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Ice Model Calibration using Semi-continuous Spatial Data

Chang, W.; Konomi, B.A.; Karagiannis, G.; Guan, Y.; Haran, M.

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Authors

W. Chang

B.A. Konomi

Y. Guan

M. Haran



Abstract

Rapid changes in Earth’s cryosphere caused by human activity can lead to significant environmental impacts. Computer models provide a useful tool for understanding the behavior and projecting the future of Arctic and Antarctic ice sheets. However, these models are typically subject to large parametric uncertainties due to poorly constrained model input parameters that govern the behavior of simulated ice sheets. Computer model calibration provides a formal statistical framework to infer parameters using observational data, and to quantify the uncertainty in projections due to the uncertainty in these parameters. Calibration of ice sheet models is often challenging because the relevant model output and observational data take the form of semi-continuous spatial data, with a point mass at zero and a right-skewed continuous distribution for positive values. Current calibration approaches cannot handle such data. Here we introduce a hierarchical latent variable model that handles binary spatial patterns and positive continuous spatial patterns as separate components. To overcome challenges due to high-dimensionality we use likelihood-based generalized principal component analysis to impose low-dimensional structures on the latent variables for spatial dependence. We apply our methodology to calibrate a physical model for the Antarctic ice sheet and demonstrate that we can overcome the aforementioned modeling and computational challenges. As a result of our calibration, we obtain improved future ice-volume change projections.

Citation

Chang, W., Konomi, B., Karagiannis, G., Guan, Y., & Haran, M. (2022). Ice Model Calibration using Semi-continuous Spatial Data. Annals of Applied Statistics, 16(3), 1937-1961. https://doi.org/10.1214/21-aoas1577

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Dec 16, 2021
Online Publication Date Jul 19, 2022
Publication Date 2022-09
Deposit Date Dec 16, 2021
Publicly Available Date Sep 9, 2022
Journal Annals of Applied Statistics
Print ISSN 1932-6157
Electronic ISSN 1941-7330
Publisher Institute of Mathematical Statistics
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 16
Issue 3
Pages 1937-1961
DOI https://doi.org/10.1214/21-aoas1577
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1220284
Related Public URLs https://arxiv.org/abs/1907.13554

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Copyright Statement
© Institute of Mathematical Statistics, 2022





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