Open AccessThe West African climate system: a review of the AMMA model inter‐comparison initiatives
Author(s) -
Ruti P. M.,
Williams J. E.,
Hourdin F.,
Guichard F.,
Boone A.,
Van Velthoven P.,
Favot F.,
Musat I.,
Rummukainen M.,
Domínguez M.,
Gaertner M. Á.,
Lafore J. P.,
Losada T.,
Rodriguez de Fonseca M. B.,
Polcher J.,
Giorgi F.,
Xue Y.,
Bouarar I.,
Law K.,
Josse B.,
Barret B.,
Yang X.,
Mari C.,
Traore A. K.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
atmospheric science letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.951
H-Index - 45
ISSN - 1530-261X
DOI - 10.1002/asl.305
Subject(s) - climatology , climate model , monsoon , environmental science , multidisciplinary approach , troposphere , climate change , atmosphere (unit) , geography , meteorology , geology , political science , oceanography , law
We review the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (AMMA) model inter‐comparison activities for West Africa. The Model Inter‐comparison Project is an evaluation exercise of how global and regional atmospheric models represent seasonal and intra‐seasonal variations of the climate and rainfall over the Sahel. The Land surface Model Inter‐comparison Project in turn focuses on modelling critical land surface processes over West Africa and on their link with the atmosphere. The CHEmistry Model Inter‐comparison Project (CHEMIP) is a comparison of the tropospheric composition as simulated by a number of Chemical Transport Models (CTM) and Chemistry‐Climate Models. We highlight the main model limitations and provide recommendations for future development. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society