Interactive map of potential environmental impacts of climate change. The selected impacts are based on the region-by-region analysis conducted by IPCC Working Group II. The IPCC has assigned "high confidence" to these projected impacts unless otherwise stated. Click here or on the image to open a new page with the enlarged, interactive map as well as a text version suitable for printing. (©UCAR). News media terms of use*

 The NCAR-based Community Earth System Model (CESM) is one of the world’s most sophisticated models of global climate. Created by scientists at NCAR, the Department of Energy, and collaborators, this powerful model simulates the many processes in our climate system, ranging from clouds and atmospheric chemicals to ice to marine ecosystems. (©UCAR. This image is freely available for media and nonprofit use*)

The complexity of global climate models has increased enormously over the last four decades, as shown in this graphic. The most powerful models, such as the Community Earth System Model (developed by scientists at the Department of Energy and NCAR with colleagues at other organizations), now have the capability of simulating a broad range of atmospheric processes, such as the impact of marine ecosystems on the atmosphere. Click here or on the image to enlarge. (©UCAR. This image is freely available for media and nonprofit use*)

Computer models reach high into a virtual atmosphere and deep into the ocean. They simulate climate by dividing the world into into 3-dimensional grid boxes, measuring physical processes such as temperature at each grid point. Models can be used to simulate changes in climate over years, decades, or even centuries. (©UCAR. This image is freely available for media use. For more information, see  News media terms of use*)

This illustration shows how the amount of detail in climate models has increased in recent years, largely because of the calculation power provided by newer supercomputers. In the 1990s, high-resolution global climate models operated on the T42 resolution scheme (upper left). At this resolution, temperature, moisture, and other features were tracked in grid boxes that each spanned about 200 by 300 kilometers at midlatitudes (120 x 180 miles), an area roughly as large as West Virginia.

In more recent modeling that led up to the 2007 IPCC Working Group I report, the NCAR-based Community Climate System Model (CCSM) routinely operated at T85 resolution (upper right), with midlatitude grid points of about 100 by 150 km (60 x 90 miles)—the size of Connecticut.

Better resolution not only provides a more true-to-life depiction of atmospheric processes, but also allows for more realistic topography, which makes regional climate projections more accurate. For example, the highest Rocky Mountains appear as two coarse grid points at T42 but as a more diverse assortment of high peaks at T170 (lower left). Enhancements in computing power will help scientists explore the use of higher resolutions, such as T170 and T340 (lower right). Click here or on the image to enlarge. (©UCAR, illustration courtesy Warren Washington, NCAR.) News media terms of use*