Running the Model

 

To run the model, go to the workspace directory work. This directory contains scripts to execute the model.

The package comes with a number of different C-shell scripts that control different ways of model execution. In each script you can define macros for specific physics (see section  2.3.3). These scripts are:

spinup.sh

Makes the ``spin-up'' run of QTCM1. This creates a qtcm.restart file that can be used to shorten the ``spin-up'' of the model. This script uses monthly climatological SSTs as forcing.

realtime.sh

Runs QTCM1 using SSTs interpolated from observed values. The default SST dataset is from November 1981 to October 2001. This can be reset for any period if SST data is supplied.

seasonal.sh

Runs QTCM1 using monthly climatological SSTs.

perpetual.sh

Runs QTCM1 using perpetual SSTs.

mxlayer.sh

Runs QTCM1 coupled with the mixed-layer ocean. Macro "MXL_OCEAN" is turned on. It typically includes three steps. First, QTCM1 is run with observed SSTs. Second, annually or monthly- averaged Q-flux is computed using aveflux.f. Lastly, QTCM1 is run with the mixed-layer ocean. Always use YEAR360 calendar as assumed by Q-flux calculation program aveflux.f.

blendsst.sh

Runs the model using prescribed observed SST in masked regions and mixed-layer ocean in non-masked regions. Macro "BLEND_SST" is turned on. Use YAER360 calendar, same as above.

ensemble.sh

Script for a 10 member ensemble run. The 10 initial condition files can be generated by a 10 year model run with seasonal SST using the script ensemini.sh.

ensemini.sh

Creates 10 initial condition files for ensemble simulations. Macro "ENSEMB_INI" is turned on.

test.sh

Executes a brief run of QTCM1 to test code-machine compatibility.

To run the model, change the user-controlled parameters in one of the above scripts to suit your purposes, then execute the scripts by typing the script name at the command line. After you first port the model over to your computer, you should run test.sh to confirm that the model will compile and run correctly on your machine. Next, run the model a year or so with climatological SST to create a qtcm.restart initial conditions file that will serve to shorten the spin-up time of the model. The spinup.sh script is set-up to do this. Finally, conduct an actual model run by executing qtcm_realtime.sh or qtcm_seasonal.sh, as appropriate.

The model execution scripts are all very similar. They go through the following steps:

1. Definition basic script parameters (preprocessor switches and directories).
2. Compilation of qtcm in the src directory.
3. Creation of an output sub-directory.
4. Documentation of the run by creation of a compressed archive in the output directory which contains the source code and the run script.
5. Collection of all files to run the model in the output directory (executable, input parameter and restart file)
6. Model execution in the output directory, saving the script and the model output in a log file and displaying the model's output diagnostic on screen.