title: Irreducible imprecision in atmospheric and oceanic simulations.
abstract: Atmospheric and oceanic computational simulation models often successfully depict chaotic space-time patterns, flow phenomena, dynamical balances, and equilibrium distributions that mimic nature. This success is accomplished through necessary but non-unique choices for discrete algorithms, parameterizations, and coupled contributing processes that introduce structural instability into the model. Therefore, we should expect a degree of irreducible imprecision in quantitative correspondences with nature, even with plausibly formulated models and careful calibration (tuning) to several empirical measures. Where precision is an issue (e.g., in a climate forecast), only simulation ensembles made across systematically designed model families allow an estimate of the level of relevant irreducible imprecision.
authors.affiliation: Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1565, USA. jcm@atmos.ucla.edu
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: McWilliams
mesh_terms: D001272:Atmosphere; D003198:Computer Simulation; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity