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Directions: This model allows you to calculate the mean global temperature and the individual temperatures for nine latitudal zones. For this model, you will need these input parameters:
- A, a constant that defines the longwave radiation loss, in units of watts meter-2
- B, another constant that defines the longwave radiation loss, in units of watts meter-2 degrees C-1
- C, the transport coefficient, in units of watts meter-2 degrees C-1
- the critical temperature, Tc, the temperature (in degrees Celsius) at which land becomes covered with snow and/or water turns to ice
- the latitude (in degrees North), which represents the middle of the zone (for example, 85 degrees north for the zone between 80-90 degrees North
- the initial surface temperature at a particular latitude, or zone
- S, the mean annual radiation (in watts) incident at a particular latitude
- the initial albedo at a particular latitude
There are fundamentally three sets of calculations that you will need to do this case study:
- Initial calculations of zonal temperature, surface albedo, and radiation in
- Iterative (looping, or repeating) calculations
- Final calculations of temperatures, albedoes, and radiation out
With this model, you can investigate a variety of scenarios, such as:
- At what fraction of the solar constant does the hemisphere "ice over", that is, the surface temperatures in all the zones fall to or below the critical temperature? How sensitive is the model to changes in the solar constant fraction?
- A variety of values for the transport constant has been reported:
- K=3.81 W m-2 C-1
- K=3.74 W m-2 C-1
- How sensitive is the model to changes in this constant?
- Holding A constant, vary B slightly and investigate the effect on the climate. What does a variation in B correspond to physically?
Please remember to press Reset before you run the model.
Please note that parameters which may be changed are outlined in blue.
Output parameters are outlined in red. |