DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17142988
title: Comparison of General Circulation Models of the Venus Upper Atmosphere: A Collection of VPCM Datasets

description: The VPCM data files presented are in support of the publication “Comparison of General Circulation Models of the Venus upper atmosphere”. These simulations are based on the VPCM version in Martinez et al. (2024) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2024.116035). There are three EUV cases provided representing different solar fluxes conditions, which are indicated in the file name.See: README_VPCMdataset-IGCMP_Martinez2025.txt
description: Several Venusian GCMs that address the Venusian upper atmosphere have been developed and are in use around the world. To explore the robustness of these Venus GCM results in the thermosphere, an inter-comparison project has been set up to explore the similarities and main differences between the USA Venus TGCM developed by S. Bougher and A. Brecht (VTGCM), the Japanese GCM developed at Tohoku University (TUGCM), and the IPSL Venus GCM (V-PCM). Although these GCMs describe the same environment, they are different in many ways, especially because of the characteristics of the model or the parameterization of the physical processes. This study has led to a better understanding of the importance of parameterizations in physical processes as well as a better understanding of the controls of these processes. A detailed comparative analysis making use of available Venus datasets and these three GCM outputs has been conducted. This inter-comparison project specifically focuses on the upper mesosphere and the lower thermosphere, which corresponds to a pressure between 100 Pa and 10E-6 Pa. All GCM model simulations have the same solar conditions (EUV) applied, corresponding to 70 (solar minimum), 200 (solar maximum), and 250 (solar extreme) s.f.u.
description: List of files contained here: 

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There are 10 simulations with 3 EUV scenario (cases) with 1 or 2 sets of files (_A for altitude vertical coordinate and _P for pressure vertical coordinate). More details are below.

 

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Simulation case description and associated files:

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I.   E10.7 = 70 (solar minimum condition)

1. Benchmark (EUV=19.5%, Quenching=5x10E-12 cm3/s)

     a. BENCHMARK-E070-Xave-24perVd.044_A_SUN.nc

     b. BENCHMARK-E070-Xave-24perVd.044_P_SUN.nc

2. Quenching Similar (EUV=19.5%, Quenching=3x10E-12 cm3/s)

     a. Quench3Em12-E070-Xave-24perVd.044_P_SUN.nc

 

II.  E10.7 = 200 (solar maximum condition)

1. Benchmark (EUV=19.5%, Quenching=5x10E-12 cm3/s)

     a. BENCHMARK-E200-Xave-24perVd.044_A_SUN.nc

     b. BENCHMARK-E200-Xave-24perVd.044_P_SUN.nc

2. Quenching Similar (EUV=19.5%, Quenching=3x10E-12 cm3/s)

     a. Quench3Em12-E200-Xave-24perVd.044_P_SUN.nc

3.  CO2 conductivity similar than TUGCM (EUV=19.5%, Quenching=5x10E-12 cm3/s, kco2 = TUGCM)

     a. TUGCMconduc-E200-Xave-24perVd.044_P_SUN.nc

 

III. E10.7 = 250 (solar extreme condition)

1. Benchmark (EUV=19.5%, Quenching=5x10E-12 cm3/s)

     a. BENCHMARK-E250-Xave-24perVd.044_A_SUN.nc

     b. BENCHMARK-E250-Xave-24perVd.044_P_SUN.nc

  2. Quenching Similar (EUV=19.5%, Quenching=3x10E-12 cm3/s)

     a. Quench3Em12-E250-Xave-24perVd.044_P_SUN.nc

 

------------------------------------------------Name and Unit of used variables:------------------------------------------------=== Main fields ===  * Composition [volume mixing ratio]:    - o, co, n2, co2, ...  * Temperature [K]: "temp"   * Wind field [m.s-1]:     - zonal wind:       vitu   (westward if positive)     - meriodional wind: vitv   (northward if positive)    - vertical wind:    vitwz  (upward if positive)  * Mass density [kg.m-3]: rho  * Pressure [Pa]: pres  * mean molecular mass [g.mol-1]: mmean=== Tendancies ===  * EUV heating [K.s-1]: dteuv  * NIR heating [K.s-1]: dtswr  * Conduction  [K.s-1]: dtcond  * 15 CO2-O microns-cooling [K.s-1]: dtlwr  * Dynamic heating/cooling  [K.s-1]: dtdyn  * Eddy heating/cooling [K.s-1]: dtvdf  * GW drag [m.s-2]: dugwno (westward acceleration if positive) For thermal tendancies, cooling if negative, heating if positive.
description: File Domain and Structure:

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* Longitude [96] = -180 to 0 to +180 by 3.65 degree interval

* Latitude [96] = -90 to +90 by 1.875 degree interval

* Local Time [24] = 24 to 12 to 24 (corresponds with Longitude)

    LT =  (12. - LON[0,:96] / 15)

- No seasons or axial tilt

- VSO (Y=Z=0, x=Rv at LON = 0 and LAT = 0)

* Model Time = one venusian day by 24 points (116.75 Earth Day)

* _A_SUN.nc file:

  - Altitude[70] = 0 to 276 km

  Each vertical level is at constant altitude above the Venus Radius (6051.8 km)

* _P_SUN.nc file:

  - Pressure[86] = 9.4E+6 Pa to 1E-8 Pa 

  Each vertical level is at constant pressure

  

Acronyms Used:

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GCM: Global Circulation Model

IPSL:  Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace

LAT: Latitude

LON: Longitude

LT: Local Time

VSO:  Venus Solar Orbital coordinates

VTGCM: Venus Thermosphere General Circulation Model

VPCM: Venus Planetary Climate Model

TUGCM: Tohoku University Global Circulation Model