CMIP7 data request: land and land ice priorities and opportunities

Li, Y. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2997-6368, Tang, G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1075-3826, O'Rourke, E., Minallah, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8419-5850, Mas e Braga, M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4843-1876, Nowicki, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6328-5590, Smith, R. S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7479-7778, Lawrence, D. M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2968-3023, Hurtt, G. C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7278-202X, Peano, D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6975-4447, Meyer, G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3199-5250, Hassler, B. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2724-709X, Mao, J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2050-7373, Xue, Y. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6169-9631 and Juckes, M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1770-2132 (2026) CMIP7 data request: land and land ice priorities and opportunities. Geoscientific Model Development, 19 (8). pp. 3129-3155. ISSN 1991-9603 doi: 10.5194/gmd-19-3129-2026

Abstract/Summary

The Land and Land Ice Theme in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 7 (CMIP7) represents the current understanding of physical processes in land surface ecosystems, hydrology, cryosphere, and their physical interactions with other Earth system components. Simulations from Earth system models (ESMs) could provide crucial information for assessing planetary safety, such as critical tipping elements, and be used to inform climate risks for improving climate impact assessments and policy decisions. This paper presents a collaborative effort to identify scientific opportunities in the Land and Land Ice Theme of the CMIP7 Data Request. The proposed opportunities build upon advances in ESMs, including new freshwater system and land ice processes being included in CMIP7, as well as the scientific community's demand for high-frequency and sub-grid-scale land surface outputs. In total, 25 variable groups that contain 716 variables have been identified to be potentially available to the broad scientific audience for performing analysis in land–atmosphere coupling, hydrological processes and freshwater systems, glacier and ice sheet mass balance and their influence on the sea levels, land use, and plant phenology. Key reflections from this data request effort include advocacy for closer engagement between the user community and modeling groups, reduction in the technical barriers to tracking existing parameters and defining new variables, and more streamlined variable management. These will be essential to enhance the usability and reliability of CMIP7 outputs for climate and Earth system research and applications to a broad audience that relies on the CMIP7 endeavor.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/id/eprint/129485
Identification Number/DOI	10.5194/gmd-19-3129-2026
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > NCAS Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > Department of Meteorology
Publisher	European Geosciences Union
Download/View statistics	View download statistics for this item