General Circulation Model

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-012161",
  "term": "General Circulation Model",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "1. A global, three-dimensional computer model of the climate system which can be used to simulate human-induced climate change. GCMs are highly complex and they represent the effects of such factors as reflective and absorptive properties of atmospheric water vapor, greenhouse gas concentrations, clouds, annual and daily solar heating, ocean temperatures and ice boundaries. The most recent GCMs include global representations of the atmosphere, oceans, and land surface. See climate modeling.\n\n2. A global, three-dimensional computer model of the climate system which can be used to simulate human-induced climate change. GCMs are highly complex and they represent the effects of such factors as reflective and absorptive properties of atmospheric water vapor, greenhouse gas concentrations, clouds, annual and daily solar heating, ocean temperatures and ice boundaries. The most recent GCMs include global representations of the atmosphere, oceans, and land surface.\n\n3. Hydrodynamic models of the atmosphere on a grid or spectral resolution that determine the surface pressure and the vertical distributions of velocity, temperature, density, and water vapor as functions of time from the mass conservation and hydrostatic laws, the first law of thermodynamics, Newton's second law of motion, the equation of state, and the conservation law for water vapor.\n\n4. A numerical representation of the climate system based on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of its components, their interactions, and feedback processes. General circulation models can provide a comprehensive representation of the climate system and are key elements of modern climate research and the effort to accurately predict future climate.\n\n5. Global. three-dimensional computer model of the climate system which can be used to simulate human-induced climate change. GCMs are highly complex and they represent the effects of such factors as reflective and absorptive properties of atmospheric water vapor. greenhouse gas concentrations. clouds. annual and daily solar heating. ocean temperatures and ice boundaries. The most recent GCMs include global representations of the atmosphere. oceans. and land surface.",
  "abbreviation": "GCM",
  "subject": "Climate change",
  "references": [
    "Glossary of Climate Change Terms",
    "Greenhouse Gas Emissions; NASA Earth Observatory Glossary; Glossary of Climate Change Terms",
    "NASA Sustainable Development Indicators Glossary",
    "DOE Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility Glossary",
    "NOAA Climate Program Office Glossary"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/general-circulation-model/"
}