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The Use of Observations in Calibrating and Validating Carbon Cycle Models

  • Chapter
The Changing Carbon Cycle

Abstract

To determine the most appropriate data for calibrating and validating carbon cycle models, it is first necessary to determine the aims of the modeling study. Among the main uses of such studies, we can identify in particular:

  1. 1.

    Prediction of future atmospheric CO2 concentrations (to assess climatic and biological impacts)

  2. 2.

    Reconstruction of past atmospheric CO2 concentrations (to determine the driving force when attempting to analyze past climatic records in the search for a response to changes in CO2)

  3. 3.

    Interpretation of current measurements involving the carbon cycle (to determine the major carbon fluxes)

  4. 4.

    Cross-comparisons of models with different degrees of resolution, including different dimensionality (to determine which models are most appropriate for particular studies).

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Authors
  1. Ian G. Enting
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  2. Graeme I. Pearman
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 37831, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA

    John R. Trabalka  & David E. Reichle  & 

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Enting, I.G., Pearman, G.I. (1986). The Use of Observations in Calibrating and Validating Carbon Cycle Models. In: Trabalka, J.R., Reichle, D.E. (eds) The Changing Carbon Cycle. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-1915-4_21

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-1915-4_21

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-1917-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-1915-4

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