When Scientists need to
understand what is going on in the atmosphere, they use a
Global Climate Model(GCM).
This model helps us see patterns and make observations by
looking at what happened in the past to make guesses
about the future.
For the Messinian Salinity Crisis, a Global Climate Model was
used to show how the Temperature and Pressure
changed as the water in the Mediterranean Sea started to
evaporate. As the water level got lower and lower, the
pressure inside the Mediterranean Basin increased. An
increase in pressure causes an increase in Temperature.
As the pressure increased temperatures rose until the
Mediterranean became hot and dry like a desert.
The GCM for the Messinian
Salinity Crisis showed scientists how much things changed in
that area because of
this huge change in climate.
