Cloud-Climate CPT Focus teams

Notes:
 
(1) Advisory panel members do not need to be part of a focus team
    unless they want. Their efforts and comments are strictly
    voluntary.

(2) Anyone is free to join more than one focus team, or switch if
    they see fit. This is not meant as a rigid partitioning of our
    effort. Please let me know if you want to join a group you are not
    listed as part of below.

For all focus groups, your short-term (next nine months) tasks are:

(a) Identify viable hypotheses (if any) about cloud feedbacks on
    climate sensitivity in which your focus process plays a primary
    role. Develop and implement diagnostics which test these
    hypotheses in available versions of these three models. 
    Identify the most glaring systematic biases or other problems in
    your process in current simulations by the three models.

(b) Are there idealized models of your focus process (e.g. mixed layer
    models, deep convective adjustment schemes, etc.) which might also
    help illuminate cloud feedbacks and provide a useful comparison to
    the parameterization suites we are currently using?.

(c) Friendly critique of current parameterizations in the three models as
    consistent or inconsistent with current scientific understanding,
    and test their dependence on vertical resolution and timestep in
    SCM mode.

(d) Is there a consensus in your group about how to design and test a
    better parameterization of your process(es)? 

You should share conclusions you have on these topics with the whole
group so we can all stay on one page.
It will probably be necessary to have all the focus groups meet
jointly some time next summer to coordinate this activity (e.g. at
CCSM Santa Fe meeting?). In the meanwhile, we will try to use
electronic means to keep everyone abreast of our activities. In
particular, I am happy to put on the CPT web page links to CPT-related
web pages that any of you might be maintaining.

---------The proposed focus groups------------------------------------------

1. Subgrid parameterization of cloud and radiation processes
  (e.g. the 'insufficient mid-thickness, mid-level cloud' problem)

  Lead: Robert Pincus
  Other core/modeling ctr. members:
   Steve Klein
   Bill Collins
   Minghua Zhang
   Marat Khairoutdinov

  Other advisory members.
   Steve Ghan
   

2. PBL and shallow cumulus cloud processes 
  (e.g. the bright trades/dim Sc problem)

  Lead: Chris Bretherton
  Other core/modeling ctr. members:
   Isaac Held
   Cara-lyn Lappen
   Joel Norris
   Phil Rasch
   Bjorn Stevens
   Kuan-man Xu
   
  Other advisory members.
   Bruce Albrecht
   Roberto Mechoso
   Joao Teixeira

3. Deep convection, including ice microphysics, PBL feedbacks, and
   cloud spectrum (e.g. 'Is tropical convective SWCF-LWCF cancellation
   just a coincidence of current climate').

  Lead: Brian Mapes

  Other core/modeling ctr. members:
   Julio Bacmeister
   Leo Donner
   Isaac Held
   Phil Rasch
   Chris Bretherton
   Joel Norris
   Minghua Zhang
    
  Other advisory members.
   Greg McFarquhar
   Dave Randall
   Dave Raymond