Experiments with dynamic thermodynamic sea-ice models indicate a strong dependence of the net freezing rate, sea-ice transport and variability on dynamic model parameters. Although current dynamic—thermodynamic sea-ice models show relatively good agreement with observations, an optimization seems to be necessary, especially for the parameterizations of dynamic processes. Presently, only a few coupled climate models use dynamic-thermodynamic sea-ice models. In order to promote, by means of

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... nated numerical experiments, the development of an optimal sea-ice model for climate research, the Sea Ice Ocean Modelling Panel of the Arctic Climate System Study (ACSYS, a project of the World Climate Research Programme has initiated the Sea Ice Model Intercomparison Project (SIMIP). The first results from this model hierarchy approach are presented.