Solar,volcanic, and CO2 forcing of recent climatic changes

The climate, as represented by the mean Northern Hemisphere temperature, has shown substantial changes within the past century. The temperature record is utilized as a means of elucidating the relative importance of anthropogenic CO₂ increase, volcanic aerosols, and possible solar insolation variations in externally forcing climate changes. Solar luminosity variations, suggested by observed solar radius variations on an ≈ 80 yr time scale, allow a self-consistent explanation of the hemispheric temperature trends. Evidence for solar influences on the climate is also found on the shorter 11 and 22 yr time scales present in solar activity cycles. The author is a staff scientist at the High Altitude Observatory, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307, of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. This work was completed while the author was a postdoctoral fellow in the Advanced Study Program of NCAR. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

用Monte-Carlo方法模拟火山爆发后的曙幕光特征

本文应用Monte-Carlo方法模拟了El Chichon火山爆发后的曙暮光光强和偏振度。模拟结果与实际观测符合较好,同时还考察了地面反照率、气溶胶散射相函数和气溶胶散射系数廓线变化对曙暮光特征的影响。发现在火山爆发后,多次散射光在曙暮光中起较大的作用,因此使地面反射特性对探测结果的影响增强,并发现在曙暮光时作偏振度测量,可以提供有关气溶胶消光与后向散射比的信息。     

Comments on ‘solar,volcanic and CO2 forcing of recent climatic changes’

The various limitations of a recent analysis of climatic variations in terms of solar volcanic and carbon dioxide forcing have been examined in more detail. In particular, the possibility of additional CO₂ release from forest clearing greatly increases the very large statistical uncertainties in the original analysis. While the inclusion of the various forcing terms is a highly desirable approach, the uncertainties in the data used mean that it is not appropriate to suggest that the surface warming due to the greenhouse effect has now been roughly determined.     

不同定义指标下的乌鲁木齐寒潮过程气候特征对比分析

利用乌鲁木齐市1951—2015年逐日最低气温(TD)、日平均气温(TT)资料,依据《寒潮等级》国家标准,以TD、TT为定义指标来普查寒潮降温过程,采用数理统计方法对2种指标统计的寒潮降温气候变化特征进行对比分析。结果表明:2种指标方法统计的降温频数存在显著性差异,在年际、季节时间尺度上均呈不显著减少趋势,TT法统计的年降温频数减少趋势显著强于TD法;90%的降温过程持续时间在1~3 d,TD、TT法统计的最长降温持续日数均出现在11月,且不同降温幅度的频数最大值亦在秋季;以TD、TT法统计的全年95.5%和94.6%的降温过程达不到寒潮的标准,2种方法统计的寒潮等级频数均表现为一般寒潮强寒潮特强寒潮;2种方法统计的寒潮频数在年际、季节尺度上均呈现减少趋势,峰值期分别为4月和10月,20世纪50年代为多发期,2001—2015年为相对少发期;TT法统计寒潮频数未来持续性强度弱于TD法;相关性分析发现,寒潮频数与年均TD、TT呈极显著的负相关关系,且年均TD的相关性强于年均TT,表明TD是影响寒潮频数变化的一个重要指标参数。     

Volcanic ash over the Russian Federation territory after the volcanic eruption in Iceland on April 14, 2010 from the data of model simulations and observations

After the volcanic eruption in Iceland on April 14, 2010, the volcanic ash cloud spread over Europe including Russia, that resulted in the air traffic collapse for several days. Presented are the results of computations of the volcanic ash spreading obtained with the FLEXPART Lagrangian dispersion model, as well as the results of the lidar sounding over Troitsk (Moscow region). The obtained model and experimental results agree well with each other and indicate the existence of settling layer of volcanic ash at the height of 4?C6 km, that is corroborated by the data of observations in Europe. The largest uncertainty in the model computations is caused by the lack of information on the volume of the emission of micron particles transported with the wind to the large distance. The comparison of model results with the observational data can enable to correct the source function and to obtain more realistic estimates of volcanic ash concentrations, that is a key factor of the air traffic control.     

