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September 14, 2003
And Now for the Weather...
Watching the weatherman on the 9 o'clock news, I sometimes say to myself, "Hey, I could do that."
Now, I can - and you can too. This weekend saw the launch of the world’s largest climate prediction experiment - one similar to SETI@home, which used Internet-connected personal computers to sift through reams of radiotelescope data in a search for signs of extraterrestrial life.
ClimatePrediction.net plans to use the combined power of participants’ computers - an application of grid computing - to establish what could be the most comprehensive probability-based forecast of climate for the 21st century.
During idle time, connected computers will run climate models from the U.K. Meteorological Office and its partners, simulating decades of the earth's climate. After each run, the simulations are sent back, with the results validating different versions of the model (or not). After the most realistic models have been identified, these will be used to make predictions about earth's future climate.
The organizers hope that the ClimatePrediction.net will have a strong appeal to educational institutions. Participants will be able to "fly" around their simulated planet earth to see the changing weather patterns, and compare their predictions with those of other participants.