Download or read book Abrupt Climate Change written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2002-04-23 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The climate record for the past 100,000 years clearly indicates that the climate system has undergone periodic-and often extreme-shifts, sometimes in as little as a decade or less. The causes of abrupt climate changes have not been clearly established, but the triggering of events is likely to be the result of multiple natural processes. Abrupt climate changes of the magnitude seen in the past would have far-reaching implications for human society and ecosystems, including major impacts on energy consumption and water supply demands. Could such a change happen again? Are human activities exacerbating the likelihood of abrupt climate change? What are the potential societal consequences of such a change? Abrupt Climate Change: Inevitable Surprises looks at the current scientific evidence and theoretical understanding to describe what is currently known about abrupt climate change, including patterns and magnitudes, mechanisms, and probability of occurrence. It identifies critical knowledge gaps concerning the potential for future abrupt changes, including those aspects of change most important to society and economies, and outlines a research strategy to close those gaps. Based on the best and most current research available, this book surveys the history of climate change and makes a series of specific recommendations for the future.
Download or read book Thermohaline Circulations and Global Climate Change Final Report written by and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 5 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This research is ultimately concerned with investigating the hypothesis that changes in surface thermal and hydrological forcing of the North Atlantic, changes that might be expected to accompany CO2-induced global warming, could result in ocean-atmosphere interactions' exerting a positive feedback on the climate system. This report concerns research conducted with funding from the Carbon Dioxide Research Program (now the Global Climate Change Program) of the US Department of Energy via grant no. DE-FG02-90ER61019 during the period 15 July 1990 - 14 July 1994. This was a three-year award, extended to a fourth year (15 July 1993 - 14 July 1994) via a no-cost extension. It is important to emphasize that this award has been renewed for an additional two years (15 July 1993 - 14 July 1995) via grant no. DE-FG03-93ER61646 (with the same title). Because the project was originally envisioned to be a five-year effort, many of the important results and conclusions will be available for the Final Report of that second award. This report therefore concerns mainly preliminary conclusions and a discussion of progress toward understanding the central hypothesis of the research.
Download or read book The Oceans and Rapid Climate Change written by Dan Seidov and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2001-01-09 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 126. Until a few decades ago, scientists generally believed that significant large-scale past global and regional climate changes occurred at a gradual pace within a time scale of many centuries or millennia. A secondary assumption followed: climate change was scarcely perceptible during a human lifetime. Recent paleoclimatic studies, however, have proven otherwise: that global climate can change extremely rapidly. In fact, there is good evidence that in the past at least regional mean annual temperatures changed by several degrees Celsius on a time scale of several centuries to several decades.
Download or read book The Oceanic Thermohaline Circulation written by Hendrik M. van Aken and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-03-12 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents a global hydrographic description of the thermohaline circulation, an introduction to the theoretical aspects of this phenomenon, and observational evidence for the theory. The hydrographic description and the observational evidence are based on data sources available via internet, mainly from the World Oceanographic Experiment (WOCE). The book also offers an introduction to hydrographic analysis and interpretation.
Download or read book Ocean Circulation written by Andreas Schmittner and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2013-05-02 with total page 752 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 173. The ocean's meridional overturning circulation (MOC) is a key factor in climate change. The Atlantic MOC, in particular, is believed to play an active role in the regional and global climate variability. It is associated with the recent debate on rapid climate change, the Atlantic Multi-Decadal Oscillation (AMO), global warming, and Atlantic hurricanes. This is the first book to deal with all aspects of the ocean's large-scale meridional overturning circulation, and is a coherent presentation, from a mechanistic point of view, of our current understanding of paleo, present-day, and future variability and change. It presents the current state of the science by bringing together the world's leading experts in physical, chemical, and biological oceanography, marine geology, geochemistry, paleoceanography, and climate modeling. A mix of overview and research papers makes this volume suitable not only for experts in the field, but also for students and anyone interested in climate change and the oceans.
