One assistant professor != 100,000 of thousands of people http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/02/08/a-cherry-picker%E2%80%99s-guide-to-temperature-trends-update-warming-crisis-not/#more-33563
On Tue, Feb 8, 2011 at 5:43 PM, Eric Roberts <[email protected]> wrote: > > In the Northern Hemisphere since 1979, the average temperature rose by about > 0.7 degrees Celsius, whereas the global average temperature rose by about > 0.45 degrees, Flanner said. > > For every 1 degree Celsius rise in the Northern Hemisphere, Flanner and his > colleagues calculated an average of 0.6 fewer watts of solar radiation > reflected to space per square meter because of reduced snow and sea ice > cover. In the 18 models taken into consideration by the International Panel > on Climate Change, the average was 0.25 watts per square meter per degree > Celsius over the same time period. > > Flanner points out that the models typically calculate this feedback over > 100 years—significantly longer than this study, which could account for some > of the discrepancy. Satellite data only goes back 30 years. > > To further put the results in context, each square meter of Earth absorbs an > average of 240 watts of solar radiation. These new calculations show that > the Northern Hemisphere cryosphere is reflecting .45 watts less per square > meter now than it did in 1979, due mostly to reduced spring snow cover and > summer sea ice. > > "The cryospheric albedo feedback is a relatively small player globally, but > it's been a surprisingly strong feedback mechanism over the past 30 years," > Flanner said. "A feedback of this magnitude would translate into roughly 15 > percent more warming, given current understanding of other feedback > mechanisms." > > To avoid the worst effects of climate change, the scientific consensus is > that the global average temperature should stay within 2 degrees Celsius, or > 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, of pre-industrial levels. Scientists are still > trying to quantify the extent to which the planet will warm as greenhouse > gases accumulate in the atmosphere. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Order the Adobe Coldfusion Anthology now! http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Coldfusion-Anthology/dp/1430272155/?tag=houseoffusion Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:334175 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/unsubscribe.cfm
