The CSM Paleoclimate Working Group held a meeting on 17-18 February 1998 in Boulder, Colorado. The purpose of this meeting was to update scientists on the status of the CSM, inform them of developments of particular interest to paleoclimate researchers, and to plan working group simulations to be initiated in the next 6 months. The agenda is included in Appendix A. Participants in the Working Group meeting are listed in Appendix B.

1) The Paleoclimate Working Group is ready to start two community CSM simulations, a 500-1000 year simulation to determine the non-externally forced natural variability (the first in a series of simulations to look at the climate of the 17th-18th-19th centuries) and a 500-year mid-Holocene (6000 years before present) simulation. Both coupled simulations will be run at T31,x3 resolution. The CCM PMIP simulations for 6 kbp and 21 kbp also need to be repeated with CCM3.5. Both T31 and T42 versions of these simulations are desirable. The Paleoclimate Working Group requests CSL computer time to start these simulations.

2) Optimization of the low-resolution CSM (T31, x3) on the SGI Origin should be a high priority.

3) More uniform scripts and makefiles for the CSM component models need to be developed.

4) A version of CCM without semi-Lagrangian dynamics needs to be maintained and updated for low-resolution simulations by the paleoclimate community.

5) The development of simplified land-surface submodels appropriate for paleo simulations, when detailed vegetation and soil characteristics cannot be determined, should be encouraged.

6) Two-way interaction between the NCAR Paleoclimate Program and university users, both in model analyses and model development, is desirable.

7) Five subworking groups (discussion leaders noted) were formed at the meeting:

• Climate of the 17th-18th-19th Centuries Sub Group (Otto-Bliesner)
• PMIP Sub Group (Gallimore)
• Abrupt Change Sub Group (Peltier)
• Warm Climates of the last 100 my Sub Group (Sloan)
• Ocean Spinup Sub Group (Brady)

8) The Paleoclimate Working Group will meet twice each year, at the annual CSM Workshop during the summer and separately during the winter. The latter, being smaller in size and lasting 1-2 days, is desirable for science and computational coordination and planning.

Appendix A