parameterization
/pəˌræmɪtəraɪˈzeɪʃən/
Definition
The process of using simplified mathematical approximations to represent small-scale physical phenomena within a larger climate model that are too complex or tiny to be simulated explicitly.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek 'para' (beside) and 'metron' (measure), combined with the suffix '-ize' to indicate the act of setting parameters and '-ation' to denote a process. It emerged in technical fields to describe the act of expressing complex variables in terms of specific, manageable parameters.
In the news
In this article, parameterization refers to technical choices developers make to represent processes like cloud formation or ocean circulation that occur at scales smaller than the model's grid. These choices are a source of structural uncertainty that scientists account for by comparing results across different models.
How Attribution Science Uses Models to Uncover Climate Change’s Effects on Weather
Read the full article ↗The Equation - Union of Concerned Scientists