CGD Features

Highlighted Publications

  • Tropical Atlantic Biases in CCSM4.

    /Images/slideshow/ccsm4.sstbias.jpg

    Staff Author: Y. Okumura

    This paper focuses on diagnosing biases in the seasonal climate of the tropical Atlantic in the 20-th century simulation of CCSM4. [article]

  • Evaluation of the new CNDV option of the Community Land Model: Effects of dynamic vegetation and interactive nitrogen on CLM4 means and variability.

    /Images/slideshow/co2anomalies.alert.jpg

    Staff Author: S. Levis

    The Community Land Model version 4 (CLM4) includes the option to run the prognostic Carbon-Nitrogen (CN) Model with dynamic vegetation (CNDV). [article]

  • Interactive crop management in the Community Earth System Model (CESM1): Seasonal influences on land-atmosphere fluxes.

    /Images/slideshow/pfts.clm.jpg

    Staff Authors: S. Levis, G. Bonan, E. Kluzek and W. Sacks

    We evaluate the CESM1 with two coupled atmosphere-land simulations. The CTRL (control) represents crops as unmanaged grasses, while CROP includes special algorithms for mid-latitude corn, soybean, and cereal phenology and carbon allocation. [article]

  • Simulating the Biogeochemical and Biogeophysical Impacts of Transient Land Cover Change and Wood Harvest in the CCSM4 from 1850 to 2100.

    /Images/slideshow/cmip5.ftchanges.albedo.jpg

    Staff Authors: P Lawrence, J. Feddema, G. Bonan, G. Meehl, B. O'Neill, K. Oleson, S. Levis, D. Lawrence, E. Kluzek and K. Lindsay

    To assess the climate impacts of historical and projected land cover change in the CCSM4 we have developed new time series of transient CLM4 Plant Functional Type (PFT) and wood harvest parameters. [article]

  • Variability of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation in CCSM4.

    /Images/slideshow/upper.ocean.jpg

    Staff Authors: G. Danabasoglu, S. Yeager, J. Tribbia, A. Phillips and J. Hurrell

    Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) variability is documented in the Community Climate System Model version 4 (CCSM4) pre-industrial control simulation that uses nominal 1° horizontal resolution in all its components. [article]

  • A Decadal Prediction Case Study: Late 20th century North Atlantic Ocean Heat Content.

    /Images/slideshow/heatcontent.anomalies.jpg

    Staff Authors: S. Yeager, A. Karspeck, G. Danabasoglu, J. Tribbia and H. Teng

    An ensemble of initialized decadal prediction (DP) experiments using the Community Climate System Model, version 4 (CCSM4) shows considerable skill at forecasting changes in North Atlantic upper ocean heat content and surface temperature up to a decade in advance. [article]

Research Highlights

Climate variation, change, or both? Burning fossil fuels has led to a warmer, moister atmosphere and a shifting background for extreme weather and climate events, according to a new study by NCAR scientist Kevin Trenberth. Published in the journal Climatic Change, the analysis puts a wide range of noteworthy weather events from the last two years in the context of a warming and moistening global climate. [highlight] [article]

Melting glaciers. A study published in Nature that provides the first comprehensive satellite analysis of Earth's melting glaciers and ice caps has grave implications for sea level rise. The research is especially important for its potential to help scientists better understand the processes behind sea level rise and how the planet's cold regions are responding to climate change. [highlight] [article]

More pressure on permafrost. A new computer modeling study from NCAR investigates how an increase in shrubs in the Arctic may affect permafrost. Over the past few decades, a warming climate has meant that the Arctic's grassy tundra is being increasingly overtaken by shrubs. A recent field experiment found that the shade provided by these shrubs keeps the permafrost in the ground beneath them comparatively cool. [highlight]

Announcements

CGD Seminars
Speaker: Aixue Hu, NCAR-CGD
Title: Bering Strait, AMOC hysteresis and the glacial-interglacial climate stability.
Date & Time: 05/15/12, 3:30pm
Location: Mesa Lab Main Seminar Room
[2011-2012 schedule]

17th Annual CESM Workshop
18 - 21 June 2012, the Village at Breckenridge, Breckenridge, CO [register now] [event details] [draft agenda]

DCMIP Summer School on Future-Generation Non-Hydrostatic Weather and Climate Models
30 July - 10 August 2012, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO [announcement]