China launches new climate prediction prototype

A numerical simulation prototype system that could one day help predict natural disasters debuted in Beijing on Wednesday, the first of its kind to be made by China.

The current iteration can be used by Chinese scientists to support research into short-term climate prediction, and dust and haze control.

The high-performance prototype, which was developed under the lead of the Institute Atmospheric Physics with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), is capable of producing a numerical simulation of Earth, and features a support framework and visualization system.

Zhang Minghua, researcher with the institute, said that the prototype system applies features and experience gained from the Earth system model version 1.0, which is used to predict evolution of atmosphere, ocean current, land surface process and ecology.

The State Council, China's cabinet, in March 2013 urged the scientific community to develop "a numerical simulator of the Earth system."

This prototype system is the first step toward a full simulator, according to the CAS.

Climate and eco-system changes have become a global scientific problem.

According to statistics with China Meteorological Administration, some 70 percent of all natural disasters are directly related to climate conditions. About 400 million people are affected annually by major climate disasters in China. Endi