Climate model development (NESP 2.5)

Under the National Environmental Science Programme Project 2.5 (NESP2.5), we are improving ACCESS’s simulation of important climate processes in the Australasian region, focusing on rainfall and weather extremes, as well as climate variability and change. This will allow for multi-year to multi-decadal projections, as well as enabling better forecasting on daily through to seasonal time scales.

The key outcome is a national preparedness that enables Australia to better manage weather and climate impacts, including future risks and opportunities; saving lives, resources and money. As a result, policy makers and researchers will have access to better climate information.

 

Climate models are systems of differential equations based on the basic laws of physics, fluid motion, and chemistry. To “run” a model, scientists divide the planet into a 3-dimensional grid, apply the basic equations, and evaluate the results. Atmospheric models calculate winds, heat transfer, radiation, relative humidity, and surface hydrology within each grid and evaluate interactions with neighboring points.

For more information, see the NESP website.