MED-CORDEX - Mediterranean domain of the WCRP CORDEX program (A COordinated Regional climate Downscaling EXperiment)

RÉSUMÉ

Source :   site du projet

The areas surrounding the Mediterranean basin have quite a unique character that results both from their complex morphology and socio-economic conditions . The region features an enclosed sea, which is connected to the Atlantic ocean only by Gibraltar strait, surrounded by very urbanized littorals and a complex topography from which numerous rivers feed the Mediterranean sea.

Following CORDEX guidelines, MED-CORDEX will promote present climate (ERAInterim period 1989-2008) and scenario simulations (RCP8.5 and RCP4.5, 1950-2100) with a minimum resolution of 50 km. However, some specific actions of MED-CORDEX would be:

1. production of an ensemble of simulations with coupled Regional Climate System Models (RCSM), i.e with fully interactive Atmosphere-Land surface-River-Ocean components, covering the whole Mediterranean basin at high resolution;
2. development of stand-alone simulations for all the components;
3. extending the ERA-Interim CORDEX runs to present in order to use the most recent validation data available and the HyMeX field campaign results;
4. development of common strategies for ocean model initialization for decadal-to-scenario simulations;

One of the key feature of MED-CORDEX is to create a close collaboration with observational and satellite communities (Hymex, Med-CLIVAR) in order to improve model components, and to increase the link with the impact communities. The new modeling products and climatic data-base will be of paramount importance for new Mediterranean initiatives concerning Climate Services.