Climate Change as Simulated by the NCAR CCSM

Introduction

This animation depicts global surface warming as simulated by the Community Climate System Model (CCSM), version three. It shows the surface temperature anomalies relative to an 1870-1899 average for each month. Notice the greater difference from average at the poles. This is known as "polar amplification."

The Research Effort

This simulation is one of many using the CCSM for the fourth assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It was a large effort sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy.

QuickTime | MPEG: 74.2 MB
Real: 56k | 384k | 1MB

The period shown is from 1870 to 2100. The colors within the animation depict the temperature anomalies, blue being cooler than the average and red being warmer than the average.

Model
Model Type:	Atmospheric
Model Name:	CCSM
Data
Dataset:	Climate change mid-range scenario
Start:	1870
Time Evolution:	230 years
Time Resolution:	1 month
Timesteps:	2760
Domain
Location:	Global
Spatial Resolution:	T85
Grid Points:	450 million total
Credits
Science:	Atmospheric Science
Subject:	Global Change
Scientists:	NSF and DOE collaboration
Animation:	Gary Strand (CGD) Tim Scheitlin (CISL)
Rights:	© 2006, UCAR, All rights reserved.

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