Geoscientific Model Development
Geoscientific Model Development
Geoscientific Model Development
Articles | Volume 9, issue 12
Articles | Volume 9, issue 12
Geosci. Model Dev., 9, 4521–4545, 2016
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-9-4521-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Special issue: Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) Experimental...

Geosci. Model Dev., 9, 4521–4545, 2016
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-9-4521-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Articles | Volume 9, issue 12

Model experiment description paper 21 Dec 2016

Model experiment description paper | 21 Dec 2016

Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project (ISMIP6) contribution to CMIP6

Sophie M. J. Nowicki1, Anthony Payne2, Eric Larour3, Helene Seroussi3, Heiko Goelzer4,5, William Lipscomb6, Jonathan Gregory7,8, Ayako Abe-Ouchi9,10, and Andrew Shepherd11 Sophie M. J. Nowicki et al.
Show author details
  • 1NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
  • 2School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1SS, UK
  • 3Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
  • 4Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584 CC, the Netherlands
  • 5Laboratoire de Glaciologie, Université Libre de Bruxelles, CP160/03, Av. F. Roosevelt 50, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
  • 6Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87544, USA
  • 7Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6BB, UK
  • 8Met Office Hadley Center, Exeter, EX1 3BP, UK
  • 9Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba 277-8564, Japan
  • 10Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Yokohama, Japan
  • 11School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
Received: 29 Apr 2016 – Discussion started: 26 May 2016 – Revised: 30 Sep 2016 – Accepted: 02 Dec 2016 – Published: 21 Dec 2016

Abstract. Reducing the uncertainty in the past, present, and future contribution of ice sheets to sea-level change requires a coordinated effort between the climate and glaciology communities. The Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project for CMIP6 (ISMIP6) is the primary activity within the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project – phase 6 (CMIP6) focusing on the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. In this paper, we describe the framework for ISMIP6 and its relationship with other activities within CMIP6. The ISMIP6 experimental design relies on CMIP6 climate models and includes, for the first time within CMIP, coupled ice-sheet–climate models as well as standalone ice-sheet models. To facilitate analysis of the multi-model ensemble and to generate a set of standard climate inputs for standalone ice-sheet models, ISMIP6 defines a protocol for all variables related to ice sheets. ISMIP6 will provide a basis for investigating the feedbacks, impacts, and sea-level changes associated with dynamic ice sheets and for quantifying the uncertainty in ice-sheet-sourced global sea-level change.

How to cite. Nowicki, S. M. J., Payne, A., Larour, E., Seroussi, H., Goelzer, H., Lipscomb, W., Gregory, J., Abe-Ouchi, A., and Shepherd, A.: Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project (ISMIP6) contribution to CMIP6, Geosci. Model Dev., 9, 4521–4545, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-9-4521-2016, 2016.
Special issue
Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) Experimental...
Download
Short summary
This paper describes an experimental protocol designed to quantify and understand the global sea level that arises due to past, present, and future changes in the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, along with investigating ice sheet–climate feedbacks. The Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project for CMIP6 (ISMIP6) protocol includes targeted experiments, and a set of output diagnostic related to ice sheets, that are part of the 6th phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6).
Read more