Download or read book Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences written by John H. Steele and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2001-09-20 with total page 3399 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences is the most current, authoritative, and comprehensive resource on the science of the oceans. This ambitious work includes contributions from leading scientists around the world on the physical processes that drive the oceans and the chemical, biological, and geological disciplines. The Encyclopedia also covers ancillary topics such as ocean technology, law of the oceans, global programs, marine policy, the use of the oceans for food and energy, and the impact of pollution and climate changes. The many different methods used to study the oceans are covered, from ship-based systems to satellite remote sensing. Users will enjoy easy access to more than 400 articles, each approximately 3000-4000 words in length with further reading lists and extensive cross referencing. Each article provides comprehensive coverage of a particular topic, and is designed for a wide audience of students, academics, researchers, and professionals. The articles are written at a level that allows undergraduate students to understand the material, while providing active researchers with the latest technical information. Also available online on ScienceDirect. For online version information, please visit http://www.info.sciencedirect.com/reference_works Presents 402 original articles covering all the physical, chemical and biological aspects of ocean science Brings together classic scientific theories with the newest discoveries, technologies, and applications Written by the world's leading researchers and developed by a prestigious editorial board Makes information easy to find with an intuitive format, extensive cross references, further reading lists, and complete index Illustrated with more than 1900 figures and full color throughout Developed alongside each other, the Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences together with the Encyclopedia of Atmospheric Sciences provide readers a with comprehensive resource, and a link between these two fields.
Download or read book Ocean Circulation written by Rui Xin Huang and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2010 with total page 807 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It provides a concise introduction to the dynamics and thermodynamics of oceanic general circulation.
Download or read book Thermohaline Circulations and Global Climate Change written by and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 6 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report discusses research activities conducted during the period 15 January 1992--14 December 1992. Thermohaline Circulations and Global Climate Change is concerned with investigating the hypothesis that changes in surface thermal and hydrological forcing of the North Atlantic, changes that might be expected to accompany C0[sub 2]-induced global warming, could result in ocean-atmosphere interactions' exerting a positive feedback on the climate system. Because the North Atlantic is the source of much of the global ocean's reservoir of deep water, and because this deep water could sequester large amounts of anthropogenically produced C0[sub 2], changes in the rate of deep-water production are important to future climates. Since deep-water Production is controlled, in part, by the annual cycle of the atmospheric forcing of the North Atlantic, and since this forcing depends strongly on both hydrological and thermal processes as well as the windstress, there is the potential for feedback between the relatively short-term response of the atmosphere to changing radiative forcing and the longer-term processes in the oceans. Work over the past 11 months has proceeded according to the continuation discussion of last January and several new results have arisen.
Download or read book Ocean Circulation and Climate written by and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2001-03-27 with total page 737 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book represents all the knowledge we currently have on ocean circulation. It presents an up-to-date summary of the state of the science relating to the role of the oceans in the physical climate system.The book is structured to guide the reader through the wide range of World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) science in a consistent way. Cross-references between contributors have been added, and the book has a comprehensive index and unified reference list.The book is simple to read, at the undergraduate level. It was written by the best scientists in the world who have collaborated to carry out years of experiments to better understand ocean circulation.
Download or read book The Great Ocean Conveyor written by Wallace Broecker and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2010-01-11 with total page 173 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Exploring the link between the ocean's currents and rapid climate change Wally Broecker is one of the world's leading authorities on abrupt global climate change. More than two decades ago, he discovered the link between ocean circulation and climate change, in particular how shutdowns of the Great Ocean Conveyor—the vast network of currents that circulate water, heat, and nutrients around the globe—triggered past ice ages. Today, he is among the researchers exploring how our planet's climate system can abruptly "flip-flop" from one state to another, and who are weighing the implications for the future. In The Great Ocean Conveyor, Broecker introduces readers to the science of abrupt climate change while providing a vivid, firsthand account of the field's history and development. Could global warming cause the conveyor to shut down again, prompting another flip-flop in climate? What were the repercussions of past climate shifts? How do we know such shifts occurred? Broecker shows how Earth scientists study ancient ice cores and marine sediments to probe Earth's distant past, and how they blend scientific detective work with the latest technological advances to try to predict the future. He traces how the science has evolved over the years, from the blind alleys and wrong turns to the controversies and breathtaking discoveries. Broecker describes the men and women behind the science, and reveals how his own thinking about abrupt climate change has itself flip-flopped as new evidence has emerged. Rich with personal stories and insights, The Great Ocean Conveyor opens a tantalizing window onto how Earth science is practiced.
