Global Climate - Current Research and Uncertainties in the Climate System

Hardcover  XX, 286 pp, 93 illus  ISBN 3540438203      £103.00

Throughout the Earth's history, the climate and biosphere have evolved together through a complex chain of interactions, making possible the extraordinary variety of ecosystems and life. These interactions also largely determine the response of the atmosphere to increasing quantities of greenhouse gases caused by human activity. Since the climate system has great inertia, this means that we will have to long bear the consequences of our past and present actions, perhaps in the form of unprecedented climate change. In this book, opinions from experts in different areas provide a detailed snapshot of the current "hotspots" in the mechanisms affecting climate system on our planet. By addressing and clarifying key topics of current climate research, it contributes to a clearer understanding of the factors underlying the debate over global warming

Contents: From the contents: What we know about the Climate System? A brief review of current research.- Why Global Warming is a Controversial Issue.- El Nino: A Predictable Climate Fluctuation.- Climate Information Systems and Their Applications.- An Introduction to Ocean Climate Modelling.- An Introduction to Linear Predictability Analysis.- Carbon Cycling over Lands and Oceans.- Changes in the Global Carbon Cycle and Ocean Circulation on the Millennial Time Scale.- Understanding Future Climate Change Using Paleorecords.- The Indian Monsoon and its Relation to Global Climate Variability.- Interactions between the Tropics and Extratropics. A bit on theory, results and prospects for future predictability.