COMBLE model intercomparison: MIMICA
Abstract
We are participating in the Cold-Air Outbreaks in the Marine Boundary Layer Experiment (COMBLE) Model-Observation Intercomparison Project (MIP) for large-eddy simulation (LES) and single-column models (SCMs) with the LES model MIMICA. This model intercomparison is based on a cold-air outbreak event observed over the Norwegian Sea on 13 March 2020 during the US Department of Energy’s COMBLE field campaign (Geerts et al., 2023). Despite the frequent occurrence of Arctic CAOs, numerical weather prediction models often have difficulty representing the convective boundary layer structure and turbulence, as well as mixed-phase cloud properties. Moreover, earth system models face similar challenges concerning predicting mixed-phase cloud feedbacks and equilibrium climate sensitivity. This model intercomparison will help us to understand what models struggle with and see how the LES MIMICA performs compared to other models (there is a long list of models participating from different contributors worldwide).
These model intercomparisons are not only major milestones for the model development, but also very interesting from a scientific point of view in this case with a focus on the Arctic and Arctic climate change (connecting nicely to existing projects with MIMICA).
