Model:ISSM

ISSM

Also known as
Model type	Single
Model part of larger framework
Note on status model
Date note status model

Incorporated models or components:

Spatial dimensions	2D
Spatial extent	Global, Continental, Regional-Scale
Model domain	Terrestrial, Cryosphere
One-line model description	Ice Sheet System Model (ISSM)
Extended model description	ISSM is the result of a collaboration between the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and University of California at Irvine. Its purpose is to tackle the challenge of modeling the evolution of the polar ice caps in Greenland and Antarctica. ISSM is open source and is funded by the NASA Cryosphere, GRACE Science Team, ICESat Research, ICESat-2 Research, NASA Sea-Level Change Team (N-SLCT), IDS (Interdisciplinary Research in Earth Science), ESI (Earth Surface and Interior), and MAP (Modeling Analysis and Prediction) programs, JPL R&TD (Research, Technology and Development) and the National Science Foundation

Keywords:	ice sheet, glacier, sea-level rise, glacial isostatic adjustment, GIA,

Supported platforms	Linux, Mac OS, Windows
Other platform
Programming language	C++, Python, Java, Matlab
Other program language
Code optimized	Multiple Processors
Multiple processors implemented	Distributed memory
Nr of distributed processors
Nr of shared processors
Start year development	2005
Does model development still take place?	Yes
If above answer is no, provide end year model development
Code development status	Active
When did you indicate the 'code development status'?	2020
Model availability	As code
Source code availability (Or provide future intension)	Through web repository
Source web address	https://issm.jpl.nasa.gov
Source csdms web address
Program license type	Other
Program license type other	Three-clause BSD license
Memory requirements	varies
Typical run time	varies

Describe input parameters	geometry of ice sheets, ice shelves, land-ice, ocean boundaries; material parameters; climate forcings (i.e surface mass balance); basal friction at the ice/bed interface; flightlines; errors; boundaries; grids; preview images
Input format	ASCII, Binary
Other input format	NetCDF
Describe output parameters	ice flow of an ice sheet, sea-level rise, visco-elastic uplift
Output format	Binary
Other output format
Pre-processing software needed?	No
Describe pre-processing software
Post-processing software needed?	No
Describe post-processing software
Visualization software needed?	No
If above answer is yes
Other visualization software

Describe processes represented by the model	ice stress balance, ice mass transport / free surface, ice thermal (cold- and enthalpy-based), dual continuum hydrology, SHAKTI hydrology, GlaDS hydrology, ice damage mechanics, transient (time-dependent projection), grounding line dynamics, glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA), solid earth elastic response, sea-level fingerprints, positive degree day (PDD), surface energy balance (snow densification and surface mass balance calculation with the GEMB model), basal melt parameterizations (PICO/PICOP), empirical scalar tertiary anisotropy regime (ESTAR), uncertainty quantification capabilities (Dakota)
Describe key physical parameters and equations	See https://issm.jpl.nasa.gov/
Describe length scale and resolution constraints	From hundreds of meters to thousands of kilometers (constraints are mainly HEC-related).
Describe time scale and resolution constraints	Typical time step of two weeks (constraints are mainly HEC-related).
Describe any numerical limitations and issues	Poor scaling for ice-flow models with direct solvers (improves upon use of iterative solvers, but convergence is not systematic).

Describe available calibration data sets	--
Upload calibration data sets if available:
Describe available test data sets	Nightly runs are carried out on every SVN repository commit.
Upload test data sets if available:
Describe ideal data for testing	--

Do you have current or future plans for collaborating with other researchers?	ISSM is a collaborative software development project by its nature, with a growing community of cryosphere scientists who rely upon it. There are efforts in place to expand use of ISSM in the GIA and SLR communities.

Is there a manual available?	Yes
Upload manual if available:	Media:ISSM userguide 2017.pdf
Model website if any	https://issm.jpl.nasa.gov/
Model forum / discussion board	https://issm.ess.uci.edu/forum

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Featured publication(s)	Year	Model described	Type of Reference	Citations
Larour, E.; Seroussi, H.; Morlighem, M.; Rignot, E.; 2012. Continental scale, high order, high spatial resolution, ice sheet modeling using the Ice Sheet System Model (ISSM): ICE SHEET SYSTEM MODEL. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 117, n/a–n/a. 10.1029/2011JF002140 (View/edit entry)	2012	ISSM	Model overview	453
See more publications of ISSM