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This study introduces CNRM-ESM2-1, the Earth system (ES) model of second generation developed by CNRM-CERFACS for the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6). CNRM-ESM2-1 offers a higher model complexity than the Atmosphere-Ocean General Circulation Model CNRM-CM6-1 by adding interactive ES components such as carbon cycle, aerosols, and atmospheric chemistry. As both models share the same code, physical parameterizations, and grid resolution, they offer a fully traceable framework to investigate how far the represented ES processes impact the model performance over present-day, response to external forcing and future climate projections. Using a large variety of CMIP6 experiments, we show that represented ES processes impact more prominently the model response to external forcing than the model performance over present-day. Both models display comparable performance at replicating modern observations although the mean climate of CNRM-ESM2-1 is slightly warmer than that of CNRM-CM6-1. This difference arises from land cover-aerosol interactions where the use of different soil vegetation distributions between both models impacts the rate of dust emissions. This interaction results in a smaller aerosol burden in CNRM-ESM2-1 than in CNRM-CM6-1, leading to a different surface radiative budget and climate. Greater differences are found when comparing the model response to external forcing and future climate projections. Represented ES processes damp future warming by up to 10% in CNRM-ESM2-1 with respect to CNRM-CM6-1. The representation of land vegetation and the CO2-water-stomatal feedback between both models explain about 60% of this difference. The remainder is driven by other ES feedbacks such as the natural aerosol feedback.

This study introduces CNRM-ESM2-1, the Earth system (ES) model of second generation developed by CNRM-CERFACS for the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6). CNRM-ESM2-1 offers a higher model complexity than the Atmosphere-Ocean General Circulation Model CNRM-CM6-1 by adding interactive ES components such as carbon cycle, aerosols, and atmospheric chemistry. As both models share the same code, physical parameterizations, and grid resolution, they offer a fully traceable framework to investigate how far the represented ES processes impact the model performance over present-day, response to external forcing and future climate projections. Using a large variety of CMIP6 experiments, we show that represented ES processes impact more prominently the model response to external forcing than the model performance over present-day. Both models display comparable performance at replicating modern observations although the mean climate of CNRM-ESM2-1 is slightly warmer than that of CNRM-CM6-1. This difference arises from land cover-aerosol interactions where the use of different soil vegetation distributions between both models impacts the rate of dust emissions. This interaction results in a smaller aerosol burden in CNRM-ESM2-1 than in CNRM-CM6-1, leading to a different surface radiative budget and climate. Greater differences are found when comparing the model response to external forcing and future climate projections. Represented ES processes damp future warming by up to 10% in CNRM-ESM2-1 with respect to CNRM-CM6-1. The representation of land vegetation and the CO2-water-stomatal feedback between both models explain about 60% of this difference. The remainder is driven by other ES feedbacks such as the natural aerosol feedback.

This study introduces CNRM-ESM2-1, the Earth system (ES) model of second generation developed by CNRM-CERFACS for the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6). CNRM-ESM2-1 offers a higher model complexity than the Atmosphere-Ocean General Circulation Model CNRM-CM6-1 by adding interactive ES components such as carbon cycle, aerosols, and atmospheric chemistry. As both models share the same code, physical parameterizations, and grid resolution, they offer a fully traceable framework to investigate how far the represented ES processes impact the model performance over present-day, response to external forcing and future climate projections. Using a large variety of CMIP6 experiments, we show that represented ES processes impact more prominently the model response to external forcing than the model performance over present-day. Both models display comparable performance at replicating modern observations although the mean climate of CNRM-ESM2-1 is slightly warmer than that of CNRM-CM6-1. This difference arises from land cover-aerosol interactions where the use of different soil vegetation distributions between both models impacts the rate of dust emissions. This interaction results in a smaller aerosol burden in CNRM-ESM2-1 than in CNRM-CM6-1, leading to a different surface radiative budget and climate. Greater differences are found when comparing the model response to external forcing and future climate projections. Represented ES processes damp future warming by up to 10% in CNRM-ESM2-1 with respect to CNRM-CM6-1. The representation of land vegetation and the CO2-water-stomatal feedback between both models explain about 60% of this difference. The remainder is driven by other ES feedbacks such as the natural aerosol feedback.

