STANSW Science Education News Journal 2019 2019 SEN Vol 68 Issue 3 | Seite 21

ARTICLES
An Online Climate Model to facilitate Depth-studies and Science Extension (continued)
1. The “deep ocean”, which has a large heat capacity and
responds much more slowly to energy input.
1. The “deep ocean”, which has a large heat capacity and responds much more slowly to energy input.
Figure 3 Figure
Schematic
of ‘carbonator’
(Image attribution:
CCRC, UNSW
- ShareAlike (CC
3 Schematic
of ‘carbonator’
(Image attribution:
CCRC, Sydney
UNSW (NonCommercial
Sydney
BY-NC-SA 2.0 AU)))
(NonCommercial - ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 AU)))
Additional energy reaching the surface is quickly redistributed through the upper ocean, lower
atmosphere and land surface, causing them to warm rapidly. Heat very gradually mixes from the upper
concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, volcanic and human
Additional energy reaching the surface is quickly redistributed
ocean
to
the
deep
ocean.
However,
the
deep
ocean has
a very
large heat
capacity,
so temperatures
through the upper ocean, lower atmosphere and land surface,
aerosols
(green
rectangles
figure
3), carbon
stored on the change
land
causing them to warm more
rapidly.
Heat
very
gradually
mixes
from
the
slowly, on centennial timescales. Given (brown
input rectangle)
information
about
changes
in energy
entering
and
in the
ocean (blue
rectangle)
and and
ocean
upper ocean to the deep
ocean.
However,
the
deep
ocean
has
acidity
(depicted
by pH
in the
figure). Each
of these component
leaving the surface climate over time, the 2-box
energy
balance
model
calculates
globally-averaged
a very large heat capacity, so temperatures change more slowly,
models calculates changes in incoming shortwave (SW) or
surface and deep ocean temperature anomalies 1 , depicted as T surf and T deep in Figure 3.
on centennial timescales. Given input information about changes
longwave (LW) radiation.
in energy entering and
leaving
the
surface
climate
over
time,
To determine how much energy is entering and leaving, the 2-box model is coupled to component
Additional inputs include solar radiation that is reflected back out
the 2-box energy balance model calculates globally-averaged
models related to the emission of greenhouse gases (only the two primary greenhouse gases emitted by
to space without interacting with the climate system (albedo) and
surface and deep ocean temperature anomalies 1 , depicted as
and
methane,
are considered),
and to human
dioxide)
human
activity,
carbon
dioxide
feedback
processes volcanic
that serve
amplify (sulfur
or suppress
changes
T surf and T deep in Figure 3.
in the
the Sun.
surface
climate
temperature
and in
hence,
longwave
energy
aerosol emissions and incoming energy from
Model
inputs
are depicted
triangular
form
in
To determine how much energy is entering and leaving, the
out. additional
A further component
model (not
included in concentrations
the schematic)
Figure 3. The component models also provide
outputs, including
atmospheric
2-box model is coupled to component models related to the
estimates sea level from the ocean temperature information.
of gases
carbon (only
dioxide,
methane,
volcanic and human aerosols (green rectangles figure3), carbon stored on
emission of greenhouse
the two
primary greenhouse
gases emitted by human
carbon rectangle)
dioxide and
the activity,
land (brown
and methane,
in the ocean (blue rectangle) and ocean acidity (depicted by pH in the
are considered), volcanic and human (sulfur dioxide) aerosol
figure). Each of these component models calculates
changes in incoming shortwave (SW) or longwave
1 A temperature anomaly is the change in temperature since pre-
emissions and incoming energy from the Sun. Model inputs
(LW) radiation.
industrial times (when the climate system is assumed to be in
are depicted in triangular form in Figure 3. The component
models also provide additional outputs, including atmospheric
equilibrium, i.e. temperatures were steady)
A temperature anomaly is the change in 21
temperature since pre-industrial times (when the climate
system is assumed to be in SCIENCE
equilibrium,
i.e. temperatures
steady)
EDUCATIONAL
NEWS VOL 68 NO are
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