DynVarMIP

The Dynamics and Variability Model Intercomparison Project (DynVarMIP) is an endorsed participant in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) of the World Climate Research Program (WCRP).

DynVarMIP emerged from the Atmospheric Process and their Role in Climate Project (APARC) DynVar activity on the modelling of the dynamics and variability of the stratosphere-troposphere system. SPARC is a core project of WCRP.

Rather than proposing new experiments, the DynVarMIP provides additional model output from existing CMIP6 experiments. This additional output is critical for understanding the role of atmospheric dynamics in past, present and future climate.

The DynVarMIP is focussed on these scientific questions

• How do dynamical processes contribute to persistent model biases in the mean state and variability of the atmosphere, including biases in the position, strength, and statistics of the storm tracks, blocking events and the stratospheric polar vortex?

• What is the role of atmospheric momentum and heat transport in shaping the climate response to anthropogenic forcings (e.g., global warming, ozone depletion), and how do dynamical processes contribute to uncertainty in future climate projections and prediction?

• How does the stratosphere affect climate variability on intra-seasonal, inter-annual and decadal timescales?

DynVarMIP Impacts

• The DynVarMIP data set allowed the systematic evaluation of stratosphere-troposphere coupling in the CMIP6 data set, including Sudden Stratospheric Warmings and trends in stratosphere-troposphere circulation changes.

• DynVarMIP allowed a more comprehensive assessment of stratospheric processes in the CMIP6, including the Brewer Dobson Circulation and stratospheric water vapor.

• The DynVarMIP data protocol played a role in the development of other modeling efforts, including the Quasi Biennial Oscillation Initiative (QBOi), specified dynamics experiments in the Chemistry Climate Model Initiative, the Stratospheric Nudging and Predictable Sufrace Impacts (SNAPSI) experiments, and the Large Ensemble Single Forcing Model Intercomparison Project (LESFMIP).