This study introduces CNRM-ESM2-1, the Earth system (ES) model of second generation developed by CNRM-CERFACS for the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6). CNRM-ESM2-1 offers a higher model complexity than the Atmosphere-Ocean General Circulation Model CNRM-CM6-1 by adding interactive ES components such as carbon cycle, aerosols, and atmospheric chemistry. As both models share the same code, physical parameterizations, and grid resolution, they offer a fully traceable framework to investigate how far the represented ES processes impact the model performance over present-day, response to external forcing and future climate projections. Using a large variety of CMIP6 experiments, we show that represented ES processes impact more prominently the model response to external forcing than the model performance over present-day. Both models display comparable performance at replicating modern observations although the mean climate of CNRM-ESM2-1 is slightly warmer than that of CNRM-CM6-1. This difference arises from land cover-aerosol interactions where the use of different soil vegetation distributions between both models impacts the rate of dust emissions. This interaction results in a smaller aerosol burden in CNRM-ESM2-1 than in CNRM-CM6-1, leading to a different surface radiative budget and climate. Greater differences are found when comparing the model response to external forcing and future climate projections. Represented ES processes damp future warming by up to 10% in CNRM-ESM2-1 with respect to CNRM-CM6-1. The representation of land vegetation and the CO2-water-stomatal feedback between both models explain about 60% of this difference. The remainder is driven by other ES feedbacks such as the natural aerosol feedback.

This paper presents the Meso-NH model version 5.4. Meso-NH is an atmospheric non hydrostatic research model that is applied to a broad range of resolutions, from synoptic to turbulent scales, and is designed for studies of physics and chemistry. It is a limited-area model employing advanced numerical techniques, including monotonic advection schemes for scalar transport and fourth-order centered or odd-order WENO advection schemes for momentum. The model includes state-of-the-art physics parameter-ization schemes that are important to represent convectivescale phenomena and turbulent eddies, as well as flows at larger scales. In addition, Meso-NH has been expanded to provide capabilities for a range of Earth system prediction applications such as chemistry and aerosols, electricity and lightning, hydrology, wildland fires, volcanic eruptions, and cyclones with ocean coupling. Here, we present the main innovations to the dynamics and physics of the code since the pioneer paper of Lafore et al. (1998) and provide an overview of recent applications and couplings.

This paper presents the Meso-NH model version 5.4. Meso-NH is an atmospheric non hydrostatic research model that is applied to a broad range of resolutions, from synoptic to turbulent scales, and is designed for studies of physics and chemistry. It is a limited-area model employing advanced numerical techniques, including monotonic advection schemes for scalar transport and fourth-order centered or odd-order WENO advection schemes for momentum. The model includes state-of-the-art physics parameter-ization schemes that are important to represent convectivescale phenomena and turbulent eddies, as well as flows at larger scales. In addition, Meso-NH has been expanded to provide capabilities for a range of Earth system prediction applications such as chemistry and aerosols, electricity and lightning, hydrology, wildland fires, volcanic eruptions, and cyclones with ocean coupling. Here, we present the main innovations to the dynamics and physics of the code since the pioneer paper of Lafore et al. (1998) and provide an overview of recent applications and couplings.

This paper describes ESM-SnowMIP, an international coordinated modelling effort to evaluate current snow schemes, including snow schemes that are included in Earth system models, in a wide variety of settings against local and global observations. The project aims to identify crucial processes and characteristics that need to be improved in snow models in the context of local- and global-scale modelling. A further objective of ESM-SnowMIP is to better quantify snow-related feedbacks in the Earth system. Although it is not part of the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6), ESM-SnowMIP is tightly linked to the CMIP6-endorsed Land Surface, Snow and Soil Moisture Model Intercomparison (LS3MIP).

