CFMIP-2 News

CFMIP Committee

CFMIP-2 Strategy and Plans

CMIP5 information

Meetings

CFMIP observational simulator package (COSP)

ISCCP simulator

CFMIP observational datasets (at IPSL)

CFMIP/GCSS Intercomparison of LES and SCMs (CGILS)

http://cfmip.metoffice.com/COSP.html#v132
http://cfmip.metoffice.com/COSP.html#cpmc

The CFMIP Observation Simulator Package (COSP)

Images taken from COSP Poster EGU 2009

To facilitate the exploitation of A Train data in numerical models, we are developing a system that allows to simulate the signal that CloudSat/CALIPSO would see in a model-generated world. It is a flexible tool to simulate active instruments in models (climate, forecast, cloud-resolving). The ISCCP simulator is also included in the package.
There are several groups involved in the project:

Met Office Hadley Centre
LMD/IPSL (Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique/Institut Pierre Simon Laplace)
LLNL (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory)
CSU (Colorado State University)
UW (University of Washington)

The approach is to create a modular code in FORTRAN90 that can be plugged in different types of models, from GCMs to cloud CRMs. The figure below shows this modular approach in a very schematic way. There are 5 modules that do science:

SCOPS: sub-grid cloud distribution.
SG PRECIP: sub-grid precipitation.
CLOUDSAT: radar simulator
CALIPSO: lidar simulator
STATISTICS: summary statistics diagnostics

Color code:

Light blue: modules that do work at sub-grid scale. Instrument simulators and summary statistics.
Green: modules that break the gridbox mean information down to subcolumns.
Dark blue: wrappers that provide different entry points, depending on the type of model to use. For instance, CRMs do not need to use green modules, so they will pass inputs at sub-grid level.

If you want to know a bit more, please read the The Cloud Feedback Model Inter-comparison Project-Plans for CFMIP-2 or contact alejandro.bodas(at)metoffice.gov.uk.
Registration and COSP users group
You do not need to register to download COSP, but we encourage you to register so that we can keep track of the number of users and provide you with information on updates. If you download COSP, we would kindly request you to send an e-mail to alejandro.bodas(at)metoffice.gov.uk with the following information:

Name of your organisation and group.
Name of the contact person for COSP in this group.
Type of research activity (if any) of this group (climate, NWP, CRM, Earth Observation, etc).
Name of the model with which COSP will be interfaced.

We would also encourage you to subscribe to the COSP users Google group. You can do this in two different ways:

Send an e-mail to alejandro.bodas(at)metoffice.gov.uk requesting an invitation, or
visit the cosp-user Google group web, click on the link "Apply for group membership", and follow the instructions. In this case, you will need to create a Google account first.

COSP v1.3.2 in Google Code (04/04/2011)
This version includes two bug fixes and a few very minor changes.
The biggest change is the way the code is distributed. The code now lives in a SVN repository in Google code:
COSP Google code
To download the code, you'll need to run the following command:
svn co http:

The input and test NetCDF files now have to be downloaded separately from the downloads section.
Copy cosp-test-files-v1.3.2.tgz to your COSP directory and run:
tar -xzvf cosp-test-files-v1.3.2.tgz

You will now have the full distribution under your COSP directory.
New governance model for COSP (29/03/2011)
COSP has adopted a formal governance model. Within this model, COSP is now managed by a Project Management Committee (PMC), that consists of the following members: Y. Zhang, M. J. Webb, R. Pincus, R. Marchand, S. A. Klein (co-chair), V. O. John, J. M. Haynes, J.-L. Dufresne, H. Chepfer, S. Bony, and A. Bodas-Salcedo (co-chair).
The governance model also describes the possible roles that the participants can take on. We believe this will make COSP development more efficient and will help channeling user requirements into COSP development.
Alejandro Bodas-Salcedo on behalf of the COSP PMC (29/03/2011)

Public release of COSP v1.3.1 (21/12/2010)

COSP v1.3.1 download
Update to the production version for the CMIP5 experiments (inline and offline). This version contains some minor changes and updates to the CMOR outputs that will help with the production of 3-hourly offline data. An updated version of the user's manual is also included.

