Luisa Cristini, PhD, University of Hawaii at Manoa. [Note from the editor: This is the fourth in a series of blog entries that will focus on introductory topics in climate dynamics and modeling, and will be a great insight into the current understanding of the science.] Many characteristics of the climate are influenced by the […]
Climate Change Research
Ozone Hero F. Sherwood Rowland Leaves A Legacy, A Message
March 15, 2012
F. Sherwood Rowland, one of the world’s greatest environmental heroes, passed away last weekend at the age of 84. Rowland worked in the Physical Sciences Department at the University of California, Irvine, and was the first person to sound the alarm over the damaging effects of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) on the ozone layer. In 1985, scientists […]
Part 3: What’s Hot About Ice?
March 12, 2012
By Luisa Cristini, PhD, University of Hawaii at Manoa. [Note from the editor: This is the third in a series of blog entries that will focus on introductory topics in climate dynamics and modeling, and will be a great insight into the current understanding of the science.] The cryosphere is the portion of the Earth’s […]
Are Tornadoes Becoming More Common?
March 8, 2012
We are only about two months into 2012, but already the United States has had 183 confirmed tornadoes and 49 associated fatalities as of March 7. With the debate about global warming and its consequences at the forefront of the nation’s attention, the public likely has many weather-related questions. What is to blame for the […]
Tracking Pollutants in the Atmosphere
March 6, 2012
By Penny Paugh Researchers have launched the 5-phase HIPPO (HIAPER Pole-to-Pole Observation) project that generates detailed mapping, vertically and across latitudes, of the global distribution of greenhouse gases, black carbon and related chemical species in the atmosphere. Scientists hope HIPPO’s detailed view will allow them to more realistically approximate the global atmosphere’s chemical distribution and […]
New Englanders Adapt to Winter Climate Change
March 1, 2012
Many politicians in the nation’s capital are still in denial that human activity is contributing significantly to global climate change. Meanwhile, climate will continue to change regardless of the current state of the debate, and New Englanders are finding ways of adapting to later autumns, earlier springs, and milder winters. Dr. Alan Betts, one of […]
Part 2: The Ocean – Earth’s Climate Engine
February 28, 2012
By Luisa Cristini, PhD, University of Hawaii at Manoa [Note from the editor: This is the second in a series of blog entries that will focus on introductory topics in climate dynamics and modeling, and will be a great insight into the current understanding of the science.] Seventy-one percent of the Earth’s surface is covered […]
Climate Change Research in US Dying from Lack of Financial Support
February 24, 2012
Due to recent budget cuts, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has abandoned its effort to reconstruct a detailed picture of hour-by-hour changes in the atmosphere stretching back to the 19th century. The 20th Century Reanalysis is a project that has already helped scientists better understand the causes of historic weather events like the Dust […]
Part 1: A Pleasant Atmosphere
February 22, 2012
By Luisa Cristini, PhD, University of Hawaii at Manoa [Note from the editor: This will be the first in a series of blog entries that will focus on introductory topics in climate dynamics and modeling, and will be a great insight into the current understanding of the science.] The atmosphere is the most important component […]
Google’s Role in Public Hurricane Preparedness
February 17, 2012
A recent study by researchers at Mississippi State University and the University of Alabama sought to identify the behavior of the general public in advance of landfalling hurricanes by examining Google search data. Using publically accessible data from Google Trends, Google Insights, and Google Hot Trends, patterns in keyword searches shed light on how the […]