Notes. All instances of the meta-model use the same parameters and theoretical background. Physical mechanisms are gradually captured by grid formats, which are defined by numbers of horizontal times vertical grid intervals. In ascending order of grid resolution, the main physical features described by the meta-model’s instances and by the THOR GCM are (i) the radiative exchanges between the planet’s surface and the atmosphere, (ii) the vertical thermal structure of the atmosphere (i.e. the temperature-pressure profile) in radiative equilibrium, (iii) the day-night large-scale circulation, (iv) the convective turbulent diffusion due to friction in the PBL, (v) the soil heat diffusion, and (vi) the vortical components of mean flows due to Coriolis effects.