diff --git a/.buildkite/pipeline.yml b/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
index fb29c5b43c..96a7494e52 100644
--- a/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
+++ b/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
@@ -32,13 +32,13 @@ steps:
       - "julia --project -e 'using Pkg; Pkg.precompile()'"
       - "julia --project -e 'using Pkg; Pkg.status()'"
 
-      - echo "--- Instantiate climacore exp env"
+      - echo "--- Instantiate ClimaCore experiments env"
       - "julia --project=experiments/ClimaCore/ -e 'using Pkg; Pkg.instantiate(;verbose=true)'"
       - "julia --project=experiments/ClimaCore/ -e 'using Pkg; Pkg.add(\"MPI\"); Pkg.add(\"CUDA\")'"
       - "julia --project=experiments/ClimaCore/ -e 'using Pkg; Pkg.precompile()'"
       - "julia --project=experiments/ClimaCore/ -e 'using Pkg; Pkg.status()'"
 
-      - echo "--- Instantiate ClimaEarth env"
+      - echo "--- Instantiate ClimaEarth experiments env"
       - "julia --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ -e 'using Pkg; Pkg.develop(path=\".\")'"
       - "julia --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ -e 'using Pkg; Pkg.instantiate(;verbose=true)'"
       - "julia --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ -e 'using Pkg; Pkg.add(\"MPI\"); Pkg.add(\"CUDA\");'"
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ steps:
     steps:
       - label: "MPI Regridder unit tests"
         key: "regridder_mpi_tests"
-        command: "srun julia --color=yes --project=test/ test/mpi_tests/regridder_mpi_tests.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/regridder_mpi.yml"
+        command: "srun julia --color=yes --project=test/ test/mpi_tests/regridder_mpi_tests.jl"
         timeout_in_minutes: 20
         env:
           CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ steps:
 
       - label: "MPI Checkpointer unit tests"
         key: "checkpointer_mpi_tests"
-        command: "srun julia --color=yes --project=test/ test/mpi_tests/checkpointer_mpi_tests.jl --job_id checkpointer_mpi"
+        command: "srun julia --color=yes --project=test/ test/mpi_tests/checkpointer_mpi_tests.jl"
         timeout_in_minutes: 20
         env:
           CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ steps:
 
       - label: "MPI Utilities unit tests"
         key: "utilities_mpi_tests"
-        command: "srun julia --color=yes --project=test/ test/utilities_tests.jl --job_id utilities_mpi"
+        command: "srun julia --color=yes --project=test/ test/utilities_tests.jl"
         timeout_in_minutes: 20
         env:
           CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
@@ -108,10 +108,7 @@ steps:
 
   - group: "Integration Tests"
     steps:
-
-      # Drivers for release >
-
-      # SLABPLANET
+      # SLABPLANET EXPERIMENTS
 
