The software architecture of climate models: a graphical comparison of CMIP5 and EMICAR5 configurations

摘要

We analyze the source code of eight coupled climate models, selected fromthose that participated in the CMIP5 (Taylor et al., 2012) or EMICAR5(Eby et al., 2013;Zickfeld et al., 2013) intercomparison projects. For each model, wesort the preprocessed code into components and subcomponents based ondependency structure. We then create software architecture diagrams that showthe relative sizes of these components/subcomponents and the flow of databetween them. The diagrams also illustrate several major classes of climatemodel design; the distribution of complexity between components, whichdepends on historical development paths as well as the conscious goals ofeach institution; and the sharing of components between different modelinggroups. These diagrams offer insights into the similarities and differencesin structure between climate models, and have the potential to be usefultools for communication between scientists, scientific institutions, and thepublic.