# ACCESS-AM3: Release Information

**URL:** <https://forum.access-hive.org.au/t/access-am3-release-information/5446>\
**Category:** ACCESS-NRI Releases\
**Tags:** release, model, access-am3\
**Created:** [27 October 2025 00:03 UTC](https://forum.access-hive.org.au/t/access-am3-release-information/5446 "2025-10-27T00:03:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 5

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**Author:** ![clairecarouge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.access-hive.org.au/clairecarouge/32/380_2.png) [@clairecarouge](https://forum.access-hive.org.au/u/clairecarouge)\
**Post date:** [28 August 2026 04:32 UTC](https://forum.access-hive.org.au/t/access-am3-release-information/5446/5 "2026-08-28T04:32:40Z")

</div>

# ACCESS-AM3 beta release

🚀 **Release** : n96e-3.0 and n512e-aeroclim-1.0

**What can you expect to be able to do with this?**

A user should be able to

- take this suite and run it as-is, which will run a year long atmosphere-land coupled simulation using Rose/Cylc.
- build the code with Spack, using the `main` branch of the [ACCESS-AM3](https://github.com/ACCESS-NRI/ACCESS-AM3) deployment.

> ## ⚠ ⚠ THIS IS A BETA RELEASE ⚠ ⚠
> 
> This is a beta release with the intention of getting feedback from the community.
> 
> It will be fit to use and test. Known issues are listed below, but there may be some issues that have not yet been discovered and fixed. The suite may change during the beta testing period as improvements are made. If that happens updates will be made in this topic.
> 
> Definitions of release stages, what they mean is available on the Hive Docs:
> 
> [Release stages - ACCESS-Hive Docs](https://docs.access-hive.org.au/about/releases/#release-stages-for-model-configurations)
> 
> For the reasons stated above **this beta release is intended for testing only** and is **not recommended for use in published research**.

## Feedback

We welcome feedback from all interested users. This is a chance to improve this proposed new release.

Please make suggestions or report problems on this forum.

ACCESS-NRI is interested in all feedback, positive or negative, but in particular we would like to know:

- Are the instructions clear and easy to follow? Is there anything unclear, missing or incorrect?

## How to use

- [How to run ACCESS-AM3](https://docs.access-hive.org.au/models/run_a_model/run_access-am3/)
- [access-am3-config docs](https://access-am3-configs.access-hive.org.au/), which contains the ACCESS-AM3 configuration documentation. The documentation is currently under construction, and any contributions are welcome.
- [training](https://access-am3-configs.access-hive.org.au/training/CWLCM-2026/): training is current as of August 2026. It will not be updated.

## Features

✅ Updated n96e configuration.  
✅ New ACCESS-AM3 n512e-aeroclim configuration from the ARC Centre of Excellence Weather of the 21st Century.  
✅ Use of a gregorian calendar.  
✅ Coupling of CABLE biogeophysics  
✅ Update to UM v13.8 and JULES vn7.8 for compatibility with ACCESS-CM3 and ACCESS-rAM3.  
✅ Source CABLE as a library from the CABLE repository  
✅ Energy and water balance better or similar to ACCESS-CM2.  
✅ Documentation  
✅ Pre-compiled executable, build and deployed using ACCESS-NRI pipeline  
✅ Upgrade to compatibility mode for cylc8. All documentation updated for cylc8.  
✅ Default performance of n96e: 4 model year / day (wall time), 15.6kSU / year  
✅ Model data output usage of n96e: 10GB / model month (default, depends on STASHPACK choices)  
✅ Temporary `work` file usage of n96e: 2.5GB / model month (Automatically pruned. Only data for most recent model run. Can be deleted after run)

## Limitations

🛑 Limited testing undertaken: Notably use of alternate configurations of CABLE.  
🛑 No ancillary suite released to create a different set of ancillary files.

## Known Issues

⚠ Dust source location and strength need more investigation  
⚠ Model outputs are stored in `/scratch` . Currently it is a user responsibility to copy this to long term storage if that is a requirement.  
⚠ Output is provided in UM and netCDF, multivariable format, not standardised single variable netCDF files.

## Future developments

🚧 Inclusion of Australian-specific tree types following ACCESS-ESM1.6 developments  
🚧 Finish the coupling of the biogeochemistry for CABLE  
🚧 Add an urban scheme  
🚧 Activation of CABLE’s groundwater scheme

## Credits (Latest developments only)

⭐ Development of ACCESS-AM3’s n512e-aeroclim configuration ( @lishx , @bethanwhite , @mlipson , @JulieA , @Paul.Gregory , @Christian_Jakob , @paocorrales )

⭐ Change to a gregorian calendar (@lachlanswhyborn , @MartinDix )

⭐ Change to source CABLE as a library (@lachlanswhyborn , @Jhan , @inh599 )

⭐ Upgrade to UM v13.8 and JULES vn7.8 (@MartinDix , @ben )

⭐ Creation of ancillaries for n512e-aeroclim and development of an ancillary suite (@lachlanswhyborn , @mlipson , @lishx )

⭐ Documentation (@clairecarouge , @ben , @heidi)

⭐ Upgrade to the build and deployment infrastructure with Spack (@TommyGatti, @paulleopardi , @lachlanswhyborn , @ben )

## Support

Replies to this topic are disabled.

If you have specific questions about **this release** please add a topic on this forum and tag with #help ([more information about support](https://forum.access-hive.org.au/t/access-help-and-support/908) for ACCESS-NRI’s released software).

## Resources

- [ACCESS-AM3 model description](https://docs.access-hive.org.au/models/access_models/access-am/)
- [How to run ACCESS-AM3](https://docs.access-hive.org.au/models/run_a_model/run_access-am3/)
- [ACCESS-AM3 model deployment repository](https://github.com/ACCESS-NRI/ACCESS-AM3)
- [Request access to ACCESS-AM3](https://forum.access-hive.org.au/t/request-access-to-am3-configurations-draft/5580)

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