What is a Global Climate Model?
A global climate model (GCM) is a complex mathematical representation of the major climate system components (atmosphere, land surface, ocean, and sea ice), and their interactions. Earth’s energy balance between the four components is the key to long-term climate prediction. The main climate system components treated in a climate model are: • The atmospheric component, which simulates clouds and aerosols, and plays a large role in transport of heat and water around the globe. • The land surface component, which simulates surface characteristics such as vegetation, snow cover, soil water, rivers, and carbon storing. • The ocean component, which simulates current movement and mixing, and biogeochemistry, since the ocean is the dominant reservoir of heat and carbon in the climate system. • The sea ice component, which modulates solar radiation absorption and air-sea heat and water exchanges. Climate models divide the globe into a three-dimensional grid of cells representing specific geogr
