Benchmark experiments for higher-order and full-Stokes ice sheet models (ISMIP–HOM)

F. Pattyn (1) , L. Perichon (1) , A. Aschwanden (2) , B. Breuer (3) , B. de Smedt (4) , Olivier Gagliardini (5) , G. H. Gudmundsson (6) , R.C.A. Hindmarsh (6) , A. Hubbard (7) , J. V. Johnson (8) , T. Kleiner (3) , Y. Konovalov (9) , C. Martin (6) , A. J. Payne (10) , D. Pollard (11) , S. Price (10) , M. Rückamp (3) , F. Saito (12) , O. Soucek (13) , S. Sugiyama (14) , Thomas Zwinger (15)

1 Laboratoire de Glaciologie [Bruxelles]
2 IAC - Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science [Zürich]
3 Institute for Geophysics
4 Vakgroep Geografie
5 LGGE - Laboratoire de glaciologie et géophysique de l'environnement
6 Physical Science Division [Cambridge]
7 Centre for Glaciology
8 Department of Computer Science
9 Moscow Engineering Physics Institute
10 Bristol Glaciology Centre
11 EESI - Earth and Environmental Systems Institute [PennState]
12 FRCGC - Frontier Research Center for Global Change
13 Department of Geophysics [Praha]
14 Institute of Low Temperature Science [Sapporo]
15 CSC - Scientific Computing Ltd

We present the results of the first ice sheet model intercomparison project for higher-order and full-Stokes ice sheet models. These models are compared and verified in a series of six experiments of which one has an analytical solution obtained from a perturbation analysis. The experiments are applied to both 2-D and 3-D geometries; five experiments are steady-state diagnostic, and one has a time-dependent prognostic solution. All participating models give results that are in close agreement. A clear distinction can be made between higher-order models and those that solve the full system of equations. The full-Stokes models show a much smaller spread, hence are in better agreement with one another and with the analytical solution.

Domaines: Glaciologie

F. Pattyn, L. Perichon, A. Aschwanden, B. Breuer, B. de Smedt, et al.. Benchmark experiments for higher-order and full-Stokes ice sheet models (ISMIP–HOM). The Cryosphere, 2008, 259, pp.95 à 108. ⟨insu-00379774⟩