scholarly journals Tropical North Atlantic response to ENSO: sensitivity to model spatial resolution

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-35
Author(s):  
Jorge López Parages ◽  
Laurent Terray
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Coastal Upwelling ◽  
Surface Wind ◽  
Horizontal Resolution ◽  
Close Link ◽  
North West ◽  
Global Circulation Models ◽  
Tropical North Atlantic ◽  
High Resolution Models

AbstractIn this study the ENSO teleconnection with the Tropical North Atlantic (TNA) sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in boreal spring is analyzed in ocean-atmosphere coupled global circulation models. To assess the role played by horizontal resolution of models on this teleconnection, we used a multi-model dataset which is the first to combine models with both low and high resolution. The TNA response to ENSO projects onto the most significant SST mode of the tropical Atlantic at interannual timescales, the Atlantic meridional mode (AMM). Its evolution is primary driven by the wind-evaporation-SST (WES) feedback, which in turn is based on the development of an initial SST gradient. This study examines and quantifies the relative contribution of a dynamic-related (upwelling) and a thermodynamic-related (evaporation) process in triggering this gradient in the case of the ENSO-TNA teleconnection. While no major contribution is found with the evaporation, a consistent contribution from the coastal upwelling off north-west Africa is identified. This contribution is enhanced in high resolution models and highlights the close link between the upwelling in winter and the development of the AMM in spring. It is further shown that high resolution models present a thinner and more realistic ocean mixed layer within the upwelling area, which enhances the effect of surface winds on upwelling and SSTs. As a consequence high resolution models are more sensitive than low resolution models to surface wind errors, thereby do not ensuring an improved reliability nor predictability of the TNA SST response to ENSO.

scholarly journals Effects of High Resolution and Spinup Time on Modeled North Atlantic Circulation

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 1159-1181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Danek ◽  
Patrick Scholz ◽  
Gerrit Lohmann
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Horizontal Resolution ◽  
Quasi Equilibrium ◽  
Low Resolution ◽  
The North ◽  
Resolution Model ◽  
High Horizontal Resolution ◽  
High Resolution Model ◽  
The North Atlantic

AbstractThe influence of a high horizontal resolution (5–15 km) on the general circulation and hydrography in the North Atlantic is investigated using the Finite Element Sea Ice–Ocean Model (FESOM). We find a stronger shift of the upper-ocean circulation and water mass properties during the model spinup in the high-resolution model version compared to the low-resolution (~1°) control run. In quasi equilibrium, the high-resolution model is able to reduce typical low-resolution model biases. Especially, it exhibits a weaker salinification of the North Atlantic subpolar gyre and a reduced mixed layer depth in the Labrador Sea. However, during the spinup adjustment, we see that initially improved high-resolution features partially reduce over time: the strength of the Atlantic overturning and the path of the North Atlantic Current are not maintained, and hence hydrographic biases known from low-resolution ocean models return in the high-resolution quasi-equilibrium state. We identify long baroclinic Rossby waves as a potential cause for the strong upper-ocean adjustment of the high-resolution model and conclude that a high horizontal resolution improves the state of the modeled ocean but the model integration length should be chosen carefully.

scholarly journals The North Atlantic Subpolar Gyre in Four High-Resolution Models

2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 757-774 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Treguier ◽  
S. Theetten ◽  
E. P. Chassignet ◽  
T. Penduff ◽  
R. Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Ocean Model ◽  
Quantitative Comparison ◽  
Subpolar Gyre ◽  
Reykjanes Ridge ◽  
The North ◽  
North Atlantic Subpolar Gyre ◽  
The North Atlantic ◽  
High Resolution Models

Abstract The authors present the first quantitative comparison between new velocity datasets and high-resolution models in the North Atlantic subpolar gyre [1/10° Parallel Ocean Program model (POPNA10), Miami Isopycnic Coordinate Ocean Model (MICOM), ⅙° Atlantic model (ATL6), and Family of Linked Atlantic Ocean Model Experiments (FLAME)]. At the surface, the model velocities agree generally well with World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) drifter data. Two noticeable exceptions are the weakness of the East Greenland coastal current in models and the presence in the surface layers of a strong southwestward East Reykjanes Ridge Current. At depths, the most prominent feature of the circulation is the boundary current following the continental slope. In this narrow flow, it is found that gridded float datasets cannot be used for a quantitative comparison with models. The models have very different patterns of deep convection, and it is suggested that this could be related to the differences in their barotropic transport at Cape Farewell. Models show a large drift in watermass properties with a salinization of the Labrador Sea Water. The authors believe that the main cause is related to horizontal transports of salt because models with different forcing and vertical mixing share the same salinization problem. A remarkable feature of the model solutions is the large westward transport over Reykjanes Ridge [10 Sv (Sv ≡ 106 m3 s−1) or more].

scholarly journals The importance of model resolution on simulated precipitation in Europe – from global to regional model

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gustav Strandberg ◽  
Petter Lind
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Extreme Precipitation ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Horizontal Resolution ◽  
Model Resolution ◽  
Simulated Precipitation ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Model Ensembles ◽  
High Resolution Models

Abstract. Precipitation, and especially extreme precipitation, is a key climate variable as it effects large parts of society. It is difficult to simulate in a climate model because of its large variability in time and space. This study investigates the importance of model resolution on the simulated precipitation in Europe for a wide range of climate model ensembles: from global climate models (GCM) at horizontal resolution of around 300 km to regional climate models (RCM) at horizontal resolution of 12.5 km. The aim is to investigate the differences between models and model ensembles, but also to evaluate their performance compared to gridded observations from E-OBS. Model resolution has a clear effect on precipitation. Generally, extreme precipitation is more intense and more frequent in high-resolution models compared to low-resolution models. Models of low resolution tend to underestimate intense precipitation. This is improved in high-resolution simulations, but there is a risk that high resolution models overestimate precipitation. This effect is seen in all ensembles, and GCMs and RCMs of similar resolution give similar results. The number of precipitation days, which is more governed by large-scale atmospheric flow, is not dependent on model resolution, while the number of days with heavy precipitation is. The difference between different models is often larger than between the low- and high-resolution versions of the same model, which makes it difficult to quantify the improvement. In this sense the quality of an ensemble is depending more on the models it consists of rather than the average resolution of the ensemble. Furthermore, the difference in simulated precipitation between an RCM and the driving GCM depend more on the choice of RCM and less on the down-scaling itself; as different RCMs driven by the same GCM may give different results. The results presented here are in line with previous similar studies but this is the first time an analysis like this is done across such relatively large model ensembles of different resolutions, and with a method studying all parts of the precipitation distribution.

scholarly journals AMM15: a new high-resolution NEMO configuration for operational simulation of the European north-west shelf

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 681-696 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer A. Graham ◽  
Enda O'Dea ◽  
Jason Holt ◽  
Jeff Polton ◽  
Helene T. Hewitt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Horizontal Resolution ◽  
Bias Reduction ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Operational System ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
European North ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Mean State

Abstract. This paper describes the next-generation ocean forecast model for the European north-west shelf, which will become the basis of operational forecasts in 2018. This new system will provide a step change in resolution and therefore our ability to represent small-scale processes. The new model has a resolution of 1.5 km compared with a grid spacing of 7 km in the current operational system. AMM15 (Atlantic Margin Model, 1.5 km) is introduced as a new regional configuration of NEMO v3.6. Here we describe the technical details behind this configuration, with modifications appropriate for the new high-resolution domain. Results from a 30-year non-assimilative run using the AMM15 domain demonstrate the ability of this model to represent the mean state and variability of the region.Overall, there is an improvement in the representation of the mean state across the region, suggesting similar improvements may be seen in the future operational system. However, the reduction in seasonal bias is greater off-shelf than on-shelf. In the North Sea, biases are largely unchanged. Since there has been no change to the vertical resolution or parameterization schemes, performance improvements are not expected in regions where stratification is dominated by vertical processes rather than advection. This highlights the fact that increased horizontal resolution will not lead to domain-wide improvements. Further work is needed to target bias reduction across the north-west shelf region.

scholarly journals AMM15: A new high resolution NEMO configuration for operational simulation of the European North West Shelf

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer A. Graham ◽  
Enda O’Dea ◽  
Jason Holt ◽  
Jeff Polton ◽  
Helene T. Hewitt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Horizontal Resolution ◽  
Bias Reduction ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Operational System ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
European North ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Mean State

