Convectively Coupled Equatorial Waves Simulated by CAMS-CSM

The Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences developed a Climate System Model (CAMS-CSM) to participate in the upcoming Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6). In this study, we assessed the model performance in simulating the convectively coupled equatorial waves (CCEWs) by comparing the daily output of precipitation from a 23-yr coupled run with the observational precipitation data from Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP). Four dominant modes of CCEWs including the Kelvin, equatorial Rossby (ER), mixed Rossby–gravity (MRG), tropical depression-type (TD-type) waves, and their annual mean and seasonal cycle characteristics are investigated respectively. It is found that the space–time spectrum characteristics of each wave mode represented by tropical averaged precipitation could be very well simulated by CAMS-CSM, including the magnitudes and the equivalent depths. The zonal distribution of wave associated precipitation is also well simulated, with the maximum centers over the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. However, the meridional distribution of the wave activities is poorly simulated, with the maximum centers shifted from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere, especially the Kelvin, MRG, and TD waves. The seasonal cycle of each wave mode is generally captured by the model, but their amplitudes over the Southern Hemisphere during boreal winter are grossly overestimated. The reason for the excessive wave activity over the southern Pacific Ocean in the simulation is discussed.