Evolution and Vertical Structure of Diabatic and Moistening Processes in Contemporary Global Model Climatological Simulations

Through a collaborative effort between the Year of Tropical Convection (YOTC) / MJO Task Force (www.ucar.edu/yotc/mjo.html) and the GEWEX Cloud System Study (GCSS) (www.gewex.org/gass_panel.html), a model and observation intercomparison project is underway focused on diabatic heating and vertical structure associated with the MJO. Based on this project, the diabatic heating and associated physical processes (i.e. all physical tendency terms for u, v, q, t) over the life cycle of the MJO will be examined in three experimental components: i) climatological simulations; ii) 2-day, detailed-“physics” hindcasts, and iii) less-detailed but longer-lead 20-day hindcasts extending from ii); and with the hindcasts focusing on MJO events during the period of YOTC (with plans for a forthcoming DYNAMO case). Detailed descriptions of these experiment designs can be found on the project website (www.ucar.edu/yotc/mjodiab.html). This presentation will present results on the climatological component of the experiment. Where possible connections will be made between the models' process representations, their fidelity at representing the MJO in the climatological simulations and results from the two-day and twenty-day hindcast components that will be discussed in companion presentations.