Abstract

General Circulation Models (GCMs) are rapidly assuming widespread use as powerful tools for predicting global events on time scales of months to decades, such as the onset of EL Nino, monsoons, soil moisture saturation indices, global warming estimates, and even snowfall predictions. While GCMs have been praised for helping to foretell the current El Nino and its impact on droughts in Indonesia, its full power is only now being recognized by international scientists and governments who seek to link GCMs to help them estimate fish harvests, risk of floods, landslides, and even forest fires.
Scientists in oceanography, hydrology, meteorology, and climatology and civil, ocean, and geological engineers perceive a need for a reference on GCM design. In this compilation of information by an internationally recognized group of experts, Professor Randall brings together the knowledge base of the forerunners in theoretical and applied frontiers of GCM development. General Circulation Model Development focuses on the past, present, and future design of numerical methods for general circulation modeling, as well as the physical parameterizations required for their proper implementation. Additional chapters on climate simulation and other applications provide illustrative examples of state-of-the-art GCM design.
Key Features
* Foreword by Norman Phillips
* Authoritative overviews of current issues and ideas on global circulation modeling by leading experts
* Retrospective and forward-looking chapters by Akio Arakawa of UCLA
* Historical perspectives on the early years of general circulation modeling
* Indispensable reference for researchers and graduate students
"The book constitutes a most important reference for general circulation modeling, and should be useful for students, teachers and researchers. The editor, David A. Randall, has done an extraordinary job in maintaining the high quality and uniform standards of the contributions ... the appearance of this book is a major contribution to the field, and the editor should be congratulated for his excellent job."
--Eugenia Kalnay, Bulletin of the AMS, (May 2001)
"Although it is primarily a celebration of the breadth and influence of Arakawa's work, particularly on numerical methods for general circulation models (GCMs) and the parametrization of cumulus convection, the book contains a great deal of valuable matieral that is well presented and well worth reading. ...an excellent book, with presentations that provide a historical as well as scientific perspective. All concerned should be congratulated, notably David Randall for the considerable task of editing material that covers 23 chapters and just over 800 pages. This is a fitting tribute to one of the great innovators and thinkers of our science."
—QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY