APE Diagnostics

Standard Diagnostics

The original request for diagnostic data for each model/experiment comprised a number of standard streams:

• GT - global time series (global average, single level)
  
• SH - single level time averages (lat-long fields)
  
• ML - multi-level time averages (3D isobaric fields)
  
• MF - zonally averaged fluxes, time averages (isobaric, multi-level covariances)
  
• PF - parameterization forcing, time averages (3D model-level fields)
  
• TR - transient time series (lat-long, single level)
  

Requested Diagnostics (PDF document) - detailed specification of the standard diagnostics.

Note that this document also includes specification of derived diagnostics which will be computed using the requested diagnostics.
All standard diagnostic data received from the APE modelling groups are stored in a Data Archive at the University of Reading.

Data Format - detailed specification of the data and meta-data format, using netCDF and CF conventions.

Additional Transient Diagnostics

The original single-level transient data highlighted the large variety of simulated tropical transient activity in the APE models. However the data were insufficient to diagnose the vertical structure of dominant propagating features, necessary to catalogue and understand differences between the models and to compare with observed tropical structures, including the Madden-Julian Oscillation. For this reason, additional 6-hourly time series of selected 3D tropical fileds were requested for the CONTROL experiment.

Additional Transient Data Request - detailed specification of the additional diagnostics and data format.

The additional transient data have been received from a subset of APE modelling groups. The (large) files can be downloaded from the data archive or can be obtained from the AGU consortium in Japan. Please contact the AGU group if you wish to access their data.

Data Access

The diagnostic data archive and a draft version of the APE Atlas were made public in Summer 2011 when intercomparison papers for the APE Special Issue of J.Met.Soc.Japan were submitted. The Special Issue was published in July 2013.