[Logo UJCC] [Title UJCC]

UJCC climate models



UJCC is making use of a broad group of models in order to systematically explore the role and value of resolution in climate system research: starting with the base N96 AOGCM (HadGEM1), an array of coupled and uncoupled models has been set up, in order to test hypotheses about the global impact of increasingly resolving the fundamental building blocks of climate. This model "matrix" will be an invaluable resource for understanding the impact of resolution in both atmosphere and ocean model components, and will help to guide future model development.

All these models have as their baseline science that of the initial reference HadGEM1a models used at the Hadley Centre. These build on the IPCC AR4 version of the model, and include various small improvements to the science and fixing of known problems. See http://www.higem.nerc.ac.uk/higem_only/validation/hadgem1a/hadgem1a.html for more details of HadGEM1a.

UJCC model chain

























Coupled models

HadGEM1: The Hadley Centre's HadGEM1 model, successor to the famous HadCM3, is normally run with an atmospheric resolution of (1.88x1.25, ~135 km in mid-latitudes) and was recently integrated for hundreds of years within the framework of IPCC AR4. In the ocean, this coupled model is integrated with a grid spacing of 1x1 (1x0.333 in the tropics).

HadGEM1a status on the ES can be seen at http://www.cgam.nerc.ac.uk/pmwiki/ES/index.php/Main/Hadgem1aPd

NERCs UK-HiGEM project has developed, in collaboration with the Hadley Centre, a higher resolution model, pushing resolution to 1.25x0.83 (90km) in the atmosphere and 0.3x0.3 (30 km) in the ocean.

HiGEM1a status on the ES can be seen at http://www.cgam.nerc.ac.uk/pmwiki/ES/index.php/Main/Higem1aPd

With these models established on the ES, two further models combining their resolutions have also been developed.

The HadGEM1 atmospheric resolution model (135km) has been coupled to the HiGEM ocean model (30km). Hadgem1a3rdDegOcnPd status on ES: http://www.cgam.nerc.ac.uk/pmwiki/ES/index.php/Main/Hadgem1a3rdDegOcnPd

The HiGEM atmosphere model (90km) has been coupled to the HadGEM1 ocean model (90km). Higem1a1DegOcnPd status on ES: http://www.cgam.nerc.ac.uk/pmwiki/ES/index.php/Main/Higem1a1DegOcnPd

In order to fully exploit the power of the Earth Simulator, the Nihon-UK Global Environmental Model (NUGEM) was co-developed by the UKMO Hadley Centre and by NERCs NCAS-CGAM. The atmospheric model, NUGAM, is an N216 model(0.83x0.56, corresponding to ~60 km in mid-latitudes), the resolution of the weather forecasting global model which was operational at the UK Met Office until December 2005. The ocean model component is the same 30km model as in HiGEM. NUGEM1a status on ES: http://www.cgam.nerc.ac.uk/pmwiki/ES/index.php/Main/Nugem1aPd


Uncoupled models

Atmosphere-only versions of the HadGEM1, HiGEM and NUGEM models, using AMIP2 forcing of the sea-surface temperature and sea-ice, have also been integrated on the ES. These allow us to understand how the behaviour of the atmosphere changes as resolution is increased, with the forcing from the ocean remaining consistent.

HadGAM1a status on ES: http://www.cgam.nerc.ac.uk/pmwiki/ES/index.php/Main/Hadgam1aAMIP2Pd HiGAM1a status on ES: http://www.cgam.nerc.ac.uk/pmwiki/ES/index.php/Main/Higam1aAMIP2Pd NUGAM1a status on ES: http://www.cgam.nerc.ac.uk/pmwiki/ES/index.php/Main/Nugam1aAMIP2Pd

There have also been a variety of other integrations, including using SSTs derived from the coupled HiGEM model to drive the atmosphere-only model. These can be found from the Models section of http://www.cgam.nerc.ac.uk/pmwiki/ES/index.php/Main/HomePage






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