The CESM PlioMIP2 project, completed by Bette Otto-Bliesner, Ran Feng, and Esther Brady, is a set of published simulations contributing to Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project Phase 2 (PlioMIP2) and Climate Model Intercomparison Project 6 (CMIP6). These simulations are carried out with three consecutive, standard versions of NCAR family models: CCSM4, CESM1.2 and CESM2, and feature the same boundary conditions derived from reconstructions by Pliocene Research, Interpretation and Synoptic Mapping project phase 4 (PRISM4), following the PlioMIP2 protocol. In addition, preindustrial runs with the same models, branched from the published preindustrial simulations, are also included for comparison purpose.

All simulations are performed with the atmosphere-ocean-land-sea ice coupled model configuration at the nominal 1-degree latitude/longitude for all components. Terrestrial biogeochemical carbon-nitrogen (CN) cycling is active in all simulations. Precursor land only spin-up simulations were carried out to derive initial conditions for the terrestrial biogeochemical components.