       # Slabplanet default:
       # - this is the most lightweight example with conservation and visual checks, with CLI specification as follows
@@ -155,13 +152,6 @@ steps:
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
-      - label: "Slabplanet: albedo from static map"
-        key: "slabplanet_albedo_static_map"
-        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/slabplanet_albedo_static_map.yml --job_id slabplanet_albedo_static_map"
-        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/slabplanet_albedo_static_map/artifacts/total_energy*.png"
-        agents:
-          slurm_mem: 20GB
-
       - label: "Slabplanet: albedo from temporal map"
         key: "slabplanet_albedo_temporal_map"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/slabplanet_albedo_temporal_map.yml --job_id slabplanet_albedo_temporal_map"
@@ -190,72 +180,25 @@ steps:
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
-      # AMIP
-
-      # ...
-
-      # < end Drivers for release
-
-      # CLIMACORE EXPERIMENTS
-
-      - label: "sea_breeze"
-        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaCore experiments/ClimaCore/sea_breeze/run.jl"
-        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaCore/sea_breeze/output/*"
-        agents:
-          slurm_mem: 20GB
-
-      - label: "heat-diffusion"
-        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaCore/ experiments/ClimaCore/heat-diffusion/run.jl"
-        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaCore/output/heat-diffusion/artifacts/*"
+      - label: "Slabplanet: timevarying insolation + rayleigh sponge"
+        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/slabplanet_realinsol_rayleigh.yml --job_id slabplanet_realinsol_rayleigh"
+        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/slabplanet_realinsol_rayleigh/artifacts/total_energy*.png"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
-      # AMIP AND SLABPLANET EXPERIMENTS
-
-      - label: "Moist earth with slab surface - default: monin gray no_sponge idealinsol freq_dt_cpl"
-        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/default_mono.yml --job_id default_mono"
-        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/default_mono/artifacts/total_energy*.png"
-        agents:
-          slurm_mem: 20GB
-
-      - label: "Moist earth with slab surface - notmono: monin gray no_sponge idealinsol freq_dt_cpl notmono"
-        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/default_notmono.yml --job_id default_notmono"
-        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/default_notmono/artifacts/total_energy*.png"
-        agents:
-          slurm_mem: 20GB
-
-      # - label: "Moist earth with slab surface - test: monin allsky sponge idealinsol infreq_dt_cpl"
-        # command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --FLOAT_TYPE Float64 --coupled true --surface_setup PrescribedSurface --moist equil --vert_diff true --rad allskywithclear --rayleigh_sponge true --alpha_rayleigh_uh 0 --alpha_rayleigh_w 10 --energy_check true --mode_name slabplanet --t_end 10days --dt_save_to_sol 3600secs --dt_cpl 21600 --dt 200secs --dt_rad 6hours --mono_surface true --h_elem 4 --precip_model 0M --job_id target_params_in_slab_test1" # Unconverged SF (reproduced locally); works with 200s dt_cpl
-        # artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/target_params_in_slab_test1/artifacts/total_energy*.png"
-
-      - label: "Moist earth with slab surface - test: bulk allsky sponge realinsol infreq_dt_cpl"
-        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/target_params_in_slab_test2.yml --job_id target_params_in_slab_test2"
-        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/target_params_in_slab_test2/artifacts/total_energy*.png"
-        agents:
-          slurm_mem: 20GB
-
-      - label: "Moist earth with slab surface - test: monin gray sponge realinsol infreq_dt_cpl"
-        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/target_params_in_slab_test3.yml --job_id target_params_in_slab_test3"
-        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/target_params_in_slab_test3/artifacts/total_energy*.png"
-        agents:
-          slurm_mem: 20GB
-
-      # breaking:
-      # - label: "Moist earth with slab surface - monin allsky no_sponge idealinsol infreq_dt_cpl"
-      #   command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --coupled true --surface_setup PrescribedSurface --moist equil --vert_diff true --rad allskywithclear --rayleigh_sponge false --energy_check true --mode_name slabplanet --t_end 10days --dt_save_to_sol 3600secs --dt_cpl 21600 --dt 200secs --dt_rad 6hours --idealized_insolation true --mono_surface true --h_elem 4 --precip_model 0M --job_id target_params_in_slab1"
-      #   artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/target_params_in_slab1/artifacts/total_energy*.png"
+      # AMIP EXPERIMENTS
 
