Tools and Data

Tool

The Educational Global Climate Modeling Suite - EdGCM

Tool Description

EdGCM is a suite of software that allows users to create, run, analyze, visualize and report on global climate model simulations via a user-friendly interface. Users can run pre-created simulations (i.e. "canned") or create their own. All simulation meta-data that is generated during an EdGCM project is stored in a local, searchable data base. EdGCM uses the NASA/GISS Model II Global Climate Model (Hansen et al., 1983, Monthly Weather Review). The full publication is included in the EdGCM Documentation folder.

System Requirements
- Mac OS X 10.3.9 or higher for Mac Intel, including Mac OS X 10.4 for PowerPC; Windows 2000/XP/Vista (XP Pro or Vista Home Premium editions recommended)
- Any Mac with a G3, G4 or G5 or Intel processor running at 500 MHz or faster; any PC with an Intel or AMD processor running at 300 MHz or faster
- 1 GB of free disk space (for installation only; simulation results may require as much as an additional 10-15 GB)
- 512 MB of RAM
- Internet connection is helpful but not required

Tool Builder

Mark Chandler, Michael Shopsin, Ken Mankoff, Linda Sohl and Robert Schmunk
EdGCM website

Tool Cost

EdGCM software is sold for non-commercial educational use only by Columbia University. Entering a valid email address sends an email to the user with download links for the Mac and Windows versions of the software. Software runs in fully operational mode for 30 days. Download EdGCM.

Tool Help

Mark Chandler and Linda Sohl
EdGCM forum

Additional video tutorials

Documentation EdGCM documentation

Data

Data Name

Input data for the Global Climate Model is included in the EdGCM software suite.
Output data is generated by the Global Climate Model itself.

Data Description

Unlike other lessons in the EET the data for this exercise is generated during the running of the global climate model. EdGCM and EVA software allows students to post-process the raw output themselves and generate their own tables, plots and maps for analysis and reporting.

1. Modern_PredictedSST: modern climate control run with sea surface temperatures computed during experiment

2. IPCC_A1FI_CO2: global warming simulation based on transient increase in CO2 (see CO2 trend section of EdGCM Simulation Setup)

Show me more about the data sets

The SSTs in the Modern_PredictedSST run are calculated using a simple "mixed-layer" ocean model that derives temperatures based on the balance of vertical energy fluxes at the atmosphere/ocean interface. This ocean model also uses a simple method (we call "Qflux") that further adjusts the SSTs based on an assumption of horizontal heat transfer (this would be accomplished by ocean currents in the real world). Note: Even in the Modern_SpecifiedSST run the SSTs are not held constant. They are "specified" to change at each grid cell through a 12 month seasonal cycle based on an observed climatological data set. But, unlike the predicted SST run, the specified SSTs cannot respond to additional forcing (e.g. added CO2).

For more information about this dataset see Exploring Temperature Change Caused by Greenhouse Gas Increases using the EdGCM Climate Modeling Suite

Geospatial Coverage

Global

Temporal Coverage

Modeled data from 1870 to 2099

Data Provider

The EdGCM software comes with the global warming and modern "control" experiments pre-set for immediate running. Running the experiments then creates the raw data and EdGCM facilitates post-processing and visualization. Raw and post-processed GCM output is available also from the EdGCM Project. Contact Linda Sohl or Mark Chandler for more information.

Data Help

Mark Chandler and Linda Sohl
http://edgcm.columbia.edu

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