Application of Supercomputer in Simulating the Asian Climate Using High-resolution Numerical Model

Abstract

Under the framework of an IBM power-4 supercomputer, the Asian climate was simulated using a high-resolution atmospheric general circulation model, the NCAR CCM3 at spectral truncation of T170 corresponding to a grid cell size of roughly 75 km. To assess whether there are significant benefits from the high-resolution model compared to a lower-resolution model result, a T42 model was applied for the climate simulation with identical boundary conditions. Both model versions capture the modern climate features found in the observation reasonably well, but the high-resolution model results appear to be more realistic. The high-resolution model is especially useful in reproducing regional-scale climate features such as Asian Monsoon, which has a huge socio-economic impact. In predicting future climate change, thus, an applicaion of a high-resolution numerical model is desirable.