       - label: "AMIP target: albedo from function"
         key: "target_amip_albedo_function"
-        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/target_amip_albedo_function.yml --job_id target_amip_albedo_function"
+        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/amip_albedo_function.yml --job_id target_amip_albedo_function"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/target_amip_albedo_function/artifacts/*"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
       - label: "AMIP - Float64 + hourly checkpoint"
         key: "amip"
-        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/coarse_single_ft64_hourly_checkpoints.yml --job_id coarse_single_ft64_hourly_checkpoints"
-        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/coarse_single_ft64_hourly_checkpoints/artifacts/*"
+        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/amip_coarse_ft64_hourly_checkpoints.yml --job_id amip_coarse_ft64_hourly_checkpoints"
+        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/amip_coarse_ft64_hourly_checkpoints/artifacts/*"
         env:
           FLAME_PLOT: ""
           BUILD_HISTORY_HANDLE: ""
@@ -263,30 +206,23 @@ steps:
           slurm_ntasks: 1
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
-      - label: "AMIP - Float64 test"
-        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/coarse_single_ft64.yml --job_id coarse_single_ft64"
-        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/coarse_single_ft64/artifacts/*"
-        agents:
-          slurm_ntasks: 1
-          slurm_mem: 20GB
-
       - label: "AMIP - Float32 test"
-        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/coarse_single_ft32.yml --job_id coarse_single_ft32"
-        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/coarse_single_ft32/artifacts/*"
+        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/amip_coarse_ft32.yml --job_id amip_coarse_ft32"
+        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/amip_coarse_ft32/artifacts/*"
         agents:
           slurm_ntasks: 1
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
       - label: "AMIP - Component dts test"
-        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/target_amip_component_dts.yml --job_id target_amip_component_dts"
+        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/amip_component_dts.yml --job_id target_amip_component_dts"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/target_amip_component_dts/artifacts/*"
         agents:
           slurm_ntasks: 1
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
       - label: "MPI AMIP"
-        command: "srun julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/coarse_mpi_n4.yml --job_id coarse_mpi_n4"
-        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/coarse_mpi_n4/artifacts/*"
+        command: "srun julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/amip_coarse_mpi.yml --job_id amip_coarse_mpi"
+        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/amip_coarse_mpi/artifacts/*"
         timeout_in_minutes: 240
         env:
           CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
@@ -294,76 +230,40 @@ steps:
           slurm_ntasks: 4
           slurm_mem: 32GB
 
-
       # short high-res performance test
       - label: "Unthreaded AMIP FINE" # also reported by longruns with a flame graph
         key: "unthreaded_amip_fine"
-        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/target_amip_n1_shortrun.yml --job_id target_amip_n1_shortrun"
+        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/amip_n1_shortrun.yml --job_id target_amip_n1_shortrun"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/target_amip_n1_shortrun/artifacts/*"
         env:
           BUILD_HISTORY_HANDLE: ""
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
-  - group: "Hierarchy tests (1d)"
-    steps:
-      - label: ":construction: Dry Held Suarez"
-        key: "dry_held_suarez"
-        command:
-          - sed 's/t_end = "1000days"/t_end = "1days"/' experiments/ClimaEarth/run_dry_held_suarez.jl > experiments/ClimaEarth/run_dry_held_suarez_short.jl
-          - "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_dry_held_suarez_short.jl"
-        artifact_paths:  "dry_held_suarez/dry_held_suarez/clima_atmos/*"
-        agents:
-          slurm_mem: 20GB
-
-      - label: ":construction: Moist Held Suarez"
-        key: "moist_held_suarez"
-        command:
-          - sed 's/t_end = "1000days"/t_end = "1days"/' experiments/ClimaEarth/run_moist_held_suarez.jl > experiments/ClimaEarth/run_moist_held_suarez_short.jl
-          - "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_moist_held_suarez_short.jl"
-        artifact_paths:  "moist_held_suarez/moist_held_suarez/clima_atmos/*"
-        agents:
-          slurm_mem: 20GB
-
-      - label: ":construction: Cloudless Aquaplanet"
-        key: "cloudless_aquaplanet"
-        command:
-          - sed 's/t_end = "1000days"/t_end = "1days"/' experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudless_aquaplanet.jl > experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudless_aquaplanet_short.jl
-          - "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudless_aquaplanet_short.jl"
-        artifact_paths:  "cloudless_aquaplanet/cloudless_aquaplanet/clima_atmos/*"
-        agents:
-          slurm_mem: 20GB
-
-      - label: ":construction: Cloudy Aquaplanet"
-        key: "cloudy_aquaplanet"
-        command:
-          - sed 's/t_end = "1000days"/t_end = "1days"/' experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_aquaplanet.jl > experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_aquaplanet_short.jl
-          - "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_aquaplanet_short.jl"
-        artifact_paths:  "cloudy_aquaplanet/cloudy_aquaplanet/clima_atmos/*"
-        agents:
-          slurm_mem: 20GB
+      # CLIMACORE EXPERIMENTS
 
