Climate Change in the Polar Regions / John Turner, Gareth J. Marshall.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Turner, John.

Marshall, Gareth J.

Series:

Cambridge books online.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Climatic changes--Polar regions--History.

Climatic changes.

Meteorology--Polar regions--Observations.

Meteorology.

Climatic changes--Polar regions.

Global warming.

Sea ice.

History.

Polar regions.

Sea ice--Polar regions.

Global warming--Polar regions.

Genre:

Observations.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (448 pages) : digital, PDF file(s)

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2011.

System Details:

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

text file

PDF

Summary:

The polar regions have experienced some remarkable environmental changes in recent decades, such as the Antarctic ozone hole, the loss of large amounts of sea ice from the Arctic Ocean and major warming on the Antarctic Peninsula. The polar regions are also predicted to warm more than any other region on Earth over the next century if greenhouse gas concentrations continue to rise. Yet trying to separate natural climate variability from anthropogenic forcing still presents many problems. This book presents a thorough review of how the polar climates have changed over the last million years and sets recent changes within the long-term perspective, as determined from ice and ocean sediment cores. The approach taken is highly cross-disciplinary and the close links between the atmosphere, ocean and ice at high latitudes are stressed. The volume will be invaluable for researchers and advanced students in polar science, climatology, global change, meteorology, oceanography and glaciology. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 Introduction 1

1.1 The environment of the polar regions 1

1.2 The role of the polar regions in the global climate system 9

1.3 Possible implications of high latitude climate change 12

2 Polar climate data and models 16

2.1 Introduction 16

2.2 Instrumental observations 17

2.3 Meteorological analysis fields 28

2.4 Remotely sensed data 36

2.5 Proxy climate data 42

2.6 Models 51

3 The high latitude climates and mechanisms of change 61

3.1 Introduction 61

3.2 Factors influencing the broadscale climates of the polar regions 63

3.3 Processes of the high latitude climates 71

3.4 The mechanisms of high latitude climate change 80

3.5 Atmospheric circulation 114

3.6 Temperature 126

3.7 Cloud and precipitation 132

3.8 Sea ice 142

3.9 The ocean circulation 154

3.10 Concluding remarks 161

4 The last million years 162

4.1 Introduction 162

4.2 The Arctic 164

4.3 The Antarctic 181

4.4 Linking high latitude climate change in the two hemispheres 190

5 The Holocene 194

5.1 Introduction 194

5.2 Forcing of the climate system during the Holocene 197

5.3 Atmospheric circulation 202

5.4 Temperature 207

5.5 The ocean circulation 234

5.6 Sea ice and sea surface temperatures 238

5.7 Atmospheric gases and aerosols 245

5.8 The cryosphere, precipitation and sea level 247

5.9 Concluding remarks 254

6 The instrumental period 256

6.1 Introduction 256

6.2 The main meteorological elements 257

6.3 Changes in the atmospheric circulation 270

6.4 The ocean environment 280

6.5 Sea ice 289

6.6 Snow cover 299

6.7 Permafrost 307

6.8 Atmospheric gases and aerosols 315

6.9 Terrestrial ice and sea level 320

6.10 Attribution of recent changes 331

6.11 Concluding remarks 334

7 Predictions for the next 100 years 336

7.1 Introduction 336

7.2 Possible future greenhouse gas emission scenarios and the IPCC models 337

7.3 Changes in the atmospheric circulation and the modes of climate variability 340

7.4 The main meteorological elements 344

7.5 The ocean circulation and water masses 353

7.6 Sea ice 356

7.7 Seasonal snow cover and the terrestrial environment 361

7.8 Permafrost 362

7.9 Atmospheric gases and aerosols 364

7.10 Terrestrial ice, the ice shelves and sea level 366

7.11 Concluding remarks 372

8 Summary and future research needs 374

8.1 Introduction 374

8.2 Gaining improved understanding of past climate change 374

8.3 Modelling the high latitude climate system 381

8.4 Data required 382

8.5 Concluding remarks 385.

Notes:

Title from publishers bibliographic system (viewed on 02 Mar 2012).

Other Format:

Print version:

ISBN:

9780511975431

9780521850100

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.