What factors do Global Climate Models (GCM) take into account?

Question

I'm doing a Global Warming speech and need to find out what factors (i.e. The sun, atmosphere, cycles, la nina, el nino, what not) the model takes into account.

Answer 1

The chart linked below shows all the different radiative forcings taken into account by the IPCC climate models.

Answer 2

Al Gore claimed that the deadly Myanmar cyclone, which struck on May 3, could be a result of alleged man-made global warming. "the trend toward stronger and more destructive storms appears to be linked to global warming," stated Gore.

But scientists disagree, saying there is no way to link any single weather event to CO2 and global warming.

Using tragedy to advance an agenda has been a strategy for many global-warming activists. It was just a matter of time until someone found a way to link Cyclone Nargis and global warming.

There is indeed a stupid tendency for people to now blame everything that happens in weather on global warming and the blame game has reached a level of hysteria

Answer 3

There are many many different models, so it's not easy to answer your question.  Here's some links that may help you find the information you want:

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/had...

http://mapenvironment.org/wiki/index.php...

http://www.ccsm.ucar.edu/models/

Answer 4

Well all of these models account for as many things as they can.  Some other things include ocean currents, greenhouse gas concentrations, and aerosols.

Answer below mine quite wrong, while you cannot say a single event was caused by global warming, it is a fact that warmer oceans cause stronger more powerful storms.

Answer 5

Solar radiation, CO2 levels, and the resulting greenhouse effect, atmospheric circulation, heat capacity of land and sea, solid pollution ("aerosols"), etc.

The chief things that are not completely addressed are clouds and ocean currents.

Clouds cut both ways, some cause warming, some cooling.  Ocean currents have local and short term effects, but don't change things long term.  Models are starting to incorporate them.

Answer 6

This article listed some of the positive and negative aspects of modeling.

http://www.giss.nasa.gov/research/briefs...