1997-98
NEW MEXICO
HIGH SCHOOL
SUPERCOMPUTING CHALLENGE

TEAM ABSTRACT

Team Number:

027

School Name:

Pine Hill

Area of Science:

Environmental Science

Project Title:

Project heat

The planet's atmosphere has many natural gases that trap the sun's heat. This is called the greenhouse effect. It is a natural phenomenon that keeps the planet's average temperature at 59 degrees Fahrenheit. If we did not have these gases, the planet would be a ball of ice. Humans are causing some of these gases to increase in the atmosphere. Gases such as CO2 cause the planet's atmosphere to trap more heat, depending on how much gas there is. This is called Global Warming. Things such as burning fossil fuels (gasoline, oil, coal, and natural gases), forest destruction, and agriculture emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. As the population grows, the industrial world will also grow, thus causing more CO2 to be released. We propose to develop a model that can help scientists predict the impact of greenhouse gases on the planet in future years. Such a model could help nations determine how their economic growth, and thus CO2 emissions, will impact the planet. It is easy to say that as the population grows, so will the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere. The harder question is, "How much will population growth, the advances of cleaner technology, and other factors impact the overall release of greenhouse gases?"

Team Members:

Sponsoring Teacher(s):

Project Advisor(s):

New Mexico High School Supercomputing Challenge