GCM PROGRAM NAMELISTS
 
 

Namelists are read by the COLA GCM (General Circulation Model) program in order to set values for some parameters provided by the user. Whenever values of certain parameters are not given, the default values are taken. The default values - file unit numbers as well as data for other parameters - are mostly set in the BLOCK DATA routine. This document explains the meaning of each of the parameters used in the Namelists so that the user can provide the appropriate values whenever necessary. There are three Namelists (NAMCON, NAMCTL and NAMTTL) used by the GCM.
 

Default values, wherever appropriate, are indicated in the parentheses. Although it seems to be redundant, many times it is useful to include in the Namelist, parameters with their own default values for readability purposes. Some parameters that are not included in the Namelists are hardwired, i.e. an explicit assignment statement is coded in the routine. The same is also true with some file unit numbers. In this case, it is essential that the user takes some care in not using those file unit numbers explicitly used in the OPEN statements in the code. See GCM internal file unit numbers table.
 

Data type settings follow the FORTRAN language defaults unless otherwise indicated.
 
 

NAMCON NAMELIST
 
NAMCON INPUT FILES FORTRAN UNIT NUMBERS
NFAERO SiB aerodynamic properties table (89)
NFASTR NOVAS/JPL astronomy ephemerides file using Chebyshev polynomial coefficients (68)
NFCNV0 Convective Clouds Radiation data for initial start (optional) or restart (required) (0). Should be set to 31 for Restart.
NFDELT NOVAS/JPL astronomy DeltaT table (69)
NFICE Sea ice boundary condition file for IFSST=5 (52)
NFIN0  Initial condition file (18)
NFIN1 (no longer used)
NFSIBD SiB Vegetation Type Properties file (88)
NFSIBI SiB Prognostic Variables restart file (77)
NFSIBT SiB Surface Vegetation Mask, i.e. local vegetation type file (99)
NFSLM Initial Soil Moisture file climatology (53)
NFSNW Initial Snow file (51)
NFSOIL SiB local soil properties file (91)
NFSST Boundary conditions file for Sea-Surface Temperature (50)
NFTGZ0 Initial Ground Temperature and Roughness Length file (01)
NFTOP Surface height, including back-transform Gibbs effect, for SST adjustment when IFSST=5 (54)
NFVAR Boundary conditions file for Surface Height Variance (33)
NFVEG SiB monthly local vegetation properties file (90)
 
 
 
NAMCON OUTPUT FILES
NFCNV1 Information on Convective Clouds for Interpolated Radiation (32)
NFDCRT Directory for Synoptic Diagnostics (25)
NFDALY (not used)
NFDIAG Synoptic Diagnostics (26)
NFERR Error message output file unit number (0; STDERR)
NFGLOB Global mean data file. Currently disabled. (62)
NFMNMX If > 0, minimum, maximum synoptic data file; 27 recommended. If < 0, minimum and maximum data included in subsampled diagnostics data file. If = 0, no minimum, maximum data written (0)
NFOUT0 (no longer used)
NFOUT1 (no longer used)
NFPRT Standard print out file unit number (6; STDOUT)
NFSAMP Subsampled diagnostics data file (61)
NFSIBO SiB Prognostic Variable restart file (66)
 
NAMCON INTERMEDIATE AND READ/WRITE FILES
NFCLDR Initial cloud radiation diagnostics (74)
 
 
 
NAMCON OTHER PARAMETERS
ACUM0 Threshold Moisture Convergence such that Integrated Moisture Convergence is greater than (ACUM0) for Convection (Kuo only) to occur (2.0E8)
CO2VAL Global concentration of CO2 in PPM (345.)
DELT (Time step in seconds now set to dtime)
dif2 Del**2 horizontal diffusion coefficient for upper levels ending with level index kmxhd2 (2.5e5)
dif4 Del**4 horizontal diffusion coefficient for lower levels starting with level index kmnhd4 (1.0e16)
divdamp Initial divergence damping value (0.0)
doslt Do semi-Lagrangian moisture transport, otherwise spectral moisture transport (.FALSE.)
dtime Correct model time step in seconds (1200.)
eps New Robert time filter constant = (1-old constant)/2 (0.06)
FINTBC Surface boundary condition calling interval in hours. Interpolation is continuous (every time step) if FINTBC < 0.0 (24.0)
IFSLM (3), IFSNW(3), IFSST(3) IFXXX 
 
 

0 XXX is not processed
 

1 XXX is set to MONTH=IDATEC(2) in the first call, but it is not processed from the second call onward. IFXXX is set to 0 (zero) after interpolation.
 

