A high-resolution 43-year atmospheric hindcast for South America generated with the MPI regional model

An evaluation of the present-day climate in South America simulated by the MPI atmospheric limited area model, REMO, is made. The model dataset was generated by dynamical downscaling from the ECMWF-ERA40 reanalysis and compared to in-situ observations. The model is able to reproduce the low-level summer monsoon circulation but it has some deficiencies in representing the South American Low-Level Jet structure. At upper levels, summer circulation features like the Bolivian High and the associated subtropical jet are well simulated by the model. Sea-level pressure fields are in general well represented by REMO. The model exhibits reasonable skill in representing the general features of the mean seasonal cycle of precipitation. Nevertheless, there is a systematic overestimation of precipitation in both tropical and subtropical regions. Differences between observed and modeled temperature are smaller than 1.5°C over most of the continent, excepting during spring when those differences are quite large. Results also show that the dynamical downscaling performed using REMO introduces some enhancement of the global reanalysis especially in temperature at the tropical regions during the warm season and in precipitation in both the subtropics and extratropics. It is then concluded that REMO can be a useful tool for regional downscaling of global simulations of present and future climates.     

Modelling the Interannual Variation of Regional Precipitation over China

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Simulation of the asian monsoon by IAP AGCM coupled with an advanced land surface model (IAP94)

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THE THREE-LEVEL GLOBAL ATMOSPHERIC GENERAL CIRCULATION MODEL: FORMULATION AND RESULTS

The "climate draft" often occurs in the coupling process of the atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) and oceanic general circulation model (OGCM).One of the main methods to overcome the "climate draft" is to simulate the flow and temperature fields in the low-layer correctly.Therefore we designed a three-level AGCM including a planetary boundary layer (PBL) and have run it seven model years to do climate simulation.The results show that the simulated lower level air flow,surface air temperature and sea-level pressure in January and July,approximate to the climate average fields,especially in Asian monsoon area.The simulated upper level flow and geopotential height are also in better agreement with the observed fields.Moreover,the two westerly jets over the northern and southern sides of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau in winter,the disappearance of its southern subtropical jet during the seasonal transition from spring to summer,the establishment of the two easterly jets near the equator and over the subtropical region during the seasonal transition,are also simulated well.In the mainland of China,the seasonal abrupt shift of the rainfall belt,such as the Meiyu belt in South China during April to May,which jumps to the Changjiang River region in June,again jumps back to the north China in July,and rapidly withdraws to the south in August,are simulated very well.Now we are coupling this model to a global six-level OGCM and nesting a fine mesh (1°×1.25°)regional climate model over China area with it.     

Numerical simulation of the regional ocean circulation in the coastal areas of china

The regional ocean circulation in the coastal areas or China (including a part of the western Pacific Ocean, the South China Sea and the Bay of Bengal el al.) is simulated by using the improved Princeton Uni-versity ocean circulation model (POM). Compared with the modeling results obtained by the large-scale ocean general circulation model (OGCM), the basic ocean circulation features simulated by the regional ocean circulation model are in good agreement with that simulated by OGCM and some detailed character-istics such as the regional ocean circulation, sea temperature, salinity and free sea surface height have also been obtained which are in good accord with the observations. These results indicate that the regional ocean circulation model has good capability to produce the regional ocean circulation characteristics and it can be used to develop coupled regional ocean-atmospheric model systems.     

Mean climatic characteristics in high northern latitudes in an ocean-sea ice-atmosphere coupled model

Emphasizing the model‘s ability in mean climate reproduction in high northern latitudes, resultsfrom an ocean-sea ice-atmosphere coupled model are analyzed. It is shown that the coupled model cansimulate the main characteristics of annual mean global sea surface temperature and sea level pressurewell, but the extent of ice coverage produced in the Southern Hemisphere is not large enough. The maindistribution characteristics of simulated sea level pressure and temperature at 850 hPa in high northernlatitudes agree well with their counterparts in the NCEP reanalysis dataset, and the model can reproducethe Arctic Oscillation (AO) mode successfully. The simulated seasonal variation of sea ice in the NorthernHemisphere is rational and its main distribution features in winter agree well with those from observations.But the ice concentration in the sea ice edge area close to the Eurasian continent in the inner Arctic Oceanis much larger than the observation. There are significant interannual variation signals in the simulated seaice concentration in winter in high northern latitudes and the most significant area lies in the GreenlandSea, followed by the Barents Sea. All of these features agree well with the results from observations.     

