1. CGCM2
  2. CGCM3.1
  3. HADCM3
  4. ECHAM4

Canadian Global Climate Model 3.1

Please note that monthly, seasonal and annual mean values of key atmospheric variables over Canada and North America from these GCMs can also be retrieved from the CCCSN web site.

Acknowledgments and references

Please use all documents and references about the respective GCMs (CGCM2/3, HadCM3, and ECHAM4) data downloaded from the DAI Portal, using the information provided in the following tabs.

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The third version of the coupled Canadian global climate model (CGCM3) makes use of the same ocean component as the CGCM2, but exploits the updated atmospheric component of the AGCM3. The sea-ice component is a two-category model (mean thickness and concentration), with a prognostic equation for ice concentration following Hibler (1979). The spectral representation of T47 in AGCM3 comprises 47 wave triangularly truncated spherical harmonic expansion (which provides roughly 3.75° x 3.75° surface grid resolution), and includes 32 vertical levels, extended to 1hPa (e.g., ~ 50km above surface). Some new key features are included such as:

  • The introduction a new module (CLASS) for treatment of the land surface processes (Verseghy et al, 1992)
  • The cumulus parameterization of Zhang and McFarlane (1995)
  • The hybrid moisture variable proposed by Boer (1995)1

Datasets and more details may be found on the Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis (CCCma) website.

  1. Boer, G.J., 1995: A hybrid moisture variable suitable for spectral GCMs. Research Activities in Atmospheric and Oceanic Modelling. Report No. 21, WMO/TD-No. 665, World Meteorological Organization, Geneva.