Weiterentwicklungen ICON (WEW-ICON)
The project aims at further developing the ICON model and adapting its code for application on new high performance computers with hybrid architectures.
Goal
The ultimate goal is to run high-resolution simulations in short times focusing on operational weather forecasting at MeteoSwiss. With WEW-ICON, C2SM continues its tradition to contribute to improving high-resolution weather and climate simulations in the Alpine region. In addition, implementation of new and/or improved modules into the codes will further improve the quality of weather forecasts and climate model simulations.
Contents
The project focuses on improving ICON for the application in the Alpine region by improving parameterisations of fog, hail, heavy precipitation, and snow, cloud-radiation interactions using satellite information, the diurnal cycle over land based on comparisons of COSMO-1 with LES, the boundary layer in complex terrain and convective or stable situations, the surface model TERRA, and the ensemble data assimilation system. In addition, an ensemble dispersion system is developing and the numerical weather forecast is further developed in the nowcasting range.
A second focus of the project is on adapting and testing the ICON model to be applied on hybrid high-performance architectures. Within this focus, the numerical weather prediction (NWP) version of the ICON model ported to GPU using OpenACC directives. There is a strong link to and synergies with the ETH project EXCLAIM, with many of the developments in both projects being beneficial for the whole C2SM community and beyond on an international level.
The project is a collaboration between ETH Zurich, C2SM at ETH Zurich, and the Federal Office for Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss. The project started in 2020 and will continue until the end of 2026.