CMIP: A study of climate models and natural climate variability
Model simulations of the natural climate (without human-produced greenhouse gases and aerosols) can be compared with observations over the past century. More careful and systematic examination of the model results seems warranted. Toward that end the World Climate Research Program has begun the Coupled ocean-atmosphere Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP). CMIP deals with global coupled models of the atmosphere, ocean and sea ice. These are the models used to forecast global changes due to anthropogenic aerosols and greenhouse gases. In its initial stage, CMIP will examine existing model simulations rather than impose uniform external forcing (CO{sub 2}, solar ``constant,`` etc.) and output standards on the models. This stage of CMIP will examine only so-called control runs of coupled models in which external forcing is constant. In a later stage, CMIP will consider the standardization of coupled model runs. The CMIP Panel sent invitations to all known coupled model developers. The Panel asked participants to supply from their output long-term means and standard deviations of some twenty climatic fields. These include precipitation, sea level pressure, zonal mean temperature and winds, and oceanographic variables such as zonal mean temperature, salinity and poleward heat transport. We are evolving a strategy for quality- control and analysis of the data. This report provides only a preliminary discussion based on contributions received to date.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 272201
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JC-123715; CONF-951286-1; ON: DE96013388
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Workshop on dynamics and statistics of secular climate variations, Trieste (Italy), 3-9 Dec 1995; Other Information: PBD: Mar 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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