Mathematics of Climate Change

Abstract

Mathematics in climate research is rarely mentioned in the everyday conversations or in the media when talking about climate changes. This thesis therefore focus on the central role mathematics plays in climate research, through describing the different models used in predicting future weather and climate. In Chapter 1, a general introduction to climate, its components and feedbacks, and today's status is given. Chapter 2 concentrates on the dynamical models represented by ordinary differential equations (ODEs), and how good these models describe the real climate development. Dynamical systems, the Lorenz equations and their chaotic behaviour, stability analysis for autonomous differential equations, and some examples of simple climate models are given. This part also contain simulations where the models are used to study the stability of some of the models and a desciption of how a pollution scenario affects the temperature development at the Earth. Chapter 3 explaines the more advanced three-dimensional models. (This is a one semester thesis for the teacher programme MAT5930L.)