figures.brian

Several versions of the Aqua planet have now been run for a small number of months (usually 13). Below are some results and descriptions for some of these.

Most of the initial plots from these experiments are in the form of time series (latitude v. time). The reason is that I wanted to compare possible seasonal effects introduced by the SST and/or ozone distribution, and to confirm that the orbital parameters were correctly modified (ecentricity = obliquity = 0).

  • Default. SSTs are prescribed using an analytic expression equatorward of 60 degrees latitude, set to 273 K poleward of 60. No continents, no seasonal variations, equinocal conditions, including a diel variation in insolation. Averages are based on about 36 months.
    • Convective Precipitation Rate (m/s), note that the maximum value of the color bar is around 10 mm/day.
    • Vertically-integrated low cloud fraction.
    • Vertically-integrated total cloud fraction
    • Vertical (pressure) Velocity. The shading indicates greater (reddish) or less (bluish) than one standard deviation from the average value. The side panel gives the SST distribution.
  • Aqua planet with SST based on "observed" zonal mean, annual average SST, but default ozone distribution.
    • Convective Precipitation Rate (m/s).
    • Vertically-integrated total cloud fraction.
    • Vertical (pressure) Velocity.
    • ozone distribution
  • Aqua planet with the same zonal mean SST, but now with the ozone distribution made hemispherically symmetric. The ozone distribution is from the APE.
    • Convective Precipitation Rate (m/s).
    • Vertically-integrated total cloud fraction.
    • Vertical (pressure) Velocity.
    • ozone distribution
  • Aqua planet with "observed" SST. There is a seasonal cycle, and continents are filled in with some value. This was just to test if the orbital parameters change correctly. The only benefit is to see how SSTs introduce a seasonal cycle regardless of insolation.
    • Convective Precipitation Rate (m/s).
    • Vertically-integrated total cloud fraction.

*After some problems with the ozone distribution, the issue is now settled. The CAM expects the ozone data in ppmv, while the data from APE is in fraction. The resolution is simply to divide the APE values by 10e6. Included here is a figure showing the default (January) distribution along with the new symmetric one. The lower panels show the latitude versus time plots for 100 hPa and 10 hPa, to illustrate the large seasonal variability in the ozone. This seasonal variability should be removed for an aqua planet with no seasonal cycle. [png][eps]
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