This movie explains how scientists build climate models.
Movie courtesy of NCAR.
Climate Model Grid Movie
This video explains how Global Climate Models (GCM) are constructed. Atmospheric scientists use these complex computer models to study Earth's climate. GCMs can help us understand how our planet's climate might behave in the future. These models must perform many, many mathematical calculations... and therefore are run on some of the world's fastest supercomputers.
Right-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac) on any of the following links to download a copy of this video in QuickTime format: large (62 MB), medium (14 MB), or small (4.1 MB).
Shop Windows to the Universe Science Store!
The Fall 2009 issue of The Earth Scientist
, which includes articles on student research into building design for earthquakes and a classroom lab on the composition of the Earth’s ancient atmosphere, is available in our online store
You might also be interested in:
How do researchers know whether a computer model of Earth’s climate is accurate? To test accuracy of a model, its results are compared to observed measurements. This is often done by comparing climate...more
Predicting how our climate will change in the next century or beyond requires tools for assessing how planet responds to change. Global climate models, which are run on some of the world's fastest supercomputers,...more
Some scientific problems and processes are so complex that you need SUPERCOMPUTING power to tackle them! Just what is a supercomputer? A supercomputer is a computer that is among the largest, fastest or...more
Many educators are now finding opportunities to teach about Earth's climate and climate change in their classrooms. Windows to the Universe provides an interlinked learning ecosystem to a wealth of resources...more
Leaders from 192 nations of the world are trying to make an agreement about how to limit emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases, mitigate climate change, and adapt to changing environmental conditions....more
Climate in your place on the globe is called regional climate. It is the average weather pattern in a place over more than thirty years, including the variations in seasons. To describe the regional climate...more
Less than 1% of the gases in Earth's atmosphere are called greenhouse gases. Even though they are not very abundant, these greenhouse gases have a major effect. Carbon dioxide (CO2), water vapor (H2O),...more