-      - label: ":construction: Cloudy Slabplanet"
-        key: "cloudy_slabplanet"
-        command:
-          - sed 's/t_end = "1000days"/t_end = "1days"/' experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_slabplanet.jl > experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_slabplanet_short.jl
-          - "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_slabplanet_short.jl"
-        artifact_paths:  "cloudy_slabplanet/cloudy_slabplanet/clima_atmos/*"
+      - label: "sea_breeze"
+        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaCore experiments/ClimaCore/sea_breeze/run.jl"
+        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaCore/sea_breeze/output/*"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
-      - wait
-      - label: ":construction: Hierarchy plots"
-        key: "hierarchy_plots"
-        command:
-          - "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/hierarchy/climate_plots.jl"
-        artifact_paths:  "paper_figs/*"
+      - label: "heat-diffusion"
+        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaCore/ experiments/ClimaCore/heat-diffusion/run.jl"
+        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaCore/output/heat-diffusion/artifacts/*"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
   - group: "GPU integration tests"
     steps:
       # GPU RUNS: slabplanet
+      - label: "GPU Slabplanet: default"
+        key: "gpu_slabplanet_default"
+        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/slabplanet_default.yml --job_id gpu_slabplanet_default"
+        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/gpu_slabplanet_default/artifacts/*"
+        agents:
+          slurm_mem: 20GB
+
       - label: "GPU Slabplanet: albedo from function"
         key: "gpu_slabplanet_albedo_function"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/slabplanet_albedo_function.yml --job_id gpu_slabplanet_albedo_function"
@@ -374,16 +274,6 @@ steps:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
           slurm_gpus: 1
 
-      - label: "GPU Slabplanet: albedo from static map"
-        key: "gpu_slabplanet_albedo_static_map"
-        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/slabplanet_albedo_static_map.yml --job_id gpu_slabplanet_albedo_static_map"
-        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/gpu_slabplanet_albedo_static_map/artifacts/*"
-        env:
-          CLIMACOMMS_DEVICE: "CUDA"
-        agents:
-          slurm_mem: 20GB
-          slurm_gpus: 1
-
       - label: "GPU Slabplanet: albedo from temporal map"
         key: "gpu_slabplanet_albedo_temporal_map"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/slabplanet_albedo_temporal_map.yml --job_id gpu_slabplanet_albedo_temporal_map"
@@ -405,30 +295,30 @@ steps:
           slurm_gpus: 1
 
       # GPU RUNS: AMIP
-      - label: "GPU AMIP test: albedo from function"
-        key: "gpu_amip_albedo_function"
-        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/gpu_amip_albedo_function.yml --job_id gpu_amip_albedo_function"
-        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/gpu_amip_albedo_function/artifacts/*"
+      - label: "GPU AMIP: default"
+        key: "gpu_amip_default"
+        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/amip_default.yml --job_id gpu_amip_default"
+        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/gpu_amip_default/artifacts/*"
         env:
           CLIMACOMMS_DEVICE: "CUDA"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
           slurm_gpus: 1
 
-      - label: "GPU AMIP target: topography and diagnostic EDMF"
-        key: "gpu_amip_target_topo_diagedmf_shortrun"
-        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/gpu_amip_target_topo_diagedmf_shortrun.yml --job_id gpu_amip_target_topo_diagedmf_shortrun"
-        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/gpu_amip_target_topo_diagedmf_shortrun/artifacts/*"
+      - label: "GPU AMIP test: albedo from function"
+        key: "gpu_amip_albedo_function"
+        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/amip_albedo_function.yml --job_id gpu_amip_albedo_function"
+        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/gpu_amip_albedo_function/artifacts/*"
         env:
           CLIMACOMMS_DEVICE: "CUDA"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
           slurm_gpus: 1
 
-      - label: "GPU AMIP: albedo from static map"
-        key: "gpu_amip_albedo_static_map"
-        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/gpu_amip_albedo_static_map.yml --job_id gpu_amip_albedo_static_map"
-        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/gpu_amip_albedo_static_map/artifacts/*"
+      - label: "GPU AMIP target: topography and diagnostic EDMF"
+        key: "gpu_amip_target_topo_diagedmf_shortrun"
+        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/amip_target_topo_diagedmf_shortrun.yml --job_id gpu_amip_target_topo_diagedmf_shortrun"
+        artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/gpu_amip_target_topo_diagedmf_shortrun/artifacts/*"
         env:
           CLIMACOMMS_DEVICE: "CUDA"
         agents:
@@ -437,7 +327,7 @@ steps:
 
