Climate Data Request Task Team

Co-leads: Martin Juckes, STFC, Chloe Mackallah, CSIRO, and James Anstey (ECCC)

This task team will focus on how the CMIP data request should define the quantities from CMIP7 simulations that should be archived, both quantities of general interest needed from the majority of CMIP7 model intercomparsion projects (MIPs) and more specialised quantities only of interest to individual/small numbers of MIPs.

Challenge

The complexity of the data request has increased from the early days of model intercomparisons, as has the data volume. The CMIP6 request defined distinct sets of highly tailored variables to be saved from each of the more than 200 experiments. Following review of the CMIP6 experience, some rationalisation has been agreed and there will be more consistency of the request between related experiments, while allowing enough flexibility to avoid archiving redundant data. Further details in Juckes et al. (2020).

It has also been suggested that the model used for defining the priority of variables should be simplified, with greater use of common template variable lists for experiments and a more cautious approach to applying top priority to data requirements.

Aim & Objectives

The aim of this TT is to ensure that a consolidated final request is ready when modelling centres need to start CMIP7 simulations.

The objectives are to:

• Oversee the creation of the CMIP7 Data Request which should provide participating modelling centres with full details of CMIP7 output requirements from participating science teams.
• Ensure that the CMIP7 output requirements accurately reflect both the ambition of the science teams, the constraints of the data managing services, and the resources of the modelling centres.

A number of strategic requirements have been identified for the next version of the data request (see IS-ENES3 Milestone M10.2 report). These include:

• maintaining a similar structure, to minimise effort needed to interpret the Request
• clearer links with externals sources of information such as the controlled vocabularies, allowing for alternate representations such as normalised databases, and;
• the ability to clearly understand changes to the content of the Data Request as it is updated.

Members

Climate Data Request Task Team members

James Anstey	2024- (member since 2022)	Co-lead	Environment Canada	Canada
Martin Juckes	2022-	Co-lead	STFC	UK
Chloe Mackallah	2022-	Co-lead	CSIRO	Australia
Tommi Bergman	2022-	Member	FMI	Finland
Pierre-Antoine Bretonnière	2022-	Member	BSC-CNS	Spain
Michio Kawamiya	2022-	Member	JAMSTEC	Japan
Hyungjun Kim	2022-	Member	KAIST CEE	Republic of Korea
Charles Koven	2022-	Member	Berkeley Lab	USA
Hsin-Chien Liang	2022-	Member	Sinica	Taiwan
Tomas Lovato	2022-	Member	CMCC	Italy
Marie-Pierre Moine	2022-	Member	CERFACS	France
Sandeep Narayanasetti	2022-	Member	IITM	India
Alison Pamment	2022-	Member	STFC	UK
Charlotte Pascoe	2022-	Member	STFC	UK
Gaëlle Rigoudy	2022-	Member	Météo France	France
Martin Schupfner	2022-	Member	DKRZ	Germany
Klaus Zimmermann	2022-	Member	SMHI	Sweden
Léa Braschi	2022-2024	Member	CBCL	Canada
Antonio S. Cofiño	2022-2024	Member	IFCA-CSIC	Spain

Activities

CF Conventions drop-in sessions – CMIP AR7 Fast Track Data Request (August 2024)

The CMIP Data Request Task Team are working with community representative leads across five thematic author teams to produce a set of theme papers which will develop the AR7 Fast Track CMIP Data Request (DR). Within this process, there is the opportunity for new physical parameters and new variables to be proposed. This might require a new CF Standard Name to be agreed. We encourage those expecting to propose any required new standard names to do so as soon as possible to give time for any required discussions to take place before the first version of the Data Request is released in October.

In this community drop-in session, Data Request Task Team member and CF Conventions expert, Alison Pamment, presented an overview of what CF standard names are, how they are used with other CF metadata attributes and the process for proposing a new CF Standard Name.

Access the event webpage to watch the recording →

Harmonised thematic variables and public consultations

The task team are working with community representatives to devise a controlled list of high priority variables that facilitate the majority of user needs. Papers across the identified themes will define a collection of harmonised variables to support the high impact analysis of climate model output, and provide a consistent and robust set of parameters on which to build the CMIP7 archive. Each will be a collaboration between the CMIP Data Request Task Team and the MIPs and communities relevant to each theme.

This process involves three phases of public consultation. The first phase of consultation opened on 31 July 2024, and will remain open until 8 September 2024.

Read about the CMIP7 Data Request process and progress on the dedicated webpage.

MIP drop-in sessions – CMIP AR7 Fast Track Data Request (June 2024)

These CMIP AR6 Fast Track Data Request MIP drop-in sessions were held across two time slots: Wednesday 5 June 15.00-16:00 UTC and Thursday 6 June at 08:00-09:00 UTC to support equitable global participation. 

Data Request Task Team members presented the process for MIP engagement in development of the harmonised variable list for the AR7 Fast Track experiments. This was followed in each session by an interactive question and answer session. The sessions set out the current engagement process through the author teams and outlined the forthcoming consultation and survey for MIPs and modelling centres/groups.

Variables drop-in session and report (June 2023)

A series of regular drop-in sessions was launched in early 2023, facilitated by the CMIP International Project Office (CMIP IPO), to cover key aspects of CMIP7 design and development and promote community feedback to the CMIP governance and Task Teams. 

The first CMIP Variables drop-in sessions were held on 1 June 2023 and 8 June 2023 across two timeslots (16:00 UTC and 05:00 UTC respectively) to support equitable global participation. Each session was chaired by either CMIP Panel co-chair John Dunne (1st June) or CMIP Panel member Julie Arblaster (8th June) and led by one of the Data Request Task Team co-leads, Martin Juckes (CEDA/STFC, UK) or Chloe Mackallah (CSIRO, AU). During the sessions, attendees were asked to provide feedback on their evolving variable needs (in terms of complexity, volume, and timing) with respect to increasingly complex models. There were also discussions on meeting the demands of downstream users, and the capacity of models and workflows to support those needs. These sessions aimed to facilitate community discussion on variable requirements as planning for CMIP7 gets underway. 

Find the Variables drop-in session report by following this link (opens in a new tab).

Membership call

Open call for members closed in October 2022 – call text available here.