ACCESS-NRI: Supporting Climate Science through Robust Model Evaluation and Community-Driven Strategies

The Australian Earth System Simulator (ACCESS-NRI) is a national research infrastructure designed to support the development and research of the Australian Community Climate and Earth System Simulator (ACCESS). With a strategic goal to enhance the quality and performance of the ACCESS suite of model configurations, ACCESS-NRI supports the open development and release of a Model Evaluation and Diagnostics (MED) framework for the Australian Earth system modeling community. 

In climate science, the evaluation of computational models plays a pivotal role in assessing their performance and reliability in simulating the Earth's complex climate system. This process involves a comprehensive analysis of model predictions against observed data to determine accuracy and utility. Through meticulous model evaluation, scientists gain insights into real-world climate processes, identify model strengths and weaknesses, and refine models to enhance predictive capabilities. 

Integral to international climate change assessments, climate models are crucial for shaping policies and guiding investments in climate action. Accurate simulations, reliant on precise modeling of climate physics and realistic forcing conditions, such as CO2 emissions, are fundamental to these endeavors. However, the development of these models is a protracted, iterative process requiring constant evaluation of performance and accuracy. Users seek to compare model simulations derived from diverse configurations, necessitating dedicated tools, workflows, and access to diverse data sources within high-performance computing environments. 

The development of tools and methods is integral to this initiative, providing essential support for the incorporation of model evaluation within code development cycles. The presentation explores community-driven strategies designed to streamline the evaluation of the ACCESS suite of models, addressing specific requirements and constraints associated with the World Climate Research Programme’s (WCRP) Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 7 (CMIP7) and its future iterations. Emphasis is placed on the incorporation of model evaluation within code development cycles.