An example of fingerprint detection of greenhouse climate changes

Journal Article · Fri Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Climate Dynamics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/s003820050038· OSTI ID:245404

Karoly, D J; Cohen, J A ^[1]; Meehl, G A ^[2]

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1. Monash Univ., Clayton, Victoria (Australia)
2. National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (United States); and others

As an example of the technique of fingerprint detection of greenhouse climate change, a multivariate signal or fingerprint of the enhanced greenhouse effect is defined using the zonal mean atmospheric temperature change as a function of height and latitude between equilibrium climate model simulations with control and doubled CO{sub 2} concentrations. This signal is compared with observed atmospheric temperature variations over the period 1963 to 1988 from radiosonde-based global analyses. There is a signiificant increase of this greenhouse signal in the observational data over this period. These results must be treated with caution. Upper air data are available for a short period only, possibly, to be able to resolve any real greenhouse climate change. The greenhouse fingerprint used in this study may not be unique to the enhanced greenhouse effect and may be due to other forcing mechanisms. However, it is shown that the patterns of atmospheric temperature change associated with uniform global increases of sea surface temperature, with El Nino-Southern Oscillation events and with decreases of stratospheric ozone concentrations individually are different from the greenhouse fingerprint used here. 30 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 245404
• Journal Information: Climate Dynamics, Journal Name: Climate Dynamics Journal Issue: 1-2 Vol. 10; ISSN CLDYEM; ISSN 0930-7575
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CLIMATIC CHANGE
EVALUATION
GLOBAL ASPECTS
GREENHOUSE EFFECT