Test ESMF 8.8.0 in UFS weather model

[DusanJovic-NOAA]

The ESMF version 8.8.0 has been released. (https://github.com/esmf-org/esmf/releases/tag/v8.8.0) It includes important updates that will allow us to run high resolution coupled configurations (HRv4) using ESMF threading on Hercules, Orion and possibly other platforms.

This version should be installed and tested on all supported RDHPCS platforms.

The libraries team, please install it and update this description specifying the installation path of the spack stack:

Hera
  - Intel:
  - GNU:
Jet:
Orion:
Hercules
  - Intel: 
  - GNU:
Gaea
  - C5:
  - C6:
Derecho:

It would be nice to test this update on WCOSS2/Acorn, but I'm not sure if that's possible or how soon it can be done. If somebody installs it, please specify the installation location below:

WCOSS2:
Acorn:

Based on my preliminary tests of 8.8.0b09 installed on Hercules we should expect bit-by-bit identical outputs compared to current baselines.

The updates in 8.8.0 will require source code updates in GOCART, which are available in this branch https://github.com/theurich/GOCART/tree/feature/cap-semantic-labels

[BrianCurtis-NOAA]

We can't install on WCOSS2/Acorn until official release version. They won't install betas.

[DusanJovic-NOAA]

@jkbk2004 ESMF version 8.8.0 has been publicly released. EPIC can start installing it on all supported platforms.

[jkbk2004]

@jkbk2004 ESMF version 8.8.0 has been publicly released. EPIC can start installing it on all supported platforms.

@DusanJovic-NOAA thanks for the note! @RatkoVasic-NOAA can you install and add the ESMF new version?

[DusanJovic-NOAA]

@jkbk2004 ESMF version 8.8.0 has been publicly released. EPIC can start installing it on all supported platforms.

@DusanJovic-NOAA thanks for the note! @RatkoVasic-NOAA can you install and add the ESMF new version?

Thanks. With the new ESMF we will also need MAPL 2.52.0