Domain, Period and Resolution

We want to keep the set up as simple as possible as to make it as easy as possible for modelers to participate to this EUREC4A-MIP.  Therefore the only requirement we impose is that the domain size should contain at least a common analysis domain spanning 10 N to 20 N and 48 W to 61 W (see blue dashed box in Figure 1). The actual used modeling domain should be substantially larger and preferable be extended to the upstream Eastern direction. Ideally the domain should include the equator and should extend from 5 S to 25 N and 25 W to 70 W. However also smaller domains as indicated by the dashed blue box are also acceptable.

The horizontal resolutions should be in the range of 1 to 2.5 km. Multiple submissions with a high (1km) and a lower resolution are encouraged. No specific vertical resolution is prescribed because  many SRM’s use their own preferred variable vertical resolution. However we encourage to use vertical resolutions of around 20 meter near the surface, and around 100 meter in the cloud layer between 1000 and 2000 m height

The simulation period is from 0 UTC on January 1^st 2020 to 0 UTC on March 1^st 2020.

Initial and Lateral Boundary Conditions

The simulations of the Limited-area Models (LAMs) require a initialisation and lateral boundary conditions using (re)-analysis data of a global numerical weather prediction model as well as prescribed Sea Surface Temperature (SST) observations as a lower boundary condition. We encourage participants to use ERA5 reanalysis data for both the initialisation of the simulations as well as fot the lateral and surface conditions. To facilitate this we have made hourly 3d fields from ERA5 available on a domain of 5S to 25N and 25W to 70W as well as the relevant 2D surface fields for the whole 2 Months period. All the relevant ERA5 data needed for the initialisation, the lateral boundary fields and the surface fields are available in a netcdf format on a hourly basis and can be obtained here.