The Common Community Physics Package: Recent Updates and New Frontiers

The Common Community Physics Package (CCPP) is a collection of atmospheric physical parameterizations and a framework that couples the physics for use in Earth system models. The CCPP Framework was developed by the U.S. Developmental Testbed Center (DTC) and is now an integral part of the Unified Forecast System (UFS). The UFS is a community-based, coupled, comprehensive Earth modeling system designed to support research and be the source system for NOAA‘s multi-scale operational numerical weather prediction applications.  The CCPP is now operational at NOAA as part of the UFS Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System, and it is planned for upcoming implementations of the Global Forecast System and other models. The CCPP Framework is also being used in developmental mode to connect aerosol parameterizations to the UFS. Additionally, the CCPP is employed in the experimental U.S. Navy Environmental Prediction sysTem Utilizing the Non-hydrostatic corE (NEPTUNE) and is currently being integrated into National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) models such as the Community Earth System Model (CESM) and the Model for Prediction Across Scales (MPAS). 

A primary goal for this effort is to facilitate research and development of physical parameterizations, while simultaneously offering capabilities for use in operational models. The CCPP Framework supports configurations ranging from process studies to operational numerical weather prediction as it enables host models to assemble the parameterizations in flexible suites. Framework capabilities include flexibility with respect to the order in which schemes are called, ability to group parameterizations for calls in different parts of the host model, and ability to call some parameterizations more often than others. Furthermore, the CCPP is distributed with a single-column model (SCM) that can be used to test innovations,  conduct hierarchical studies in which physics and dynamics are decoupled, and isolate processes to more easily identify issues associated with systematic model biases. The CCPP SCM is also being updated to be forced by the UFS output.

The CCPP v6.0.0 public release includes 23 primary parameterizations (and six supported suites), representing a wide range of meteorological and land-surface processes. Experimental versions of the CCPP also contain chemical schemes, making it possible to represent processes in which chemistry and meteorology are tightly coupled. It is anticipated that soon the CCPP will have schemes that utilize machine learning.

The CCPP is developed as open-source code and has received contributions from the wide community in the form of new schemes and innovations within existing schemes. In this presentation, we will provide an update on recent CCPP development, including transition to single-precision and initial work toward its deployment in Graphical Processing Units (GPUs), and discuss the outcomes of the CCPP Visioning Workshop held in August 2023. The latter was a multi-institutional event intended to inform the community about the CCPP and to gather input on a range of subjects. Topics covered include code management, releases, documentation, support, and best practices for interoperability to foster collaborative development.