ThermoHaline Circulation Model

From Unofficial BOINC Wiki

[edit] General

THC stands for ThermoHaline Circulation. This is a large loop of ocean currents. One of the main drivers of this is the sinking of denser salty water from lower (warmer) latitudes when it cools (or part of it freezes). The film the Day after Tomorrow was about the possibility of it happening (on an unrealistic timescale) even if the film only mentioned the Gulf Stream.

Climateprediction.net launched a THC experiment, at just about the same time as the film was released. This experiment had an extra phase where a 50% slowdown in the THC was imposed on the model. The model is actually a Slab Model which may seem very odd. However, the purpose was to test whether the atmosphere would act in a way that might cause the THC to slow down further. You can read more about this here.

[edit] Also See

• Climateprediction.net Project Index
• Climateprediction.net Science Index

• Climateprediction.net Model

• Definitions of model type descriptive words
  • Slab Model
  • Coupled Model
  • Equilibrium Model
  • Transient Model
  • Control Model

• Types of Model - Experiment list
  • Slab Model
  • Sulphur Cycle Model
  • ThermoHaline Circulation Model (THC)
  • Coupled Spin-Up Model
  • Transient Coupled Model

• Cold Equator Model

• Climateprediction.net Model Parts
  • Timestep
  • Trickle
  • Phase
  • Hindcast
  • Forecast
• Climateprediction Size Table

• How Coupled Atmosphere Ocean Global Circulation Models Work