Sodom,gomorrah and the other lost cities of the plain - a climatic perspective

Certain aspects of the biblical story of the Cities of the Plain have in recent years become widely accepted. Among them is the placing of those cities in the southern basin of the Dead Sea, the assumption that those cities are now covered by Dead Sea water and, in particular, the belief that their destruction was due to catastrophic geological causes, such as an earthquake. The Bible emphasizes the agricultural richness of the Jordan plain prior to the upheaval of Sodom and Gomorrah and its catastrophic transformation into a wasteland. Thus, stripped of ethical and religious overtones, the scenario is that of a rapid climatic change that converted a densely inhabited and richly watered area into an infertile salt playa. The region northeast and southeast of Jericho, which today is quite barren as a result of the upward movement of salty ground water but which contains some of the World's earliest known agricultural settlements, fits such a picture. Dating the Sodom event to approximately the 23rd-21st centuries B.C. supports the idea that a major climatic change that occurred between the Early and Middle Bronze Ages and which resulted in profound transformations in the Middle East such as the collapse of the Ancient Kingdom of Egypt, the invasion of the Fertile Crescent by the Semitic desert nomads, and the collapse of Early Bronze Age civilization in Palestine - is also responsible for the Sodom story. Although the data are far from complete, desiccation during this period is indicated by palynological evidence pointing to the decimation of forests in Northern Israel, paleobotanical evidence from Southern Israel, the deposition of salt layers in the Dead Sea, the abandonment of almost all settlements in the Negev Desert of Southern Israel, the Jordan valley and Southern Jordan, except those which were associated with perennial springs, and further afield the drastic lowering of the level of Lake Moeris in Lower Egypt. This scenario does not exclude the possibility that a major earthquake - which may have occurred during this period - was considered to be the cause of the final physical destruction of the Cities of the Plain, delivering a coup de grace to a collapsing society, and which became through the mists of time and legend, the only agent of destruction.     

A climatic and environmental protection strategy,the road toward a sustainable future

This editorial essay conveys a clear message: The overuse of our fossil fuel resources especially in the North, and the overpopulation in many parts of the South, result in an unacceptable stress to Earth. This manifests itself in some of the most serious threats to mankind, such as global climatic change, environmental degradation, food shortage, hunger, poverty, and migration. It is the purpose of this editorial essay to make a contribution toward a reduction of some of these threats, notably those from climatic change. Specifically, I present a tractable climatic and environmental protection strategy which is designed to give concrete answers to such seemingly simple questions as: What has to be done? (This depends e.g. on the concentration stabilization objective of the Rio Climate Convention, and the global warming ceiling of the Enquete-Commission of the German Parliament). By whom does it have to be done? (This addresses the secret of a successful protection strategy which involves a fair burden sharing among the world's countries). When does it have to be done? (This discusses the problem of setting tractable, i.e. differentiated and binding emission targets). How can it be done? (This relates to individual countries, states, and municipalities. It is demonstrated for Germany how her commitment of a 25 to 30% CO₂ reduction by 2005 can be achieved.) Moreover, the question is addressed: How many people and how much fossil fuel use can our planet stand? The major result is that without self-restraint climate and ecosystem protection cannot be maintained, because it is incompatible with trends in the wasteful fossil fuel use in the North and strong population growth in the South. Finally, a plea is made to share responsibility on the road toward a sustainable future.     

Fluxes,sizes, morphology and compositions of particles in the Mt. Erebus volcanic plume,December 1983

Use of an airborne quartz crystal microbalance cascade impactor instrument together with a correlation spectrometer has allowed the flux of particles and their size distribution to be determined at Mount Erebus. The plume contributes 21±3 metric tomnes/day of aerosol particles to the Antarctic upper troposphere. The aerosol particles consist of larger (5–25 m) particles of elemental sulfur and silica, a middle sized group of iron oxides and smaller particles (less than 1 m) of complex liquids. Unlike many volcanic plumes, the Erebus plume has only a small amount of sulfate particles. The concentrations of particles in the Erebus plumes was 70–370 m/m³. Limited sampling of the Antarctic atmosphere at 8 km altitude but hundreds of km away from Erebus obtained a few large particles of sulfur and silicates, suggesting a similarity with the Erebus plume. The fallout of these particles occurs slowly over a broad area of the Antarctic continent.     

Space-detailed climatic forecasting of air temperature and precipitation in Eastern Siberia on the basis of accounting for local features of the underlying surface

A physical-statistical approach is used for space specification of forecasting fields of air temperature and precipitation in the mid-21st century in Eastern Siberia. The initial data on the monthly mean values representing ensemble-averaged results of 12 general circulation models of the atmosphere and the ocean, with a 2° × 2° latitude-longitude grid are specified on a 12.5 × 12.5 km grid accounting for local features of surface topography and reflectivity. The most pronounced effect of increasing space resolution is found in the areas with complicated relief, especially in summer. This corresponds to physical properties of the processes affecting local features of precipitation and air temperature fields and demonstrates efficiency of the approach under use.     

