This movie explains how scientists build climate models.
Movie courtesy of NCAR.

Climate Model Grid Movie

This movie explains how Global Climate Models (GCM) are built. 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. Scientists use some of the world's fastest supercomputers to run these complicated models.

Right-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac) on any of the following links to download a copy of this movie in QuickTime format: large (62 MB), medium (14 MB), or small (4.1 MB).

Last modified January 5, 2010 by Randy Russell.

Shop Windows to the Universe Science Store!

The Spring 2010 issue of The Earth Scientist focuses on the ocean, including articles on polar research, coral reefs, ocean acidification, and climate. Includes a gorgeous full color poster!

Windows to the Universe Community

News

Opportunities

You might also be interested in:

Cool It! Game

Check out our online store - minerals, fossils, books, activities, jewelry, and household items!...more

Accuracy and Uncertainty in Climate Models

Global climate models are used to predict what will happen to Earth’s climate in the future. Groups like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (the IPCC) compare the results from several different...more

Modeling the Future of Climate Change

To figure out the future of climate change, scientists need tools to measure how Earth responds to change. Some of these tools are global climate models. Using models, scientists can better understand...more

What is a Supercomputer?

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

A New Plan to Help Earth’s Changing Climate

Leaders from 192 countries are meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark December 7-18, 2009 to decide how the world will deal with climate change. They are trying to decide how to limit the amount of greenhouse...more

What Is Climate?

The climate where you live is called regional climate. It is the average weather in a place over more than thirty years. To describe the regional climate of a place, people often tell what the temperatures...more

Earth's Greenhouse Gases

Even though only a tiny amount of the gases in Earth’s atmosphere are greenhouse gases, they have a huge effect on climate. There are several different types of greenhouse gases. The major ones are carbon...more

Space Missions to study Earth's Atmosphere & Climate

Satellites that orbit Earth help us study Earth's atmosphere, weather, and climate. Here are a few of the many spacecraft that study our atmosphere. Aura was launched in July 2004. It is studying pollution,...more

Shop Windows to the Universe

The Winter 2009 issue of The Earth Scientist focuses on Earth System science. Check out the other publications in our online store, as well as classroom materials.

Generous sponsorship of Windows to the Universe is provided by the Hewlett Foundation, the American Geological Institute, the American Geophysical Union, the National Science Foundation, NASA, NCAR, and the CISM and CMMAP projects. NASA CMMAP AGU CISM NCAR Hewlett AGI NSF