Evaluation of climatic models: Comparison of simulated and observed patterns for past climates
Comparison of the GCM results with paleoclimatic data can yield critical tests of the models that are being used in carbon dioxide research. In particular, the comparison of model results with paleoclimatic data can illustrate the sensitivity of the model's response to variations in the seasona...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Language: | unknown |
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2020
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5548977 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5548977 https://doi.org/10.2172/5548977 |
| Summary: | Comparison of the GCM results with paleoclimatic data can yield critical tests of the models that are being used in carbon dioxide research. In particular, the comparison of model results with paleoclimatic data can illustrate the sensitivity of the model's response to variations in the seasonal radiation budget as well as to changes in other boundary conditions. These comparisons also provide the opportunity to check the sensitivity of the climatic response of critical components of the climate system such as sea-ice and soil moisture. During the past several years, we have used paleoclimatic data to test NCAR CCM (National Center for Atmospheric Research, Community Climate Model) after changing its boundary conditions to those appropriate for simulating past climates. We have assembled regional and global paleoclimatic data sets of pollen, lake level, and marine plankton data and calibrated many of the data in climatic terms. We have also developed methods that permit direct quantitative comparisons between the data and model results. Our comparisons have shown both some of the strengths and weaknesses of the model. 64 refs. |
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