On the incident solar radiation in CMIP5 models

Journal Article · 26 March 2015 · Geophysical Research Letters

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GL063239 · OSTI ID:1402349

Zhou, Linjiong ^[1]; Zhang, Minghua ^[2]; Bao, Qing ^[3]; Liu, Yimin ^[3]

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1. State Key Laboratory of Numerical Modeling for Atmospheric Sciences and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Institute for Terrestrial and Planetary Atmospheres Stony Brook University Stony Brook New York USA
2. School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Institute for Terrestrial and Planetary Atmospheres Stony Brook University Stony Brook New York USA, International Center for Climate and Environment Sciences Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
3. State Key Laboratory of Numerical Modeling for Atmospheric Sciences and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China

Abstract Annual incident solar radiation at the top of atmosphere should be independent of longitudes. However, in many Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5) models, we find that the incident radiation exhibited zonal oscillations, with up to 30 W/m ² of spurious variations. This feature can affect the interpretation of regional climate and diurnal variation of CMIP5 results. This oscillation is also found in the Community Earth System Model. We show that this feature is caused by temporal sampling errors in the calculation of the solar zenith angle. The sampling error can cause zonal oscillations of surface clear‐sky net shortwave radiation of about 3 W/m ² when an hourly radiation time step is used and 24 W/m ² when a 3 h radiation time step is used.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 1402349
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 42; ISSN 0094-8276
• Publisher: American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English