A warm and wet little climatic optimum and a cold and dry little ice age in the southern rocky mountains,U.S.A.

The zenith of Anasazi Pueblo Indian occupation in the northern Colorado Plateau region of the southwestern U.S.A. coincides with the Little Climatic Optimum or Medieval Warm Period (A.D. 900–1300), and its demise coincides with the commencement of the Little Ice Age. Indexes of winter (jet-stream derived) and summer (monsoon derived) precipitation and growing season length were developed for the La Plata Mountains region of southwestern Colorado. The results show that during the height of the Little Climatic Optimum (A.D. 1000–1100) the region was characterized by a relatively long growing season and by a potential dry farming zone or elevational belt (currently located between 2,000 m and 2,300 m elevation) that was twice as wide as present and could support Anasazi upland dry farming down to at least 1,600 m, an elevation that is quite impossible to dry farm today because of insufficient soil moisture. This expanded dry-farm belt is attributable to a more vigorous circulation regime characterized by both greater winter and summer precipitation than that of today. Between A.D. 1100 and 1300 the potential dry-farm belt narrowed and finally disappeared with the onset of a period of markedly colder and drier conditions than currently exist. Finally, when the Little Ice Age terminated in the mid A.D. 1800s and warmer, wetter conditions returned to the region, another group of farmers (modern Anglos) were able to dry farm the area.The U.S. Government right to retain a non-exclusive, royalty-free license in and to any copyright is acknowledged.     

Solar rotation,impulses of the torque in the Sun's motion,and climatic variation

Running variance analysis and maximum entropy spectral analysis applied to Mount Wilson rotation data yield arguments in favor of a connection between variations in the Sun's rotation rate, energetic X-ray flares, and impulses of the torque (IOT) in the Sun's irregular motion about the barycenter of the planetary system. Such IOT, that have been shown to be related to the secular cycle of solar activity and excursions of the Maunder minimum type, also seem to be linked to outstanding peaks in geomagnetic activity, maxima in ozone concentration, incidence of blocking type circulation, as well as rainfall over Central Europe, England/Wales, eastern United States, and India. Statistical tests, that confirm these links, additionally point to IOT connection with temperature in Central Europe and the number of icebergs that pass south of latitude 48° N. IOT relationship with X-ray flares and strong geomagnetic storms was tested in successful long range forecasts.Glossary of Abbreviated Terms A _c Equatorial angular sidereal solar rotation rate corrected for scattered light and averaged over respective Carrington rotations. - c-events See JU-CM-CSc. - CM Center of mass of the solar system. - CS Center of the Sun. - L Change of angular momentum L in the Sun's orbital motion about CM caused by an impulse of the torque (IOT). This change is measured by the time integral of the torque . - df Degrees of freedom. - g-events See JU-CM-CSg. - IOT Impulse of the torque in the Sun's irregular orbital motion about the center of mass of the solar system CM. The intensity of IOT is measured by the change in angular momentum L effected by the impulse. - JU-CM-CS Solar system constellation that is formed when the center of mass CM, the Sun's center CS and the giant planet Jupiter (JU) are in line. JU-CM-CS events initiate impulses of the torque IOT in the Sun's irregular revolution about CM. - JU-CM-CSc JU-CM-CS event that is accompanied with a sharp increase in orbital angular momentum and centrifugal motion of the Sun away from CM. - JU-CM-CSg JU-CM-CS event that goes along with a steep decrease in orbital angular momentum L and centripetal motion of the Sun toward CM due to prevailing gravitation. - L Angular momentum of the Sun's orbital motion around CM. - T Torque, the varying rotary force applied to the Sun in its orbital motion about CM that is equal to the time rate of change of the angular momentum L. - v Running variance: the smoothing technique of running means over two or more consecutive readings is applied to variance, the square of the standard deviation.     