An upper ocean general circulation model for climate studies: global simulation with seasonal cycle

The global ocean circulation with a seasonal cycle has been simulated with a two-and-a-half layer upper-ocean model. This model was developed for the purpose of coupling to an atmospheric general circulation model for climate studies on decadal time scales. The horizontal resolution is 4° latitude by 5° longitude and is thus not eddy-resolving. Effects of bottom topography are neglected. In the vertical, the model resolves the oceanic mixed layer and the thermocline. A thermodynamic sea-ice model is coupled to the mixed layer. The model is forced at the surface with seasonally varying (a) observed wind stress, (b) heat fluxes, as defined by an atmospheric equilibrium temperature, and (c) Newtonian-type surface salt fluxes. The second layer is coupled to the underlying deep ocean through Newtonian-type diffusive heat and salt fluxes, convective overturning, and mass entrainment in the upwelling regions of the subpolar gyres. The overall global distributions of mixed layer temperature, salinity and thickness are favorably reproduced. Inherent limitations due to coarse horizontal resolution result in large mixed-layer temperature errors near continental boundaries and in weak current systems. Sea ice distributions agree well with observations except in the interiors of the Ross and Weddell Seas. A realistic time rate of change of heat storage is simulated. There is also realistic heat transport from low to high latitudes.     

An Introduction to the Integrated Climate Model of the Center for Monsoon System Research and its simulated influence of El Niño on East Asian-western North Pacific climate

This study introduces a new global climate model--the Integrated Climate Model （ICM）--developed for the seasonal prediction of East Asian-western North Pacific （EA-WNP） climate by the Center for Monsoon System Research at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics （CMSR, IAP）, Chinese Academy of Sciences. ICM integrates ECHAM5 and NEMO2.3 as its atmospheric and oceanic components, respectively, using OASIS3 as the coupler. The simulation skill of ICM is evaluated here, including the simulated climatology, interannual variation, and the influence of E1 Nifio as one of the most important factors on EA-WNP climate. ICM successfully reproduces the distribution of sea surface temperature （SST） and precipitation without climate shift, the seasonal cycle of equatorial Pacific SST, and the precipitation and circulation of East Asian summer monsoon. The most prominent biases of ICM are the excessive cold tongue and unrealistic westward phase propagation of equatorial Pacific SST. The main interannual variation of the tropical Pacific SST and EA-WNP climate E1 Nifio and the East Asia-Pacific Pattern--are also well simulated in ICM, with realistic spatial pattern and period. The simulated E1 Nifio has significant impact on EA-WNP climate, as in other models. The assessment shows ICM should be a reliable model for the seasonal prediction of EA-WNP climate.     

A study on combining global and regional climate model results for generating climate scenarios of temperature and precipitation for the Netherlands

Climate scenarios for the Netherlands are constructed by combining information from global and regional climate models employing a simplified, conceptual framework of three sources (levels) of uncertainty impacting on predictions of the local climate. In this framework, the first level of uncertainty is determined by the global radiation balance, resulting in a range of the projected changes in the global mean temperature. On the regional (1,000–5,000 km) scale, the response of the atmospheric circulation determines the second important level of uncertainty. The third level of uncertainty, acting mainly on a local scale of 10 (and less) to 1,000 km, is related to the small-scale processes, like for example those acting in atmospheric convection, clouds and atmospheric meso-scale circulations—processes that play an important role in extreme events which are highly relevant for society. Global climate models (GCMs) are the main tools to quantify the first two levels of uncertainty, while high resolution regional climate models (RCMs) are more suitable to quantify the third level. Along these lines, results of an ensemble of RCMs, driven by only two GCM boundaries and therefore spanning only a rather narrow range in future climate predictions, are rescaled to obtain a broader uncertainty range. The rescaling is done by first disentangling the climate change response in the RCM simulations into a part related to the circulation, and a residual part which is related to the global temperature rise. Second, these responses are rescaled using the range of the predictions of global temperature change and circulation change from five GCMs. These GCMs have been selected on their ability to simulate the present-day circulation, in particular over Europe. For the seasonal means, the rescaled RCM results obey the range in the GCM ensemble using a high and low emission scenario. Thus, the rescaled RCM results are consistent with the GCM results for the means, while adding information on the small scales and the extremes. The method can be interpreted as a combined statistical–dynamical downscaling approach, with the statistical relations based on regional model output.     