       - label: "GPU AMIP: albedo from temporal map + 0M"
         key: "gpu_amip_albedo_temporal_map"
-        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/gpu_amip_albedo_temporal_map.yml --job_id gpu_amip_albedo_temporal_map"
+        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/amip_albedo_temporal_map.yml --job_id gpu_amip_albedo_temporal_map"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/gpu_amip_albedo_temporal_map/artifacts/*"
         env:
           CLIMACOMMS_DEVICE: "CUDA"
@@ -447,7 +337,7 @@ steps:
 
       - label: "GPU AMIP: albedo from temporal map + 1M"
         key: "gpu_amip_albedo_temporal_map_1M"
-        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/gpu_amip_albedo_temporal_map_1M.yml --job_id gpu_amip_albedo_temporal_map_1M"
+        command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/amip_albedo_temporal_map_1M.yml --job_id gpu_amip_albedo_temporal_map_1M"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/gpu_amip_albedo_temporal_map_1M/artifacts/*"
         env:
           CLIMACOMMS_DEVICE: "CUDA"
@@ -472,3 +362,59 @@ steps:
       - build_history staging # name of branch to plot
     artifact_paths:
       - "build_history.html"
+
+  - group: "Hierarchy tests (1d)"
+    steps:
+      - label: ":construction: Dry Held Suarez"
+        key: "dry_held_suarez"
+        command:
+          - sed 's/t_end = "1000days"/t_end = "1days"/' experiments/ClimaEarth/run_dry_held_suarez.jl > experiments/ClimaEarth/run_dry_held_suarez_short.jl
+          - "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_dry_held_suarez_short.jl"
+        artifact_paths:  "dry_held_suarez/dry_held_suarez/clima_atmos/*"
+        agents:
+          slurm_mem: 20GB
+
+      - label: ":construction: Moist Held Suarez"
+        key: "moist_held_suarez"
+        command:
+          - sed 's/t_end = "1000days"/t_end = "1days"/' experiments/ClimaEarth/run_moist_held_suarez.jl > experiments/ClimaEarth/run_moist_held_suarez_short.jl
+          - "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_moist_held_suarez_short.jl"
+        artifact_paths:  "moist_held_suarez/moist_held_suarez/clima_atmos/*"
+        agents:
+          slurm_mem: 20GB
+
+      - label: ":construction: Cloudless Aquaplanet"
+        key: "cloudless_aquaplanet"
+        command:
+          - sed 's/t_end = "1000days"/t_end = "1days"/' experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudless_aquaplanet.jl > experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudless_aquaplanet_short.jl
+          - "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudless_aquaplanet_short.jl"
+        artifact_paths:  "cloudless_aquaplanet/cloudless_aquaplanet/clima_atmos/*"
+        agents:
+          slurm_mem: 20GB
+
+      - label: ":construction: Cloudy Aquaplanet"
+        key: "cloudy_aquaplanet"
+        command:
+          - sed 's/t_end = "1000days"/t_end = "1days"/' experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_aquaplanet.jl > experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_aquaplanet_short.jl
+          - "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_aquaplanet_short.jl"
+        artifact_paths:  "cloudy_aquaplanet/cloudy_aquaplanet/clima_atmos/*"
+        agents:
+          slurm_mem: 20GB
+
+      - label: ":construction: Cloudy Slabplanet"
+        key: "cloudy_slabplanet"
+        command:
+          - sed 's/t_end = "1000days"/t_end = "1days"/' experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_slabplanet.jl > experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_slabplanet_short.jl
+          - "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_slabplanet_short.jl"
+        artifact_paths:  "cloudy_slabplanet/cloudy_slabplanet/clima_atmos/*"
+        agents:
+          slurm_mem: 20GB
+
+      - wait
+      - label: ":construction: Hierarchy plots"
+        key: "hierarchy_plots"
+        command:
+          - "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/hierarchy/climate_plots.jl"
+        artifact_paths:  "paper_figs/*"
+        agents:
+          slurm_mem: 20GB
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f2a26042da..7eb83f0788 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -56,9 +56,9 @@ julia --project=experiments/ClimaEarth experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl
 
