Back to opportunities | Category Index
These are the intended use-case/justification for one or multiple variable groups. Opportunities are linked to relevant experiment groups. Identifying opportunities helps to provide a structure to map variables against requirements. Each opportunity description will convey why this combination of variables and experiments is important and how they contribute to impact.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| description | High-resolution climate simulations performed with RCMs are more and more used to feed climate services on a wealth of applications. CORDEX model output is an authoritative source of downscaled data due to the controlled and coordinated experimental setup. CORDEX dynamical downscaling activity (and other RCMs) require high-frequency lateral boundary conditions from GCMs for the historical and scenario periods. This CORDEX request is similar to CMIP6, but with a temporal extension in the past to cover the GWL+0 and in the future, as 2100 is too soon now. Extension to 1850 is more important than extension to 2150. If the full period data are too much to store, the period 1901-1949 could be skipped (i.e. 1850-1900 for GWL+0 reference, and 1950-2150 for historical+scenario). In addition, ISIMIP plans to initialize (continental) high-resolution (0.1° x 0.1°) branches based on a dynamical downscaling of the considered global climate model simulations. Mainly building on associated CORDEX simulations, ISIMIP additionally needs at least 100 years of high-resolution picontrol climate simulations. Within the impact modelling activities the picontrol data is important to create 'no climate change' reference simulations where impact only change in terms of Direct Human Forcings such as changes in land use, water and agricultural management etc. We are requesting 6hr data for the standard CORDEX resolution of about 12 km (which would also be sufficient for a downscaling of the picontrol for ISIMIP), but higher frequency (3hr?) could be needed for direct nesting of km-scale simulations, likely to be performed by the time of CORDEX-CMIP7. This would apply for GCM simulations with a grid spacing below ~40km (HighResMIP?). To support this opportunity, it is not necessary to provide ALL the requested variable groups. Rather, please select the variable groups for the subtopics you wish to support (soil, ocean, ocean biogeochemistry, air-sea, air-sea biogeochemistry, aerosols-chemistry). In case of doubt, please contact the VIACS advisory board co-chairs via [https://viacsab.gerics.de/](https://eur05.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fviacsab.gerics.de%2F&data=05%7C02%7CElisabeth.Dingley%40ext.esa.int%7C7441713f38064c97e9c408dea1efda08%7C9a5cacd02bef4dd7ac5c7ebe1f54f495%7C0%7C0%7C639126248701395959%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=6RbwpsbyBL%2B73j8uxuFx9fYQoxXBqcsPPMfcrPEh2ZI%3D&reserved=0) or [info@isimip.org](mailto:info@isimip.org) for ISIMIP-related questions. |
| expected_impacts | The 3D data requested from the historical and scenario experiments are essential to perform dynamical downscaling. In the ongoing CORDEX-CMIP6 initiative, worldwide, more than 600 simulations are planned (250+ finished; [https://wcrp-cordex.github.io/simulation-status/CMIP6\_downscaling\_plans.html](https://eur05.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwcrp-cordex.github.io%2Fsimulation-status%2FCMIP6_downscaling_plans.html&data=05%7C02%7CElisabeth.Dingley%40ext.esa.int%7C7441713f38064c97e9c408dea1efda08%7C9a5cacd02bef4dd7ac5c7ebe1f54f495%7C0%7C0%7C639126248701432112%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=jmW5Zr6G6lmcOMyergcUTX0hJVb%2B85Boi9eG28WoF68%3D&reserved=0)) drawing from similar boundary forcings. These simulations are highly requested by downstream climate services. The additional provision of 6-houly data of 100 years of picontrol experiments would enable the ISIMIP impact modelling community to start high-resolution impact simulations based on a dynamical downscaling of the considered global CMIP7-based climate-related forcings. The picontrol reference impact model simulation will allow for a separation of the effects of climate change from the effects of changing Direct Human Forcings (see above). |
| justification_of_resources | Downscaling is a key step in filling the gap between CMIP7 global climate model experiments and the activity of the communities dealing with vulnerability, impacts and adaptation studies. Dynamical downscaling requires 6-hourly 3D-global forcing fields for specific variables. Further details can be found, e.g., here: Giorgi, F. (2019). Thirty Years of Regional Climate Modeling: Where Are We and Where Are We Going next? Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 124(11), 5696–5723. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JD030094 |
| lead_theme | Impacts & Adaptation |
| minimum_ensemble_size | 1 |
| name | Dynamical Downscaling |
| opportunity_id | 81 |
| technical_notes | For the purposes of CORDEX atmosphere downscaling, the ocean bio geo chemistry variable groups are medium priority. ISIMIP additionally needs at least 100 years of high-resolution picontrol climate simulations. We are requesting 6hr data for the standard CORDEX resolution of about 12 km (which would also be sufficient for a downscaling of the picontrol for ISIMIP), but higher frequency (3hr?) could be needed for direct nesting of km-scale simulations, likely to be performed by the time of CORDEX-CMIP7. This would apply for GCM simulations with a grid spacing below ~40km (HighResMIP?). |
| uid | dafc7393-8c95-11ef-944e-41a8eb05f654 |