The WAMME regional model intercomparison study

Results from five regional climate models (RCMs) participating in the West African Monsoon Modeling and Evaluation (WAMME) initiative are analyzed. The RCMs were driven by boundary conditions from National Center for Environmental Prediction reanalysis II data sets and observed sea-surface temperatures (SST) over four May–October seasons, (2000 and 2003–2005). In addition, the simulations were repeated with two of the RCMs, except that lateral boundary conditions were derived from a continuous global climate model (GCM) simulation forced with observed SST data. RCM and GCM simulations of precipitation, surface air temperature and circulation are compared to each other and to observational evidence. Results demonstrate a range of RCM skill in representing the mean summer climate and the timing of monsoon onset. Four of the five models generate positive precipitation biases and all simulate negative surface air temperature biases over broad areas. RCM spatial patterns of June–September mean precipitation over the Sahel achieve spatial correlations with observational analyses of about 0.90, but within two areas south of 10°N the correlations average only about 0.44. The mean spatial correlation coefficient between RCM and observed surface air temperature over West Africa is 0.88. RCMs show a range of skill in simulating seasonal mean zonal wind and meridional moisture advection and two RCMs overestimate moisture convergence over West Africa. The 0.5° computing grid enables three RCMs to detect local minima related to high topography in seasonal mean meridional moisture advection. Sensitivity to lateral boundary conditions differs between the two RCMs for which this was assessed. The benefits of dynamic downscaling the GCM seasonal climate prediction are analyzed and discussed.     

Multi-year simulation of the East Asian Monsoon and Precipitation in China using a Regional Climate Model and Evaluation

1. Introduction As an important way to study the global climate change, because of its low resolution, GCM (general circulation model) shows obvious deficiency and uncer- tainty in capturing some regional features when used in the regional climate study, and the uncertainty is even serious in regional climate simulation over East Asia (Ding et al., 2000; Zhao and Luo, 1998; Qian et al., 1999). The high-resolution regional climate model (RegCM) developed in the 1980s can provide better simu…     

Present-day regional climate simulation over Malaysia and western Maritime Continent region using PRECIS forced with ERA40 reanalysis

This study examines the performance of the regional climate model, PRECIS, in reproducing the historical seasonal mean climatology over the Malaysian region. The performance of the model in simulating the seasonal climate pattern of the temperature, precipitation and large-scale circulation was reasonably good. The biases of temperature are less than 2 °C in general, while the seasonal cycles match the observed pattern despite some differences in certain regions. However, the biases for precipitation were greater, particularly over the mountainous areas. These biases could be associated with the deficiencies of the model physics, related to the misrepresentation of the land–surface interaction and convective scheme. Furthermore, the model fails to simulate the mean sea-level pressure over the interior part of Borneo with a significant low-pressure centre. A higher magnitude of the moisture convergence and divergence simulated by the model also contributed to the biases of precipitation over Malaysia.     

大气季节内振荡的耦合模式数值模拟

分析GOALS/LASG海气耦合模式10年积分200hPa纬向风场的逐日输出结果,引用1980～1989年期间逐日的NCEP/NCAR再分析资料作为实测对照,结果显示该耦合模式抓住了热带大气低频振荡(IO)的基本时空分布特征,模拟IO的强度较多数大气模式强而接近真实,但空间一致性仍不清晰,典型周期不够显著。NCEP资料与耦合模式都反映模拟IO的季节变化与其年际变化有关,模拟较强IO的年份表现IO的季节变化特征也较真实。模拟IO的年际变化与热带东太平洋的SST呈明显的负相关变化。SST暖异常的年份,IO活动较弱。IO变化滞后于SST异常60天左右的相关性最显著。对比单独积分GOALS/LASG的大气模式的结果,发现二者的主要差别在于耦合模式再现IO的季节性特征更真实,反映了海气耦合对IO变化的调制作用。利用海气耦合模式,理解IO对流活动与上层海洋的相互作用过程,是真实描述IO必要的手段。     

Potential use of a regional climate model in seasonal tropical cyclone activity predictions in the western North Pacific

