Climate Modelling at the University of Victoria

Abstract

The climate modelling group at the University of Victoria is involved in research in the fields of climate and paleoclimate modelling, dynamics and variability using a coupled atmosphere, ocean and sea ice model. Typically the computational cost of running such models prohibits running them to equilibrium. For this reason a model was recently developed at the University of Victoria which simplifies the atmospheric component of the climate system by representing it as an energy-moisture balance in a single layer. Furthermore the coupled model does not require flux adjustments to reach a stable equilibrium. This simplified model, used in concert with the GFDL Modular Ocean Model, allows us to perform a wide range of experiments and sensitivity analyses. Further recent enhancements include the addition of a sophisticated thermodynamic and dynamic ice model, snow, effects of orography on precipitation and a continental ice sheet model. A new model grid has also been developed which shifts the North Pole of the model into Greenland to improve the representation of the Arctic Ocean. All of the coupled model experiments as well as analysis and visualisation software are run on a suite of RS6000 computers which includes two IBM SP systems.

Recent research in our group includes the following experiments: an examination of the role of the parameterisation of sub-grid-scale mixing in the ocean in the context of CO2 doubling and quadrupling experiments; and a paleoclimatic experiment to examine the role in the climate system of atmospheric carbon dioxide and geographic relocation of the continents 440 million years ago. Further studies include analysis of the climate of the last glacial maximum as well as an examination of wind-driven variability in the North Atlantic thermohaline circulation and the Arctic sea ice cover.