• CGCM2 Canadian model

• CGCM3.1 Canadian model

• HadCM3 British model

• ECHAM4 German model

All MONTHLY, SEASONAL & ANNUAL mean values of key atmospheric variables over all Canada and North America from these GCMs outputs can be also found and retrieved from the CCCSN web site: http://cccsn.ca.

GCMs DATA

Please use all documents and references about the respective GCMs (CGCM2/3, HadCM3, and ECHAM4) data downloaded from the DAI system, using the following information available from : http://loki.ouranos.ca/DAI/gcm-e.html

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The second generation of the coupled Canadian global climate model (CGCM2) is based on the previous version of the CGCM1 model. This last one as well as its climate control data is described in Flato et al. (2000)1. The atmospheric component of this model is essentially the MCGA2 model described by McFarlane et al. (1992)2. It consists of a spectral model with triangular truncation at the wave number 32 (which provides a 3.75° x 3.75° surface grid resolution), and includes 10 vertical levels. The oceanic component is based on the GFDL MOM1.1 model and presents a horizontal resolution of approximately 1.8° x 1.8° with 29 vertical levels. This model uses heat flux adjustments (latent and sensitive) obtained through simulations with atmospheric and oceanic models (respectively of 10 and 4 000 years of duration); these values were then submitted to flux modifications through their integration into the coupled model for 14 years. In addition, CGCM2 uses the cavitating fluid sea-ice dynamics scheme of Flato and Hibler [1992]3 instead of the thermodynamic-only sea ice in CGCM1. It is equally important to note that there are some technical differences in the ocean spin-up procedure as well as in the computational procedures necessary to determine the monthly-mean heat and moisture flux adjustments. The CGCM2 simulations were provided on a global Gaussian grid (97 grid points in longitude and 48 grid points in latitude). It is important to note that the model consists of 365 days and does not take into account the leap years.

Datasets and more details may be found on the Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis (CCCma) website: http://www.cccma.bc.ec.gc.ca/models/models.shtml

Please note that the delay of processing for a data request is of 15 working days

Reference:

1. Flato, G.M. and G.J. Boer, 2001: Warming Asymmetry in Climate Change Simulations. Geophys. Res. Lett., 28, 195-198.
2. McFarlane, N.A., G.J. Boer, J.-P. Blanchet, and M. Lazare, 1992: The Canadian Climate Centre second-generation general circulation model and its equilibrium climate. J. Climate, 5, 1013-1044.
3. Flato, G.M. and W.D. Hibler, III, 1992. Modeling pack ice as a cavitating fluid. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 22, 626-651.

The third version of the coupled Canadian global climate model (CGCM3) makes use of the same ocean component as earlier CGCM2, but of the mainly updated atmospheric component AGCM3. The sea-ice component is a two-category model (mean thickness and concentration), except that a prognostic equation for ice concentration follows Hibler (1979). The spectral representation of T47 in AGCM3 comprises 47 wave triangularly truncated spherical harmonic expansion (which provides roughly 3.75° x 3.75° surface grid resolution), and includes 32 vertical levels, extended to 1hPa (e.g., ~ 50km above surface). Some new key features are included : the introduction of CLASS a new module for treatment of the land surface processes (Verseghy et al, 1992) ; the moist convective adjustment algorithm that was used in AGCM2 has been replaced by the cumulus parameterization of Zhang and McFarlane (1995) ; the quantity of transported water vapour is the hybrid moisture variable proposed by Boer (1995) which makes a significant difference between the second and third generation models.

