Glossary
Scenario
A plausible description of how the future may develop based on a coherent and internally consistent set of assumptions about key driving forces (e.g., rate of technological change, prices) and relationships. Note that scenarios are neither predictions nor forecasts, but are useful to provide a view of the implications of developments and actions. [IPCC, 2013].
Solar radiation
Electromagnetic radiation emitted by the Sun with a spectrum close to the one of a black body with a temperature of 5770 K. The radiation peaks in visible wavelengths. When compared to the terrestrial radiation it is often referred to as shortwave radiation [IPCC, 2013].
Spatial downscaling
Spatial downscaling: Refers to the methods used to derive climate information at finer spatial resolution from coarser spatial resolution GCM output. The fundamental basis of spatial downscaling is the assumption that significant relationships exist between local and large-scale climate. Spatial resolution: In climate, spatial resolution refers to the size of a grid cell in which 10-80 kilometers and 200-500 kilometers are considered to be “fine” and “coarse,” respectively.