Model year (computer modeling)

For the production date of a product, see model year.

Model year in computer modeling is a unit of simulated time representing one calendar year within a computer model or simulation. The term is commonly used in fields such as climate modeling, hydrology, economics, and risk modeling, where a simulation may represent many years of real-world processes. A computer may calculate numerous model years in a short period of actual time, allowing researchers to study long-term system behavior and future scenarios more efficiently than would be possible through direct observation.