Climate simulations and projections with the super-parameterized CCSM4

1. Climate simulations and projections with the super-parameterized CCSM4 Objectives: (a) Evaluate the effect of horizontal resolution in a coupled GCM with an explicit representation of cloud processes; (b) Evaluate the role of explicit representation of cloud-scale processes on climate projections. Impact: The mean state in the higher resolution configuration has smaller biases; the interannual and seasonal climate variability are better represented in simulations at lower resolution; the intraseasonal variability of the tropical atmosphere is more accurate in the higher resolution. The ensemble of climate change simulations forced by the RCP8.5 scenario projects an overall increase of surface temperature at the end of 21st century, with an exception around the southern tip of Greenland. The magnitude of decrease (~2 degree) is larger than in the conventional CCSM4 (~1 degree); the projection of precipitation shows more regional variability at regional scale than we see in the temperature field. a) Surface temperature change at the end of 21st century. b) Percentage of precipitation change at the end of 21st century. Stan, C., and L. Xu, 2014: Climate Simulations and projections with a super-parameterized climate model. Environmental Modeling & Software, 60, 134-152, doi: 10.1016/j.envsoft.2014.06.013