Download AMIP II Boundary Condition Data at a 1 by 1 Degree Resolution

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The proper citation for the boundary condition data is the following report available as a PDF file: Taylor, K.E., D. Williamson and F. Zwiers, 2000: "The sea surface temperature and sea ice concentration boundary conditions for AMIP II simulations" PCMDI Report 60, Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 25 pp (also http://www-pcmdi.llnl.gov/amip/AMIP2/EXPDSN/BCS/amip2bcs.php, 1997). Instructions on how to correctly prescribe the boundary conditions in AMIP II simulations are contained in those documents. The data sets will be periodically updated to near-present (every 6 months, or so).

Note that earlier versions of the observational dataset on which the boundary conditions are based (available prior to 2007) were prepared following a different procedure described in a web document. There are differences between the earlier dataset and the present one which are generally small but not entirely negligible. Latest update: 2013-05-01.

PLEASE NOTE: Boundary condition datasets downloaded between approximately November 2003 and January 2007 may be incorrect for months following July 2002 (the data values were offset in the longitudinal direction). We apologize for this mistake. Also boundary condition datasets downloaded during 2007 were based on a preliminary observational analysis, which affects only the months of October, November, and December of 2006. An updated dataset replaced this preliminary dataset on 7 January 2008.