Global Warming

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Global Warming
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Problem

• Global warming affects us all.
• The Earth has warmed up by about 0.6C in the
  last 100 years.
• Man-made emissions of greenhouse gases have
  increased (burning of fossil fuels and
  deforestation)

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20 years ago, what was the scenario?

• CO2 measurements (Mauna Loa)
• Ice core measurements (Only back 100.000 yrs)
  based on ice deposition
• Scattered sea surface temperature measurements
• Rough estimates of ice thickness in the poles

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New Techniques

• Satellite images

(Larsen B Ice Shelf)
From NASA MODIS instrument, 2002
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New Techniques

• Ice core analysis
• Methane
• CO2
• deuterium
• dust flux
• Gas Age
• Ice Age
• temperature difference from present

NASA
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New Techniques

• Environmental gas estimates-more accurate and
  long-term

• Automated SST measurements throughout all the
  oceans

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New Techniques

• Better understanding of ocean circulation Global
  Conveyor Belt, and of glaciations

From Gateways to Glaciation, ODP
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New Techniques

• Access to deep ocean sediments to understanding
  how Earth's climate could change

From Ocean Drilling program site
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New Techniques

• Paleomagnetism

From Ocean Drilling program site
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Data availability and support

• Currently one of the most debated fields
  several researchers involved
• NOAA/NASA data online
• DLESE and other servers available for educational
  research

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El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO)
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Problem

• It is a global phenomenon that impacts us all,
  one way or the other
• Represents changes in the circulation of the
  Tropical Pacific and the global atmosphere
  (changes in atmospheric pressure over the Pacific
  and weak trade winds)
• Is associated with ecological and economic losses
  around the globe

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How did we know about ENSO?

• Discrete data from fishermen
• Temperature and pressure anomalies in the Pacific
  measured in few stations
• Droughts, excessive rain and other isolated
  phenomena that were not directly linked to ENSO

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New Tech

• General Circulation Models

Source NOAA El Niño resource web page
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New Tech

• Pressure anomaly measurements at key stations in
  the Pacific (Darwin, Australia Tahiti
  Southern Oscillation Index)

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New Tech

• Satellite altimetry and temperature measurements,
  real-time.

Source NOAA El Niño resource web page
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New Tech

• Coral and sediment paleoclimatology El Niño has
  waxed and waned over millennia.

Source NOAA Paleoclimatology Program/Department
of Commerce
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New Tech

• Well defined pattern and intensity of La Niña/El
  Niño

Source NOAA El Niño resource web page
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New Tech

• TAO buoy array (NOAA)

Source TAO resource web page
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New Tech

• Drifting buoy data (NOAA)
• Gliders
• Automated Sea Level and rainfall gauges

Source https//www.navo.navy.mil
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New Tech

• Shipboard measurements (NOAA ship KA'IMIMOANA
  (Ocean Seeker)

Source TAO resource web page
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Data availability and support

• TOGA research program
• NOAA El Niño resource web page daily updated
  (http//www.pmel.noaa.gov/tao/elnino/el-nino-story
  .html)
• Large amount of web resources (best University or
  government resources) Other sources are
  educational (e.g. DLESE, NOAA)
• Several researchers at Universities just ask!