The Universities Corporation for Atmospheric Research has released new modelling software which will allow scientists to study climate change in far more detail. The software is available free from the Community Earth Systems Model web site.
The Community Earth System Model will be one of the primary climate models used for the next assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
The new model’s advanced capabilities are expected help scientists shed light on some of the critical mysteries of global warming, including:
- What impact will warming temperatures have on the massive ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica?
- How will patterns in the ocean and atmosphere affect regional climate in coming decades?
- How will climate change influence the severity and frequency of tropical cyclones, including hurricanes?
- What are the effects of tiny airborne particles, known as aerosols, on clouds and temperatures?
National Centre for Atmospheric Research scientist James Hurrell who chaired the committee that developed the model say that “with the Community Earth System Model, we can pursue scientific questions that we could not address previously, Thanks to its improved physics and expanded biogeochemistry, it gives us a better representation of the real world.”
