This catalogue entry provides monthly climate projections on pressure levels from a large number of experiments, models, members and time periods computed in the framework of the fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). The term "pressure levels" is used to express that the variables were computed at multiple vertical levels, which may differ in number and location among the different models.
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- Historical experiments which cover the period where modern climate observations exist. These experiments show how the GCMs performs for the past climate and can be used as a reference period for comparison with scenario runs for the future. The period covered is typically 1850-2005.;
- Ensemble of experiments from the Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP), which prescribes the oceanic variables for all models and during all period of the experiment. This configuration removes the added complexity of ocean-atmosphere feedbacks in the climate system. The period covered is typically 1950-2005, some extended RCP experimental data is available from 2100-2300.
- Ensemble of climate projection experiments following the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 2.6, 4.5, 6.0 and 8.5. The RCP scenarios provide different pathways of the future climate forcing. The period covered is typically 2006-2100.
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| DATA DESCRIPTION | |
|---|---|
| Horizontal coverage | Global |
| Horizontal resolution | From 0.125°x0.125° to 5°x5° depending on the model |
| Vertical resolution | Variables are provided on pressure levels. |
| Temporal coverage | 18001850-2100 (shorter for some experiments)2300 (dependent on the experiment). |
| Temporal resolution | Month |
| File format | NetCDF |
| Data type | Grid |
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| MAIN VARIABLES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Units | Description |
| Air temperature | K | Temperature of the air. |
| Geopotential height | m | Gravitational potential energy per unit mass normalised by the standard gravity at mean sea level at the same latitude. It is also used as vertical coordinate referenced to Earth's mean sea level since its value is proportional to the elevation above the mean sea level. |
| Relative humidity | % | Amount of moisture in the air divided by the maximum amount of moisture that could exist in the air at a specific temperature and location. |
| Specific humidity | fraction | Amount of moisture in the air divided by the amount of air plus moisture at that location. |
| U-component of wind | m s-1 | Magnitude of the eastward component of the two-dimensional horizontal air velocity. |
| V-component of wind | m s-1 | Magnitude of the northward component of the two-dimensional horizontal air velocity. |
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