pcmdi_diags — PCMDI Metrics

The pcmdi_diags task runs PCMDI Metrics Package (PMP) diagnostics to compute climate model performance metrics. It depends on the e3sm_to_cmip — CMIP6 Conversion task for CMIP-format input data.

Diagnostic sets

The current_set parameter selects which PMP diagnostic to run:

• mean_climate — climatological mean metrics

• variability_modes_cpl — coupled variability modes (PDO, NPGO, AMO)

• variability_modes_atm — atmospheric variability modes (NAM, NAO, PNA, etc.)

• enso — ENSO metrics (not currently enabled by default)

• synthetic_plots — composite viewer page combining outputs from other sets

Parameters

Most useful at the task level (all sets)

Parameter	Required	Default	Description
active	No	False	Set to True to enable this task.
run_type	No	"model_vs_obs"	"model_vs_obs" or "model_vs_model". Note: in PCMDI context, model-vs-model compares two model simulations against observations.
figure_format	No	"png"	Output figure format.
model_name	No	"e3sm.historical.v3-LR.0051"	Model name (required for MVO runs).
model_tableID	No	"Amon"	CMIP table ID (required for MVO runs).
model_name_ref	No	"ERA5"	Reference model name (required for MVM runs).
model_tableID_ref	No	"Amon"	Reference CMIP table ID (required for MVM runs).
e3sm_to_cmip_atm_subsection	No	""	Name of the [e3sm_to_cmip] atm subtask to depend on.
generate_sftlf	No	True	Flag to process the land/sea mask within PCMDI.
grid	No	"180x360_aave"	Model data grid after remapping.
multiprocessing	No	True	Use multiprocessing.
num_workers	No	24	Number of worker processes.
obs_ts	No	""	Path to observation time-series data. Required for mean_climate, variability_modes_*, enso sets.
ts_num_years	No	5	Year increment for test model data.
ts_years	No	[""]	Year ranges for test model data.

Per-subtask parameters

Parameter	Required	Default	Description
current_set	No	""	The diagnostic set to run. If not set, inferred from the subsection name.
obs_sets	No	"default"	Observational datasets to use (see reference_alias.json).
ref_start_yr	No	""	Start year for reference data.
ref_final_yr	No	""	End year for reference data.
ref_years	No	[""]	Year ranges for reference data.

mean_climate parameters

Parameter	Required	Default	Description
cmip_vars	No	"pr,prw,psl,..."	Variables from the CMIP6 table to use.
clim_vars	No	"pr,prw,psl,..."	Variables for mean climate metrics.
clim_regions	No	"global,ocean,land"	Regions for mean climate metrics.
target_grid	No	"1x1"	Target regridding grid.
target_grid_string	No	"1px1p"	Description string for the target grid.
regrid_tool	No	"esmf"	Regridding tool.
regrid_method	No	"regrid2"	Regridding method.

variability_modes parameters

Parameter	Required	Default	Description
mova_vars	No	"psl"	Variables for variability_modes_atm.
mova_modes	No	"NAM,NAO,PNA,NPO,SAM,PSA1,PSA2"	Modes for variability_modes_atm.
movc_vars	No	"ts"	Variables for variability_modes_cpl.
movc_modes	No	"PDO,NPGO,AMO"	Modes for variability_modes_cpl.
CBF	No	True	Use Common Base Function approach.
ConvEOF	No	True	Compute conventional EOF.
EofScaling	No	False	Apply EOF scaling.
eofn_mod_max	No	3	Maximum number of EOF modes for model.
seasons	No	"monthly"	Seasons to analyze.