This study investigates the potential use of a regional climate model in forecasting seasonal tropical cyclone (TC) activity. A modified version of Regional Climate Model Version 3 (RegCM3) is used to examine the ability of the model to simulate TC genesis and landfalling TC tracks for the active TC season in the western North Pacific. In the model, a TC is identified as a vortex satisfying several conditions, including local maximum relative vorticity at 850?hPa with a value?≥450?×?10^?6?s^?1, and the temperature at 300?hPa being 1°C higher than the average temperature within 15° latitude radius from the TC center. Tracks are traced by following these found vortices. Six-month ensemble (8 members each) simulations are performed for each year from 1982 to 2001 so that the climatology of the model can be compared to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) observed best-track dataset. The 20-year ensemble experiments show that the RegCM3 can be used to simulate vortices with a wind structure and temperature profile similar to those of real TCs. The model also reproduces tracks very similar to those observed with features like genesis in the tropics, recurvature at higher latitudes and landfall/decay. The similarity of the 500-hPa geopotential height patterns between RegCM3 and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts 40 Year Re-analysis (ERA-40) shows that the model can simulate the subtropical high to a large extent. The simulated climatological monthly spatial distributions as well as the interannual variability of TC occurrence are also similar to the JTWC data. These results imply the possibility of producing seasonal forecasts of tropical cyclones using real-time global climate model predictions as boundary conditions for the RegCM3.     

Regional-scale surface air temperature and East Asian summer monsoon changes during the last millennium simulated by the FGOALS-gl climate system model

The spatial patterns and regional-scale surface air temperature （SAT） changes during the last millennium,as well as the variability of the East Asian summer monsoon （EASM） were simulated with a low-resolution version of Flexible Global Ocean-Atmosphere-Land-Sea-ice （FGOALS-gl） model.The model was driven by both natural and anthropogenic forcing agents.Major features of the simulated past millennial Northern Hemisphere （NH） mean SAT variations,including the Medieval Climate Anomaly （MCA）,the Little Ice Age （LIA） and the 20th Century Warming （20CW）,were generally consistent with the reconstructions.The simulated MCA showed a global cooling pattern with reference to the 1961-90 mean conditions,indicating the 20CW to be unprecedented over the last millennium in the simulation.The LIA was characterized by pronounced coldness over the continental extratropical NH in both the reconstruction and the simulation.The simulated global mean SAT difference between the MCA and LIA was 0.14°C,with enhanced warming over high-latitude NH continental regions.Consistencies between the simulation and the reconstruction on regional scales were lower than those on hemispheric scales.The major features agreed well between the simulated and reconstructed SAT variations over the Chinese domain,despite some inconsistency in details among different reconstructions.The EASM circulation during the MCA was stronger than that during the LIA The corresponding rainfall anomalies exhibited excessive rainfall in the north but deficient rainfall in the south.Both the zonal and meridional thermal contrast were enhanced during the MCA.This temperature anomaly pattern favored a stronger monsoon circulation.     

温盐环流与全球增暖的数值模拟 (一)纬向平均温盐环流的模拟

本文是用简单海一气耦合模型模拟温盐环流在全球增暖事件中作用的研究工作的第一部分。为了建立一个简单海一气耦合模型，我们首先根据Ｗｒｉｇｈｔ和Ｓｔｏｋｅｒ等人的设计复制出一个包括大西洋、太平洋和南大洋在内的二维温盐环流模式，从等温、等盐和无运动的初始状态出发，在给定的年平均海表强迫下将模式积分了４０００年，模拟出了和原作相似的温盐环流。对模拟结果的分析表明，相对于北太平洋而言，北大西洋北部的高盐、低温特点（后者是由两大洋在地理上的差别决定的）是形成当代温盐环流的主要原因；从与温盐环流相联系的海表热通量来看，北大西洋北部是向大气提供热量的主要源地；模式温盐环流对于海表盐度通量的敏感性试验的结果表明，对于纬圈平均的二维模式而言，要想模拟出合理的温盐环流就必须人为地提高北大西洋北部的海表盐度，文章分析了这种作法的物理根据；模式中的对流过程对于温盐环流的维持是至关重要的，对比有无季节循环的试验结果可以看出，虽然温度场的明显的季节变化只出现在模式的最上面两层，但由于引进季节循环后冬季高纬海洋的对流活动加强，后者直接影响到温盐环流，使更多的深海热量上传并向大气释放。这是使海洋温跃层得以保持合理．厚度的一个重要原因。     

East Asian summer monsoon simulation by a 20-km mesh AGCM

East Asian summer monsoon climate simulated by a global 20-km mesh atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) forced by the global sea surface temperature during the period 1979–1998 is investigated. In comparison with a lower resolution (180-km mesh) model experiment, it is revealed that the 20-km mesh AGCM shows the superiority in simulating orographic rainfall not only its location but also its amount. The Baiu frontal structure is also better simulated in the higher resolution model, which leads to stronger Baiu rainfall. The 20-km model also shows more intense extremes in precipitation. Interannual variability of June–August mean precipitation and seasonal march of the monsoon rain band are also investigated. This paper is a contribution to the AMIP-CMIP Diagnostic Sub-project on General Circulation Model Simulation of the East Asian Climate, coordinated by W.-C. Wang.     

