Climate model
Introduction
The purpose of this page is to introduce some tools that allow climate modeling or learn how climate modeling works.
Modeling principles
Climate models use standard modeling techniques, but often adapted to the specific requirements of modeling climate. There exist several free tools for education that allow learning various modeling principles, e.g. netlogo includes agent-based simulation and systems dynamics (difference equations).
The software also includes a little climate simulation model [1] that could be used in a school context to explain how simulations work.
The model is implemented as agent-based simulation: “Yellow arrowheads stream downward representing sunlight energy. Some of the sunlight reflects off clouds and more can reflect off the earth’s surface. If sunlight is absorbed by the earth, it turns into a red dot, representing heat energy. Each dot represents the energy of one yellow sunlight arrowhead. The red dots randomly move around the earth, and its temperature is related to the total number of red dots. Sometimes the red dots transform themselves into infrared (IR) light that heads toward space, carrying off energy.” ("How it works") [1]
![thumb Netlogo climate change model] This model allows learning the general global logic. Learners (end users) can play with the following parameters. * SUN-BRIGHTNESS (1 corresponds to our sun) * ALBEDO, how much of the sun energy hitting the earth is absorbed. The Earth's albedo is about 0.6 * Clouds can be added or removed * Greenhouse gases (i.e. CO2 molecules) can be added or removed Monash university simple climate model The Monash simple climate model home page explains the model, includes some tutorials and allows to play with different scenarios and also to deconstruct models by switching offf some processes. One included tool allows playing with various scenarios with respect to CO2 emission Screenshot of Monash simple climate model [source: '"`UNIQ-NOPARSEhttp://monash.edu/research/simple-climate-model/mscm/index.html] Links There are many Wikipedia pages on climate change and climate modeling. The following screen capture shows the [http://monash.edu/research/simple-climate-model/mscm/overview_i18n.html?locale=EN climate change scenarios](/en/File:Netlogo-climate-change-1.png)
tool. It allows visualizing scenarios
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Tinker, R. and Wilensky, U. (2007). NetLogo Climate Change model. http://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/models/ClimateChange. Center for Connected Learning and Computer-Based Modeling, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.