There's a pretty cool explanation of this at : http://m.naturalnews.com/news/043278_geoengineering_global_warming_climate_change.html#ixzz2oO6MlyAh
They use the analogy of a kettle with and without a lid. These both may have the same temperature, but the one with no lid has more energy flowing through the surface of the water. On Dec 6, 2013 11:38 PM, "Andrew Lockley" <[email protected]> wrote: > http://www.earth-syst-dynam.net/4/455/2013/esd-4-455-2013.html > > A simple explanation for the sensitivity of the hydrologic cycle to > surface temperature and solar radiation and its implications for global > climate change > > A. Kleidon and M. RennerMax-Planck-Institut für Biogeochemie, Jena, Germany > > Abstract > > The global hydrologic cycle is likely to increase in strength with global > warming, although some studies indicate that warming due to solar > absorption may result in a different sensitivity than warming due to an > elevated greenhouse effect. Here we show that these sensitivities of the > hydrologic cycle can be derived analytically from an extremely simple > surface energy balance model that is constrained by the assumption that > vertical convective exchange within the atmosphere operates at the > thermodynamic limit of maximum power. Using current climatic mean > conditions, this model predicts a sensitivity of the hydrologic cycle of > 2.2% K-1 to greenhouse-induced surface warming which is the sensitivity > reported from climate models. The sensitivity to solar-induced warming > includes an additional term, which increases the total sensitivity to 3.2% > K-1. These sensitivities are explained by shifts in the turbulent fluxes in > the case of greenhouse-induced warming, which is proportional to the change > in slope of the saturation vapor pressure, and in terms of an additional > increase in turbulent fluxes in the case of solar radiation-induced > warming. We illustrate an implication of this explanation for > geoengineering, which aims to undo surface temperature differences by solar > radiation management. Our results show that when such an intervention > compensates surface warming, it cannot simultaneously compensate the > changes in hydrologic cycling because of the differences in sensitivities > for solar vs. greenhouse-induced surface warming. We conclude that the > sensitivity of the hydrologic cycle to surface temperature can be > understood and predicted with very simple physical considerations but this > needs to reflect on the different roles that solar and terrestrial > radiation play in forcing the hydrologic cycle. > > Citation: Kleidon, A. and Renner, M.: A simple explanation for the > sensitivity of the hydrologic cycle to surface temperature and solar > radiation and its implications for global climate change, Earth Syst. > Dynam., 4, 455-465, doi:10.5194/esd-4-455-2013, 2013. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "geoengineering" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
