Coding a Climate Model to Understand the Snowball Earth Hypothesis

Explore the fascinating Snowball Earth Hypothesis through a step-by-step coding approach to climate modeling in this 21-minute educational video by Dr. Trefor Bazett. Learn how to build increasingly complex climate models starting with a basic Energy Balance Model (0:57), then adding a one-layer atmosphere (3:22), incorporating variable albedo effects (8:01), and finally developing a one-dimensional model with latitude bands (13:21). The video references work by prestigious scientists including Kyoto Prize winner Paul Hoffman and provides comprehensive resources for further exploration. Perfect for those interested in climate science, mathematical modeling, and understanding extreme climate scenarios through computational approaches.

Syllabus

Image Credit for 0:12 Paul Hoffman winner of the prestiguous Kyoto prize and fellow UVic professor!, including many great resources for the Snowball Earth: https://www.snowballearth.org/index.html
0:00 The Snowball Earth Hypothesis
0:57 Level 1 - Energy Balance Model
3:22 Level 2 - Adding a one layer atmosphere
8:01 Level 3 - Variable Albedo effects
13:21 Level 4 -One Dimensional Model with latitude bands