News

Current CVDP version: 6.0.0 (Jun 9 2024)

Coding Modifications:

  • The CVDP can now be run in two different styles: Individual member mode and ensemble mode. Individual member mode is similar to running previous versions of the CVDP with additional bias plots. Ensemble mode is similar to running the CVDP-LE. 
  • The user can now choose what detrending method is applied to all metric calculations (minus linear trends and means). Different methods can be selected for the reference data and for simulations. (In previous iterations of the CVDP, linear detrending was applied for a limited number of calculations.)
  • The Henley definition of the IPV, the SOI, regional SST index pattern regressions and NPI index pattern regressions have been added.
  • Sea surface height (SSH (CESM) / zos (CMIP)) has been added as a regular variable.
  • Unstructured grids (such as CAM-SE) can be checked and regridded to a rectilinear grid by invoking a driver.ncl setting.  
  • Reference data is not limited to observational data; simulations can serve as the specified reference data.
  • A standard set of observations has been created and is now distributed from the Observations page.   
  • New documentation page added.
  • Monthly atmospheric mode metrics no longer calculated.

Previous CVDP version: 5.2.0 (released Oct 5 2021)

Coding Modifications:

  • CVDP file identification processes have been rewritten to improve accuracy and reduce the need for complex syntax within the user-supplied namelist file.
  • Updated CVDP-created webpages to more modern style.
  • Changed nino3.4 autocorrelation calculation to use detrended data.
  • Updated README file to provide more detail on namelist syntax.

Previous CVDP version: 5.1.1 (released Oct 28 2019)

Coding Modifications:

  • Fixed bug involving incorrect spatial weighting being applied to arrays in RMS calculations. More information about this bug can be found on the CVDP github page.
  • Low-pass AMO timeseries is now being written to output NetCDF files.
  • Modified variable names of SAM/PSA1/PSA2 arrays that are written to output NetCDF files to be consistent with other mode arrays.

Previous CVDP version: 5.1.0 (released Jun 26 2019)

Coding Modifications:

  • Added CMIP6 variable names for sea ice concentration (siconc) and ocean meridional overturning mass streamfunction (msftmz).
  • Corrected an issue in the AMO calculation where the global mean value was not being subtracted from the spatial SST anomalies at each timestep from each gridpoint prior to the spatial regression, resulting in an at times slightly askew pattern.
  • Corrected an issue where the Atlantic Nino3 Index was not being plotted correctly. The index was being calculated and written to .nc files correctly.
  • Due to inconsistent settings in files the CVDP no longer checks whether the input data falls within the valid_range attribute.
  • Increased Y-axis range for nino3.4 running standard deviation plot; added a couple of bug fixes for rare cases.
  • Updated documentation in the methodology page and the README file.

Previous CVDP version: 5.0.0 (released Jul 18 2018)

Coding Modifications:

  • The metrics table has been altered to be displayed graphically, sortable by each specific metric.
  • New calculations added: Low-pass AMO regressions, pr/tas regressions onto the coupled modes, wavelets and autocorrelations for the nino3.4 indices, and Atlantic Nino and Atlantic Meriodional timeseries.
  • The CVDP webpage output has been reogranized to provide a cleaner interface.
  • Users can now specify that relative climatologies be removed from each simulation. For example, users can base the climatologies on the last 25 years of each simulation/observational dataset.
  • Numerous graphical enhancements and bug fixes for rare cases added.
  • Updated documentation in driver.ncl, the methodology page, and the README file.

Version note:

  • An issue was discovered with the v5.0.0 CVDP release dated 5/27/2018. This issue affected whether the CVDP could recognize snd, msftmyz, and sic data files in some machine environments. A more minor issue was also discovered where the 1st observed nino3.4 spectra was not being overlaid on all other panels. Both of these issues were resolved and are the only changes put in the 7/18/2018 release.

Previous CVDP version: 4.1.0 (released Dec 22 2016)

Coding Modifications:

  • All output NetCDF files are CF-compliant with variables that are self-described using appropriate attributes.
  • New calculations added: Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO), tas/pr regressions onto atmospheric modes.
  • Numerous graphical enhancements applied: tiers set for Y-axis range on nino3.4 spectra plots, titles repositioned and made larger, new colormaps/labelbars, and units listed when not mentioned on methodology page.
  • Changed webpage fonts to sans-serif and increased font sizes for readability.
  • Updated documentation in driver.ncl, the methodology page, and the README file.

