Lecture 2 9913 Climate Dynamics 11 670 461

Lecture 2, 9/9/13 Climate Dynamics 11: 670: 461 Alan Robock Department of Environmental Sciences Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey USA robock@envsci. rutgers. edu http: //envsci. rutgers. edu/~robock

But, what is a “greenhouse gas” anyway? Nitrogen (N 2), oxygen (O 2), and argon (Ar) make up for 99% of the atmosphere, but are not greenhouse gases. Water vapor (H 2 O), carbon dioxide (CO 2), methane (CH 4), ozone (O 3), and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) are greenhouse gases. A greenhouse gas absorbs infrared radiation, which creates molecular vibration and bending. Water vapor (H 2 O) vibration modes http: //www. lsbu. ac. uk/water/vibrat. html Collisions transfer energy to heat the surrounding gas. Alan Robock Department of Environmental Sciences

CCSM Climate “Forecasts” (°C) Produced by Gary Strand, NCAR Alan Robock Department of Environmental Sciences

IPCC AR 4, Chapter 1 Fig. 1. 1 Alan Robock Department of Environmental Sciences

Bretherton Diagram Fig. 1. 2 Alan Robock Department of Environmental Sciences

Bretherton Diagram Fig. 1. 2 Alan Robock Department of Environmental Sciences

Alan Robock Department of Environmental Sciences

Alan Robock Department of Environmental Sciences

Alan Robock Department of Environmental Sciences

Tropospheric aerosols mask warming (global dimming) Greenhouse gases dominate Recovery from volcanic eruptions dominates http: //data. giss. nasa. gov/gistemp/graphs/Fig. A 2. pdf Alan Robock Department of Environmental Sciences

SU CO N G SE IN RV ER AT FF Impacts on humans and ecosystems Consumption of goods and services IO N Desire for improved well-being BON REM DIOXI DE OVA L SO N BO AR Y -C RG W NE E CO 2 in the atmosphere LO Climate change ON L M AR AN R AG AD EM IA T EN IO T N TATI NCY CIE EFFI CAR ADAP Consumption of energy CO 2 emissions After Ken Caldeira Alan Robock Department of Environmental Sciences

Annual average surface air pressure. Interval 50 mb. Fig. 2. 1 Alan Robock Department of Environmental Sciences

Annual average surface air pressure. Interval 50 mb. Fig. 2. 1 Alan Robock Department of Environmental Sciences

Fig. 2. 2 Alan Robock Department of Environmental Sciences

Annual mean 900 mb geopotential height (m) Annual mean 200 mb geopotential height (m) Fig. 2. 3 Alan Robock Department of Environmental Sciences

Annual mean 900 mb geopotential height (m) Annual mean 200 mb geopotential height (m) Fig. 2. 3 Alan Robock Department of Environmental Sciences

Seasonal 900 mb geopotential height (m) Fig. 2. 4 Alan Robock Department of Environmental Sciences