The Biogeochemical Flux Model (BFM) is a generalized marine biogeochemistry model based on a biomass continuum description of lower trophic levels in the marine environment. The major chemical and biological components are described in terms of functional groups by means of the theoretical concepts of Chemical Functional Families and Living Functional Groups (CFF and LFG; Vichi et al., 2023).

The CMCC Global Ocean Physical Reanalysis System (C-GLORS) is used at CMCC to simulate the state of the ocean in the last decades. It consists of a variational data assimilation system (OceanVar), capable of assimilating all in-situ observations along with altimetry data, and a forecast step performed by the ocean model NEMO coupled with the LIM2 sea-ice model.

The CMCC–CESM–NEMO is the physical basis of the new CMCC Earth System Model (CMCC-ESM). It is a global coupled climate model derived from the NCAR coupled model CESM version 1.1.2 (Hurrell et al., 2013), where the ocean component is NEMO (Madec et al., 2012) rather than the NCAR ocean model.

The Earth System Modeling Unit at ODA division is devoted to the development and application of the CMCC Earth System Model. The current version CMCC-ESM2 is based on the coupling between the climate coupled model CMCC-CM2 (Cherchi et al., 2019), that accounts for interactive dynamics of atmosphere, ocean, sea-ice and land components, with the inclusion of the marine biogeochemistry to fully represent the global carbon cycles.

LIM is a numerical model of sea ice designed for climate studies and operational oceanography. It is coupled to the ocean general circulation model OPA (Océan Parallélisé) and is part of NEMO (Nucleus for European Modeling of the Ocean).

What is NEMO? NEMO (Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean, www.nemo-ocean.eu/) is is a state-of-the-art modelling framework for research activities and forecasting services in ocean and climate sciences. It is developed in a sustainable way by a European Consortium that includes CMCC, CNRS (France), Mercator Ocean International (France), NERC-NOC (UK)  and Metoffice UK.

OceanVar is the variational ocean data assimilation system developed at CMCC to provide initial conditions for ocean reanalyses and operational forecasts. It is a three-dimensional variational (3DVAR) system, formulated in its classical incremental variant.