bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The CARINA data synthesis project: introduction and overview
Authors: Key R. M. , Tanhua T. , Olsen A. , Hoppema M. , Jutterström S. , Schirnick C. , van Heuven S. , Kozyr A. , Lin X. , Velo A. , Wallace D. W. R. , Mintrop L.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. The original goal of the CARINA (Carbon in Atlantic Ocean) data synthesis project was to create a merged calibrated data set from open ocean subsurface measurements by European scientists that would be generally useful for biogeochemical investigations in the North Atlantic and in particular, studies involving the carbon system. Over time the geographic extent expanded to include the entire Atlantic, the Arctic and the Southern Ocean and the international collaboration broadened significantly. In this paper we give a brief history of the project, a general overview of data included and an outline of the procedures used during the synthesis. The end result of this project was a set of 3 data products, one for each of the listed ocean regions. It is critical that anyone who uses any of the CARINA data products recognize that the data products are not simply concatenations of the originally measured values. Rather, the data have been through an extensive calibration procedure designed to remove measurement bias and bad data. Also a significant fraction of the individual values in the data products were derived either by direct calculation or some means of approximation. These data products were constructed for basin scale biogeochemical investigations and may be inappropriate for investigations involving small areal extent or similar detailed analyses. More information on specific parts of this project can be found in companion articles in this issue. In particular, Tanhua et al. (2010) and Tanhua (2009) describe the procedures and software used to remove measurement bias from the original data. The three data products and a significant volume of supporting information are available from the CARINA web site hosted by the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC: http://cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/oceans/CARINA/Carina_inv.html). Anyone wanting to use the data is advised to get the highest version number of each data product. Incremental versions represent either corrections or additions. The web site documents specifics of the changes.
Atlantic Ocean CARINA data: overview and salinity adjustments
Authors: Tanhua T. , Steinfeldt R. , Key R. M. , Brown P. , Gruber N. , Wanninkhof R. , Perez F. , Körtzinger A. , Velo A. , Schuster U. , van Heuven S. , Bullister J. L. , Stendardo I. , Hoppema M. , Olsen A. , Kozyr A. , Pierrot D. , Schirnick C. , Wallace D. W. R.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Water column data of carbon and carbon-relevant hydrographic and hydrochemical parameters from 188 previously non-publicly available cruise data sets in the Arctic Mediterranean Seas, Atlantic and Southern Ocean have been retrieved and merged into a new database: CARINA (CARbon dioxide IN the Atlantic Ocean). The data have gone through rigorous quality control procedures to assure the highest possible quality and consistency. The data for the pertinent parameters in the CARINA database were objectively examined in order to quantify systematic differences in the reported values, i.e. secondary quality control. Systematic biases found in the data have been corrected in the three data products: merged data files with measured, calculated and interpolated data for each of the three CARINA regions, i.e. the Arctic Mediterranean Seas, the Atlantic and the Southern Ocean. These products have been corrected to be internally consistent. Ninety-eight of the cruises in the CARINA database were conducted in the Atlantic Ocean, defined here as the region south of the Greenland-Iceland-Scotland Ridge and north of about 30° S. Here we present an overview of the Atlantic Ocean synthesis of the CARINA data and the adjustments that were applied to the data product. We also report the details of the secondary QC (Quality Control) for salinity for this data set. Procedures of quality control – including crossover analysis between stations and inversion analysis of all crossover data – are briefly described. Adjustments to salinity measurements were applied to the data from 10 cruises in the Atlantic Ocean region. Based on our analysis we estimate the internal consistency of the CARINA-ATL salinity data to be 4.1 ppm. With these adjustments the CARINA data products are consistent both internally as well as with GLODAP data, an oceanographic data set based on the World Hydrographic Program in the 1990s, and is now suitable for accurate assessments of, for example, oceanic carbon inventories and uptake rates and for model validation.
The Irminger Sea and the Iceland Sea time series measurements of sea water carbon and nutrient chemistry 1983–2008
Authors: Olafsson J. , Olafsdottir S. R. , Benoit-Cattin A. , Takahashi T.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. This paper describes the ways and means of assembling and quality controling the Irminger Sea and Iceland Sea time-series biogeochemical data which are included in the CARINA data set. The Irminger Sea and the Iceland Sea are hydrographically different regions where measurements of sea water carbon and nutrient chemistry were started in 1983. The sampling is seasonal, four times a year. The carbon chemistry is studied with measurements of the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in seawater, pCO2, and total dissolved inorganic carbon, TCO2. The carbon chemistry data are for surface waters only until 1991 when water column sampling was initiated. Other measured parameters are salinity, dissolved oxygen and the inorganic nutrients nitrate, phosphate and silicate. Because of the CARINA criteria for secondary quality control, depth >1500 m, the IRM-TS could not be included in the routine QC and the IS-TS only in a limited way. However, with the information provided here, the quality of the data can be assessed, e.g. on the basis of the results obtained with the use of reference materials.
Overview of the Nordic Seas CARINA data and salinity measurements
Authors: Olsen A. , Key R. M. , Jeansson E. , Falck E. , Olafsson J. , van Heuven S. , Skjelvan I. , Omar A. M. , Olsson K. A. , Anderson L. G. , Jutterström S. , Rey F. , Johannessen T. , Bellerby R. G. J. , Blindheim J. , Bullister J. L. , Pfeil B. , Lin X. , Kozyr A. , Schirnick C. , Tanhua T. , Wallace D. W. R.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Water column data of carbon and carbon relevant hydrographic and hydrochemical parameters from 188 previously non-publicly available cruises in the Arctic, Atlantic, and Southern Ocean have been retrieved and merged into a new database: CARINA (CARbon IN the Atlantic). The data have been subject to rigorous quality control (QC) in order to ensure highest possible quality and consistency. The data for most of the parameters included were examined in order to quantify systematic biases in the reported values, i.e. secondary quality control. Significant biases have been corrected for in the data products, i.e. the three merged files with measured, calculated and interpolated values for each of the three CARINA regions; the Arctic Mediterranean Seas (AMS), the Atlantic (ATL) and the Southern Ocean (SO). With the adjustments the CARINA database is consistent both internally as well as with GLODAP (Key et al., 2004) and is suitable for accurate assessments of, for example, oceanic carbon inventories and uptake rates and for model validation. The Arctic Mediterranean Seas includes the Arctic Ocean and the Nordic Seas, and the quality control was carried out separately in these two areas. This contribution provides an overview of the CARINA data from the Nordic Seas and summarises the findings of the QC of the salinity data. One cruise had salinity data that were of questionable quality, and these have been removed from the data product. An evaluation of the consistency of the quality controlled salinity data suggests that they are consistent to at least 0.05.
Nordic Seas total dissolved inorganic carbon data in CARINA
Authors: Olsen A.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Water column data of carbon and carbon relevant hydrographic and hydrochemical parameters from 188 previously non-publicly available cruises in the Arctic, Atlantic, and Southern Ocean have been retrieved and merged into a new database: CARINA (CARbon IN the Atlantic). The data have been subject to rigorous quality control (QC) in order to ensure highest possible quality and consistency. The data for most of the parameters included were examined in order to quantify systematic biases in the reported values, i.e. secondary quality control. Significant biases have been corrected for in the data products, i.e. the three merged files with measured, calculated and interpolated values for each of the three CARINA regions; the Arctic Mediterranean Seas (AMS), the Atlantic (ATL) and the Southern Ocean (SO). With the adjustments the CARINA database is consistent both internally as well as with GLODAP (Key et al., 2004) and is suitable for accurate assessments of, for example, oceanic carbon inventories and uptake rates and for model validation. The Arctic Mediterranean Seas includes the Arctic Ocean and the Nordic Seas, and the quality control was carried out separately in these two areas. This contribution presents an account of the quality control of the total dissolved inorganic carbon (TCO2) data from the Nordic Seas in CARINA. Out of the 35 cruises from the Nordic Seas included in CARINA, 25 had TCO2 data. The data from 7 of these were found to be of low quality and should not be used, thus the final CARINA data product contains TCO2 data from 18 cruises from the Nordic Seas. These data appear consistent to at least 4 μmol kg−1.
The Irminger Sea and the Iceland Sea time series measurements of sea water carbon and nutrient chemistry 1983–2006
Authors: Olafsson J. , Olafsdottir S. R. , Benoit-Cattin A. , Takahashi T.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. This paper describes the ways and means of assembling and quality controling the Irminger Sea and Iceland Sea time-series biogeochemical data which are included in the CARINA data set. The Irminger Sea and the Iceland Sea are hydrographically different regions where measurements of sea water carbon and nutrient chemistry were started in 1983. The sampling is seasonal, four times a year. The carbon chemistry is studied with measurements of the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in seawater, pCO2, and total dissolved inorganic carbon, TCO2. The carbon chemistry data are for surface waters only until 1994 when water column sampling was initiated. Other measured parameters are salinity, dissolved oxygen and the inorganic nutrients nitrate, phosphate and silicate. Because of the CARINA criteria for secondary quality control, depth >1500 m, the IRM-TS could not be included in the routine QC and the IS-TS only in a limited way. However, with the information provided here, the quality of the data can be assessed e.g. on the basis of the results obtained with the use of reference materials.
CARINA TCO2 data in the Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Pierrot D. , Brown P. , Van Heuven S. , Tanhua T. , Schuster U. , Wanninkhof R. , Key R. M.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Water column data of carbon and carbon-relevant hydrographic and hydrochemical parameters from 188 cruises in the Arctic, Atlantic and Southern Ocean have been retrieved and merged in a new data base: the CARINA (CARbon IN the Atlantic) Project. These data have gone through rigorous quality control (QC) procedures to assure the highest possible quality and consistency. Secondary quality control, which involved objective study of data in order to quantify systematic differences in the reported values, was performed for the pertinent parameters in the CARINA data base. Systematic biases in the data have been corrected in the data products. The products are three merged data files with measured, adjusted and interpolated data of all cruises for each of the three CARINA regions (Arctic, Atlantic and Southern Ocean). Ninety-eight cruises were conducted in the "Atlantic" defined as the region south of the Greenland-Iceland-Scotland Ridge and north of about 30° S. Here we report the details of the secondary QC which was done on the total dissolved inorganic carbon (TCO2) data and the adjustments that were applied to yield the final data product in the Atlantic. Procedures of quality control – including crossover analysis between stations and inversion analysis of all crossover data – are briefly described. Adjustments were applied to TCO2 measurements for 17 of the cruises in the Atlantic Ocean region. With these adjustments, the CARINA data base is consistent both internally as well as with GLODAP data, an oceanographic data set based on the WOCE Hydrographic Program in the 1990s, and is now suitable for accurate assessments of, for example, regional oceanic carbon inventories, uptake rates and model validation.
Nordic Seas nutrients data in CARINA
Authors: Olafsson J. , Olsen A.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Water column data of carbon and carbon relevant hydrographic and hydrochemical parameters from 188 previously non-publicly available cruises in the Arctic, Atlantic, and Southern Ocean have been retrieved and merged into a new database: CARINA (CARbon IN the Atlantic). The data have been subject to rigorous quality control (QC) in order to ensure highest possible quality and consistency. The data for most of the parameters included were examined in order to quantify systematic biases in the reported values, i.e. secondary quality control. Significant biases have been corrected for in the data products, i.e.~the three merged files with measured, calculated and interpolated values for each of the three CARINA regions; the Arctic Mediterranean Seas (AMS), the Atlantic (ATL) and the Southern Ocean (SO). With the adjustments, the CARINA database is consistent both internally as well as with GLODAP (Key et al., 2004) and is suitable for accurate assessments of, for example, oceanic carbon inventories and uptake rates, and for model validation. The Arctic Mediterranean Seas is the collective term for the Arctic Ocean and the Nordic Seas, and the quality control was carried out separately in these two areas. This contribution presents an account of the quality control of the nutrients (nitrate, phosphate, and silicate) data from the Nordic Seas in CARINA. Out of the 35 cruises from the Nordic Seas included in CARINA, 33 had nutrients data. The nitrate data from 4 of these appeared to be of so poor quality that they should not be used, for phosphate this number is 7 and for silicate it is 3. We also recommend that the nitrate data from 4 of the cruises should be adjusted, for phosphate and silicate only data from one cruise should be adjusted. The final data appears consistent to 5% based on evaluation of deep data. For nitrate this corresponds to 0.6 μmol kg−1, and for phosphate and silicate it corresponds to 0.04 and 0.6 μmol kg−1, respectively.
qtcm 0.1.2: a Python implementation of the Neelin-Zeng Quasi-Equilibrium Tropical Circulation Model
Authors: Lin J. W.-B.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Historically, climate models have been developed incrementally and in compiled languages like Fortran. While the use of legacy compiled languages results in fast, time-tested code, the resulting model is limited in its modularity and cannot take advantage of functionality available with modern computer languages. Here we describe an effort at using the open-source, object-oriented language Python to create more flexible climate models: the package qtcm, a Python implementation of the intermediate-level Neelin-Zeng Quasi-Equilibrium Tropical Circulation model (QTCM1) of the atmosphere. The qtcm package retains the core numerics of QTCM1, written in Fortran to optimize model performance, but uses Python structures and utilities to wrap the QTCM1 Fortran routines and manage model execution. The resulting "mixed language" modeling package allows order and choice of subroutine execution to be altered at run time, and model analysis and visualization to be integrated in interactively with model execution at run time. This flexibility facilitates more complex scientific analysis using less complex code than would be possible using traditional languages alone, and provides tools to transform the traditional "formulate hypothesis → write and test code → run model → analyze results" sequence into a feedback loop that can be executed automatically by the computer.
Spud 1.0: generalising and automating the user interfaces of scientific computer models
Authors: Ham D. A. , Farrell P. E. , Gorman G. J. , Maddison J. R. , Wilson C. R. , Kramer S. C. , Shipton J. , Collins G. S. , Cotter C. J. , Piggott M. D.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. The interfaces by which users specify the scenarios to be simulated by scientific computer models are frequently primitive, under-documented and ad-hoc text files which make using the model in question difficult and error-prone and significantly increase the development cost of the model. In this paper, we present a model-independent system, Spud, which formalises the specification of model input formats in terms of formal grammars. This is combined with an automated graphical user interface which guides users to create valid model inputs based on the grammar provided, and a generic options reading module, libspud, which minimises the development cost of adding model options. Together, this provides a user friendly, well documented, self validating user interface which is applicable to a wide range of scientific models and which minimises the developer input required to maintain and extend the model interface.
Aerosol microphysics modules in the framework of the ECHAM5 climate model – intercomparison under stratospheric conditions
Authors: Kokkola H. , Hommel R. , Kazil J. , Niemeier U. , Partanen A.-I. , Feichter J. , Timmreck C.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. In this manuscript, we present an intercomparison of three different aerosol microphysics modules that are implemented in the climate model ECHAM5. The comparison was done between the modal aerosol microphysics module M7, which is currently the default aerosol microphysical core in ECHAM5, and two sectional aerosol microphysics modules SALSA, and SAM2. The detailed aerosol microphysical model MAIA was used as a reference to evaluate the results of the aerosol microphysics modules with respect to sulphate aerosol. The ability of the modules to describe the development of the aerosol size distribution was tested in a zero dimensional framework. We evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches under different types of stratospheric conditions. Also, we present an improved method for the time integration in M7 and study how the setup of the modal aerosol modules affects the evolution of the aerosol size distribution. Intercomparison simulations were carried out with varying SO2 concentrations from background conditions to extreme values arising from stratospheric injections by large volcanic eruptions. Under background conditions, all microphysics modules were in good agreement describing the shape of the aerosol size distribution, but the scatter between the model results increased with increasing SO2 concentrations. In particular in the volcanic case the setups of the aerosol modules have to be adapted in order to dependably capture the evolution of the aerosol size distribution, and to perform in global model simulations. In summary, this intercomparison serves as a review of the different aerosol microphysics modules which are currently available for the climate model ECHAM5.
An isopycnic ocean carbon cycle model
Authors: Assmann K. M. , Bentsen M. , Segschneider J. , Heinze C.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. The carbon cycle is a major forcing component in the global climate system. Modelling studies, aiming to explain recent and past climatic changes and to project future ones, increasingly include the interaction between the physical and biogeochemical systems. Their ocean components are generally z-coordinate models that are conceptually easy to use but that employ a vertical coordinate that is alien to the real ocean structure. Here, we present first results from a newly-developed isopycnic carbon cycle model and demonstrate the viability of using an isopycnic physical component for this purpose. As expected, the model represents well the interior ocean transport of biogeochemical tracers and produces realistic tracer distributions. Difficulties in employing a purely isopycnic coordinate lie mainly in the treatment of the surface boundary layer which is often represented by a bulk mixed layer. The most significant adjustments of the ocean biogeochemistry model HAMOCC, for use with an isopycnic coordinate, were in the representation of upper ocean biological production. We present a series of sensitivity studies exploring the effect of changes in biogeochemical and physical processes on export production and nutrient distribution. Apart from giving us pointers for further model development, they highlight the importance of preformed nutrient distributions in the Southern Ocean for global nutrient distributions. The sensitivity studies show that iron limitation for biological particle production, the treatment of light penetration for biological production, and the role of diapycnal mixing result in significant changes of nutrient distributions and liniting factors of biological production.
The Meteorology-Chemistry Interface Processor (MCIP) for the CMAQ modeling system: updates through MCIPv3.4.1
Authors: Otte T. L. , Pleim J. E.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. The Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) modeling system, a state-of-the-science regional air quality modeling system developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency, is being used for a variety of environmental modeling problems including regulatory applications, air quality forecasting, evaluation of emissions control strategies, process-level research, and interactions of global climate change and regional air quality. The Meteorology-Chemistry Interface Processor (MCIP) is a vital piece of software within the CMAQ modeling system that serves to, as best as possible, maintain dynamic consistency between the meteorological model and the chemical transport model (CTM). MCIP acts as both a post-processor to the meteorological model and a pre-processor to the emissions and the CTM in the CMAQ modeling system. MCIP's functions are to ingest the meteorological model output fields in their native formats, perform horizontal and vertical coordinate transformations, diagnose additional atmospheric fields, define gridding parameters, and prepare the meteorological fields in a form required by the CMAQ modeling system. This paper provides an updated overview of MCIP, documenting the scientific changes that have been made since it was first released as part of the CMAQ modeling system in 1998.
Simulating emission and chemical evolution of coarse sea-salt particles in the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model
Authors: Kelly J. T. , Bhave P. V. , Nolte C. G. , Shankar U. , Foley K. M.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Chemical processing of sea-salt particles in coastal environments significantly impacts concentrations of particle components and gas-phase species and has implications for human exposure to particulate matter and nitrogen deposition to sensitive ecosystems. Emission of sea-salt particles from the coastal surf zone is known to be elevated compared to that from the open ocean. Despite the importance of sea-salt emissions and chemical processing, the US EPA's Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model has traditionally treated coarse sea-salt particles as chemically inert and has not accounted for enhanced surf-zone emissions. In this article, updates to CMAQ are described that enhance sea-salt emissions from the coastal surf zone and allow dynamic transfer of HNO3, H2SO4, HCl, and NH3 between coarse particles and the gas phase. Predictions of updated CMAQ models and the previous release version, CMAQv4.6, are evaluated using observations from three coastal sites during the Bay Regional Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (BRACE) in Tampa, FL in May 2002. Model updates improve predictions of NO3−, SO42−, NH4+, Na+, and Cl− concentrations at these sites with only a 8% increase in run time. In particular, the chemically interactive coarse particle mode dramatically improves predictions of nitrate concentration and size distributions as well as the fraction of total nitrate in the particle phase. Also, the surf-zone emission parameterization improves predictions of total sodium and chloride concentration. Results of a separate study indicate that the model updates reduce the mean absolute error of nitrate predictions at coastal CASTNET and SEARCH sites in the eastern US. Although the new model features improve performance relative to CMAQv4.6, some persistent differences exist between observations and predictions. Modeled sodium concentration is biased low and causes under-prediction of coarse particle nitrate. Also, CMAQ over-predicts geometric mean diameter and standard deviation of particle modes at the BRACE sites. These over-predictions may cause too rapid particle dry deposition and partially explain the low bias in sodium predictions. Despite these shortcomings, the updates to CMAQ enable more realistic simulations of chemical processes in environments where marine air mixes with urban pollution. The model updates described in this article are included in the public release of CMAQv4.7 (http://www.cmaq-model.org).
Modelling sediment export, retention and reservoir sedimentation in drylands with the WASA-SED model
Authors: Mueller E. N. , Güntner A. , Francke T. , Mamede G.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Current soil erosion and reservoir sedimentation modelling at the meso-scale is still faced with intrinsic problems with regard to open scaling questions, data demand, computational efficiency and deficient implementations of retention and re-mobilisation processes for the river and reservoir networks. To overcome some limitations of current modelling approaches, the semi-process-based, spatially semi-distributed modelling framework WASA-SED (Vers. 1) was developed for water and sediment transport in large dryland catchments. The WASA-SED model simulates the runoff and erosion processes at the hillslope scale, the transport and retention processes of suspended and bedload fluxes in the river reaches and the retention and remobilisation processes of sediments in reservoirs. The modelling tool enables the evaluation of management options both for sustainable land-use change scenarios to reduce erosion in the headwater catchments as well as adequate reservoir management options to lessen sedimentation in large reservoirs and reservoir networks. The model concept, its spatial discretisation scheme and the numerical components of the hillslope, river and reservoir processes are described and a model application for the meso-scale dryland catchment Isábena in the Spanish Pre-Pyrenees (445 km2) is presented to demonstrate the capabilities, strengths and limits of the model framework. The example application showed that the model was able to reproduce runoff and sediment transport dynamics of highly erodible headwater badlands, the transient storage of sediments in the dryland river system, the bed elevation changes of the 93 hm3 Barasona reservoir due to sedimentation as well as the life expectancy of the reservoir under different management options.
Modeling the statistical distributions of cosmogenic exposure dates from moraines
Authors: Applegate P. J. , Urban N. M. , Laabs B. J. C. , Keller K. , Alley R. B.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Geomorphic process modeling allows us to evaluate different methods for estimating moraine ages from cosmogenic exposure dates, and may provide a means to identify the processes responsible for the excess scatter among exposure dates on individual moraines. Cosmogenic exposure dating is an elegant method for estimating the ages of moraines, but individual exposure dates are sometimes biased by geomorphic processes. Because exposure dates may be either "too young" or "too old," there are a variety of methods for estimating the ages of moraines from exposure dates. In this paper, we present Monte Carlo-based models of moraine degradation and inheritance of cosmogenic nuclides, and we use the models to examine the effectiveness of these methods. The models estimate the statistical distributions of exposure dates that we would expect to obtain from single moraines, given reasonable geomorphic assumptions. The model of moraine degradation is based on prior examples, but the inheritance model is novel. The statistical distributions of exposure dates from the moraine degradation model are skewed toward young values; in contrast, the statistical distributions of exposure dates from the inheritance model are skewed toward old values. Sensitivity analysis shows that this difference is robust for reasonable parameter choices. Thus, the skewness can help indicate whether a particular data set has problems with inheritance or moraine degradation. Given representative distributions from these two models, we can determine which methods of estimating moraine ages are most successful in recovering the correct age for test cases where this value is known. The mean is a poor estimator of moraine age for data sets drawn from skewed parent distributions, and excluding outliers before calculating the mean does not improve this mismatch. The extreme estimators (youngest date and oldest date) perform well under specific circumstances, but fail in other cases. We suggest a simple estimator that uses the skewnesses of individual data sets to determine whether the youngest date, mean, or oldest date will provide the best estimate of moraine age. Although this method is perhaps the most globally robust of the estimators we tested, it sometimes fails spectacularly. The failure of simple methods to provide accurate estimates of moraine age points toward a need for more sophisticated statistical treatments.
Automatic generation of large ensembles for air quality forecasting using the Polyphemus system
Authors: Garaud D. , Mallet V.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. This paper describes a method to automatically generate a large ensemble of air quality simulations. Such an ensemble may be useful for quantifying uncertainty, improving forecasts, evaluating risks, identifying process weaknesses, etc. The objective is to take into account all sources of uncertainty: input data, physical formulation and numerical formulation. The leading idea is to build different chemistry-transport models in the same framework, so that the ensemble generation can be fully controlled. Large ensembles can be generated with a Monte Carlo simulations that address at the same time the uncertainties in the input data and in the model formulation. This is achieved using the Polyphemus system, which is flexible enough to build various different models. The system offers a wide range of options in the construction of a model: many physical parameterizations, several numerical schemes and different input data can be combined. In addition, input data can be perturbed. In this paper, some 30 alternatives are available for the generation of a model. For each alternative, the options are given a probability, based on how reliable they are supposed to be. Each model of the ensemble is defined by randomly selecting one option per alternative. In order to decrease the computational load, as many computations as possible are shared by the models of the ensemble. As an example, an ensemble of 101 photochemical models is generated and run for the year 2001 over Europe. The models' performance is quickly reviewed, and the ensemble structure is analyzed. We found a strong diversity in the results of the models and a wide spread of the ensemble. It is noteworthy that many models turn out to be the best model in some regions and some dates.
OASIS4 – a coupling software for next generation earth system modelling
Authors: Redler R. , Valcke S. , Ritzdorf H.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. In this article we present a new version of the Ocean Atmosphere Sea Ice Soil coupling software (OASIS4). With this new fully parallel OASIS4 coupler we target the needs of Earth system modelling in its full complexity. The primary focus of this article is to describe the design of the OASIS4 software and how the coupling software drives the whole coupled model system ensuring the synchronization of the different component models. The application programmer interface (API) manages the coupling exchanges between arbitrary climate component models, as well as the input and output from and to files of each individual component. The OASIS4 Transformer instance performs the parallel interpolation and transfer of the coupling data between source and target model components. As a new core technology for the software, the fully parallel search algorithm of OASIS4 is described in detail. First benchmark results are discussed with simple test configurations to demonstrate the efficiency and scalability of the software when applied to Earth system model components. Typically the compute time needed to perform the search is in the order of a few seconds and is only weakly dependant on the grid size.
Modelling water availability, sediment export and reservoir sedimentation in drylands with the WASA-SED Model
Authors: Mueller E. N. , Güntner A. , Francke T. , Mamede G.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. The process-based, spatially semi-distributed modelling framework WASA-SED for water and sediment transport in large dryland catchments is presented. The WASA-SED model simulates the runoff and erosion processes at the hillslope scale, the transport processes of suspended and bedload fluxes in the river reaches and the retention and remobilisation processes of sediments in reservoirs. The modelling tool enables the evaluation of management options both for sustainable land-use change scenarios to reduce erosion in the headwater catchments as well as adequate reservoir management options to lessen sedimentation in large reservoirs and reservoir networks. The model concept, its spatial discretisation and the numerical components of the hillslope, river and reservoir processes are summarised and current model applications are reviewed to demonstrate the capabilities, strengths and limits of the model framework.
qtcm 0.1.2: A Python Implementation of the Neelin-Zeng Quasi-Equilibrium Tropical Circulation model
Authors: Lin J. W.-B.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Historically, climate models have been developed incrementally and in compiled languages like Fortran. While the use of legacy compiled languages results in fast, time-tested code, the resulting model is limited in its modularity and cannot take advantage of functionality available with modern computer languages. Here we describe an effort at using the open-source, object-oriented language Python to create more flexible climate models: the package qtcm, a Python implementation of the intermediate-level Neelin-Zeng Quasi-Equilibrium Tropical Circulation model (QTCM1) of the atmosphere. The qtcm package retains the core numerics of QTCM1, written in Fortran to optimize model performance, but uses Python structures and utilities to wrap the QTCM1 Fortran routines and manage model execution. The resulting "mixed language" modeling package allows order and choice of subroutine execution to be altered at run time, and model analysis and visualization to be integrated in interactively with model execution at run time. This flexibility facilitates more complex scientific analysis using less complex code than would be possible using traditional languages alone, and provides tools to transform the traditional "formulate hypothesis → write and test code → run model → analyze results" sequence into a feedback loop that can be executed automatically by the computer.
Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project (PlioMIP): experimental design and boundary conditions (Experiment 1)
Authors: Haywood A. M. , Dowsett H. J. , Otto-Bliesner B. , Chandler M. A. , Dolan A. M. , Hill D. J. , Lunt D. J. , Robinson M. M. , Rosenbloom N. , Salzmann U. , Sohl L. E.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. In 2008 the temporal focus of the Palaeoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Project was expanded to include a model intercomparison for the mid-Pliocene warm period (ca. 2.97 to 3.29 Ma BP). This project is referred to as PlioMIP (Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project). Two experiments have been agreed upon and comprise phase 1 of the PlioMIP. The first (Experiment 1) will be performed with atmosphere-only GCMs. The second (Experiment 2) will utilise fully coupled ocean-atmosphere GCMs. This paper describes the experimental design and boundary conditions that will be utilised for Experiment 1 of the PlioMIP project.
Aerosol microphysics modules in the framework of the ECHAM5 climate model – intercomparison under stratospheric conditions
Authors: Kokkola H. , Hommel R. , Kazil J. , Niemeier U. , Partanen A.-I. , Feichter J. , Timmreck C.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. In this manuscript, we present an intercomparison of three different aerosol microphysics modules that are implemented in the climate model ECHAM5. The comparison was done between the modal aerosol microphysics module M7, which is currently the default aerosol microphysical core in ECHAM5, and two sectional aerosol microphysics modules SALSA, and SAM2. A detailed aerosol microphycical model MAIA was used as a reference model to evaluate the results of the aerosol microphysics modules with respect to sulphate aerosol. The ability of the modules to describe the development of the aerosol size distribution was tested in a zero dimensional framework. We evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches under different types of stratospheric conditions. Also, we present an improved method for the time integration in M7 and study how the setup of the modal approach affects the evolution of the aerosol size distribution. Intercomparison simulations were carried out with varying SO2 concentrations from background conditions to extreme values arising from stratospheric injections of large volcanic eruptions. Under background conditions, all microphysics modules were in good agreement describing the shape of the size distribution but the scatter between the model results increased with increasing SO2 concentrations. In particular for the volcanic case the module setups have to be redefined to be applied in global model simulations capturing respective sulphate particle formation events. Summarized, this intercomparison serves as a review on the different aerosol microphysics modules which are currently available for the climate model ECHAM5.
Next generation framework for aquatic modeling of the Earth System
Authors: Fekete B. M. , Wollheim W. M. , Wisser D. , Vörösmarty C. J.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Earth System model development is becoming an increasingly complex task. As scientists attempt to represent the physical and bio-geochemical processes and various feedback mechanisms in unprecedented detail, the models themselves are becoming increasingly complex. At the same time, the complexity of the surrounding IT infrastructure is growing as well. Earth System models must manage a vast amount of data in heterogeneous computing environments. Numerous development efforts are on the way to ease that burden and offer model development platforms that reduce IT challenges and allow scientists to focus on their science. While these new modeling frameworks (e.g. FMS, ESMF, CCA, OpenMI) do provide solutions to many IT challenges (performing input/output, managing space and time, establishing model coupling, etc.), they are still considerably complex and often have steep learning curves. The Next generation Framework for Aquatic Modeling of the Earth System (NextFrAMES, a revised version of FrAMES) have numerous similarities to those developed by other teams, but represents a novel model development paradigm. NextFrAMES is built around a modeling XML that lets modelers to express the overall model structure and provides an API for dynamically linked plugins to represent the processes. The model XML is executed by the NextFrAMES run-time engine that parses the model definition, loads the module plugins, performs the model I/O and executes the model calculations. NextFrAMES has a minimalistic view representing spatial domains and treats every domain (regardless of its layout such as grid, network tree, individual points, polygons, etc.) as vector of objects. NextFrAMES performs computations on multiple domains and interactions between different spatial domains are carried out through couplers. NextFrAMES allows processes to operate at different frequencies by providing rudimentary aggregation and disaggregation facilities. NextFrAMES was designed primarily for hydrological modeling purposes, but many of its functionality should be applicable for a wide range of land surface models. In its present capabilities NextFrAMES is probably inadequate to implement fully coupled Earth System models, but future versions with the guidance from Earth System developers might someday eliminate its limitations. Our intent with NextFrAMES is to initiate a dialog about new ways of expressing models that is less tied to the actual implementation and allow scientist to develop models at a more abstract level.
Implementation of a new aerosol HAM model within the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) modeling system
Authors: Mashayekhi R. , Irannejad P. , Feichter J. , Bidokhti A. A.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. A new coupled system of aerosol HAM model and the Weather, Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is presented in this paper. Unlike the current aerosol schemes used in WRF model, the HAM is using a "pseudomodal" approach for the representation of the particle size distribution. The aerosol components considered are sulfate, black carbon, particulate organic matter, sea salt and mineral dust. The preliminary model results are presented for two different 6-day simulation periods from 22 to 28 February 2006 as a winter period and 6 to 12 May 2006 as a mild period. The mean shortwave radiation and thermal forcing were calculated from the model simulations with and without aerosols feedback for two simulation periods. A negative radiative forcing and cooling of the atmosphere were found mainly over the regions of high emission of mineral dust. The absorption of shortwave radiation by black carbon caused warming effects in some regions with positive radiative forcing. The simulated daily mean sulfate mass concentration showed a rather good agreement with the measurements in the European EMEP network. The diurnal variation of the simulated hourly PM10 mass concentration at Tehran was also qualitatively close to the observations in both simulation periods. The model captured diurnal cycle and the magnitude of the observed PM10 concentration during most of the simulation periods. The differences between the observed and simulated PM10 concentration resulted mostly from limitation of the model in simulating the clouds and precipitation, transport errors and uncertainties in the particulate emission rates. The inclusion of aerosols feedback in shortwave radiation scheme improved the simulated daily mean shortwave radiation fluxes in Tehran for both simulation periods.
The Lagrangian chemistry and transport model ATLAS: validation of transport and mixing
Authors: Wohltmann I. , Rex M.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. We present a new global Chemical Transport Model (CTM) with full stratospheric chemistry and Lagrangian transport and mixing called ATLAS (Alfred Wegener InsTitute LAgrangian Chemistry/Transport System). Lagrangian (trajectory-based) models have several important advantages over conventional Eulerian (grid-based) models, including the absence of spurious numerical diffusion, efficient code parallelization and no limitation of the largest time step by the Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy criterion. The basic concept of transport and mixing is similar to the approach in the commonly used CLaMS model. Several aspects of the model are different from CLaMS and are introduced and validated here, including a different mixing algorithm which is less diffusive and agrees better with observations with the same mixing parameters. In addition, values for the vertical and horizontal stratospheric bulk diffusion coefficients are inferred and compared to other studies. This work focusses on the description of the dynamical part of the model and the validation of the mixing algorithm. The overall model including the chemistry module, which contains 49 species, 170 reactions and a detailed treatment of heterogeneous chemistry, will be presented in a separate paper.
Coupling global chemistry transport models to ECMWF's integrated forecast system
Authors: Flemming J. , Inness A. , Flentje H. , Huijnen V. , Moinat P. , Schultz M. G. , Stein O.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. The implementation and application of a newly developed coupled system combining ECMWF's integrated forecast system (IFS) with global chemical transport models (CTMs) is presented. The main objective of the coupled system is to enable the IFS to simulate key chemical species without the necessity to invert the complex source and sink processes such as chemical reactions, emission and deposition. Thus satellite observations of atmospheric composition can be assimilated into the IFS using its 4D-VAR algorithm. In the coupled system, the IFS simulates only the transport of chemical species. The coupled CTM provides to the IFS the concentration tendencies due to emission injection, deposition and chemical conversion. The CTMs maintain their own transport schemes and are fed with meteorological data at hourly resolution from the IFS. The CTM used in the coupled system can be either MOZART-3, TM5 or MOCAGE. The coupling is achieved via the special-purpose OASIS4 software. The scientific integrity of the coupled system is proven by analysing the difference between stand-alone CTM simulations and the tracer fields in the coupled IFS. The IFS concentration fields match the CTM fields for about 48 h with the biggest differences occurring in the planetary boundary layer (PBL). The coupled system is a good test bed for process-oriented comparison of the coupled CTM. As an example, the vertical structure of chemical conversion and emission injection is studied for a ten day period over Central Europe for the three CTMs.