Year 2009 orbit data for Transpose AMIP experiments (02/11/2010)
The file cloudsat_orbit_14251_19208.rev0632.nc.gz contains the CloudSat orbit data for the granules 14251-19208 (from last granule of 2008 to last granule available for 2009, on 07/12/2009). The format is exactly the same as the 2008 orbit file.

Public release of COSP v1.3 (21/06/2010)

COSP v1.3 download
Production version for the CMIP5 experiments (inline and offline). It contains several bug fixes and changes to make it work with the MIP tables released by PCMDI. An updated version of the user's manual is also included.

Update of orbit data for CFMIP-2 experiments (07/05/2010)

Orbit data download
The file cloudsat_orbit_08921_14250.rev0572.nc.gz contains the CloudSat orbit data for the granules 8921-14250 (last granule of 2007 and the entire year 2008). It supersedes the previous file and it is the one recommended to produce the offline data for CFMIP2.
The modifications with respect to the previous version are:

CloudSat data gaps filled with theoretical orbit propagated from Two-Line Elements. Gaps were: Jan 18-22, May 23-28.
New time variable added, doy365. This is to be used by models with 365-day calendar that don't recognize leap years.

The file contains the CloudSat orbit (time,lat,lon), subsampled every 20 CloudSat profiles. This gives one sample every 40 km approximately. You will have to further subsample this file to approximately match your model resolution. The file contains the data for models with Gregorian and 360-day calendars. The 360-calendar (given by the variable doy360) has been built by skipping days 61, 122, 183, 244, 305, and 366 of the Gregorian calendar. The variable doy360 has been set to missing value for those days. The points with a defined value in the variable doy360 are the days that need to be used for models with a 360-day calendar. The variable doy365 has been created by skipping the 29th of February.

Release of COSP User's Manual (30/03/2010)

COSP v1.2.2 User's manual
This is the first version of the User's Manual. It is still under development, but it hopefully will be useful in its current form.

Public release of COSP v1.2.2 (26/02/2010)

COSP v1.2.2 download
This is the production version for the the long/inline CMIP5 experiments (ISCCP and CALIPSO diagnostics). It contains several minor bug fixes and two major fixes that set the CloudSat and CALIPSO CFADs to R_UNDEF for levels below the surface.

Public release of COSP v1.2.1 (21/01/2010)

COSP v1.2.1 download
Minor update, with a bug fix in the CALIPSO cloud fractions and three new MODIS diagnostics.

Release of orbit data for CFMIP-2 experiments (11/12/2009)

Orbit data download
The file cloudsat_orbit_08921_14250.nc.gz contains the CloudSat orbit data for the granules 8921-14250 (last granule of 2007 and the entire year 2008). The structure of the file is as follows:

netcdf cloudsat_orbit_08921_14250 {
dimensions:
location = UNLIMITED ;
variables:
short year(location) ;
year:_FillValue = -32768s ;
year:units = "yr" ;
year:long_name = "year" ;
short doy(location) ;
doy:_FillValue = -32768s ;
doy:units = "day" ;
doy:long_name = "day_of_year" ;
short doy360(location) ;
doy360:_FillValue = -32768s ;
doy360:units = "day" ;
doy360:long_name = "day_of_year_360_day_calendar" ;
byte month(location) ;
month:_FillValue = 0b ;
month:valid_min = 1b ;
month:valid_max = 12b ;
month:units = "day" ;
month:long_name = "month" ;
byte day(location) ;
day:_FillValue = 0b ;
day:valid_min = 1b ;
day:valid_max = 31b ;
day:units = "day" ;
day:long_name = "day" ;
byte hour(location) ;
hour:_FillValue = 0b ;
hour:valid_min = 0b ;
hour:valid_max = 24b ;
hour:units = "h" ;
hour:long_name = "hour" ;
byte minute(location) ;
minute:_FillValue = 0b ;
minute:valid_min = 0b ;
minute:valid_max = 60b ;
minute:units = "min" ;
minute:long_name = "minute" ;
float second(location) ;
second:_FillValue = -1.e+30f ;
second:valid_min = 0.f ;
second:valid_max = 60.f ;
second:units = "s" ;
second:long_name = "second" ;
float lon(location) ;
lon:_FillValue = -1.e+30f ;
lon:valid_min = -180.f ;
lon:valid_max = 180.f ;
lon:units = "degrees_east" ;
lon:long_name = "longitude" ;
float lat(location) ;
lat:_FillValue = -1.e+30f ;
lat:valid_min = -90.f ;
lat:valid_max = 90.f ;
lat:units = "degrees_north" ;
lat:long_name = "latitude" ;
}

