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Toy Models

Simplified “toy” models of various components of the climate system are a powerful tool for learning and exploration. Here are a collection of extremely simple models for you to play with and explore. Some of the homework assignments in this class will make use of these simple calculators.

These simple models were coded in the R programming language, which is free and open-source and available on Mac, Linux, and Windows. There’s an R package called “shiny” that makes it almost ridiculously easy to turn simple R models into websites. I’ve included documentation and code on these sites so you can see how the models and websites work, and adapt them to your own problems if you want.

Climate

  • N-Layer Blackbody Atmosphere
  • Two-layer graybody atmosphere
  • Infrared absorption by greenhouse gases
  • BUGSrad radiative transfer with gases and clouds
  • Milankovitch orbital data browser
  • Climate of the Past Millennium
  • Temperature Statistics for Fort Collins
  • CO2 and climate effects of emissions reductions
  • Earth[carbon]: simple model of the future

Land-Atmosphere Interactions

  • Diurnal cycle of insolation by latitude and season
  • “Soil” temperatures on the Moon!
  • Soil hydraulic properties by texture and moisture
  • Bucket hydrology model of Fort Collins
  • Aerodynamic resistance
  • Photosynthesis

 The Carbon Cycle

  • Photosynthesis
  • Logistic growth
  • Cascading pools
  • Terrestrial Carbon Cycle
  • Ocean carbonate chemistry

Great Toy Models at PhET

  • Blackbody emission spectrum
  • Molecular Absorption and Emission
  • Basics of Forces and Motion
  • Under pressure

More Toy Models at Open Climate 101

  • Climate Models at the University of Chicago

Helpful Climate & Physics Calculators at Spark

  • Planetary energy balance

Observations

  • Station temperature trends

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