Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

High-resolution simulations of global climate, part 1: present climate

  • Published:
Climate Dynamics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We examine simulations of today's climate performed with a global atmospheric general circulation model run at spectral truncations of T42, T170, and T239, corresponding to grid cell sizes of roughly 310 km, 75 km, and 55 km, respectively. The simulations were forced with observed sea-surface temperatures and sea-ice concentrations. The T42 simulations and initial simulations at T170 and T239 were performed using a model version that was carefully "tuned" to optimize results at T42; subsequent simulations at T170 and T239 used a model version that was partly re-tuned to improve results at T170. On the scales of a T42 grid cell and larger, nearly all quantities we examined in all the T170 and T239 simulations agree better with observations, at least in terms of spatial patterns, than in the T42 simulations. In some cases the improvements are very substantial. Improvements are seen in all-season, global domain results, and in results pertaining to most seasons and latitude bands. Increasing the model resolution from T42 introduces biases (errors in the mean) into some simulated quantities; the worst of these were removed by the partial retuning we performed at T170. This retuning has little effect on the spatial patterns of results, except in Northern Hemisphere winter at T170, where it tends to bring improvements. We discuss aspects of simulated regional climates, and their dependence on model resolution.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 5.
Fig. 6.
Fig. 7.
Fig. 8.
Fig. 9.
Fig. 10.
Fig. 11.
Fig. 12.
Fig. 13.
Fig. 14.
Fig. 15.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Boer GJ, Lazare M (1988) Some results concerning the effect of horizontal resolution and gravity wave drag on simulated climate. J Clim 1: 789–806

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonan G (1998) The land surface climatology of the NCAR Land Surface Model coupled to the NCAR Community Climate Model. J Clim 11: 1307–1326

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyle J (1993) Sensitivity of dynamical quantities to horizontal resolution for a climate simulation using the ECMWF (cycle 33) model. J Clim 6: 796–815

    Google Scholar 

  • Boville B (1991) Sensitivity of simulated climate to model resolution. J Clim 4: 469–485

    Google Scholar 

  • Gleckler PJ, Taylor KE (1993) The effect of horizontal resolution on ocean surface heat fluxes in the ECMWF model. Clim Dyn 9: 17–32

    Google Scholar 

  • Hendon HH, Zhang C, Glick JD (1999) Interannual variation of the Madden-Julian oscillation during Austral summer. J Clim 12: 2538–2550

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiehl JT, Williamson DL (1991) Dependence of cloud amount on horizontal resolution in the national center for atmospheric research community climate model. J Geophys Res 96: 10,955–10,980

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiehl JT, Hack JJ, Bonan BG, Boville BA, Williamson DL, Rasch P (1998a) The National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Climate Model: CCM3. J Clim 11: 1131–1149

  • Kiehl JT, Hack JJ, Hurrell J (1998b) The energy budget of the NCAR Community Climate Model: CCM3. J Clim 11: 1151–1178

    Google Scholar 

  • Kittel TGF, Rosenbloom NA, Painter TH, Schimel DS, Fisher HH, Grimsdell A, VEMAP Participants, Daly C, Hunt ER Jr (1996) The VEMAP Phase I database: an integrated input dataset for ecosystem and vegetation modeling for the conterminous United States. CDROM and World Wide Web (URL=http://www.cgd.ucar.edu/vemap/)

  • Lal N, Cubasch U, Perlwitz J, Waszkewitz J (1997) Simulation of the Indian monsoon in ECHAM3 climate model: sensitivity to horizontal resolution. Int J Climatol 17: 847–858

    Google Scholar 

  • Madden RA, Julian PR (1971) Detection of a 40–50 day oscillation in the zonal wind in the tropical Pacific. J Atmos Sci 28: 702–708

    Google Scholar 

  • Madden RA, Julian PR (1972) Description of global-scale circulation cells in the tropics with a 40–50 day period. J Atmos Sci 29: 1109–1123

    Google Scholar 

  • Madden RA, Julian PR (1994) Observations of the 40–50 day tropical oscillation – A review. Mon Weather Rev 122: 814–837

    Google Scholar 

  • Maloney ED, Hartmann DL (2001) The sensitivity of intraseasonal variability in the NCAR CCM3 to changes in convective parametrization. J Clim 14: 2015–2034

