Description of the resolution hierarchy of the global coupled HadGEM3-GC3.1 model as used in CMIP6 HighResMIP experiments

• Published in: Geoscientific Model Development 2019-12, Vol.12 (12), p.4999-5028
• Main Authors: Roberts, Malcolm J, Baker, Alex, Blockley, Ed W, Calvert, Daley, Coward, Andrew, Hewitt, Helene T, Jackson, Laura C, Kuhlbrodt, Till, Mathiot, Pierre, Roberts, Christopher D, Schiemann, Reinhard, Seddon, Jon, Vannière, Benoît, Vidale, Pier Luigi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Antarctic Circumpolar Current; Atmosphere; Atmospheric models; Boundary currents; Climate; Climate models; Clouds; Clouds (Meteorology); Computer simulation; Design of experiments; Drift; Eddy currents; El Nino; El Nino phenomena; El Nino-Southern Oscillation event; Environment models; Experimental design; Global climate; Global climate models; Heat transport; Induction heating; Initial conditions; Intercomparison; Ocean circulation; Ocean currents; Ocean models; Oceans; Radiation; Radiation (Physics); Resolution; Sea surface; Sea surface temperature; Simulation; Southern Oscillation; Surface temperature; Water circulation
• ISSN: 1991-9603; 1991-959X; 1991-962X; 1991-9603; 1991-962X
• DOI: 10.5194/gmd-12-4999-2019

The Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6) HighResMIP is a new experimental design for global climate model simulations that aims to assess the impact of model horizontal resolution on climate simulation fidelity. We describe a hierarchy of global coupled model resolutions based on the Hadley Centre Global Environment Model 3 - Global Coupled vn 3.1 (HadGEM3-GC3.1) model that ranges from an atmosphere-ocean resolution of 130 km-1.sup." to 25 km-1/12.sup.", all using the same forcings and initial conditions. In order to make such high-resolution simulations possible, the experiments have a short 30-year spinup, followed by at least century-long simulations with constant forcing to assess drift.