Volumes and Issues  Contents of Issue 2  
Ocean Sci., 4, 151-181, 2008
www.ocean-sci.net/4/151/2008/
doi:10.5194/os-4-151-2008
© Author(s) 2008. This work is distributed
under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.


The low-resolution CCSM2 revisited: new adjustments and a present-day control run

M. Prange
MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Klagenfurter Str., 28334 Bremen, Germany

Abstract. The low-resolution (T31) version of the Community Climate System Model CCSM2.0.1 is revisited and adjusted by deepening the Greenland-Scotland ridge, changing oceanic mixing parameters, and applying a regional freshwater flux adjustment at high northern latitudes. The main purpose of these adjustments is to maintain a robust Atlantic meridional overturning circulation which collapses in the original model release. The paper describes the present-day control run of the adjusted model (referred to as "CCSM2/T31x3a") which is brought into climatic equilibrium by applying a deep-ocean acceleration technique. The accelerated integration is extended by a 100-year synchronous phase. The simulated meridional overturning circulation has a maximum of 14×106 m3 s−1 in the North Atlantic. The CCSM2/T31x3a control run is evaluated against observations and simulations with other climate models. Most shortcomings found in the CCSM2/T31x3a control run are identified as "typical problems" in global climate modelling. Finally, examples (simulation of North Atlantic hydrography, West African monsoon) are shown in which CCSM2/T31x3a has a better simulation skill than the latest low-resolution Community Climate System Model release, CCSM3/T31.

Final Revised Paper (PDF, 21516 KB)   Discussion Paper (OSD)   

Citation: Prange, M.: The low-resolution CCSM2 revisited: new adjustments and a present-day control run, Ocean Sci., 4, 151-181, doi:10.5194/os-4-151-2008, 2008.   Bibtex   EndNote   Reference Manager    XML
 

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