2 XXX is interpolated to current day and time every FINTBC hours synchronized to 00Z regardless of initial time. Interpolation continuous (every time step) if FINTBC<0. Data set is monthly sequential and is either a cyclical climatological data set or a series of overlapping yearly datasets.
 

3 XXX is interpolated to current day and time when IFDAY=0 and TOD=0.0 but not processed otherwise. (This is only appropriate when XXX is determined by the AGCM, i.e. not specified for all times). For Snow (SNW), data are read in directly and not interpolated.
 

The following are for SST only (FINTBC applies as in IFSST=2)

4 SST is linearly interpolated from continuous direct access data set to current day and time. Data set is assumed to be spaced every INTSST days or every calendar month if INTSST<0.
 

5 Both SST and sea ice are linearly interpolated from separate direct access data sets to current day and time. SST data over open water locations are height adjusted by -6.5K/km using back-transformed surface height data. Data sets are assumed to be spaced every INTSST days or every calendar month if INTSST<0 and to start on the same date.
 

6 SST is expanded from piecewise cubic coefficients in direct access data set to current day and time. Data set is assumed to be spaced every INTSST days.

incorbuf Main model buffer is in core memory, otherwise use file(.TRUE.)
INITLZ = 0 - Standard land surface initialization during initial start 

< 0 - SiB Variables read in from restart file for land initialization 

(0)

INTSST SST data set interval in INTSST days if > 0.

SST data set is in calendar months if < 0.

Only used when IFSST= 4, 5 or 6. (1)

ISAMP Subsampled data writing frequency (times per day). If = 0, do not subsample data. (0)
ISTEPS MAXSTP*DELT*ISTEPS is the total forecast time in seconds and restart file writing interval for this job (1)
kmnhd4 Highest model level (lowest index) where del**4 (dif4) diffusion is done (4)
kmxhd2 Lowest model level (highest index) where del**2 (dif2) diffusion is done (2)
kmxhdc Number of layers from top to apply spectral truncation when reducing instability (1)
LCNVL Lowest Layer Index where Convection can occur (Kuo only) (17)
LIMLOW If = 0, initial start run. If = 1, restart run. Not initially set. Should always be user set
LTHNCL Layer (centibars) determining Low Thin Clouds (80)
MASCI Formerly Mass Conservation calling interval in hours. Not currently used. 
MAXSTP MAXSTP*DELT is interval (in seconds) of History File Output (6)
MONL Dimensioned (12)

Length of each month in days (31,28,31,30,31,30,31,31,30,31,30,31)

mxszrg Maximum size of regeneration (restart) file in Mbytes. (380)
NDORD (no longer used)
PTIME LOGICAL

Keeps track of Model status on slow machines

= TRUE - Information on Model status printed

= FALSE - Information on Model status not printed

(FALSE)

RCCMBL Radiative convective cloud cover minimum base layer index. (16.0)
RHDIFD (no longer used)
RHDIFT (no longer used)
SACUM Top Level for Integrated Moisture Convergence Test (Kuo only). Replaces KACUM (0.46)
SSTLAG Starting time of SST data set in days before initial condition date if INTSST>0. Starting time of SST data set in months before initial condition date if INTSST<0. SSTLAG can be negative when changing to a new data set. Only used for IFSST=4 or 5. (1.0)
STHICK Upper Limit for originating Air for LCL (Kuo only). Replaces KTHICK. (0.65)
SWINT Short wave radiation call interval in hours (1.0)
TAUCFL (no longer used)
TRINT Long wave radiation call interval in hours (3.0)
TSICE Sea ice freezing temperature (K) (271.16)
UCRIT (no longer used)
v1rs If .TRUE., use version 1 restart file as initial start file skipping first half step (adjustment physics) (.FALSE.)
VARCUT Cut off Height Variance in M**2 for Gravity Wave Drag (1.6E5)
YRL Length of year in days. See CTR#93 for leap year case details (365.2425)
 
 
NAMCTL NAMELIST
 
 

This Namelist is separated into 4 categories for readability purposes. The first category refers to the situation where the setting for the parameter under consideration has no effect on the process i.e. process is not under control of the parameter setting. The second category includes those parameters where regardless of their setting the process is not found in the Model. The third category indicates that parameters are assigned internally thus overriding any settings made in the Namelist. The fourth category lists all those parameters that do not belong to any of the three above mentioned categories and is thus the only category whose parameters are actually functional. The first three categories are listed here since they are printed when the NAMCTL Namelist is printed, but they will be deleted in the next version.

