Evaluation of the University of Victoria Earth System Climate Model version 2.10 (UVic ESCM 2.10)

Abstract. The University of Victoria Earth System Climate Model (UVic ESCM) of
intermediate complexity has been a useful tool in recent assessments of
long-term climate changes, including both paleo-climate modelling and
uncertainty assessments of future warming. Since the last official release
of the UVic ESCM 2.9 and the two official updates during the last decade,
considerable model development has taken place among multiple research
groups. The new version 2.10 of the University of Victoria Earth System
Climate Model presented here will be part of the sixth phase
of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6). More precisely it will
be used in the intercomparison of Earth system models of intermediate
complexity (EMIC), such as the C4MIP, the Carbon Dioxide Removal and Zero
Emissions Commitment model intercomparison projects (CDR-MIP and ZECMIP,
respectively). It now brings together and combines multiple model
developments and new components that have come about since the last
official release of the model. The main additions to the base model are
(i) an improved biogeochemistry module for the ocean, (ii) a vertically resolved
soil model including dynamic hydrology and soil carbon processes, and (iii) a
representation of permafrost carbon. To set the foundation of its use, we
here describe the UVic ESCM 2.10 and evaluate results from transient
historical simulations against observational data. We find that the UVic
ESCM 2.10 is capable of reproducing changes in historical temperature and
carbon fluxes well. The spatial distribution of many ocean tracers,
including temperature, salinity, phosphate and nitrate, also agree well with
observed tracer profiles. The good performance in the ocean tracers is
connected to an improved representation of ocean physical properties. For
the moment, the main biases that remain are a vegetation carbon density that
is too high in the tropics, a higher than observed change in the ocean heat
content (OHC) and an oxygen utilization in the Southern Ocean that is too low.
All of these biases will be addressed in the next updates to the model.

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Details

Published: Sep 10, 2020
Vol/Issue: 13(9)
Pages: 4183-4204
License: View

Authors

Alexander J. MacIsaac

Cite This Article

Nadine Mengis, David P. Keller, Andrew H. MacDougall, et al. (2020). Evaluation of the University of Victoria Earth System Climate Model version 2.10 (UVic ESCM 2.10). Geoscientific Model Development, 13(9), 4183-4204. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-4183-2020

Evaluation of the University of Victoria Earth System Climate Model version 2.10 (UVic ESCM 2.10)

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