Abstract. This paper describes the next generation ocean forecast model for the European North West Shelf, which will become the basis of operational forecasts in 2018. This new system will provide a step change in resolution, and therefore our ability to represent small scale processes. The new model has a resolution of 1.5 km, compared with a grid spacing of 7 km in the current operational system. AMM15 (Atlantic Margin Model, 1.5 km) is introduced as a new regional configuration of NEMO v3.6. Here we describe the technical details behind this configuration, with modifications appropriate for the new high resolution domain. Results from a 30 year non-assimilative run, using the AMM15 domain, demonstrate the ability of this model to represent the mean state and variability of the region. Overall, there is an improvement in the representation of the mean state across the region, suggesting similar improvements may be seen in the future operational system. However, the reduction in seasonal bias is greater off-shelf than on-shelf. In the North Sea, biases are largely unchanged. Since there has been no change to the vertical resolution or parameterisation schemes, performance improvements are not expected in regions where stratification is dominated by vertical processes, rather than advection. This highlights the fact that increased horizontal resolution will not lead to domain-wide improvements. Further work is needed to target bias reduction across the North West Shelf region.

scholarly journals Impact of horizontal resolution on global ocean-sea-ice model simulations based on the experimental protocols of the Ocean Model Intercomparison Project phase 2 (OMIP-2)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric P. Chassignet ◽  
Stephen G. Yeager ◽  
Baylor Fox-Kemper ◽  
Alexandra Bozec ◽  
Fred Castruccio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Sea Ice ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Horizontal Resolution ◽  
Ocean Model ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Western Boundary ◽  
Low Resolution ◽  
Circumpolar Current ◽  
High Resolution Models

Abstract. This paper presents global comparisons of fundamental global climate variables from a suite of four pairs of matched low- and high-resolution ocean and sea-ice simulations that are obtained following the OMIP-2 protocol (Griffies et al., 2016) and integrated for one cycle (1958–2018) of the JRA55-do atmospheric state and runoff dataset (Tsujino et al., 2018). Our goal is to assess the robustness of climate-relevant improvements in ocean simulations (mean and variability) associated with moving from coarse (~ 1º) to eddy-resolving (~ 0.1º) horizontal resolutions. The models are diverse in their numerics and parameterizations, but each low-resolution and high-resolution pair of models is matched so as to isolate, to the extent possible, the effects of horizontal resolution. A variety of observational datasets are used to assess the fidelity of simulated temperature and salinity, sea surface height, kinetic energy, heat and volume transports, and sea ice distribution. This paper provides a crucial benchmark for future studies comparing and improving different schemes in any of the models used in this study or similar ones. The biases in the low-resolution simulations are familiar and their gross features – position, strength, and variability of western boundary currents, equatorial currents, and Antarctic Circumpolar Current – are significantly improved in the high-resolution models. However, despite the fact that the high-resolution models "resolve" most of these features, the improvements in temperature or salinity are inconsistent among the different model families and some regions show increased bias over their low-resolution counterparts. Greatly enhanced horizontal resolution does not deliver unambiguous bias improvement in all regions for all models.

scholarly journals Multi-decadal variations of atmospheric aerosols from 1980 to 2009: sources and regional trends

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 19751-19835 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
T. Diehl ◽  
Q. Tan ◽  
J. M. Prospero ◽  
R. A. Kahn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Surface Wind ◽  
Dust Emission ◽  
Surface Concentration ◽  
Pollutant Emission ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Global Average ◽  
Regional Trends ◽  
Tropical North Atlantic

Abstract. Aerosol variations and trends over different land and ocean regions during 1980–2009 are analyzed with the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) model and observations from multiple satellite sensors and ground-based networks. Excluding time periods with large volcanic influences, the tendency of aerosol optical depth (AOD) and surface concentration over polluted land regions is consistent with the anthropogenic emission changes. The largest reduction occurs over Europe, and regions in North America and Russia also exhibit reductions. On the other hand, East Asia and South Asia show AOD increases, although relatively large amount of natural aerosols in Asia makes the total changes less directly connected to the pollutant emission trends. Over major dust source regions, model analysis indicates that the dust emissions over the Sahara and Sahel respond mainly to the near-surface wind speed, but over Central Asia they are largely influenced by ground wetness. The decreasing dust trend in the tropical North Atlantic is most closely associated with the decrease of Sahel dust emission and increase of precipitation over the tropical North Atlantic, likely driven by the sea surface temperature increase. Despite significant regional trends, the model-calculated global annual average AOD shows little changes over land and ocean in the past three decades, because opposite trends in different regions cancel each other in the global average. This highlights the need for regional-scale aerosol assessment, as the global average value conceals regional changes, and thus is not sufficient for assessing changes in aerosol loading.

scholarly journals Multi-decadal aerosol variations from 1980 to 2009: a perspective from observations and a global model

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 3657-3690 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Chin ◽  
T. Diehl ◽  
Q. Tan ◽  
J. M. Prospero ◽  
R. A. Kahn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Surface Wind ◽  
Dust Emission ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
Pollutant Emission ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
The North ◽  
Source Regions ◽  
Tropical North Atlantic

