ECHAM5

ECHAM5 is the 5th generation of the ECHAM general circulation model. Depending on the configuration the model resolves the atmosphere up to 10 hPa for tropospheric studies, or up to 0.01 hPa for middle atmosphere studies (often referred to as MAECHAM5).

 

Contact Person: Marco Giorgetta

Status

  • ECHAM5 is available to the scientific community --> Model distribution
  • Current version: echam-5.4.02

 

Documentation

  • ECHAM5/MAECHAM5
    • MPI Report No. 349: The atmospheric general circulation model ECHAM5, Part I: Model description (PDF)
    • MPI Report No. 354: The atmospheric general circulation model ECHAM5 Part II: Sensitivity of simulated climate to horizontal and vertical resolution (PDF)
    • The Journal of Climate special section "Climate models at the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology" of August 2006 documents various aspects of ECHAM5. (more)

ECHAM5 configurations

ECHAM5 is used in a number of configurations which differ in the vertical extent of the atmosphere as well as the relevant processes. Further ECHAM5 may host submodels going beyond the meteorological processes of a GCM. Finally the model can be used in special modes, see below.

Depth of atmosphere

  • troposphere - lower stratosphere
    from surface to 10 hPa (~30 km) = default ECHAM5
  • troposphere - stratosphere - lower mesosphere
    from surface to 0.01 hPa (~80 km) = middle atmosphere ECHAM5
    extra process: propagation and dissipation of a continuous spectrum of gravity waves excited by meteorological processes in the troposphere

Sub-model extensions

  • chemistry
  • aerosol
  • vegetation

 

Special modes

  • ECHAM as part of a coupled atmosphere ocean GCM.
  • Assimilation by linear relaxation (nudging)
  • Stand alone column model
  • Parallelization test