Flux correction and the simulation of changing climate

A flaw is pointed out in the manner in which flux correction is currently applied to coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation models. If a transient climate simulation were carried out using perfect initial data and a perfect model, then a perfect simulation would be made. However, if the model...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Edwin K. Schneider
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications
Series:Annales Geophysicae
Online Access:http://www.ann-geophys.net/14/336/1996/angeo-14-336-1996.html
_version_ 1811276108475138048
author Edwin K. Schneider
author_facet Edwin K. Schneider
author_sort Edwin K. Schneider
collection DOAJ
description A flaw is pointed out in the manner in which flux correction is currently applied to coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation models. If a transient climate simulation were carried out using perfect initial data and a perfect model, then a perfect simulation would be made. However, if the model were flux corrected so that it is in equilibrium for current conditions, according to current practice, then errors in the simulation would grow initially to a finite amplitude and persist indefinitely. Larger errors would be produced by a simulation with the flux corrected model beginning from pre-industrial conditions than by a simulation beginning from current conditions. An example with a simple linear model is constructed to illustrate this point, and the relationship to the cold start problem is demonstrated. An optimal flux correction for the simple example is shown to be one which would eliminate the error in the current climate from a transient simulation begun sufficiently far in the past.
first_indexed 2024-04-12T23:50:32Z
format Article
id doaj.art-a76b10476f9140ccabafbb31fbef4445
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 0992-7689
1432-0576
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-12T23:50:32Z
publisher Copernicus Publications
record_format Article
series Annales Geophysicae
spelling doaj.art-a76b10476f9140ccabafbb31fbef44452022-12-22T03:11:42ZengCopernicus PublicationsAnnales Geophysicae0992-76891432-0576143336341Flux correction and the simulation of changing climateEdwin K. SchneiderA flaw is pointed out in the manner in which flux correction is currently applied to coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation models. If a transient climate simulation were carried out using perfect initial data and a perfect model, then a perfect simulation would be made. However, if the model were flux corrected so that it is in equilibrium for current conditions, according to current practice, then errors in the simulation would grow initially to a finite amplitude and persist indefinitely. Larger errors would be produced by a simulation with the flux corrected model beginning from pre-industrial conditions than by a simulation beginning from current conditions. An example with a simple linear model is constructed to illustrate this point, and the relationship to the cold start problem is demonstrated. An optimal flux correction for the simple example is shown to be one which would eliminate the error in the current climate from a transient simulation begun sufficiently far in the past.http://www.ann-geophys.net/14/336/1996/angeo-14-336-1996.html
spellingShingle Edwin K. Schneider
Flux correction and the simulation of changing climate
Annales Geophysicae
title Flux correction and the simulation of changing climate
title_full Flux correction and the simulation of changing climate
title_fullStr Flux correction and the simulation of changing climate
title_full_unstemmed Flux correction and the simulation of changing climate
title_short Flux correction and the simulation of changing climate
title_sort flux correction and the simulation of changing climate
url http://www.ann-geophys.net/14/336/1996/angeo-14-336-1996.html
work_keys_str_mv AT edwinkschneider fluxcorrectionandthesimulationofchangingclimate