Geoscientific Model Development (Mar 2010)

Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project (PlioMIP): experimental design and boundary conditions (Experiment 1)

  • A. M. Haywood,
  • H. J. Dowsett,
  • B. Otto-Bliesner,
  • M. A. Chandler,
  • A. M. Dolan,
  • D. J. Hill,
  • D. J. Lunt,
  • M. M. Robinson,
  • N. Rosenbloom,
  • U. Salzmann,
  • L. E. Sohl

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-3-227-2010
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3, no. 1
pp. 227 – 242

Abstract

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In 2008 the temporal focus of the Palaeoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Project was expanded to include a model intercomparison for the mid-Pliocene warm period (3.29–2.97 million years ago). This project is referred to as PlioMIP (Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project). Two experiments have been agreed upon and comprise phase 1 of PlioMIP. The first (Experiment 1) will be performed with atmosphere-only climate models. The second (Experiment 2) will utilise fully coupled ocean-atmosphere climate models. The aim of this paper is to provide a detailed model intercomparison project description which documents the experimental design in a more detailed way than has previously been done in the literature. Specifically, this paper describes the experimental design and boundary conditions that will be utilised for Experiment 1 of PlioMIP.