A global warming hiatus is a period of a slower rate of
increase of the global mean surface temperature and/or the average land and sea
temperature at the bottom of the troposphere. This occurs during continued
global warming of the Earth's climate system when the overall energy uptake of
subsurface–ocean heat increases. Hiatus periods are around ten - fifteen years long
and are common in the surface temperature record.
The Sydney Morning Herald Climate Change editor further
explained how volcanic activity has acted to stall warming of the planet’s
surface. This is due to sulfur emissions from volcanic eruptions. Other interesting mechanisms for hiatuses are/have been the emission of pine-smelling vapors from pine forests, which turn into aerosols, and the ban on chlorofluorocarbons as a result of the Montreal Protocol, since they were potent greenhouse gases in addition to their ozone-depleting properties. However, these hiatuses are becoming increasingly unlikely due to significant
build-up of greenhouse gases overwhelming these natural cooling processes.
The article is engaging and includes many quotes from the
lead author of the paper such as the point that by 2100, assuming greenhouse
emissions continue to build at the present rate, "even a big volcano like
Krakatau is very unlikely to cause a hiatus.” The article continues to explain
how oceans have absorbed much of the extra heat trapped over the past decade,
but that the process can also go in reverse, quickening warming.
The article does a very good job of introducing the topic. For its purpose, it explained in brevity what hiatus periods were and why they won’t be as likely to happen in the future. However, it derails completely at the end into what World Bank interests and how this problem is related to urban populations.
Despite this, the Geophysical Letters paper is primarily discussing
their models for predictions of hiatus periods. I’ll give the article a 7.5/10
for presenting the information (albeit rudimentarily) about hiatus periods. As
for actually discussing the Geophysical papers, I’d give it a 6.5/10. It doesn’t
present any of the models in the paper, but does briefly explain what the
models were used for.
That averages to a 7/10.
Sydney Morning Herald
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/temperature-hiatus-periods-to-become-a-thing-of-the-past-as-emissions-soar-20140827-1091p3.html
Original Article
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2014GL060527/abstract
Sydney Morning Herald
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/temperature-hiatus-periods-to-become-a-thing-of-the-past-as-emissions-soar-20140827-1091p3.html
Original Article
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2014GL060527/abstract
You might have to get the original article through mlibrary! Just FYI
ReplyDeleteI think that this news article was written with an agenda in mind. The entire second half had nothing to do with the study or even the title of the article. It abruptly switched from a semi-informative summary of a new study to 'don't eat meat because it is killing the earth.'
ReplyDeleteI agree with John. Perhaps it would have been more logical to break the article into two sections, one describing the evidence for decreased hiatuses in the future from the Geophysical Research Letters article and the other part as to the reasons for global warming and potential mechanisms to reduce the rate of global warming.
DeleteThat's also why I chose it! It seemed really out of place to include that information and wanted to see the classes reaction
DeleteI like that the article included a quote from the World Bank regarding the threats that global warming may cause if action isn't taken:
ReplyDeleteThe threats posed by global warming were also raised by the World Bank on Wednesday. Rachel Kyte, a vice-president of the bank and its special envoy for climate change, told a Canberra meeting the world is headed "down a dangerous path" with disruption of the food system possible as nations struggle to feed themselves.
It's important to address this issue at the level of monetary organizations like IMF and WB because they have the power to cause major shifts in how countries respond to global warming based on the amount of aid they may give or not provide.