Simulations of the Indian summer monsoon using a nested regional climate model: domain size experiments

Seasonal simulations of the Indian summer monsoon using a 50-km regional climate model (RCM) are described. Results from three versions of the RCM distinguished by different domain sizes are compared against those of the driving global general circulation model (AGCM). Precipitation over land is 20% larger in the RCMs due to stronger vertical motions arising from finer horizontal resolution. The resulting increase in condensational heating helps to intensify the monsoon trough relative to the AGCM. The RCM precipitation distributions show a strong orographically forced mesoscale component (similar in each version). This component is not present in the AGCM. The RCMs produce two qualitatively realistic intraseasonal oscillations (ISOs) associated respectively with monsoon depressions which propagate northwestward from the Bay of Bengal and repeated northward migrations of the regional tropical convergence zone. The RCM simulations are relatively insensitive to domain size in several respects: (1) the mean bias relative to the AGCM is similar for all three domains; (2) the variability simulated by the RCM is strongly correlated with that of the driving AGCM on both daily and seasonal time scales, even for the largest domain; (3) the mesoscale features and ISOs are not damped by the relative proximity of the lateral boundaries in the version with the smallest domain. Results (1) and (2) contrast strongly with a previous study for Europe carried out with the same model, probably due to inherent differences between mid-latitude and tropical dynamics.     

Regional climate change experiments over southern South America. I: present climate

We present an analysis of a regional simulation of present-day climate (1981–1990) over southern South America. The regional model MM5 was nested within time-slice global atmospheric model experiments conducted by the HadAM3H model. We evaluate the capability of the model in simulating the observed climate with emphasis on low-level circulation patterns and surface variables, such as precipitation and surface air mean, maximum and minimum temperatures. The regional model performance was evaluated in terms of seasonal means, seasonal cycles, interannual variability and extreme events. Overall, the regional model is able to capture the main features of the observed mean surface climate over South America, its seasonal evolution and the regional detail due to topographic forcing. The observed regional patterns of surface air temperatures (mean, maxima and minima) are well reproduced. Biases are mostly within 3°C, temperature being overestimated over central Argentina and underestimated in mountainous regions during all seasons. Biases in northeastern Argentina and southeastern Brazil are positive during austral spring season and negative in other seasons. In general, maximum temperatures are better represented than minimum temperatures. Warm bias is larger during austral summer for maximum temperature and during austral winter for minimum temperature, mainly over central Argentina. The broad spatial pattern of precipitation and its seasonal evolution are well captured; however, the regional model overestimates the precipitation over the Andes region in all seasons and in southern Brazil during summer. Precipitation amounts are underestimated over the La Plata basin from fall to spring. Extremes of precipitation are better reproduced by the regional model compared with the driving model. Interannual variability is well reproduced too, but strongly regulated by boundary conditions, particularly during summer months. Overall, taking into account the quality of the simulation, we can conclude that the regional model is capable in reproducing the main regional patterns and seasonal cycle of surface variables. The present reference simulation constitutes the basis to examine the climate change simulations resulting from the A2 and B2 forcing scenarios which are being reported in a separate study.     

Impact of spectral nudging on the downscaling of tropical cyclones in regional climate simulations

This study investigated the simulations of three months of seasonal tropical cyclone (TC) activity over the western North Pacific using the Advanced Research WRF Model. In the control experiment (CTL), the TC frequency was considerably overestimated. Additionally, the tracks of some TCs tended to have larger radii of curvature and were shifted eastward. The large-scale environments of westerly monsoon flows and subtropical Pacific highs were unreasonably simulated. The overestimated frequency of TC formation was attributed to a strengthened westerly wind field in the southern quadrants of the TC center. In comparison with the experiment with the spectral nudging method, the strengthened wind speed was mainly modulated by large-scale flow that was greater than approximately 1000 km in the model domain. The spurious formation and undesirable tracks of TCs in the CTL were considerably improved by reproducing realistic large-scale atmospheric monsoon circulation with substantial adjustment between large-scale flow in the model domain and large-scale boundary forcing modified by the spectral nudging method. The realistic monsoon circulation took a vital role in simulating realistic TCs. It revealed that, in the downscaling from large-scale fields for regional climate simulations, scale interaction between model-generated regional features and forced large-scale fields should be considered, and spectral nudging is a desirable method in the downscaling method.