Alan RobockDepartment of Environmental Sciences
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey USA
http://envsci.rutgers.edu/~robock
Climate Dynamics11:670:461
Lecture 2, 9/9/13
Alan RobockDepartment of Environmental
Sciences
Nitrogen (N2), oxygen (O2), and argon (Ar) make up for 99% of the atmosphere, but are not greenhouse gases.Water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), ozone (O3), and nitrous oxide (N2O) are greenhouse gases.A greenhouse gas absorbs infrared radiation, whichcreates molecular vibrationand bending.Collisions transfer energy to heat the surrounding gas.
But, what is a “greenhouse gas” anyway?
Water vapor (H2O) vibration modes
http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/water/vibrat.html
Alan RobockDepartment of Environmental
Sciences
Produced by Gary Strand, NCAR
CCSM Climate “Forecasts”
(°C) (°C)
Alan RobockDepartment of Environmental
SciencesIPCC AR4, Chapter 1 Fig.
1.1
Alan RobockDepartment of Environmental
SciencesFig. 1.2
Bretherton Diagram
Alan RobockDepartment of Environmental
SciencesFig. 1.2
Bretherton Diagram
Alan RobockDepartment of Environmental
Sciences
Alan RobockDepartment of Environmental
Sciences
Alan RobockDepartment of Environmental
Sciences
Alan RobockDepartment of Environmental
Sciences
http://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/graphs/Fig.A2.pdf
Recovery from volcanic eruptions
dominates
Tropospheric aerosols mask
warming(global
dimming)
Greenhouse gases
dominate
Alan RobockDepartment of Environmental
Sciences
Desire for improved well-being Consumpt
ion of goods and services
Impacts on
humans and
ecosystems
Climate change
CO2 in the atmosphe
re
Consumption of
energy
CO2 emissions
CONS
ERVA
TION
EFFICIENCYLOW-CARBON
ENERGY
SUFFERING
SOLA
R RA
DIATIO
N
MANAGEMEN
T
CARB
ON
DIO
XID
E RE
MOV
AL
ADAPTATION
After Ken Caldeira
Alan RobockDepartment of Environmental
Sciences
Annual average surface air pressure. Interval 50 mb.
Fig. 2.1
Alan RobockDepartment of Environmental
SciencesFig. 2.1
Annual average surface air pressure. Interval 50 mb.
Alan RobockDepartment of Environmental
SciencesFig. 2.2
Alan RobockDepartment of Environmental
SciencesFig. 2.3
Annual mean900 mb
geopotential height (m)
Annual mean200 mb
geopotential height (m)
Alan RobockDepartment of Environmental
SciencesFig. 2.3
Annual mean900 mb
geopotential height (m)
Annual mean200 mb
geopotential height (m)
Alan RobockDepartment of Environmental
Sciences
Seasonal900 mb
geopotential height (m)
Fig. 2.4