This paper presents the Meso-NH model version 5.4. Meso-NH is an atmospheric non hydrostatic research model that is applied to a broad range of resolutions, from synoptic to turbulent scales, and is designed for studies of physics and chemistry. It is a limited-area model employing advanced numerical techniques, including monotonic advection schemes for scalar transport and fourth-order centered or odd-order WENO advection schemes for momentum. The model includes state-of-the-art physics parameter-ization schemes that are important to represent convectivescale phenomena and turbulent eddies, as well as flows at larger scales. In addition, Meso-NH has been expanded to provide capabilities for a range of Earth system prediction applications such as chemistry and aerosols, electricity and lightning, hydrology, wildland fires, volcanic eruptions, and cyclones with ocean coupling. Here, we present the main innovations to the dynamics and physics of the code since the pioneer paper of Lafore et al. (1998) and provide an overview of recent applications and couplings.

This paper describes ESM-SnowMIP, an international coordinated modelling effort to evaluate current snow schemes, including snow schemes that are included in Earth system models, in a wide variety of settings against local and global observations. The project aims to identify crucial processes and characteristics that need to be improved in snow models in the context of local- and global-scale modelling. A further objective of ESM-SnowMIP is to better quantify snow-related feedbacks in the Earth system. Although it is not part of the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6), ESM-SnowMIP is tightly linked to the CMIP6-endorsed Land Surface, Snow and Soil Moisture Model Intercomparison (LS3MIP).

This paper presents the Meso-NH model version 5.4. Meso-NH is an atmospheric non hydrostatic research model that is applied to a broad range of resolutions, from synoptic to turbulent scales, and is designed for studies of physics and chemistry. It is a limited-area model employing advanced numerical techniques, including monotonic advection schemes for scalar transport and fourth-order centered or odd-order WENO advection schemes for momentum. The model includes state-of-the-art physics parameter-ization schemes that are important to represent convectivescale phenomena and turbulent eddies, as well as flows at larger scales. In addition, Meso-NH has been expanded to provide capabilities for a range of Earth system prediction applications such as chemistry and aerosols, electricity and lightning, hydrology, wildland fires, volcanic eruptions, and cyclones with ocean coupling. Here, we present the main innovations to the dynamics and physics of the code since the pioneer paper of Lafore et al. (1998) and provide an overview of recent applications and couplings.

The Land Surface, Snow and Soil Moisture Model Intercomparison Project (LS3MIP) is designed to provide a comprehensive assessment of land surface, snow and soil moisture feedbacks on climate variability and climate change, and to diagnose systematic biases in the land modules of current Earth system models (ESMs). The solid and liquid water stored at the land surface has a large influence on the regional climate, its variability and predictability, including effects on the energy, water and carbon cycles. Notably, snow and soil moisture affect surface radiation and flux partitioning properties, moisture storage and land surface memory. They both strongly affect atmospheric conditions, in particular surface air temperature and precipitation, but also large-scale circulation patterns. However, models show divergent responses and representations of these feedbacks as well as systematic biases in the underlying processes. LS3MIP will provide the means to quantify the associated uncertainties and better constrain climate change projections, which is of particular interest for highly vulnerable regions (densely populated areas, agricultural regions, the Arctic, semi-arid and other sensitive terrestrial ecosystems). The experiments are subdivided in two components, the first addressing systematic land biases in offline mode (“LMIP”, building upon the 3rd phase of Global Soil Wetness Project; GSWP3) and the second addressing land feedbacks attributed to soil moisture and snow in an integrated framework (“LFMIP”, building upon the GLACE-CMIP blueprint).

The Land Surface, Snow and Soil Moisture Model Intercomparison Project (LS3MIP) is designed to provide a comprehensive assessment of land surface, snow and soil moisture feedbacks on climate variability and climate change, and to diagnose systematic biases in the land modules of current Earth system models (ESMs). The solid and liquid water stored at the land surface has a large influence on the regional climate, its variability and predictability, including effects on the energy, water and carbon cycles. Notably, snow and soil moisture affect surface radiation and flux partitioning properties, moisture storage and land surface memory. They both strongly affect atmospheric conditions, in particular surface air temperature and precipitation, but also large-scale circulation patterns. However, models show divergent responses and representations of these feedbacks as well as systematic biases in the underlying processes. LS3MIP will provide the means to quantify the associated uncertainties and better constrain climate change projections, which is of particular interest for highly vulnerable regions (densely populated areas, agricultural regions, the Arctic, semi-arid and other sensitive terrestrial ecosystems). The experiments are subdivided in two components, the first addressing systematic land biases in offline mode (“LMIP”, building upon the 3rd phase of Global Soil Wetness Project; GSWP3) and the second addressing land feedbacks attributed to soil moisture and snow in an integrated framework (“LFMIP”, building upon the GLACE-CMIP blueprint).

