MIROC-ESM 2010: model description and basic results of CMIP5-20c3m experiments

TLDR

MIROC‑ESM 2010 is a fully described Earth system model detailing all components and their interactions. CMIP5 historical simulations show that MIROC‑ESM accurately reproduces atmospheric, oceanic, sea‑ice, land‑surface, biogeochemical, and atmospheric chemistry variables, including surface temperature trends, zonal‑mean winds, ozone, aerosols, and biogeochemistry, validating its use for future projections. Abstract.

Abstract

Abstract. An earth system model (MIROC-ESM 2010) is fully described in terms of each model component and their interactions. Results for the CMIP5 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5) historical simulation are presented to demonstrate the model's performance from several perspectives: atmosphere, ocean, sea-ice, land-surface, ocean and terrestrial biogeochemistry, and atmospheric chemistry and aerosols. An atmospheric chemistry coupled version of MIROC-ESM (MIROC-ESM-CHEM 2010) reasonably reproduces transient variations in surface air temperatures for the period 1850–2005, as well as the present-day climatology for the zonal-mean zonal winds and temperatures from the surface to the mesosphere. The historical evolution and global distribution of column ozone and the amount of tropospheric aerosols are reasonably simulated in the model based on the Representative Concentration Pathways' (RCP) historical emissions of these precursors. The simulated distributions of the terrestrial and marine biogeochemistry parameters agree with recent observations, which is encouraging to use the model for future global change projections.