This FOA invites proposals to enhance our understanding of the Earth system by promoting a process- and system-level understanding of the modes of variability and change within the Earth system.
This enhanced understanding is achieved by advancing capabilities to design, evaluate, diagnose, analyze,
and improve global coupled Earth system models, e.g., where simulations are informed by observations.
The primary model that will be encouraged is the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM), either on its own or in conjunction with other sophisticated Earth system models.
The E3SM is a model of the full Earth system with advanced software, for use on DOE’s high performance computers and including high-resolution capability to provide scientific investigation of Energy-relevant grand challenge research questions.
E3SM version 1 (v1) will be released during FY 2018, and v2-v3 are under development for releases during the period FY 2021 - FY 202 4. This FOA will support new projects to collaborate with the E3SM project supported by the ESM activity or with the Science Focus Area (SFA) analysis activities under the RGMA activity.
Projects working with E3SM v1 may use a hierarchy of models that emphasize the study of relevant processes within a multi-systems approach, in order to probe and understand the various interactions and feedbacks within and between individual systems; in this context, systems refer to, e.g., the atmosphere, ocean, terrestrial, biogeochemical, and/or cryospheric systems.
Projects focusing on E3SM v2-v3 will contribute to the active development of E3SM by testing, identifying, understanding, and correcting particular model biases that significantly affect the coupled system.