Super-Computing the Climate
The Goddard Space Flight Center is the home of a state-of-the-art supercomputing facility: the NASA Center for Climate Simulation (NCCS).
It utilises the most cutting-edge computing technology (capable of trillions of calculations per second) to run highly complex mathematical models. When edited by experts and then re-run, they are invaluable for helping scientists better understand Earth’s climate.
It’s rare to get such a behind-the-scenes look into the fascinating field of climate modeling under the NCCS. Combining supercomputers with data from satellite observations, these models are used to predict weather and give a picture of how the Earth’s systems and climate are changing. Combine natural climate processes with the unpredictable effect we have on the environment and the equation gets even more complicated.
But each new satellite adds billions of potential data possibilities. So it’s rather exciting to predict where, as computers increase in capacity and speed, and satellite continue to be launched, the future of climate prediction lies. Skynet really does seem to be becoming reality! Maybe not.
If it's Skynet we're chasing, I suggest we stop right now.
If it's Skynet we're chasing, I suggest we stop right now.
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