Une étude de la variabilité climatique des événements méditerranéens de précipitations intenses dans le Sud-Est de la France (HPE : High Precipitation Events) est proposée au travers de l'analyse des performances du modèle de climat à aire limitée ALADIN-Climat. La sensibilité des pluies extrêmes simulées à différents paramètres de configuration du modèle est évaluée dans un cadre d'étude idéalisé ou à travers des expériences pilotées par la ré-analyse ERA-40. Les tests de sensibilité portent sur le couplage dynamique de l'atmosphère avec le modèle de mer Méditerranée NEMO-MED8, l'application d'une technique de pilotage spectral, la taille du domaine d'intégration et la résolution horizontale (passage de 50 à 12.5 km). Seule l'augmentation de la résolution conduit à une modification des précipitations extrêmes. Une étude détaillée de la valeur ajoutée ainsi apportée est alors conduite. Les résultats obtenus avec ALADIN-Climat sont ensuite comparés à ceux issus de deux méthodes de descente d'échelle statistique : la méthode de désagrégation DSCLIM (Boé et al., 2006) et la méthode de détection développée par Nuissier et al. (2011). Il s'avère que les performances d'ALADIN-Climat à 12.5 km sont plus satisfaisantes que celles de la première méthode et au moins équivalentes à celles de la seconde, d'où l'on conclut que ce modèle constitue donc un outil adéquat à l'étude de la variabilité climatique des HPE. Un scénario de changement climatique A1B est alors réalisé avec ALADIN-Climat pour la fin du XXe siècle, et différentes méthodes sont proposées pour l'analyse des résultats. Elles suggèrent un accroissement de la fréquence d'occurrence et une intensification des HPE., The climatic variability of intense rainfall events in the Mediterranean is studied using the limited area climate model ALADIN-Climate, whose ability to simulate these events in South-East France is explored. Several sensitivity studies are conducted to assess the impact of various configuration parameters on the model's skill to downscale such extreme events : coupling with a Mediterranean sea model, use of the spectral nudging technique, size of the domain of integration and horizontal resolution. These studies are either performed within the so-called Big-Brother Experiment framework or through hindcast simulations driven by the ERA-40 reanalysis. The increase of resolution (from 50 to 12.5 km) is found to be the only parameter affecting the modeling of extreme precipitation. The added value of the higher resolution on the way ALADIN-Climate simulates High Precipitation Events (HPE) in South-East France is carefully studied. Comparisons of ALADIN-Climate's skills to those of two State-of-the-art statistical methods of downscaling and detection of these events -- DSCLIM (Boé et al., 2006) and "CYPRIM" (Nuissier et al., 2011) -- show that with a resolution of 12.5 km, the model offers better results than the first method and appears to be at least as good as the second one, therefore it constitutes an appropriate numerical tool to explore the climatic variability of the HPE. A climate change scenario (A1B) is then performed with this tool for the end of the XXe century and we assess the simulated changes affecting HPE in future climate. Several methods are proposed to analyse and display the results, suggesting an increase of both the frequency and intensity of the HPE.

Une étude de la variabilité climatique des événements méditerranéens de précipitations intenses dans le Sud-Est de la France (HPE : High Precipitation Events) est proposée au travers de l'analyse des performances du modèle de climat à aire limitée ALADIN-Climat. La sensibilité des pluies extrêmes simulées à différents paramètres de configuration du modèle est évaluée dans un cadre d'étude idéalisé ou à travers des expériences pilotées par la ré-analyse ERA-40. Les tests de sensibilité portent sur le couplage dynamique de l'atmosphère avec le modèle de mer Méditerranée NEMO-MED8, l'application d'une technique de pilotage spectral, la taille du domaine d'intégration et la résolution horizontale (passage de 50 à 12.5 km). Seule l'augmentation de la résolution conduit à une modification des précipitations extrêmes. Une étude détaillée de la valeur ajoutée ainsi apportée est alors conduite. Les résultats obtenus avec ALADIN-Climat sont ensuite comparés à ceux issus de deux méthodes de descente d'échelle statistique : la méthode de désagrégation DSCLIM (Boé et al., 2006) et la méthode de détection développée par Nuissier et al. (2011). Il s'avère que les performances d'ALADIN-Climat à 12.5 km sont plus satisfaisantes que celles de la première méthode et au moins équivalentes à celles de la seconde, d'où l'on conclut que ce modèle constitue donc un outil adéquat à l'étude de la variabilité climatique des HPE. Un scénario de changement climatique A1B est alors réalisé avec ALADIN-Climat pour la fin du XXe siècle, et différentes méthodes sont proposées pour l'analyse des résultats. Elles suggèrent un accroissement de la fréquence d'occurrence et une intensification des HPE., The climatic variability of intense rainfall events in the Mediterranean is studied using the limited area climate model ALADIN-Climate, whose ability to simulate these events in South-East France is explored. Several sensitivity studies are conducted to assess the impact of various configuration parameters on the model's skill to downscale such extreme events : coupling with a Mediterranean sea model, use of the spectral nudging technique, size of the domain of integration and horizontal resolution. These studies are either performed within the so-called Big-Brother Experiment framework or through hindcast simulations driven by the ERA-40 reanalysis. The increase of resolution (from 50 to 12.5 km) is found to be the only parameter affecting the modeling of extreme precipitation. The added value of the higher resolution on the way ALADIN-Climate simulates High Precipitation Events (HPE) in South-East France is carefully studied. Comparisons of ALADIN-Climate's skills to those of two State-of-the-art statistical methods of downscaling and detection of these events -- DSCLIM (Boé et al., 2006) and "CYPRIM" (Nuissier et al., 2011) -- show that with a resolution of 12.5 km, the model offers better results than the first method and appears to be at least as good as the second one, therefore it constitutes an appropriate numerical tool to explore the climatic variability of the HPE. A climate change scenario (A1B) is then performed with this tool for the end of the XXe century and we assess the simulated changes affecting HPE in future climate. Several methods are proposed to analyse and display the results, suggesting an increase of both the frequency and intensity of the HPE.

The sea level rise in the 1990s at the Mediterranean Sea as evidenced by satellite altimetry is studied with the aid of ocean models. Two barotropic two dimensional (2d) models and one three dimensional (3d) model are used. Both 2d models indicate that the contribution of direct atmospheric forcing causes localised trends of up to 2 mm/yr. The 3d model successfully describes the evolution in temperature of the upper and intermediate waters. However the salinity changes are not well described. The steric contribution of sea level rise during this period is in places in excess of 10 mm/yr. Notably oceanic circulation is also found to contribute to sea level trends by up to − 3 mm/yr. Thus the observed sea level changes in the 1990s are better understood. The exceptional nature of the sea level behaviour in 1990s, especially in the eastern basin, when compared with previous decades is confirmed on the basis of both the 2d and the 3d models.

The sea level rise in the 1990s at the Mediterranean Sea as evidenced by satellite altimetry is studied with the aid of ocean models. Two barotropic two dimensional (2d) models and one three dimensional (3d) model are used. Both 2d models indicate that the contribution of direct atmospheric forcing causes localised trends of up to 2 mm/yr. The 3d model successfully describes the evolution in temperature of the upper and intermediate waters. However the salinity changes are not well described. The steric contribution of sea level rise during this period is in places in excess of 10 mm/yr. Notably oceanic circulation is also found to contribute to sea level trends by up to − 3 mm/yr. Thus the observed sea level changes in the 1990s are better understood. The exceptional nature of the sea level behaviour in 1990s, especially in the eastern basin, when compared with previous decades is confirmed on the basis of both the 2d and the 3d models.