A comparison between global and one-dimensional energy-balance-models - stability results

Abstract

The stability of the equilibria of Sellers' one-dimensional climate model can simply be determined from the global net radiation imbalance. This is possible by using an analogy between the steady state one-dimensional and time-dependent zero-dimensional version of energy balance climate models. The following results are obtained: Two stable equilibria representing the "present day" ad "ice-covered Earth" conditions are separated by an unstable steady state solution which defines a boundary for initial situations to be attracted by the related stable equilibrium.