Beaufort/Chukchi Seas.
The results show that the models are able to reasonably reproduce the main features of the large-scale flow and the surface parameters in the Arctic. Distinct differences in the simulations can be attributed to different radiation and cloud parameterizations and specific characteristics of the boundary layer and surface parameterizations
If you are interested in the results in more detail then please read:
- Tjernström, M., M. Zagar, G. Svensson, J. Cassano, S. Pfeifer, A. Rinke, K. Wyser, K. Dethloff, C. Jones, T. Semmler, 2004: Modeling the Arctic boundary layer: An evaluation of six ARCMIP regional-scale models with data from the SHEBA project, Boundary-Layer Meteorology, 117, 337381, doi:10.1007/s10546-004-7954-z
- Rinke, A., K. Dethloff, J.J. Cassano, J.H. Christensen, J.A. Curry, P. Du, E. Girard, J.-E. Haugen, D. Jacob, C.G. Jones, M. Koltzow, R. Laprise, A.H. Lynch, S. Pfeifer, M.C. Serreze, M.J. Shaw, M. Tjernström, K. Wyser, M. Zagar, 2006: Evaluation of an ensemble of Arctic regional climate models: Spatiotemporal fields during the SHEBA year, Clim. Dyn., 26, 459 - 472, doi:10.1007/s00382-005-0095-3
- Inoue, J., J. Liu, J.O. Pinto, J.A. Curry: Intercomparison of Arctic regional climate models: Modeling clouds and radiation for SHEBA in May 1998. J. Clim.,19, 4167-4178