Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Models Scientists use computer models
to help them understand the Earth. Scientists who study the
atmosphere use computer models of the atmosphere. Some
scientists who study the oceans use computer models of the seas.
Some scientists study both the atmosphere and the oceans. Those
scientists use a special kind of model that includes both the
seas and the air. These combined models are called "coupled
models". What is the difference between a coupled model and a
model that isn't coupled? Let's look at an example. Computer
models of the atmosphere keep track of many things, like how
much carbon dioxide (CO2) is in the air. Some parts of the model
keep track of how much CO2 is added to the air. For example,
burning coal and gasoline adds CO2 to the atmosphere. Other
parts of the model keep track of how much CO2 is taken out of
the air. One way this happens is that oceans absorb CO2 from the
air. In a normal uncoupled model of the atmosphere, scientists
don't keep track of how much CO2 en