 When running from the terminal, you can also specify a configuration file to use for the simulation setup, and a job ID to keep track of this run's output.
 Existing configuration files are specified in the `config/` directory within ClimaCoupler.jl.
-For example, to run a coarse AMIP run using Float64, you could use the following command:
+For example, to run the default AMIP configuration, you could use the following command:
 ```julia
-julia --project=experiments/ClimaEarth experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file config/ci_configs/coarse_single_ft64.jl --job_id coarse_single_ft64
+julia --project=experiments/ClimaEarth experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file config/ci_configs/amip_default.jl --job_id amip_default
 ```
 
 Output from your run will be saved in the folder `experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/<job_id>/` for AMIP runs, or
@@ -71,10 +71,10 @@ The output will take up approximately 1GB of space, and the simulation will take
 while running the driver interactively, you'll need to
 manually set the values for `parsed_args["config_file"]` and `parsed_args["job_id"]`.
 
->For example, to use the configuration file found at `config/ci_configs/coarse_single_ft64.yml`, you would use add the following lines in the `run_amip` driver:
+>For example, to use the configuration file found at `config/ci_configs/amip_default.yml`, you would use add the following lines in the `run_amip` driver:
 ```
-parsed_args["config_file"] = "config/ci_configs/coarse_single_ft64.yml"
-parsed_args["job_id"] = "coarse_single_ft64"
+parsed_args["config_file"] = "config/ci_configs/amip_default.yml"
+parsed_args["job_id"] = "amip_default"
 ```
 