Abstract. Aerosol variations and trends over different land and ocean regions from 1980 to 2009 are analyzed with the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) model and observations from multiple satellite sensors and available ground-based networks. Excluding time periods with large volcanic influence, aerosol optical depth (AOD) and surface concentration over polluted land regions generally vary with anthropogenic emissions, but the magnitude of this association can be dampened by the presence of natural aerosols, especially dust. Over the 30-year period in this study, the largest reduction in aerosol levels occurs over Europe, where AOD has decreased by 40–60% on average and surface sulfate concentrations have declined by a factor of up to 3–4. In contrast, East Asia and South Asia show AOD increases, but the relatively high level of dust aerosols in Asia reduces the correlation between AOD and pollutant emission trends. Over major dust source regions, model analysis indicates that the change of dust emissions over the Sahara and Sahel has been predominantly driven by the change of near-surface wind speed, but over Central Asia it has been largely influenced by the change of the surface wetness. The decreasing dust trend in the North African dust outflow region of the tropical North Atlantic and the receptor sites of Barbados and Miami is closely associated with an increase of the sea surface temperature in the North Atlantic. This temperature increase may drive the decrease of the wind velocity over North Africa, which reduces the dust emission, and the increase of precipitation over the tropical North Atlantic, which enhances dust removal during transport. Despite significant trends over some major continental source regions, the model-calculated global annual average AOD shows little change over land and ocean in the past three decades, because opposite trends in different land regions cancel each other out in the global average, and changes over large open oceans are negligible. This highlights the necessity for regional-scale assessment of aerosols and their climate impacts, as global-scale average values can obscure important regional changes.

scholarly journals Introducing LAB60: A 1∕60° NEMO 3.6 numerical simulation of the Labrador Sea

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 4959-4975
Author(s):  
Clark Pennelly ◽  
Paul G. Myers
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Sea Water ◽  
Deep Convection ◽  
Horizontal Resolution ◽  
Labrador Sea ◽  
The North ◽  
Passive Tracers ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Labrador Sea Water

Abstract. A high-resolution coupled ocean–sea ice model is set up within the Labrador Sea. With a horizontal resolution of 1∕60∘, this simulation is capable of resolving the multitude of eddies that transport heat and freshwater into the interior of the Labrador Sea. These fluxes strongly govern the overall stratification, deep convection, restratification, and production of Labrador Sea Water. Our regional configuration spans the full North Atlantic and Arctic; however, high resolution is only applied in smaller nested domains within the North Atlantic and Labrador Sea. Using nesting reduces computational costs and allows for a long simulation from 2002 to the near present. Three passive tracers are also included: Greenland runoff, Labrador Sea Water produced during convection, and Irminger Water that enters the Labrador Sea along Greenland. We describe the configuration setup and compare it against similarly forced lower-resolution simulations to better describe how horizontal resolution impacts the representation of the Labrador Sea in the model.

scholarly journals North Atlantic gyre circulation in PRIMAVERA models

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virna L. Meccia ◽  
Doroteaciro Iovino ◽  
Alessio Bellucci
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Horizontal Resolution ◽  
Meridional Overturning Circulation ◽  
The North ◽  
Ocean Response ◽  
The North Atlantic ◽  
Gyre Circulation ◽  
The Impact

AbstractWe study the impact of horizontal resolution in setting the North Atlantic gyre circulation and representing the ocean–atmosphere interactions that modulate the low-frequency variability in the region. Simulations from five state-of-the-art climate models performed at standard and high-resolution as part of the High-Resolution Model Inter-comparison Project (HighResMIP) were analysed. In some models, the resolution is enhanced in the atmospheric and oceanic components whereas, in some other models, the resolution is increased only in the atmosphere. Enhancing the horizontal resolution from non-eddy to eddy-permitting ocean produces stronger barotropic mass transports inside the subpolar and subtropical gyres. The first mode of inter-annual variability is associated with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) in all the cases. The rapid ocean response to it consists of a shift in the position of the inter-gyre zone and it is better captured by the non-eddy models. The delayed ocean response consists of an intensification of the subpolar gyre (SPG) after around 3 years of a positive phase of NAO and it is better represented by the eddy-permitting oceans. A lagged relationship between the intensity of the SPG and the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is stronger in the cases of the non-eddy ocean. Then, the SPG is more tightly coupled to the AMOC in low-resolution models.

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