Using the Geospatial Web 2.0 to Improve Climate Model Accessibility

In this paper, we introduce our initiative to use the Geospatial Web 2.0 (Geoweb) to improve the accessibility of climate models developed by NASA/GISS. This initiative aims to increase the general public’s literacy of climate change to promote their participation in climate change issues. Three groups of Geoweb applications that wrapped around the climate models are presented. The first is a web-based user-friendly and well-guided interface for setting up climate model simulations. The second is an OpenLayers application that enables users to create their own boundary conditions for designing simulations. The third is a group of geovisualization applications for analyzing and visualizing model outputs as well as for comparing model outputs data to observational data. Some of these applications have already been publicized. However, by the end of this project, it is necessary to wrap up all the applications and to present them to EdGCM users group for feedback. Background and Relevance The majority of scientists recognize that climate change is an urgent concern for society. However, the same consensus is not built among the general public. These divergences are due, in part, to the inherent complexity of climate change. It happens in a global scale and has long-term and gradual effects. Dilling et al. (2007) raised eight points to explain why climate change is not perceived as urgent and identified five common pitfalls for communicating climate change. One obstacle for climate change communication lies in the complexity of the primary tools used for climate change research: the climate models. Climate models are simplifications of the real world with attempts to provide useful projections of future climates (IPCC Third Assessment Report 2001). Scientific predictions, for example, the extensive use of fossil fuels will induce further global warming in the 21st century, are mainly based on climate model experiments. Until now, however, they have been little more than a “black box” to most people. Take the coupled atmosphere-ocean model (AOM) developed at NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) for example. The model runs on UNIX workstations and is programmed using Fortran-90 and Open-MP parallelization statements. The Fortran source code and input files for the 2004 version of the AOM are downloadable in their website (AOM, NASA/GISS 2007). However, a significant level of computer skills, scientific knowledge, and computer resources is expected to use it in a “scientifically useful manner”. Another example can be drawn from PRECIS Regional Climate Modeling System. It was developed at the UK Met Office Hadley Centre to help climate change study mainly in UNFCCC classes Annex I nations. It was ported to run on a Linux based PC, however, it takes 4.5 months to complete a 30-year simulation for a typical experiment runs on a 2.8GHz machine (PRECIS, Hadley Centre 2010). Unfortunately, this unfamiliarity and lack of access often engender public’s distrust of scientific findings based on climate models (EdGCM 2010). To increase comprehension, we propose the need to allow the public to interact with actual climate models. We argue that there is value in walking users through the same process a climate scientist would use, which includes designing and running simulations, analyzing and visualizing climate model outputs. EdGCM, the Educational Global Climate Model, was developed with the goal of helping high school students learn about climate change and climate modeling by giving them the ability to run a genuine NASA global climate model (GCM) on a desktop computer (EdGCM 2010). Although EdGCM gives users a clear view of some of the complexities involved in using a climate model, it can be daunting for the general public. Nonetheless, EdGCM sheds light on the possibility to improve public’s access to climate models. Actually, we have research efforts going on to bring realistic global climate modeling experience to a broader audience (Sohl et al. 2010). Furthermore, we propose the use of Geoweb technologies (e.g., earth browsers like Google Earth and OpenLayers) for engaging a broader audience. Earth browsers are interactive virtual templates of our planet. They enable easy and straight global research and allow users to conveniently collaborate and share their projects and results (Chen et al. 2009). Via an easy-to-use and intuitive earth browser interface, it is possible to build an attractive interaction between the public and climate models. We are trying to answer the question: How to use Geoweb concepts, technologies for the design and development of our applications to improve climate model accessibility?