1. About S8DS service

S8DS is the project code as the pseudo global warming downscaling service leading adaptations by Ministory of Enveronment, Japan.

S8DS service is a user-friendly tool, and helps administrative staffs make well informed decisions about policies, programs, and projects by putting the best available evidence from research at the heart of policy development and implementation.

2. Background

Detailed regional climate prediction data is necessary for predicting future climate change impacts and planning adaptation measures (e.g., investment in disaster prevention, land use and urban planning) based on the results. Mechanistic downscaling (the spatial refinement of data using physical methods) is effective as a method for simulating data, but it requires advanced expertise and technology to calculate it.

The S8-CAT downscaling system (hereinafter referred to as the "Downscaler") was developed by the University of Tsukuba in Japan to enable non-specialists to easily generate climate forecast information. Downscaler is a pseudo global warming method that uses past average values from global climate model (GCM) analyses to generate future climate data based on climate change prediction scenarios (RCP), and then feeds the data to a regional climate model (a system that performs fluid calculations in a high-resolution grid with a limited computational domain). The system can be used to calculate atmospheric conditions in accordance with the regional topography and land surface conditions. In addition, it is possible to freely change land use and urban information by setting detailed conditions.

Similar systems require advanced programming skills on the part of the user, while increasing the free configuration. This downscaler is designed to narrow down the conditions that can be set according to the purpose, and the user interface is designed to make it easy for non-expert users to handle and create the desired climate forecast information easily.

3. Functions of Downsaling

1) View

It is mainly designed for government officials related to climate change, and has 3 functions below;

(1) Universal setting

Down-scaled climate data for that year and the future (end of the 21st century) can be viewed for a relatively quiet year with few disasters. Currently, the data for Hanoi, Vietnam and Bangkok, Thailand are available, but other regions will be available as well.

(2) Extreme Event

Using past climate data from past disasters (typhoons, floods, and droughts), we can calculate future climate data (end of the 21st century) and check the differences. At present, data for typhoons in Vietnam, floods in Thailand, and droughts in the upper reaches of the Mekong River can be checked.

(3) Sharing

Some of the simulation results, described below, are displayed in View mode as needed. The privilege of the system administrator is required to add data to this mode.

2) Simulation

It is primarily a function for climate change professionals and engineers. This function sets the conditions for downscaling.

3) Calculation result

This is a function to confirm the results of the simulation. Past results, future predictions, and differential climate data can be viewed in the Web-based GIS. If necessary, the data can be downloaded in CSV or NET-CDF format.