Secular variation of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation,the North Pacific Oscillation and climatic jumps in a multi-millennial simulation

Outputs from a 10,000-year simulation with a coupled global climatic model for present climatic conditions have been used to investigate the behaviour of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), the North Pacific Oscillation (NPO) and related phenomena. The analysis reveals a wide range of temporal variability for these Oscillations, suggesting that observations to date provide only a limited sample of possible outcomes. In addition, the simulation suggests that the current observed phase relation between the PDO and NPO may not be typical of longer-term variability. Climatic jumps appear to be a ubiquitous feature of climatic variability, and while, as observed, the most common interval between such jumps is about 20 years, intervals of up to 100 years occur in the simulation. The probability density functions of the PDO and NPO are very close to Gaussian, with the PDO being represented by an auto-regressive function of order one, while the NPO consisted of white noise. An FFT analysis of PC1 of the PDO revealed periodicities concentrated near 10 years, while for the NPO the principal periodicities were decadal to bidecadal. Global distributions of the distributions of the correlations between PC1 or the NPO and selected climatic variables were similar, and in agreement with observations. These correlations highlight the inter-relationships between these two Oscillations. The above correlations were not necessarily stable in time for a given geographical point, with transitions occurring between positive and negative extremes. Climatic jumps were identified with transitions of both the PDO and NPO, with magnitudes of importance as regards climatic perturbations. Spatial patterns of the changes associated with such jumps have global scales, and the need to consider the implications of these jumps in regard to greenhouse induced climatic change is noted.     

Analysis of climatic variability and snow cover in the Kaligandaki River Basin,Himalaya, Nepal

Various remote sensing products and observed data sets were used to determine spatial and temporal trends in climatic variables and their relationship with snow cover area in the higher Himalayas, Nepal. The remote sensing techniques can detect spatial as well as temporal patterns in temperature and snow cover across the inaccessible terrain. Non-parametric methods (i.e. the Mann–Kendall method and Sen's slope) were used to identify trends in climatic variables. Increasing trends in temperature, approximately by 0.03 to 0.08 °C year^?1 based on the station data in different season, and mixed trends in seasonal precipitation were found for the studied basin. The accuracy of MOD10A1 snow cover and fractional snow cover in the Kaligandaki Basin was assessed with respect to the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer-based snow cover area. With increasing trends in winter and spring temperature and decreasing trends in precipitation, a significant negative trend in snow cover area during these seasons was also identified. Results indicate the possible impact of global warming on precipitation and snow cover area in the higher mountainous area. Similar investigations in other regions of Himalayas are warranted to further strengthen the understanding of impact of climate change on hydrology and water resources and extreme hydrologic events.     

An investigation of the Iranian climatic changes by considering the precipitation, temperature, and relative humidity parameters

The present study tends to describe the survey of climatic changes in the case of the eastern and central areas of Iran and, to some extent, the northern parts. The monthly and yearly change trends in the minimum, maximum and mean temperatures, relative humidity, and the precipitation were surveyed for 26 synoptic stations in Iran during a 55-year period. The study was carried out by using the ??-Kendall test. The results showed the same temperature changes for the centrally located stations as the eastern and northern ones. Most of the stations in Zagros showed no significant temperature changes. A significant decrease in the precipitation was seen in summer in different stations. Most of the eastern and centrally located stations showed a decrease in relative humidity trend, while this condition was not recorded in Zagros and northern part of Iran. The present results also showed that the upward trend of minimum air temperature had an effect in increasing the mean air temperature in the stations with temperature ascending trend. This effect of minimum temperature was significantly more than that of the maximum temperature, which could be the result of increasing the amount of greenhouse gases and the reflection of received thermal energies, from land through the night. This increase in the temperature and a decrease in relative humidity would cause an increase in the evaporation of the received precipitation.     

天山新疆段植被物候特征及其气候响应

基于MODIS的MCD12Q2数据,采用趋势分析和相关性分析方法,结合遥感降水和气温数据产品,探求了天山新疆段2001—2014年植被物候的时空变化及其影响因素的相对作用。天山新疆段植被物候始期呈明显的垂直地带性分布特征,集中于3月10日至5月15日,全区14年平均值为3月20日;植被物候末期具有纬度地带性分布特征,集中于10月1日至10月25日。天山新疆段植被物候始期在山区呈不显著推迟趋势,绿洲和平原呈不显著提前趋势;植被物候末期主要呈不显著提前趋势;降水量和气温是影响天山植被物候期的重要因素。物候始期受当年春季气温的影响最为显著,也受到前一年冬季降水量的影响,其与降水量呈正相关,与气温呈负相关。夏季和秋季降水量是天山新疆段植被物候末期的主要影响因素。     

Investigating the topographic and climatic effects on vegetation using remote sensing and GIS: a case study of Kharestan region,Fars Province,Iran

Theoretical and Applied Climatology - This study seeks to investigate the effect of topographic (slope, elevation, and aspect) and climatic (precipitation and temperature) factors on vegetation in...