Previous CVDP version: 4.0.0 (released Feb 5 2016)

Coding Modifications:

  • Users can now pass an unlimited number of observational datasets per variable in via namelist_obs. No longer need to specify each variable in namelist_obs if a variable does not have a corresponding specified dataset.
  • Simple parallelization implemented via python. Users now have the option to run the CVDP in parallel, and can specify the number of CVDP scripts that can run at once. Running in parallel can significantly reduce the CVDP computational time.
  • The CVDP had been modularized so that each script is independent. Users can now run an individual script or a specified set of scripts instead of always running the entire package.
  • Sea ice concentration has been added as an input variable. Means, standard deviations, trends and sea ice extent timeseries are now all output by the CVDP.
  • Added capability for CVDP to be run on case insensitive machines.
  • Added GFDL, MIROC and ERA20C variable names to the CVDP.
  • Improved quality of comparison plots when less than 5 models specified.
  • Removed erroneous error message when 0 valid panels are passed to gsn_panel.
  • Fixed bug where models with less than 25 years caused the ENSO spatial composite code to crash.
  • Tropical South Atlantic timeseries bug fixed.
  • Updated documentation in driver.ncl, the methodology page, and the README file.

Previous CVDP version: 3.7.0 (released Mar 31 2015)

Coding Modifications:

  • AMOC diagnostics added
  • Mean and standard deviations are now separate plots.
  • Updated documentation in driver.ncl and methodology page.
  • Modified isfilepresent patch for NCL v6.3.0. (See the Known Issues page for more information.)
  • Fixed issue where climatological SSTs caused the package to crash.

Previous CVDP version: 3.3.1 (released Dec 1 2014)

Coding Modifications:

  • Fix put in for NCL isfilepresent behavior change. (See the Known Issues page for more information.)
  • Output netCDF files now contain AMO/PDO/nino3.4 spectra.
  • Output .png files now have a thin white border around the perimeter.
  • Trend and mean plot labelbars no longer run off the page under certain conditions.

Previous CVDP version: 3.3.0 (released Sep 18 2014)

Coding Modifications:

  • Output netCDF files are now CF-conforming.
  • Simplified screen output. The CVDP now notes when individual scripts start and finish.
  • The CVDP can now be run with a remote codebase. This allows users to point to a non-local directory that contains the ncl_scripts/ directory. Note that driver.ncl, namelist, and namelist_obs must remain in a single directory.
  • AMO/PDO plot labelbars no longer run off the page under certain conditions.
  • A link to the observations is now present in the metrics table.

Previous CVDP version: 3.2.6 (released Aug 04 2014)

Coding Modifications:

  • Fixed CMIP5 IPSL data read-in error when reading in multiple files.
  • Flipped the sign of the PDO to match the reference paper.
  • Modified attribute of precipitation-based arrays to note that precipitation (in CCSM/CESM data) is the addition of PRECC and PRECL.
  • AMO plots now have a central longitude of 0E.
  • Numerous smaller graphical enhancements made, especially notable when passing a large number of simulations into the package.
  • If calculations are EOF-based, the percentage variance explained is now written as an attribute (pcvar) to arrays written to output netCDF files.
  • Updated the README file to note that incomplete years cannot be analyzed.

Previous CVDP version: 3.2.1 (released May 9 2014)

Coding Modifications:

  • Fixed colorbar issue with precipitation trends when using default colormaps.
  • Added Climate Data Guide links to methodology page.

Previous CVDP version: 3.2.0 (released May 9 2014)

Coding Modifications:

  • Standard deviations, nino3.4 spectra, and ENSO spatial composites are now the only calculations that use detrended data.
  • The various SST-based timeseries are now shown as the departure from their calculated linear trend line. Previously the SST-timeseries were detrended and shown as such.
  • The methodology page has been updated with new descriptions.

Previous CVDP version: 3.1.1 (released May 2 2014)

Coding Modifications:

  • Standard error output is now suppressed. This was done to eliminate failed ls calls, as the calls cluttered up the output and did not convey any additional information that is not found elsewhere.
  • Fixed minor namelist bug related to reading in file names with "PRECT" in the title.
  • Fixed ENSO spatial composite bug where if only 1 year is identified as either a El Nino or La Nina year that the CVDP will crash.
  • Tweaked ENSO hovmoller pattern correlations/RMS differences so that only the temporal range shown in the hovmollers goes into the calculations.
  • Tweaked ENSO calculations so that additional years at the end of a simulation are used.
  • Added colormap option to driver.ncl script so that colorblind friendly colormaps can be chosen.
  • Fixed PR timeseries title from "TAS" to "PR"

Previous CVDP version: 3.0.7 (released Mar 14 2014)