<p>The UKESM-LTSM project celebrates its kick-off meeting on the 4th and 5th July 2016 at the University of Reading<strong>The UKESM-LTSM project kick-off meeting</strong>The UKESM project brings together the unique climate modelling capabilities of the Met Office Hadley Centre (MOHC) with a wealth of advanced Earth system modelling (ESM) and observational capabilities from 8 NERC centres (NCAS, BAS, BGS, CEH, CPOM, NCEO, NOC and PML). Carried out in active collaboration with the broader NERC research community, the project will realise the development and evaluation of a world-leading ESM and ensure this model is fully applied to a range of Earth system science questions, as well as delivery of robust Earth system change projections to support the UK government and public. The UKESM LTSM has four overriding objectives:</p>
<li>To develop and fully evaluate a world-leading Earth System Model.</li>
<li>To use this ESM to improve our understanding of key processes and feedback mechanisms in the coupled Earth system.</li>
<li>Using UKESM models, generate a new set of future Earth system projections.</li>
<li>To grow a community of UK Earth system modelling scientists.</li>
<p>The new LTSM project funds the NERC component of the UKESM core group, as well as a number of NERC centre scientists to work on the development and analysis of UKESM models. The project delivers the first version of the model, UKESM1, which will form the UK’s ESM contribution to the next international coupled model intercomparison project (CMIP6).Day 1 of the meeting will provide an overview of the various processes/phenomena targeted for study by the project highlighting their role in the Earth system and in future Earth system change. Presentations will link the given Earth system processes to relevant CMIP6 MIPs, for which UKESM1 simulations will be made and much of the project analysis focussed. On day 2, smaller groups will discuss in more detail project-specific aspects related to component model development, realisation of CMIP6 experiments and evaluation of UKESM1 simulated processes.For more information, including the UKESM Newsletter, visit <a href=”http://www.jwcrp.org.uk/research-activity/ukesm.asp” data-mce-href=”http://www.jwcrp.org.uk/research-activity/ukesm.asp”>UK Earth System Model page</a>.Presentations from the speakers at the meeting are available below:<a class=”small_pdf” href=”http://www.jwcrp.org.uk/documents/ukesm-ltsm-kickoff-presentations-jul2016.pdf” data-mce-href=”http://www.jwcrp.org.uk/documents/ukesm-ltsm-kickoff-presentations-jul2016.pdf”>UKESM-LTSM kick-off meeting presentations (16·7MB)</a></p>