 ### A Note about ClimaComms and MPI
@@ -146,3 +146,5 @@ module load common
 
 For additional information about these clusters, including how to gain access for the first time,
 see our slurm-buildkite wiki pages for [Central](https://github.com/CliMA/slurm-buildkite/wiki/Central) and [clima](https://github.com/CliMA/slurm-buildkite/wiki/clima).
+
+## Buildkite pipelines
diff --git a/config/ci_configs/target_amip_albedo_function.yml b/config/ci_configs/amip_albedo_function.yml
similarity index 100%
rename from config/ci_configs/target_amip_albedo_function.yml
rename to config/ci_configs/amip_albedo_function.yml
diff --git a/config/ci_configs/gpu_amip_albedo_temporal_map.yml b/config/ci_configs/amip_albedo_temporal_map.yml
similarity index 100%
rename from config/ci_configs/gpu_amip_albedo_temporal_map.yml
rename to config/ci_configs/amip_albedo_temporal_map.yml
diff --git a/config/ci_configs/gpu_amip_albedo_temporal_map_1M.yml b/config/ci_configs/amip_albedo_temporal_map_1M.yml
similarity index 100%
rename from config/ci_configs/gpu_amip_albedo_temporal_map_1M.yml
rename to config/ci_configs/amip_albedo_temporal_map_1M.yml
diff --git a/config/ci_configs/coarse_single_ft32.yml b/config/ci_configs/amip_coarse_ft32.yml
similarity index 100%
rename from config/ci_configs/coarse_single_ft32.yml
rename to config/ci_configs/amip_coarse_ft32.yml
diff --git a/config/ci_configs/coarse_single_ft64_hourly_checkpoints.yml b/config/ci_configs/amip_coarse_ft64_hourly_checkpoints.yml
similarity index 100%
rename from config/ci_configs/coarse_single_ft64_hourly_checkpoints.yml
rename to config/ci_configs/amip_coarse_ft64_hourly_checkpoints.yml
diff --git a/config/ci_configs/coarse_single_ft64_hourly_checkpoints_restart.yml b/config/ci_configs/amip_coarse_ft64_hourly_checkpoints_restart.yml
similarity index 100%
rename from config/ci_configs/coarse_single_ft64_hourly_checkpoints_restart.yml
rename to config/ci_configs/amip_coarse_ft64_hourly_checkpoints_restart.yml
diff --git a/config/ci_configs/coarse_mpi_n4.yml b/config/ci_configs/amip_coarse_mpi.yml
similarity index 100%
rename from config/ci_configs/coarse_mpi_n4.yml
rename to config/ci_configs/amip_coarse_mpi.yml
diff --git a/config/ci_configs/target_amip_component_dts.yml b/config/ci_configs/amip_component_dts.yml
similarity index 100%
rename from config/ci_configs/target_amip_component_dts.yml
rename to config/ci_configs/amip_component_dts.yml
diff --git a/config/ci_configs/gpu_amip_albedo_function.yml b/config/ci_configs/amip_default.yml
similarity index 90%
rename from config/ci_configs/gpu_amip_albedo_function.yml
rename to config/ci_configs/amip_default.yml
index 99384ab85d..f88629ea37 100644
--- a/config/ci_configs/gpu_amip_albedo_function.yml
+++ b/config/ci_configs/amip_default.yml
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ dt_save_to_sol: "1days"
 dz_bottom: 30
 dz_top: 3000
 h_elem: 4
-land_albedo_type: "function"
 mode_name: "amip"
 moist: "equil"
 precip_model: "0M"
diff --git a/config/ci_configs/target_amip_n1_shortrun.yml b/config/ci_configs/amip_n1_shortrun.yml
similarity index 100%
rename from config/ci_configs/target_amip_n1_shortrun.yml
rename to config/ci_configs/amip_n1_shortrun.yml
diff --git a/config/ci_configs/gpu_amip_target_topo_diagedmf_shortrun.yml b/config/ci_configs/amip_target_topo_diagedmf_shortrun.yml
similarity index 100%
rename from config/ci_configs/gpu_amip_target_topo_diagedmf_shortrun.yml
rename to config/ci_configs/amip_target_topo_diagedmf_shortrun.yml
diff --git a/config/ci_configs/coarse_single_ft64.yml b/config/ci_configs/coarse_single_ft64.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 0f7fae7a36..0000000000
--- a/config/ci_configs/coarse_single_ft64.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-anim: true
-apply_limiter: false
-dt: "400secs"
-dt_cpl: 400
-dt_save_to_sol: "100days"
-energy_check: false
-h_elem: 6
-mode_name: "amip"
-moist: "equil"
-mono_surface: false
-precip_model: "0M"
-rad: "allskywithclear"
-t_end: "10days"
-vert_diff: "true"
diff --git a/config/ci_configs/default_mono.yml b/config/ci_configs/default_mono.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 370c293e01..0000000000
--- a/config/ci_configs/default_mono.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-apply_limiter: false
-dt: "200secs"
-dt_cpl: 200
-dt_save_to_sol: "3600secs"
-energy_check: true
-h_elem: 4
-mode_name: "slabplanet"
-moist: "equil"
-mono_surface: true
-precip_model: "0M"
-rad: "gray"
-t_end: "10days"
-vert_diff: "true"
diff --git a/config/ci_configs/default_notmono.yml b/config/ci_configs/default_notmono.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 43b0422200..0000000000