Datasets and more details may be found on the Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis (CCCma) website: http://www.cccma.bc.ec.gc.ca/models/models.shtml

Please note that the delay of processing for a data request is of 15 working days

Reference:

1. Boer, G.J., 1995: A hybrid moisture variable suitable for spectral GCMs. Research Activities in Atmospheric and Oceanic Modelling. Report No. 21, WMO/TD-No. 665, World Meteorological Organization, Geneva.
2. Hibler, W. D., 1979: A dynamic thermodynamic sea ice model. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 9, 815-846.
3. Verseghy, D.L., N.A. McFarlane, and M. Lazare, 1993: A Canadian Land Surface Scheme for GCMs:II. Vegetation model and coupled runs. Int. J. Climatol., 13, 347-370.
4. Zhang, G.J. and N. A. McFarlane, 1995: Sensitivity of climate simulations to the parameterization of cumulus convection in the CCC-GCM. Atmos.-Ocean, 3, 407-446.

HadCM3 is the third version of the coupled atmosphere-ocean model in Gordon et al. (2000)4. Unlike the Canadian model, it does not use surface flux adjustment procedures. The atmospheric component of the model uses 19 levels with a regular horizontal resolution of 2.5° in latitude x 3.75° in longitude, thus consisting of a global 96 x 73 points grid. This corresponds to an approximate resolution of 417 x 278 km at the equator and 295 x 278 km at 45° of latitude (comparable to a T42 spectral resolution). The oceanic component of the model uses 20 vertical levels with a horizontal resolution of 1.25° x 1.25°. Contrary to CGCM2, the HadCM3 model systematically counts 360 days in 12 months of 30 days each.

Please note that the delay of processing for a data request is of 15 working days

Reference:

1. Chris Gordon, Claire Cooper, Catherine A. Senior, Helene Banks, Jonathan M Gregory, Timothy C Johns, John FB Mitchell, Richard A Wood, 2000: The Simulation of SST, Sea Ice Extents and Ocean Heat Transports in aversion of the Hadley Centre Coupled Model without Flux Adjustments. Climate Dynamics 16, 147-168, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research, Bracknell, UK.

Description:

• Experiment: 1st member TAR (IPCC 2001)
• Domain & resolution: Global & T42 L19 (2.50° lat. x 3.75° lon.) [Land-sea mask]
• GHG+A Evolution & time window: SRES : A2 [1990-2099] & B2 [1961-2095]
• The full datasets and available documentation of this model version, developed by the Hadley Centre in UK, can be found on the following web site (IPCC-DDC): http://www.mad.zmaw.de/IPCC_DDC/html/SRES_TAR/index.html.

The model is based on the prevision model of the European center "European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecast" (ECMWF). The German modeling center and the Max Planck institute have made a number of modifications on this model in order to adapt it to the long term climatic simulations. It corresponds to the 4th version of the coupled model. A detailed description of ECHAM 4 is available in Roeckner et al. (1996)5. In this version of the model, 19 vertical levels were used. The prognostic variables, with the exception of water components, are represented by spherical harmonics with triangular truncation and a number of waves of 42 (T42) in its standard version. Its horizontal resolution corresponds to a 128 x 64 points grid and it is constant in longitude with an increment of 2.81° while it varies in latitude.

Please note that the delay of processing for a data request is of 15 working days

Reference:

1. Roeckner E, Arpe K, Bengtsson L, Christoph M, Claussen M, Dümenil L, Esch M, Giorgetta M, Schlese U, Schulzweida U, 1996: The atmospheric general circulation model ECHAM-4: model description and simulation of present-day climate. Report No. 218, the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg, Germany.
   http://www-pcmdi.llnl.gov/projects/modeldoc/amip1/26mpi_ToC_b.html

Description:

• Experiment: 1st member TAR (IPCC 2001)
• Domain & resolution: Global & T42 L19 (2.81° lat. x 3.81° lon.) [Land-sea mask]
• GHG+A Evolution & time window: SRES : A2 [1960-2100] & B2 [1960-2100]
• The full datasets and available documentation of this model version, developed by the Max Planck Institute für Meteorologie in Germany, can be found on the following web site (IPCC-DDC): http://www.mad.zmaw.de/IPCC_DDC/html/SRES_TAR/index.html.