exploring global warming with climate models 

Syukuro Manabe 

senior meteorologist. Ph.D. 

Princeton University 

Lecture: May 7 2015 6pm Reception: May 7 2015 5pm 

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One of the most powerful tools for studying global warming is climate models. It has evolved from the dynamical model of numerical weather prediction that has become indispensable for daily weather forecasting. Using high speed, electronic computer, climate model simulates the state of the coupled atmosphere-ocean-land system based upon the laws of physics. It has been very useful as virtual laboratory for exploring the physical mechanism of climate change. In this presentation, I review the modeling studies of global warming, in which I have participated. For example, I show that climate models have successfully simulated many salient features of global climate change that has occurred during the last several decades. The talk will conclude with the discussion of the predicted change of the global water cycle that is likely to exert far-reaching impact upon the water availability of the world.
 

Syukuro “Suki” Manabe is a Japanese meteorologist and climatologist who earned his Ph.D. in Tokyo University and currently serves as Senior Meteorologist and visiting research collaborator at Princeton University. He is known for developing the use of general circulation models and using computers to simulate global climate change and natural climate variations. His various scientific achievements include demonstrating effects of increased carbon dioxide concentrations into the atmosphere, pioneering climate simulations with coupled ocean and atmosphere models, and researching greenhouse gas concentrations effect on the Earth’s climate.

These achievements have earned him many awards, including the Rossby Research Medal in 1992 from American Meteorological Society and the Bowie Medal in 2010 from the American Geophysical Union. His prizes include the Blue Planet Prize from the Asahi Glass Foundation and the Volvo Environment Prize. He serves as a member of the US National Academy of Sciences since 1990.