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The colored plane floating above the block represents the simulated atmospheric temperature change at the earth's surface, assuming a steady one percent per year increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide to the time of doubled carbon dioxide. The surfaces in the ocean show the depths of the 1.0 and 0.2 degree (Celsius) temperature changes. The Southern Hemisphere shows much less surface warming than the Northern Hemisphere. This is caused primarily by the cooling effects of deep vertical mixing
in the oceans south of 45 degrees South latitude. Coupled ocean-atmosphere climate models such as this one from NOAA/GFDL help improve scientific understanding of potential climate change.
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