Aug
31
2007
The post title was ungraciously “borrowed” from the NY Daily News because I liked it, even though the original paper never made that claim. A better title would perhaps be: Recently published paper of the long-term effects on climate by CO2. I’m not sure why this is getting framed as a delay in the next ice age. To me, any hysteresis is cool almost by definition.
Tyrrell, T., J.G. Shepherd, S. Castle, (2007), The long-term legacy of fossil fuels, Tellus B 59 (4), 664–672. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0889.2007.00290.x [PDF - requires subscription]
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Aug
29
2007
They stopped giving free drinks (soda, not real drinks
) to students, faculty, and staff of the university. So now you don’t even get a free tasty beverage with your over-priced burrito. There are plenty of other places on and around campus that offer better deals - and have better food!
And no pot shots from the peanut gallery about only eating locally grown food. Actually, no pot shots about anything. This is the first time I’ve “eaten out” in about a month, and quite frankly, I’m tired of my cooking.
Aug
29
2007
Dawson, J.P, P.J. Adams, and S. N. Pandis, Sensitivity of PM2.5 to climate in the Eastern US: a modeling case study, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 7, 4295-4309, 2007. [PDF]
Abstract. The individual effects of various meteorological parameters on PM2.5 concentrations in the Eastern US are examined using the PMCAMx chemical transport model so that these effects and their relative magnitudes can be better understood. A suite of perturbations in temperature, wind speed, absolute humidity, mixing height, cloud cover, and precipitation are imposed individually on base case conditions corresponding to periods in July 2001 and January 2002 in order to determine the sensitivities of PM2.5 concentrations and composition to these separate meteorological parameters. Temperature had a major effect on average PM2.5 in January (-170 ngm-3 K-1) due largely to the evaporation of ammonium nitrate and organic aerosol at higher temperatures; increases in sulfate production with increased temperature counteracted much of this decrease in July. Changes in mixing height also had major effects on PM2.5 concentrations: 73 ngm-3 (100 m)-1 in January and 210 ngm-3 (100 m)-1 in July. Changes in wind speed (30 to 55 ngm-3 %-1) and absolute humidity (15 to 20 ngm-3 %-1) also had appreciable effects on average PM2.5 concentrations. Precipitation changes had large impacts on parts of the domain (a consequence of the base case meteorology), with sensitivities to changing area of precipitation in July up to 100 ngm-3 %-1. Perturbations in cloud cover had the smallest effects on average PM2.5 concentrations. The changes in PM2.5 concentrations resulting from changing all eight meteorological parameters simultaneously were approximately within 25% or so of the sum of the changes to the eight individual perturbations. The sensitivities of PM2.5 concentrations to changes in these meteorological parameters indicate that changes in climate could potentially have important impacts on PM2.5 concentrations.
They conclude: “The strongest of the effects of changes in meteorology on PM2.5 concentrations were the effects of temperature, wind speed, absolute humidity, mixing height, and precipitation. Wind speed, mixing height, and precipitation affected all PM species. Temperature increased average sulfate concentrations and decreased average nitrate and organics concentrations. The main effect of increased absolute humidity was increased nitrate aerosol. These effects could lead to appreciable changes in PM2.5 concentrations under a changed future climate.” [Emphasis added.]
Aug
28
2007
From Climate Progress.
10. Accuweather Climate Blog (39,249) — “Global warming news, science, myths, articles.” A good general interest climate blog.
9. Climate Feedback (34,124) — “An informal forum for debate and commentary on climate science.” A useful new blog, sponsored by Nature magazine. On the downside, you’ll have to endure posts by Roger Pielke, Jr.
8. Climate of Our Future (24,327) — “A discussion on climate change.” Another good general interest climate blog.
7. It’s Getting Hot In Here (20,428) — “Dispatches from the youth climate movement.” There is hope for the next generation after all!
6. Climate Progress (16,087) — “An insider’s view of climate science, politics, and solutions.” A fast-rising (relative) newbie.
5. Climate Ark (15, 917) — “Climate Change and Global Warming Portal.” A good blog and a great news feed.
4. DeSmogBlog (8,454) — “Clearing the PR pollution that clouds climate science.” A very good all-around climate blog.
3. Celsias (5,455) — “Cooling the planet one project at a time.” A (mostly) climate solutions website.
2. A Few Things Ill Considered (3968) — “A layman’s take on the science of Global Warming featuring a guide on How to Talk to a Climate Sceptic.” As much a news feed as a blog, but both are great.
And the winner, by a landslide:
1. RealClimate (790) — “Climate science from climate scientists.” The mother of all climate blogs. The posts and the comments are both “must reads.”
No surprise I’m not listed. My Technorait Rank (407,558) is an order of magnitude below #10. Tis something to work towards I guess.