Systems representation of global climate change models: foundation for a systems science approach (Q1801773)

This very interesting book is devoted to global climate change research based on the conception of the planet Earth as a system. This leads to mathematical models of climate system. To do this, the entire range of phenomena is represented exclusively and explicitly in terms of three concepts: inputs, outputs and system transformation (mapping) from inputs and outputs i.e., the so-called transfer function is a general case. In chapters 3, 4, 5 and 6, the author suggests mathematical models. For instance energy balance models (EBM) treat the Earth only or Earth and its atmosphere as a single entity and they are based on the principle of energy balance (at equilibrium the sum of incoming radiation is equal to the sum of outgoing radiation). The EBMs predict the temperature either at the surface or at the top of the atmosphere. Other models such as radiative convective models (RCM) are based on the first law of thermodynamics and are more complicated than EBMs. They also give rise to partial differential equations depending on time \(t\) and altitude \(z\). Then general circulation models (GCM) are presented. They are the most comprehensive of the climate models. They model the atmospheric dynamics in its full complexity based on the following fundamental laws: conservation of momentum and energy, mass continuity and the equation of the state of the atmospheric gas. In chapter 4, hierarchical causal conceptual physical models are studied. For obtaining a representation of the climate system the author uses the transfer functions approach to describe the component subsystems while depicting the interactions between them (transfer function designes a mapping between inputs and outputs). A precise glossary giving the definitions of main terms used in the text completes this book. In conclusion, I think that this work is an important contribution to modelling in earth sciences. I only regret that no information is given about the resolution of the functional equations coming from modelling.