--- a/config/ci_configs/default_notmono.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-apply_limiter: false
-dt: "200secs"
-dt_cpl: 200
-dt_save_to_sol: "3600secs"
-energy_check: true
-h_elem: 4
-mode_name: "slabplanet"
-moist: "equil"
-mono_surface: false
-precip_model: "0M"
-rad: "gray"
-t_end: "10days"
-vert_diff: "true"
diff --git a/config/ci_configs/default_unthreaded.yml b/config/ci_configs/default_unthreaded.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 04ee92acd1..0000000000
--- a/config/ci_configs/default_unthreaded.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-anim: true
-apply_limiter: false
-dt: "200secs"
-dt_cpl: 200
-dt_save_to_sol: "9days"
-energy_check: true
-h_elem: 4
-mode_name: "slabplanet"
-moist: "equil"
-mono_surface: true
-precip_model: "0M"
-rad: "gray"
-t_end: "10days"
-vert_diff: "true"
diff --git a/config/ci_configs/gpu_amip_albedo_static_map.yml b/config/ci_configs/gpu_amip_albedo_static_map.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index c998143821..0000000000
--- a/config/ci_configs/gpu_amip_albedo_static_map.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
-apply_limiter: false
-dt: "150secs"
-dt_cpl: 150
-dt_rad: "1hours"
-dt_save_to_sol: "1days"
-dz_bottom: 30
-dz_top: 3000
-h_elem: 4
-land_albedo_type: "map_static"
-mode_name: "amip"
-moist: "equil"
-precip_model: "0M"
-rad: "gray"
-rayleigh_sponge: true
-t_end: "300secs"
-vert_diff: "true"
-z_elem: 50
-z_stretch: false
diff --git a/config/ci_configs/regridder_mpi.yml b/config/ci_configs/regridder_mpi.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb2..0000000000
diff --git a/config/ci_configs/slabplanet_albedo_static_map.yml b/config/ci_configs/slabplanet_albedo_static_map.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 4a192b93e5..0000000000
--- a/config/ci_configs/slabplanet_albedo_static_map.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-apply_limiter: false
-dt: "200secs"
-dt_cpl: 200
-dt_save_to_sol: "3600secs"
-energy_check: true
-h_elem: 4
-land_albedo_type: "map_static"
-mode_name: "slabplanet"
-moist: "equil"
-mono_surface: true
-precip_model: "0M"
-rad: "gray"
-t_end: "10days"
-vert_diff: "true"
diff --git a/config/ci_configs/target_params_in_slab_test2.yml b/config/ci_configs/slabplanet_realinsol_rayleigh.yml
similarity index 100%
rename from config/ci_configs/target_params_in_slab_test2.yml
rename to config/ci_configs/slabplanet_realinsol_rayleigh.yml
diff --git a/config/ci_configs/target_params_in_slab_test3.yml b/config/ci_configs/target_params_in_slab_test3.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 836dca4296..0000000000
--- a/config/ci_configs/target_params_in_slab_test3.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-apply_limiter: false
-conservation_softfail: true
-dt: "200secs"
-dt_cpl: 3600
-dt_rad: "6hours"
-dt_save_to_sol: "3600secs"
-energy_check: true
-h_elem: 6
-insolation: "timevarying"
-mode_name: "slabplanet"
-moist: "equil"
-mono_surface: true
-precip_model: "0M"
-rad: "gray"
-rayleigh_sponge: true
-t_end: "10days"
-vert_diff: "true"
diff --git a/experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl b/experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl
index 49aabd1151..eb414199ba 100644
--- a/experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl
+++ b/experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl
@@ -93,9 +93,9 @@ parsed_args = parse_commandline(argparse_settings())
 ## modify parsed args for fast testing from REPL #hide
 if isinteractive()
     parsed_args["config_file"] =
-        isnothing(parsed_args["config_file"]) ? joinpath(pkg_dir, "config/ci_configs/coarse_single_ft32.yml") : #interactive_debug.yml") :
+        isnothing(parsed_args["config_file"]) ? joinpath(pkg_dir, "config/ci_configs/interactive_debug.yml") :
         parsed_args["config_file"]
-    parsed_args["job_id"] = "coarse_single_ft32"#"interactive_debug"
+    parsed_args["job_id"] = "interactive_debug"
 end
 
 ## the unique job id should be passed in via the command line
diff --git a/test/mpi_tests/local_checks.sh b/test/mpi_tests/local_checks.sh
index 5ce7210ae8..28660f9772 100644
--- a/test/mpi_tests/local_checks.sh
+++ b/test/mpi_tests/local_checks.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ module purge
 module load climacommon/2024_10_09
 
 export CC_PATH=$(pwd)/ # adjust this to the path of your ClimaCoupler.jl directory
-export JOB_ID=coarse_single_ft64_hourly_checkpoints_restart
+export JOB_ID=amip_coarse_ft64_hourly_checkpoints_restart
 export CONFIG_FILE=${CC_PATH}config/ci_configs/${JOB_ID}.yml
 export RESTART_DIR=experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/${JOB_ID}/artifacts/