Radiative forcing of climate change : expanding the concept and addressing uncertainties / Committee on Radiative Forcing Effects on Climate, Climate Research Committee, Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, Division on Earth and Life Studies, National Research Council of the National Academies.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Radiative Forcing Effects on Climate.

National Research Council (U.S.). Climate Research Committee.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Climatic changes.

Greenhouse gases--Environmental aspects.

Greenhouse gases.

Greenhouse effect, Atmospheric.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (207 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Washington, DC : National Academies Press, c2005.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Changes in climate are driven by natural and human-induced perturbations of the Earth (TM)s energy balance. These climate drivers or "forcings" include variations in greenhouse gases, aerosols, land use, and the amount of energy Earth receives from the Sun. Although climate throughout Earth (TM)s history has varied from "snowball" conditions with global ice cover to "hothouse" conditions when glaciers all but disappeared, the climate over the past 10,000 years has been remarkably stable and favorable to human civilization. Increasing evidence points to a large human impact on global climate over the past century. The report reviews current knowledge of climate forcings and recommends critical research needed to improve understanding. Whereas emphasis to date has been on how these climate forcings affect global mean temperature, the report finds that regional variation and climate impacts other than temperature deserve increased attention.

Contents:

""Front Matter""; ""Preface""; ""Acknowledgments""; ""Contents""; ""Executive Summary""; ""1 Introduction""; ""2 State of Scientific Understanding""; ""3 Radiative Forcing Over Earth's History""; ""4 Rethinking the Global Radiative Forcing Concept""; ""5 Uncertainties Associated with Future Climate Forcings""; ""6 Research Approaches to Furthering Understanding""; ""7 Recommendations""; ""References""; ""APPENDIXES""; ""A Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff""; ""B Statement of Task""; ""C Glossary and Acronyms""

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 159-190).

ISBN:

9786612084201

9780309133500

0309133505

9781282084209

1282084208

9780309546881

0309546885

OCLC:

923274073