Open AccessA new synoptic scale resolving global climate simulation using the Community Earth System Model
Author(s) -
Small R. Justin,
Bacmeister Julio,
Bailey David,
Baker Allison,
Bishop Stuart,
Bryan Frank,
Caron Julie,
Dennis John,
Gent Peter,
Hsu Hsiaoming,
Jochum Markus,
Lawrence David,
Muñoz Ernesto,
diNezio Pedro,
Scheitlin Tim,
Tomas Robert,
Tribbia Joseph,
Tseng Yuheng,
Vertenstein Mariana
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of advances in modeling earth systems
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.03
H-Index - 58
ISSN - 1942-2466
DOI - 10.1002/2014ms000363
Subject(s) - climatology , mesoscale meteorology , climate model , environmental science , earth system science , sea surface temperature , scale (ratio) , meteorology , atmospheric model , supercomputer , climate change , geology , computer science , geography , oceanography , cartography , operating system
Abstract High‐resolution global climate modeling holds the promise of capturing planetary‐scale climate modes and small‐scale (regional and sometimes extreme) features simultaneously, including their mutual interaction. This paper discusses a new state‐of‐the‐art high‐resolution Community Earth System Model (CESM) simulation that was performed with these goals in mind. The atmospheric component was at 0.25° grid spacing, and ocean component at 0.1°. One hundred years of “present‐day” simulation were completed. Major results were that annual mean sea surface temperature (SST) in the equatorial Pacific and El‐Niño Southern Oscillation variability were well simulated compared to standard resolution models. Tropical and southern Atlantic SST also had much reduced bias compared to previous versions of the model. In addition, the high resolution of the model enabled small‐scale features of the climate system to be represented, such as air‐sea interaction over ocean frontal zones, mesoscale systems generated by the Rockies, and Tropical Cyclones. Associated single component runs and standard resolution coupled runs are used to help attribute the strengths and weaknesses of the fully coupled run. The high‐resolution run employed 23,404 cores, costing 250 thousand processor‐hours per simulated year and made about two simulated years per day on the NCAR‐Wyoming supercomputer “Yellowstone.”