Climate: New warnings on ocean acidification

Posted on August 22, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Shellfish like these conchs in Belize are especially vulnerable to increasing ocean acidification.

Global warming likely to take a huge toll on marine life

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Sounding another dire warning about global warming impacts to the world’s oceans, researchers from universities and conservation groups say increasing levels of atmospheric carbon are likely to be fatal to many marine organisms.

When carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, a significant fraction is passively taken up by the ocean in a form that makes the ocean more acidic. This acidification has been shown to be harmful to many species of marine life, especially corals and shellfish.

“Our concern is that the specific actions to counter such impacts as identified in current policy statements will prove inadequate or ineffective,” wrote the authors of a new paper published in Nature Climate Change. “A much broader evaluation of marine management and mitigation options must now be seriously considered.” (more…)

Filed under: biodiversity, climate and weather, coral reefs, Environment, global warming, Marine biology, ocean conservation, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Global warming: Yes, it is the greenhouse gases …

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

New study; more proof

Global temperature anomalies in April 2012. MAP COURTESY NASA.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — A detailed new modeling study of ocean temperatures reinforces the conclusion that observed warming is due to the buildup of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

The scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, together with international collaborators, said their results show that observed ocean warming over the last 50 years is consistent with climate models only if the models include the impacts of observed increases in greenhouse gas during the 20th century. (more…)

Filed under: climate and weather, Environment, global warming | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

Changing ocean salinity a ‘clear fingerprint’ of global warming

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Rapid intensification of water cycle expected in the next few decades

Global warming may fuel more intense rain in parts of the world that already wet, and more drought in dry regions. PHOTO BY BOB BERWYN.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Even as global warming deniers toot their horns at the discredited Heartland Institute‘s annual anti-science conference, a team of researchers say they’ve detected a pattern of changes in ocean salinity that marks a clear “fingerprint of climate change.”

Analyzing observed ocean salinity changes and the relationship between salinity, rainfall and evaporation in climate models, they determined the water cycle has strengthened by four per cent from 1950-2000. This is twice the response projected by current generation global climate models, according to lead author, Dr. Paul Durack, a post-doctoral fellow at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. (more…)

Filed under: climate and weather, global warming | Tagged: , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Global warming: Extreme summer highs expected frequently

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Extreme heat expected as the new norm by mid-century

assdfads

By Summit Voice

Extreme summer heat that historically has occurred only once every 20 years will be common during the coming decades, especially in the South, Southwest and Northeast, according to researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Already, record high temperatures are outpacing record lows by more than two to one.

The careful statistical study, led by the lab’s Phil Duffy, compared temperatures records from different periods in the past and use models to project future temperature trends. The results show that summer extremes are already occurring more frequently and will become the norm by mid-century if the world continues on a business as usual schedule of emitting greenhouse gases.

“The observed increase in the frequency of previously rare summertime-average temperatures is more consistent with the consequences of increasing greenhouse gas concentrations than with the effects of natural climate variability,” said Duffy. “It is extremely unlikely that the observed increase has happened through chance alone.” (more…)

Filed under: climate and weather, Environment, global warming, Summit County news | Tagged: , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Global warming: Signal versus noise

Posted on November 19, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

“Looking at a single, noisy 10-year period is cherry picking.”

~Benjamin Santer

Land surface temperatures are depicted in this NASA Earth Observatory map. Click on the image for more information.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Scientists with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory directly addressed the issue of data cherry picking in a recent paper, suggesting that it takes at  least 17 years worth of temperature records to separate human-caused global warming from the “noise” of purely natural climate fluctuations.

To address criticism of the reliability of thermometer records of surface warming, the scientists analyzed satellite measurements of the temperature of the lower troposphere (the region of the atmosphere from the surface to roughly five miles above) and saw a clear signal of human-induced warming of the planet. (more…)

Filed under: climate and weather, El Niño, Environment, global warming, La Niña, Summit County news | Tagged: , , , , , | 7 Comments »

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