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Changes in Radiative Forcing. Primary Source: IPCC WG-I Chapter 2 - Changes in Atmospheric Constituents and in Radiative Forcing. Key Findings. Extremely likely (> 95%) that humans have exerted a substantial warming influence on climate since 1750.
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Changes in Radiative Forcing Primary Source: IPCC WG-I Chapter 2 - Changes in Atmospheric Constituents and in Radiative Forcing
Key Findings Extremely likely (> 95%) that humans have exerted a substantial warming influence on climate since 1750. Likely (> 66%) that the human influence by radiative forcing is at least 5 times greater than solar influence since 1750. Exceptionally unlikely (< 1%) that solar + volcanic radiative forcing for 1950-2005 was comparable to anthropogenic radiative forcing.
Major Types of Radiative Forcings Changes in … • Greenhouse Gases • Aerosols (particles) • Surface albedo • Contrails • Solar variability • Volcanic activity
Radiative Forcing: Balanced State Radiative Balance Radiative-Dynamic Balance
Radiative Forcing Change in net radiative energy flux at the tropopause with … (a) stratospheric temperatures readjusted to radiative equilibrium (b) surface and tropospheric temperatures and state held fixed at original values (Ramaswamy et al., 2001)
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Pre-industrial: ~ 280 ppm Sources: Fossil fuels Cement production Deforestation Biomass burning
CO2 Emissions • O2 as CO2 : • Combustion • Plant respiration/photosynthesis 13C/12C: Atmosphere > Terrestrial Sources
Methane (CH4) • Sources: • Biogenic: • Wetlands • Rice • Biomass burning • Ruminants • Fossil fuel mining and distribution • Living vegetation? NOAA Global Monitoring Division (GMD) Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiments (AGAGE) Mt. Pinatubo? Warm 1998? Economic Incentives?
Nitrous Oxide (N2O) • Sources: • Coastal areas: • continental shelves • estuaries • rivers • Land processes
Halocarbons Small amounts, but effective absorbers of infrared radiation Factors: Industrial processes Partly regulated by Montreal Protocol
Other Gases • Stratospheric Ozone • Tropospheric Ozone • Stratospheric Water Vapor
Aerosol Types • Sulphate • Organic Carbon from Fossil Fuels • Black Carbon from Fossil Fuels • Biomass Burning • Nitrate • Mineral Dust
Aerosol Distributions Optical Depth ~ Radiative “Thickness” White = measurement not possible Biomass Burning Mineral Dust Industrial Sea Salt
Land Use Changes Albedo Differences Forest < Cropland Snow-covered forest < Snow-covered cropland
Other Surface Effects • Black Carbon on Snow/Ice • Land-Use Changes on Surface Fluxes • Anthropogenic Water Vapor Release • Anthropogenic Energy Release • CO2 Influence on Plant Physiology
Solar Heating: Change Variability due to 1. Changes in sunspots and faculae 2. Changes in solar diameter?
END Changes in Radiative Forcing