The file contains the CloudSat orbit (time,lat,lon), subsampled every 20 CloudSat profiles. This gives one sample every 40 km approximately. You will have to further subsample this file to approximately match your model resolution. The file contains the data for models with Gregorian and 360-day calendars. The 360-calendar (given by the variable doy360) has been built by skipping days 61, 122, 183, 244, 305, and 366 of the Gregorian calendar. The variable doy360 has been set to missing value for those days. The points with a defined value in the variable doy360 are the days that need to be used for models with a 360-day calendar.
If for any reason you need a file to be generated with a different subsampling, please let me know and I will create a new one for you.
Public release of COSP v1.2 (11/12/2009)

COSP v1.2 download
This is a major step towards CMIP5. It contains the versions of the ISCCP and CALIPSO/PARASOL simulators to be used in CMIP5 experiments. This version can be used to run in-line experiments. The main changes with respect to v1.1. is the use of CMOR2 for writting the outputs and the change of some variable names and units to comply with the CMIP5 requirements. Please see Section 5.6 of the README.txt file for more details.
As the MIP tables are not frozen, we plan to make another release as soon as the final tables are released and tested. This new version may include some changes to the CloudSat simulator to facilitate the implementation of the microphysical settings for each model.
The directory ./cfmip2 contains the namelists with the configuration for the CFMIP-2 experiments.

Long time series (*long_inline.txt). This is the configuration for the 30 yr monthly and daily means from ISCCP and CALIPSO/PARASOL. These are global gridded data computed from model gridded inputs, with the simulators run inline.
Short time series (*short_offline.txt). This is the configuration for the 1 yr time series, both for the curtain outputs and global gridded monthly means from curtain outputs. Outputs from CloudSat and CALIPSO/PARASOL are requested.

Public release of COSP v1.1 (22/05/2009)

COSP v1.1 download
This is a minor update of v1.0. It contains two bug fixes and namelists for the configuration of COSP in CFMIP-2 experiments. Please see Section 5.5 of the README.txt file for more details.
If you already have COSP v1.0 running inline in your model, you may find easier to patch your current version with the bug fixes introduced in v1.1. In order to do that, just diff the following files and apply the differences to v1.0:

cosp_io.f90
actsim/lidar_simulator.f90
llnl/pf_to_mr.f

The directory ./cfmip2 contains the namelists with the configuration for the CFMIP-2 experiments.

Long time series (*long_inline.txt). This is the configuration for the 30 yr monthly and daily means from ISCCP and CALIPSO/PARASOL. These are global gridded data computed from model gridded inputs, with the simulators run inline.
Short time series (*short_offline.txt). This is the configuration for the 1 yr time series, both for the curtain outputs and global gridded monthly means from curtain outputs. Outputs from CloudSat and CALIPSO/PARASOL are requested.

You can also download these files here
Public release of COSP v1.0 (06/04/2009)
COSP v1.0 is out there!. We would like to thank everyone that has contributed to the project.
There are many changes with respect to v0.3. However, those familiar with v0.3 should not find any problem upgrading to v1.0 as the interfaces are nearly identical.
The main changes are:

New license agreement. The entire code is now under BSD license.
COSP now can be linked with a version of CMOR built with or without support for CDMS and UDUNITS.
ISCCP simulator v4.0.
New module that includes a MISR simulator.
Possibility of using precipitation mixing ratios.
Graupel added to the list of precipitating hydrometeors.
New script, cosp_test.sh, that compares your outputs with the expected outputs.
COSP can be called in 'cloud resolving mode' (Ncolumns=1) using the same interface.
COSP_INPUT and COSP_OUTPUT namelists are now in separate files.
Several bug fixes.

