Understanding climate
for the benefit of society

An Earth System Model is like a laboratory where you can explore the Earth and compare your result with the observed situation. Photo credit NASA, via expearth.w.uib.no

Climate Modelling - a core activity

The modelling activity has been a core activity at the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research since its start 20 years ago.

We play a crucial role in the development of the Norwegian Earth System Model (NorESM), today we are breaking new grounds with the Norwegian Climate Prediction Model (NorCPM) - via the Bjerknes Climate Prediction Unit (BCPU). 

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The global climate modeling in Norway is based on the Norwegian Earth System Model, NorESM. 

NorCPM - the Norwegian Climate Prediction Model 

 Bjerknes Climate Prediction Unit (BCPU)  aims to bridge the gap between weather forecasting and long-term climate change projections, to develop skilful climate predictions.

The prediction centre will capitalise on promising initial results from a team of world-class scientists at the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research – model developers, observationalists, theoreticians, and forecasters – to develop the World’s most skilful prediction system for northern climate.

NorCPM is developed for seasonal-to-decadal climate predictions and long-term reanalyses. It combines the Norwegian Earth system model  and the EnKF.

NorCPM is unique in applying an advanced flow-dependent data assimilation in an isopycnal ocean model (i.e., MICOM) that preserves key climate quantities (e.g., ocean heat and salt content).

Find the NorCPM-wiki here

 

NorESM - the Norwegian Earth System Model 

The modelling activity at the Bjerknes Centre is led by Mats Berntsen
Today, the Norwegian modelling activity is defined as infrastructure - and being developed in the national project INES

The INES project aims to develop The Norwegian Earth System Model (NorESM) to better include and cover the challange of climate change in the model predictions.

INES builds upon the legacy of previous Norwegian climate modelling projects, and with the infrastucture funding Norwegian climate modelling now have a longer perspective. 

NorESM is developed in the nationally coordinated research projects NorClim (2006-2010), EarthClim (2011-2014) and EVA (2014-2016), all funded by the Research Council of Norway. Considerable institutional financing has also contributed to the development, testing and validation of NorESM. Besides the modelling activities in Bergen, both the Norwegian Meteorological Institute and the University of Oslo are key partners in the development and use of NorESM.

 

Check out the model exhibition Explore the Earth System