Model Resolution For Free

The effective model resolution represents the smallest scale the model is able to resolve fully. This can be found by comparing the model spectrum against a corresponding spectrum from independent measurements (or theory).

The horizontal resolution (rounded to 10 km) is the square root of the surface area of the Earth divided by the number of grid points, or the area of the ocean surface divided by the number of surface ocean grid points, for the atmosphere and ocean, respectively.

Each point on this grid has a vertical column of points at which variables are calculated. The number of points in the vertical direction ranges from as few as 2 to as many as about 20 levels. Note that typical global models have a have a horizontal grid spacing of about 500 km (300 miles).

Climate Model Resolution Grid cell size defines the resolution of the model: the smaller the size of the grid cells, the higher the level of detail in the model. More detailed models have more grid cells, so they need more computing power. Climate models also include the element of time, called a time step.

"Resolution" is an important concept in many types of modeling, including climate modeling. Spatial resolution specifies how large (in degrees of latitude and longitude or in km or miles) the grid cells in a model are.

A model with a high resolution has smaller grid cells and therefore can produce climate information in greater detail for a specific area.

Climate model resolution Spatial resolution specifies the horizontal size of the grid cells (in degrees of latitude and longitude or in km). Temporal resolution refers to the size of the time steps used in models; how often (in simulated or "model time") calculations of the climate variables are calculated.

High resolution improves model accuracy and allows important small-scale processes to be simulated, reducing dependence on uncertain parameterizations. Model resolution is limited by computing power. Climate models are carefully designed to fit into a target computer.

The most important components of these models are the atmosphere (including air temperature, moisture and precipitation levels, and storms); the oceans (measurements such as ocean temperature, salinity levels, and circulation patterns); terrestrial processes (including carbon absorption, forests, and storage of soil

Models can help us understand climate change over time. Climate modelers must also decide how close together in time (model time, that is) to make their calculations. Temporal resolution refers to the size of the time steps used in models, or how often calculations of the various properties being modeled are conducted.