Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface to the Second Edition
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Atmospheric thermodynamics
- 3 Atmospheric radiation
- 4 Basic fluid dynamics
- 5 Further atmospheric fluid dynamics
- 6 Stratospheric chemistry
- 7 Atmospheric remote sounding
- 8 Climate change
- 9 Atmospheric modelling
- Appendix A Useful physical constants
- Appendix B Derivation of the equations of motion in spherical coordinates
- References
- Index
9 - Atmospheric modelling
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface to the Second Edition
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Atmospheric thermodynamics
- 3 Atmospheric radiation
- 4 Basic fluid dynamics
- 5 Further atmospheric fluid dynamics
- 6 Stratospheric chemistry
- 7 Atmospheric remote sounding
- 8 Climate change
- 9 Atmospheric modelling
- Appendix A Useful physical constants
- Appendix B Derivation of the equations of motion in spherical coordinates
- References
- Index
Summary
This chapter is a short introduction to the use of models in atmospheric research and forecasting. In Section 9.1 we explain how a hierarchy of models – simple, intermediate and complex – can be used for gaining understanding of atmospheric behaviour and interpreting atmospheric data. In Section 9.2 we give brief details of the numerical methods used in the more complex theoretical models, while in Section 9.3 we outline the use of these models for forecasting and other purposes. In Section 9.4 we describe an example of a class of laboratory models of the atmosphere. Finally, in Section 9.5, we give some examples of atmospheric phenomena that arise from interactions between basic physical processes and that can be elucidated only with the aid of models of intermediate complexity.
The hierarchy of models
The basic philosophy of atmospheric modelling was outlined in Section 1.2. It was mentioned there that a hierarchy of models, from simple to complex, must be used for understanding and predicting atmospheric behaviour; this hierarchy is illustrated in Figure 9.1. The simple models (‘back-of-the-envelope’ or ‘toy’ models) involve a minimum number of physical components and are described by straightforward mathematical equations that can usually be solved analytically. These models provide basic physical intuition: most of the models considered earlier in this book are of this type. The intermediate models involve a small number of physical components but usually require a computer for solution of the mathematical equations.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- An Introduction to Atmospheric Physics , pp. 215 - 224Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010