Design and implementation of the infrastructure of HadGEM3: The next-generation Met Office climate modelling system

Abstract

This paper describes the development of a technically robust climatemodelling system, HadGEM3, which couples the Met Office Unified Modelatmosphere component, the NEMO ocean model and the Los Alamos sea ice model(CICE) using the OASIS coupler. Details of the coupling and technicalsolutions of the physical model (HadGEM3-AO) are documented, in addition toa description of the configurations of the individual submodels. The paperdemonstrates that the implementation of the model has resulted in accurateconservation of heat and freshwater across the model components. The modelperformance in early versions of this climate model is briefly described todemonstrate that the results are scientifically credible. HadGEM3-AO is thebasis for a number of modelling efforts outside of the Met Office, bothwithin the UK and internationally. This documentation of the HadGEM3-AOsystem provides a detailed reference for developers of HadGEM3-based climateconfigurations. © 2011 Author(s).