Assessing the potential for simplification in global climate model cloud microphysics

Proske, Ulrike; Ferrachat, Sylvaine; Neubauer, David; Staab, Martin; Lohmann, Ulrike

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4737-2022

Articles | Volume 22, issue 7

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4737-2022

© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4737-2022

© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 22, issue 7

Research article

|

12 Apr 2022

Research article |

| 12 Apr 2022

Assessing the potential for simplification in global climate model cloud microphysics

Ulrike Proske, Sylvaine Ferrachat, David Neubauer, Martin Staab, and Ulrike Lohmann

Data sets

Data for the publication "Assessing the potential for simplification in global climate model cloud microphysics" Ulrike Proske, Sylvaine Ferrachat, David Neubauer, Martin Staab, and Ulrike Lohmann https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5506533

Model code and software

Scripts for the publication "Assessing the potential for simplification in global climate model cloud microphysics" Ulrike Proske, Sylvaine Ferrachat, David Neubauer, Martin Staab, and Ulrike Lohmann https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5506588

duncanwp/ESEm: v1.0.0 Duncan Watson-Parris, Andrew Williams, and Pietro Monticone https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.5196631

Model calibration using ESEm v1.1.0 – an open, scalable Earth system emulator Duncan Watson-Parris, Andrew Williams, Lucia Deaconu, and Philip Stier https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-7659-2021

SALib/SALib: Public Beta W. Usher, J. Herman, T. Iwanaga, L. Teixeira, N. Cellier, C. Whealton, D. Hadka, xantares, bernardoct, F. Rios, C. Mutel, E. Cederstrand, TobiasKAndersen, J. van Engelen, ANtlord, H. Kranas, V. K. Dixit, and bsteubing https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.598306

marstaa/PySphereX: v1.0 Martin Staab https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.5520635

Short summary

Cloud microphysical processes shape cloud properties and are therefore important to represent in climate models. Their parameterization has grown more complex, making the model results more difficult to interpret. Using sensitivity analysis we test how the global aerosol–climate model ECHAM-HAM reacts to changes to these parameterizations. The model is sensitive to the parameterization of ice crystal autoconversion but not to, e.g., self-collection, suggesting that it may be simplified.