All the parameters that belong to Categories 1, 2 and 4 are of data type CHARACTER*4 left justified, unless stated. The parameters of Category 3 are of data type INTEGER.
 
NAMCTL CATEGORY ONE Setting has no effect on process
IDRAG = YES, Drag at Earth's Surface Included
= NO, Drag at Earth's Surface not Included
(YES)
IEVAP = YES, Air Surface exchange of Moisture Included
= NO, Air Surface exchange of Moisture not Included
(YES)
IFFT = JMA, Calls JMA Fast Fourier Transform
= CYB, Calls CYB Fast Fourier Transform
(JMA)
IPBL = YES, Vertical Diffusion of Momentum, Heat & Moisture Included
= NO, Vertical Diffusion of Momentum, Heat & Moisture not Included
(YES)
ISENS = YES, Air Surface exchange of Sensible Heat Included
= NO, Air Surface exchange of Sensible Heat not Included
(YES)
 
 
 
NAMCTL CATEGORY TWO Process is not found in the Model
IDCON = YES, Dry Convection Included
= NO, Dry Convection not Included
(NO)
IQADJ = YES, Mixing of Moisture in dry unstable Layers Included
= NO, Mixing of Moisture in dry unstable Layers not Included
(NO)
 
NAMCTL CATEGORY THREE Setting overridden internally
ICLD = 1, Old Cloud Emissivity Setting
= 2, New Cloud Emissivity Setting
(1)
INALB = 1, Two Diffused Albedos are read into the radiation and Two Direct Beam Albedos are calculated internally
= 2, All Four Albedos are read into the radiation
(2)
 
NAMCTL CATEGORY FOUR Generally active parameters
DFMT =BNDN Big Endian data representation for synoptic diagnostics
=LNDN Little Endian data representation for synoptic diagnostics
=CRAY Cray data representation for synoptic diagnostics
(BNDN)
IAST = nova NOVAS/JPL astronomy
= berg Berger astronomy
= spen Spencer astronomy
(nova)
ICCON = YES, Kuo Cumulus Convection done
= NO, No Cumulus Convection done
= ARA, Relaxed Arakawa-Schubert Convection done
= KUO, Kuo Cumulus Convection done
(YES)
ICKCFL (no longer used)
IFPRT 

(INTEGER)

dimensioned

(100).

Permits selective turning on or off print out statements in various subroutines and the MAIN program. Error print messages not affected. See file ifprt.locations for more details. All locations default value: 3 (full print out).
IGWD = YES, Gravity Wave Drag Included
= NO, Gravity Wave Drag not Included
(YES)
ILCON = YES, Large Scale Condensation Included
= NO, Large Scale Condensation not Included
(YES)
IQDIF = YES, Horizontal Diffusion of Moisture Included
= NO, Horizontal Diffusion of Moisture not Included
(YES)
IRAD = YES, Radiation Included
= NO, Radiation not Included
(YES)
ISCON This process follows Cumulus Convection.
= YES, Tiedtke Shallow Convection done
= NO, No Shallow Convection done
= TIED, Tiedtke Shallow Convection done
(YES)
TDT 

(LOGICAL)

=.TRUE. Use Terrestrial Dynamical Time for NOVAS/JPL astronomy
=.FALSE. Use UT1 for NOVAS/JPL astronomy
(.FALSE.)
TOARAD

(LOGICAL)

=.TRUE. Use CCM3 based cloud radiation properties near top of atmosphere
=.FALSE. Use original cloud radiation properties near top of atmosphere
(.FALSE.)
 
 
 
 

NAMTTL NAMELIST
 
 
JTTL CHARACTER*40 Left Justified Title
NENS CHARACTER*4 Left Justified Ensemble member number
NEXP CHARACTER*4 Left Justified Experiment number