    Google Scholar 

  • Manabe S, Smagorinsky J, Holloway JL, Stone HM (1970) Simulated climatology of a general circulation model with a hydrological cycle. Mon Weather Rev 98: 175–213

    Google Scholar 

  • Mearns L, Giogi F, McDaniel L, Shields C (1995) Analysis of daily variability of precipitation in a nested regional climate model: comparison with observations and doubled CO2 results. Global Planet Change 10: 55–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Phillips TJ, Corsetti LC, Grotch SL (1995) The impact of horizontal resolution on moist processes in the ECMWF model. Clim Dyn 11: 85–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Rind D (1988) Dependence of warm and cold climate depiction on climate model resolution. J Clim 1: 965–997

    Google Scholar 

  • Simmons AJ, Stuefing R (1981) An energy and angular-momentum conserving finite-difference scheme, hybrid coordinates and medium-range weather prediction. ECMWF Technical Report 28, pp 68

  • Slingo JM, Sperber K, Boyle JS, Ceron J-P, Dix M, Dugas B, Ebisuzaki W, Fyfe J, Gregory D, Gueremy J-F, Hack J, Harzallah A, Inness P, Kitoh A, Lau WK-M, McAvaney B, Madden R, Matthews A, Palmer TN, Park C-K, Randall D, Renno N (1996) Intraseasonal oscillations in 15 atmospheric general circulation models: results from an AMIP diagnostic subproject. Clim Dyn 12: 325–357

    Google Scholar 

  • Slingo JM, Rowell DP, Sperber KR, Nortley F (1999) On the predictability of the interannual behaviour of the Madden-Julian Oscillation and its relationship with El Niño. Q J R Meteorol Soc 125: 583–609

    Google Scholar 

  • Sperber KR (2003) Propagation and the vertical structure of the Madden-Julian Oscillation. Mon Weather Rev (in press)

  • Sperber KR, Hameed S, Potter GL, Boyle JS (1994) Simulation of the northern summer monsoon in the ECMWF model: sensitivity to horizontal resolution. Mon Weather Rev 122: 2461–2481

    Google Scholar 

  • Sperber KR, Slingo JM, Inness PM, Lau WK-M (1997) On the maintenance and initiation of the intraseasonal oscillation in the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis and in the GLA and UKMO AMIP simulations. Clim Dyn 13: 769–795

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor KE (2001) Summarizing multiple aspects of model performance in a single diagram. J Geophys Res 106: 7183–7192

    Google Scholar 

  • Tibaldi T, Palmer N, Brankovic C, Cabasch U (1990) Extended-range predictions with ECMWF models: influence of horizontal resolution on systematic error and forecast skill. Q J R Meteorol Soc 115: 835–866

    Google Scholar 

  • Wellck RE, Kasahara A, Washington WM, de Santo G (1971) Effect of horizontal resolution in a finite difference model of the general circulation. Mon Weather Rev 99: 673–683

    Google Scholar 

  • Williamson DL, Kiehl JT, Hack JJ (1995) Climate sensitivity of the NCAR Community Climate model (CCM2) to horizontal resolution. Clim Dyn 11: 377–397

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements.

This work was performed under the auspices of the US Department of Energy by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract W–7405-Eng-48. We thank J. Hack for help with re-tuning the T170 model. CPC US Unified Precipitation data was provided by the NOAA-CIRES Climate Diagnostics Center, Boulder, Colorado, USA, from their Web site at http://www.cdc.noaa.gov/ .

Author information

Author notes

  1. M. F. Wehner

    Present address: National Energy Research Supercomputer Center, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, MS-50F, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA,

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Climate and Carbon Cycle Modeling Group, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), PO Box 808, Livermore, CA 94550, USA

    P. B. Duffy, B. Govindasamy, J. P. Iorio & S. L. Thompson

  2. Center for Applied Scientific Computing, LLNL, USA

    J. Milovich

  3. Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison, LLNL, USA

    K. R. Sperber, K. E. Taylor & M. F. Wehner

Authors
  1. P. B. Duffy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. B. Govindasamy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. P. Iorio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J. Milovich
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. K. R. Sperber
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. K. E. Taylor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. M. F. Wehner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. S. L. Thompson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. B. Duffy.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Duffy, P.B., Govindasamy, B., Iorio, J.P. et al. High-resolution simulations of global climate, part 1: present climate. Climate Dynamics 21, 371–390 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-003-0339-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-003-0339-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation