US CLIVAR

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US CLIVAR Process Study Model Improvement
Panel (PSMIP) 2007 Summary Presentation
Meghan Cronin, co-chair (NOAA - PMEL) Raffaele
Ferrari (MIT) Jim Hack, co-chair (NCAR) Dick
Johnson (Colorado State University) Terry Joyce
(WHOI) Bill Large (NCAR) Sonya Legg
(Princeton) Hua Lu Pan (NOAA - NCEP) Paul
Schopf, ex-co-chair (GMU/COLA) Ken Sperber
(Lawrence Livermore) S.-P. Xie (University
of Hawaii)
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US CLIVAR Process Study Model Improvement
Panel (PSMIP) 2007 Summary Presentation
2. Meghan Cronin, co-chair (NOAA - PMEL) 3.
Raffaele Ferrari (MIT) 3. Jim Hack, co-chair
(NCAR) 1. Dick Johnson (Colorado State
University) 3. Terry Joyce (WHOI) 2. Bill
Large (NCAR) 4. Sonya Legg (Princeton) 2.
Hua Lu Pan (NOAA - NCEP) 1. Paul Schopf,
ex-co-chair (GMU/COLA) 2. Ken Sperber
(Lawrence Livermore) 1. S.-P. Xie
(University of Hawaii)
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U.S. CLIVAR Process Study Model Improvement
Panel (PSMIP)
Mission Research on underlying uncertainties in
models and physics to improve the delivery of
climate science.
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PSMIP Action Items

• Goal 1. Reduce major systematic errors and biases
  and uncertainties in GCMs used for climate
  variability prediction and climate change
  projection
• Attend Tropical Bias Meeting (Schopf, Large, Pan,
  Hack), February 2007
• Initiate TB (Coupled Atmosphere and Oceans
  Processes) working group, develop TOR, resource
  request (Schopf, Kirtman)
• Develop WG prospectus to plan for future CPTs
  Ocean Processes WG (Large,), Atmospheric
  Processes WG (Hack)
• Review Process Studies Science Implementation
  plans as needed.
• Encourage assessment of IPCC-class model errors
  through analysis of CMEP results and develop
  strategy for responding to results (Legg)

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PSMIP Action Items

• Goal 2 Use process studies to quantify
  climatically important processes and to provide
  guidance for extending long-term in situ and
  satellite observations
• Add AMMA to U.S. CLIVAR process studies figures,
  website, etc. (Stephens)
• Jointly with POS
• Form connections with OceanSITES group (all) by
  Feb 2007
• Compile assessments of satellite and remote
  sensing products (all) by Summit 2007
• Establish connection with NASA and NPOESS to
  enhance opportunities for constructive observing
  system design

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PSMIP Action Items

• Goal 3 Ensure that process studies lead to
  climate model improvements
• Formalize publish a Best Practices for process
  studies
• Review best practices and modeling activities in
  funded process studies (EPIC, KESS Cronin
  CLIMODE Joyce NAME, MESA Sperber AMMA TBD)
  by Summit2007
• Develop prospectus for Extratropical
  Ocean-Atmosphere Interactions (KESS-CLIMODE) WG
  (Cronin, Kelly, Alexander)
• Compile master list website of climatologically
  important process studies and integrated data
  sets that can be used for model development
  activities (Legg, Stephens) by Summit2007
• Develop strategy for long-term data stewardship
  of process study data (Johnson, Legler, Joyce,
  Cronin)
• Continue to discuss and develop strategy for
  facilitating infrastructure, especially manpower
  resources, for model development activities
  (Large, Pan, Hack, Legg,) by Summit2007

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PSMIP Action Items

• Goal 4 Facilitate collaborations with other
  national and international partners such as
  international CLIVAR, GEWEX, OCCC
• Meet with IAG for planning PSMIP activities
  (Hack, Cronin) as needed
• Contribute text to BAMS article on US CLIVAR
  PSMIP goals and activities (Cronin, Hack et al)
  by Spring 2007
• Determine potential for collaboration/coordination
  of process studies (OCCC Cronin, Joyce, GEWEX
  Sperber)
• Explore joint CLIVAR/GEWEX WG on Diurnal Cycle of
  Convection, develop TOR, request for resources
  (Sperber)

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IAG question 6.    What concerns does your Panel
have about its activities and its role in US
CLIVAR?

• Our panel has undertaken many activities and 9
  hours per year is insufficient to cover all
  aspects sufficiently.
• Possible Strategies

• Mid-year meetings at national conferences (AGU,
  AMS,)
• More telecons?
• Have PSMIP meet a day early at Summit

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Working Group Suggestions

• Ocean Processes (Large,)
• Update mixing white paper including other
  processes (e.g. cryosphere,)
• Identify ocean processes for future CPTs
• Atmospheric Process Studies (Hack,)
• High impact processes pacing atmospheric/climate
  modeling
• - shallow cloud problem, air sea interaction,
  diurnal cycle
• Identify atmospheric processes for future CPTs
• Coupled Atmosphere Oceans Interaction Processes
  (Kirtman, Schopf)
• warm tropical oceans vs. cold tropical oceans
• model obs (physical hypotheses)
• Extratropical Ocean-Atmosphere interactions
  (Kelly, Cronin, Alexander, Joyce)
• KESS CLIMODE Working Group
• Data Management for historic process studies
  (Joyce, Legler, Johnson, Cronin)

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Decadal variability, climate trends and
predictability Improved prediction of weather
extremes (e.g., drought, hurricanes, )
Climate nowcasting Observations and
synthesis of climate Explain the state of
the climate system
CLIVAR Theme Suggestions