The Program Mission of the DOE Regional and Global Climate Modeling program is to undertake scientific studies using state-of-the-science coupled climate and earth system models, with a focus on analyzing regional and global climate change projections. The temporal scales of interest range from decadal to centennial.
Program Description
The Regional and Global Climate Modeling (RGCM) program sponsors projects that engage in analysis and process-based evaluation of multi-model climate change projections for the 21st century using innovative metrics. This is intended to lead to greater understanding of the uncertainties and shortcomings of dynamically coupled state-of-the-science regional and global climate models. The goals of the RGCM are:
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To quantify the uncertainties and feedbacks in the earth system processes. Some of the aspects include the carbon cycle, cloud-aerosol, water vapor, and cryospheric feedbacks.
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To assess climate sensitivity and natural and forced climate variability, including analysis of multi-model projections.
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To detect and attribute climate change.
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To examine regions of the globe vital for assessing future climate. These regions include the polar regions and other regions with known model biases such as the ITCZ, the Tropical Eastern Pacific, etc.
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To develop methods to produce reliable projections at regional scales, through the use of various techniques.
The Program also contributes to the Climate Variability and Change element of the of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP
), and coordinates its activities with the climate modeling programs at other federal agencies, particularly the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Why the Program's Research is Important
Achieving greater detail about uncertainty and future variability of the earth climate system is critical for decision makers. There is a need to ascertain shifts in major modes of climate variability and climate extremes, to detect and attribute regional manifestations of climate change, and to conduct ever more thorough model validation. All these goals remain significant challenges. This program also provides support for national and international climate modeling research and assessments. An understanding of the model biases seamlessly feeds back to the
Earth System Modeling program.
Program Research Activities
The RGCM modeling research activities are organized into several distinct coordinated components:
The Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison(PCMDI) develops improved methods and tools for the diagnosis and intercomparison of climate and earth system models.PCMDI provides major facilities for archiving climate model output, including frequently-analyzed variables such as those used for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Assessment Reports. PCMDI makes such model output readily accessible to the climate modeling community.
The Climate, Ocean and Sea Ice Modeling Project (COSIM) modeling program continues to develop the ocean model POP (Parallel Ocean Program), and its hybrid-coordinate successor (HYPOP), the sea ice model (CICE) and the development of a new Community Ice Sheet Model (CISM), emphasizing their use at high spatial resolutions and at high latitudes. The scientific thrust of this work is to understand the role of oceans and ice in climate change, including 1) address future sea level rise, caused by thermal expansion of the ocean and by melting of land ice 2) understand of the stability of the high-latitude ocean thermohaline circulation and 3) to understand the unique high-latitude marine and ice ecosystems that reside along the ice edge and how they respond to changes in sea ice extent, impacting carbon and sulfur uptake and exchange.
Climate Simulation and Prediction: Multi-century simulations using the CCSM model are undertaken by the DOE Climate Change Project at NCAR. The analysis of such simulations provides insights into how natural and anthropogenic forcings impact the coupled climate system.
As part of the DOE China Bilateral Agreement, joint studies are sponsored that provide opportunities for scientists in both the United States and China to share climate information, leading to an improved understanding of the Earth's climate system and to reliable climate prediction based on the use of coupled climate models.
Abstracts
Currently funded Program research projects
Solicitations
Funding opportunity announcements are posted on the DOE Office of Science Grants and Contracts Web Site and at grants.gov. Information about preparing and submitting applications, as well as the DOE Office of Science merit review process, is at the DOE Office of Science Grants and Contracts Web Site. An annual joint solicitation with NOAA is held on the topic of attribution of climate change. The review is coordinated by the Climate Change Data Detection Program at the NOAA Climate Program Office. The Information sheet may be found at http://www.climate.noaa.gov/cpo_pa/ccdd/
Data Sharing Policy
Funding of projects by the program is contingent on adherence to the BER data sharing policy.
Program Manager
Dr. Renu R. Joseph
Climate and Environmental Sciences Division, SC-23.1
Department of Energy, GTN Bldg.
1000 Independence Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20585-1290
Phone: (301) 903-9237
Fax: (301) 903-8519
Email: renu.joseph@science.doe.gov