2005-12-05

Temperate Forests Might Not Help

Livermore Laboratory, Carnegie Institution
Lead author: Seran Gibbard
Where published: Geophysical Research Letters
Planting trees across the United States and Europe to absorb some of the carbon dioxide emitted by the burning of fossil fuels may just outweigh the positive effects of sequestering that CO².

In theory, growing a forest may sound like a good idea to fight global warming, but in temperate regions, such as the United States, those trees also would soak up sunlight, causing the earth’s surface to warm regionally by up to 8 degrees Fahrenheit.
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2005-11-30

Sea Level Rising

Rutgers University
Lead author: Kenneth G. Miller
Where published: Science Magazine
Ocean levels are rising twice as fast today as they were 150 years ago, and human-induced warming appears to be the culprit
article

2005-11-22

Impact of Aerosols

Hadley Centre
Lead author: Nicolas Bellouin
Where published: Nature
New observations show that man-made aerosols may be having a greater direct effect on our climate than previously thought
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2005-11-17

Predicted Water Shortages

Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of Washington
Authors: Tim Barnett, Jennifer Adam, Dennis Lettenmaier
Where published: Nature
global warming will reduce glaciers and storage packs of snow in regions around the world, causing water shortages and other problems that will impact millions of people
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2005-08-11

Atrmosphere/Surface Temp Reconciled

Yale University / National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Lead author: Steven C. Sherwood
Where published: Science Magazine
direct heat of the sun on temperature probes of the weather balloon (radiosonde) probably explains the discrepancy between reports showing that atmospheric temperatures have been unchanged since the 1970’s, while temperatures at the Earth’s surface are rising ... Unfortunately, the warming is in an accelerating trend
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2005-07-08

Anthropogenic Warming of Oceans

Scripps, Livermore Labs, Hadley Centre, NCAR
Lead author: Tim Barnett
Where published: Science

A warming signal has penetrated into the world's oceans over the past 40 years. The signal is complex, with a vertical structure that varies widely by ocean; it cannot be explained by natural internal climate variability or solar and volcanic forcing, but is well simulated by two anthropogenically forced climate models. We conclude that it is of human origin, a conclusion robust to observational sampling and model differences. Changes in advection combine with surface forcing to give the overall warming pattern. The implications of this study suggest that society needs to seriously consider model predictions of future climate change.

abstract

2005-05-25

Solar Activity Not Causing Warming

Meteorological Institute, Oslo, Norway
Lead author: R. E. Benestad
Where published: American Geophysical Union

no indication of a systematic trend in the level of solar activity that can explain the most recent global warming

abstract

2005-04-21

Glacier Retreat

British Antarctic Survey, U.S. Geological Survey
Lead author: Alison Cook
Where published: Science Magazine
over the last 50 years 87% of 244 glaciers studied have retreated, and that average retreat rates have accelerated
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2005-02-17

Anthropogenic Ocean Warming

Scripps Institute of Oceanography, Livermore Labratories
Lead authors: Tim Barnett, David Pierce
results clearly indicate that the warming is produced anthropogenically ... The statistical significance of these results is far too strong to be merely dismissed and should wipe out much of the uncertainty about the reality of global warming.
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2005-01-30

Kilimanjaro Glaciers Retreating

Ohio State University
Lead author: Lonnie Thompson
Five years after warning that the famed ice fields on Tanzania 's Mount Kilimanjaro may melt, Ohio State University researchers have sadly found that their prediction is coming true.

“The change there is so dramatic,” he [Lonnie Thompson] said. “We can see it both in the field and from aerial photographs of the mountaintop. I would say it is on track to disappear, and the rate of ice loss may even be accelerating.
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