Metaphors in Climate Science: Insight, Simplification, and Limits (IMAGE)

Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Research (OLAR)

Metaphors in Climate Science: Insight, Simplification, and Limits

Caption

Illustration of key metaphors used in climate science, including the “ocean conveyor belt” and “tipping points,” alongside models and data. The figure highlights how metaphors provide intuitive understanding of complex Earth system processes but must be interpreted in the context of models, observations, and uncertainty.

Credit

Gerrit Lohmann (AWI / University of Bremen)

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