Download or read book Global Warming Could Have a Chilling Effect on the Military written by Richard F. Pittenger and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 16 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Most debates and studies addressing potential climate change have focused on the buildup of industrial greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and a gradual increase in global temperatures. But this "slow ramp" climate change scenario ignores recent and rapidly advancing evidence that Earth's climate repeatedly has become much colder, warmer, wetter, or drier-in time spans as short as three to 10 years. Earth's climate system appears to have sensitive thresholds, the crossing of which shifts the system into different modes of operation and triggers rapid, non-linear, and not necessarily global changes. This new paradigm of abrupt climate change does not appear to be on the radar screens of military planners, who treat climate change as a long term, low-level threat, with mostly sociological, not national security, implications. But intense and abrupt climate changes could escalate environmental issues into unanticipated security threats, and could compromise an unprepared military. The global ocean circulation system, often called the Ocean Conveyor, can change rapidly and shift the distribution patterns of heat and rainfall over large areas of the globe. The North Atlantic region is particularly vulnerable to abrupt regional coolings linked to ocean circulation changes. Global warming and ocean circulation changes also threaten the Arctic Ocean's sea ice cover. Beyond the abrupt climatic impacts, fundamental changes in ocean circulation also have immediate naval implications. Recent evidence suggests that the oceans already may be experiencing large-scale changes that could affect Earth's climate. Military planners should begin to consider potential abrupt climate change scenarios and their impacts on national defense.
Download or read book Thermohaline Circulations and Global Climate Change Annual Progress Report written by and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 8 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The original project entitled ''Thennohaline Circulations and Global Climate Change'' was concerned with investigating the hypothesis that changes in surface thermal and hydrological forcing of the North Atlantic, changes that might be expected to accompany C02-induced global warming, could result in ocean-atmosphere interactions' exerting a positive feedback on the climate system. Because the North Atlantic is the source of much of the global ocean's reservoir of deep water, and because this deep water could sequester large amounts of anthropogenically produced C02, changes in the rate of deep-water production are important to future climates. Since deep-water production is controlled by the annual cycle of the atmospheric forcing of the North Atlantic, and since this forcing depends on both hydrological and thermal processes as well as the windstress, there is the potential for feedback between the short-term response of the atmosphere to changing radiative forcing and the longer-term processes in the oceans. Work on this hypothesis led to a second line of investigation. The sensitivity of the annual cycle of the upper ocean to variable atmospheric forcing also determines the structure of the seasonal thermocline, and consequently it is necessary to include both synoptic-scale and interannual variability of atmospheric forcing to fully understand the potential effects of long-term trends of that forcing. Due to its large heat capacity and its nonlinear response to forcing, the upper ocean rectifies the forcing by radiative fluxes, turbulence, and windstress, creating responses on much longer time scales than those of the forcing.
Download or read book Ocean Circulation and Climate written by and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2013-10-22 with total page 893 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book represents all the knowledge we currently have on ocean circulation. It presents an up-to-date summary of the state of the science relating to the role of the oceans in the physical climate system. The book is structured to guide the reader through the wide range of world ocean circulation experiment (WOCE) science in a consistent way. Cross-references between contributors have been added, and the book has a comprehensive index and unified reference list. The book is simple to read, at the undergraduate level. It was written by the best scientists in the world who have collaborated to carry out years of experiments to better understand ocean circulation. - Presents in situ and remote observations with worldwide coverage - Provides theoretical understanding of processes within the ocean and at its boundaries to other Earth System components - Allows for simulating ocean and climate processes in the past, present and future using a hierarchy of physical-biogeochemical models
Download or read book Ice Drift Ocean Circulation and Climate Change written by Jens Bischof and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2000-11 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The issue of global warming and climate change is of continuous concern. Since the 1970s, it bas been shown that the pack-ice around the Arctic Ocean is thinning, the margin of permafrost is moving north and the vegetation in the high northern parts of the world is changing (the 'greening' of the Arctic). But are these changes the result of human activity or simply regular variations of the Earth's climate system? Over thousands of years, a continuous archive of iceberg and sea ice drift bas formed in the deep-sea sediments, revealing the place of the ice's origin and allowing a reconstruction of the surface currents and the climate of the past. However, the drift of floating ice from one place to another is not just a passive record of past ocean circulation. It actively influences and changes the surface ocean circulation, thus having a profound effect on climate change. Ice Drift, Ocean Circulation and Climate Change is the first book to focus on the interactions between ice, the ocean and the atmosphere and to describe how these three components of the climate system influence each other. It makes clear the positive contribution of paleoclimatology and paleoceanography and should be read by anyone concerned with global warming and climate change.
Download or read book Global Climate written by Xavier Rodo and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-03-09 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Uncertainty for Everyone The one thing that is certain about the world is that the world is uncertain. I have here, the question that apart of the matter, living matter, has to resolve in each and every one of its moments of existance. The environment of a living being is apart of the living being where it turns out, the rest of the living beings live. This is the drama of life on earth. Every living individual debates with his environment, exchanging matter, energy and information in the hope of staying alive, the same as all living beings who share that same environment. The adven ture of a living being (of all living beings ) is to maintain reasonable independ ence in face ofthe fluctuations ofuncertainty within the environment. The range of restrictions and mutual relationships is colossal. How is the tran seendental pretension of staying alive regulated? There is an equation imposed by the laws ofthermodynamics and the mathematical theory ofinformation about the interaction ofa living being with his environment which we could state like this: The complexity 01 a living individual plus his capacity for anticipation in re spect to his environment is identical to the uncertainty of the environmentplus the capacity of that living being to change the environment.
Download or read book Natural Climate Variability on Decade to Century Time Scales written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1996-08-30 with total page 645 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume reflects the current state of scientific knowledge about natural climate variability on decade-to-century time scales. It covers a wide range of relevant subjects, including the characteristics of the atmosphere and ocean environments as well as the methods used to describe and analyze them, such as proxy data and numerical models. They clearly demonstrate the range, persistence, and magnitude of climate variability as represented by many different indicators. Not only do natural climate variations have important socioeconomic effects, but they must be better understood before possible anthropogenic effects (from greenhouse gas emissions, for instance) can be evaluated. A topical essay introduces each of the disciplines represented, providing the nonscientist with a perspective on the field and linking the papers to the larger issues in climate research. In its conclusions section, the book evaluates progress in the different areas and makes recommendations for the direction and conduct of future climate research. This book, while consisting of technical papers, is also accessible to the interested layperson.
Download or read book The Climate of the Mediterranean Region written by P. Lionello and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2012-04-19 with total page 593 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Mediterranean region contains a diverse and interesting climate ranging from areas with permanent glaciers to areas of subtropical, semiarid regions. The region is potentially sensitive to climate change and its progress has environmental, social, and economic implications within and beyond the region. Produced by the Mediterranean Climate Variability and Predictability Research Networking Project, this book reviews the evolution of the Mediterranean climate over the past two millennia with projections further into the twenty-first century as well as examining in detail various aspects of the Mediterranean region's climate including evolution, atmospheric variables, and oceanic and land elements. Integrated with this, the book also considers the social and economic problems or vulnerabilities associated with the region. Written and reviewed by multiple researchers to ensure a high level of information presented clearly, Mediterranean Climate Variables will be an invaluable source of information for geologists, oceanographers, and anyone interested in learning more about the Mediterranean climate. Written by leading experts in the field Presents clear, compelling, and concise evidence Includes the latest thinking in Mediterranean climate research
