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Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF)

Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF) plots are one of the image outputs that can be used to visualise the UKCP09 probabilistic climate projections. A CDF plot shows the probability associated with change being less than a certain amount.

In detail

CDF plots show probabilistic climate projections or probabilistic climate change projections  for a particular climate variable, spatial location, time period, temporal average, emissions scenario and probability level. A CDF plot might be useful for those who want to know the probability of climate change being less than a specified threshold, for example where an impact of interest is known to start to occur.

  • Some prepared CDF plots are used to illustrate the UKCP09 reports. Customised CDF plots can be creating by building a request in the UKCP09 User Interface.
  • CDF plots are explained in more detail in the Reports & guidance section. More information about Cumulative Distribution Functions is given in Appendix 4.1 of the UKCP09 Climate change projections report.
  • An overview of how probabilistic projections are created and presented in UKCP09 is described in Box 3 of the UKCP09 Briefing report. More details are provided in Chapter 3 of the UKCP09 Climate change projections report, including an overview of the methodology in Chapter 3.2.12 and discussion about the interpretation of UKCP09 probabilistic projections in Chapter 3.3.
  • A discussion of sources of uncertainty in the UKCP09 probabilistic projections is available in Annex 2.4.

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