Please see the README.txt file for a complete list of changes.
We have set up a new COSP user mailing list. This list will be the normal channel to advertise new releases, submit queries about technical issues, etc. If you want to subscribe to this list, please send an e- mail to [email-masked] with the following text in the message body:
subscribe cosp-user your_mail_address
If you modify or enhance COSP with new capabilities, please let us know so that the whole community can benefit from the changes.
COSP v1.0 download

Additional notes on COSP v0.3 (06/11/2008)

1. Change in Makefile for some compilers (e.g. g95)
The Makefile contains a small error that prevents installation in some compilers. Here is the diagnostic:
g95 -O -c icarus-scops-3.7/scops.f
Error: Can't open included file 'congvec.f'
You'll need to add -I$(ISCCP_PATH) for scops.o. Lines 96 to 98 in your Makefile should look like these:
scops.o : $(ISCCP_PATH)/scops.f
$(F90) $(F90FLAGS) -c -I$(ISCCP_PATH) $<
Thanks to J.-L. Dufresne for this correction.
2. Avoiding UDUNITS and CDMS (part of CDAT)
Currently, building COSP v0.3 may be complicated if you don't have UDUNITS and CDAT already installed in your system. CMOR can be built without CDMS and UDUNITS by setting CPPFLAGS_USER = "" in the CMOR Makefile. This will make the build process of COSP much easier as you won't need UDUNITS and CDAT. You will also need to change a couple of things in COSP v0.3:

a) delete the use of CDMS_LIB and UDUNITS_LIB in the COSP Makefile
b) set Lboxptopisccp=.false. in cosp_input_nl.txt. This is the only variable whose units are changed by CMOR. If you ask for this variable with a version of CMOR without UDUNITS and CDAT, then COSP will fail. This will be changed in future versions so that UDUNITS and CDMS are no longer required.

Thanks to K. Taylor for this.
Public release of COSP v0.3 (20/10/2008)
We are pleased to announce the release of v0.3 of COSP. This is a collaborative effort, and we would like to thank everyone involved in the project.
There are many changes with respect to v0.1 (v0.2 was not distributed publicly).
These include:

- CMOR-compliant outputs
- Inclusion of ISCCP simulator (v3.7)
- Outputs on model levels or fixed-height levels
- Treatment of non-spherical particles in lidar computations
- Implemented capability of passing effective radius to the radar simulator.
- Possibility of providing inputs in 1D or 2D mode ('curtain' or lon/lat)
- New outputs, including PARASOL-like reflectances
- Flexibility in the selection of instruments and/or outputs

This version should still be considered as a beta version, but we are already working towards the release of the first operational version.
Our plans for that version are:
- Optimisation of the radar code so that it can be run efficiently in vector computers.
- Inclusion of a MISR simulator.
- Operational version of ISCCP simulator.
- Additional documentation.
- The plan is to release this version by end of the year.

Instructions on how to access all the modules can be found in 1_DownloadREADME.txt Please visit the link below to download the software.
COSP v0.3 download

Public release of CICCS v0.1 (01/02/2008)
We are pleased to announce the release of v0.1 of CICCS. Please visit this link if you want to download the software:
CICCS v0.1 download
Version 0.1 is an stand-alone version of the code, with I/O section to NetCDF files, so that it can be run off-line.
We plan to release a second beta version (v0.2) prior to the release of the first official version. Version v0.2 will include the following improvements:

Possibility of producing outputs in height levels. Currently the outputs are in model levels.
A parameterisation for treatment of non-spherical ice particles in the lidar code.
Code optimisation. There are a few loops that will need to be vectorised before the code is used intensively in vector computers.
Additional documentation.

The ISCCP simulator is not currently included.