cpt.brian

OVERVIEW

This project uses a state-of-the-science general circulation model to investigate the role of clouds in climate. We use the GCM in an idealized configuration: a water covered world. This "aqua planet" retains all the dynamics and physics of the more Earth-like configuration. Using the simplified configuration allows a view of cloud processes undistorted by the enormous influence of continents on both the dynamics and thermodynamics that constitute the climate. By understanding the role clouds play in a simplified model, we hope to be able to address both their role in more realistic representations and the influence that geography (size and shape of continents and mountains) plays in Earth's climate.

STATUS

Currently we are using the NCAR community atmosphere model (CAM) to perform these experiments. The CAM includes an aqua planet mode, which we have slightly adapted for purposes here. Experiments with prescribed SST distributions are being used to determine implied ocean heat fluxes for experiments using a simple slab ocean model. Included here are some results from a variety of these early experiments.

• CAM with continents
  • CAM low clouds plots
• Aqua planet
  • prescribed SST
    • AquaPlanet experiments [Aug 2005]
    • a new SST distribution [Sep 2005]
    • new SST along APE SSTs [png][eps][Oct 2005]
    • How to add 2 degrees to APE's analytic SST [5 January 2006]
    • APE-like configuration results [5 January 2006]
      • Newest results... includes the CAM T85 runs [16 February 2006]
      • August notes [2 August 2006]
      • additional analysis of GFDL AM [31 March 2006]
      • Surface effects [27 April 2006]
    • Climate sensitivity, AM v. CAM [15 December 2005]
  • slab ocean model [Aug 2005]
    • initial conditions [png][pdf]
    • ocean heat flux - "Take 1" [png][eps]
    • "Take 1" results
      • early results
      • update
    • "Take 2" [on hold]
• Comparing configurations
  • CAM low clouds plots
  • Control v. 2 aqua planets [Sep 2005]
  • Climate sensitivity [Aug 2005]
  • "Bony-grams" [Aug 2005]
• Observations
  • ERA-40 low clouds