There is scientific progress in the evaluation methods of recent Earth system models(ESMs).Methods range from single variable to multi-variables,multi-processes,multi-phenomena quantitative evaluations in five layers(spheres)of the Earth system,from climatic mean assessment to climate change(such as trends,periodicity,interdecadal variability),extreme values,abnormal characters and quantitative evaluations of phenomena,from qualitative assessment to quantitative calculation of reliability and uncertainty for model simulations.Researchers started considering independence and similarity between models in multi-model use,as well as the quantitative evaluation of climate prediction and projection efect and the quantitative uncertainty contribution analysis.In this manuscript,the simulations and projections by both CMIP5 and CMIP3 that have been published after 2007 are reviewed and summarized.
Evaluation and projection of temperature extremes over China are carried out with 8 model datasets from CMIF5. Compared with the NCEP reanalysis data, multi-model weighted ensemble is capable of reproducing the 8 temperature extreme indices and 20-yeax return values of annual maximum/minimum temperatures. The time correlation coefficients of all the 8 indices between multi-model ensemble and the reanalysis can reach a significance level of 0.10. The spatial correlation coefficient of 20-year return level of annual maximum/minimum temperatures is greater than 0.98. Under the RCP4.5 scenario, more extreme warm events and less cold events are expected over China in multi-model ensemble. By the middle of the 21st century, the heat wave duration index will be multiplied 2.6 times. At the end of the 21st century, the cold wave duration index will decrease 71%, and the 20-year return value will increase 4℃ in parts of China for the maximum/minimum temperatures.
