Abrupt climate change: the role of biogeochemical cycles

地球气候可以定义为一组相互作用的系统，包括大气、水圈、生物圈、冰冻圈和地圈。它们之间的相互作用是非常复杂和高度非线性的，但可以使用数值气候模式进行现实的研究和理解。这些都为研究过去和未来的气候提供了必要的工具，并导致了中等复杂性的紫外线地球系统气候模式(ESCM)的发展。UVic ESCM包括了大多数重要的气候成分，同时计算效率很高，这一特点允许进行敏感性分析。

The Earth's climate can be defined as a group of interacting systems including the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, cryosphere and geosphere. Interactions amongst these are very complex and highly non-linear but can be realistically studied and understood using numerical climate models. These provide essential tools in the study of past and future climates, and have led to the development of the UVic Earth System Climate Model (ESCM) of intermediate complexity. The UVic ESCM includes most of the important climate components while being computationally efficient, a feature that allows sensitivity analyses to be performed.