|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Recent Model Results
Figure 11 gives results of the latest generation of
high-resolution models. The upper panel shows good agreement except over
Antarctica. The lower panel shows that even the highest resolution for
global models fails to capture such features as the peaks in the tropics
and Southern Hemisphere midlatitudes.
The current (June 2000) version of the NCAR Community Climate Model (CCM3) is more advanced than models listed above and has some validation fields available. Note for example the validation of precipitation of the model (CCM3) against the observed precipitation (Global Precipitation Climatalogy Project-GPCP) in the last two plots at this website. The Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP) is an intercomparison of 33 climate models. Comparisons are made for a wide variety of variables such as temperature and precipitation.
Figure 12 gives a summary of the historical development of climate models. The lower part shows that individual processes are usually developed "offline," that is, independent of the full climate model, and then are eventually merged into the climate system model to allow additional processes and complexity to be simulated.
