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Energy imbalance on Earth is the most important metric for measuring the size and effects of climate change, according to a new study published today in the first issue of Environmental research: Climate.
Distinguished National Atmospheric Research Center (NCAR) scholar and much-cited lead author Kevin Trenberth along with climate scientist and co-author Lijing Cheng have made a complete new inventory of all the different sources of excess heat in the earth. He studied the energy changes of the atmosphere, ocean, earth and ice as components of the climate system from 2000 to 2019 and compared it with radiation in the upper part of the Earth’s atmosphere to find the imbalance.
“The net energy imbalance is calculated by observing how much heat is absorbed from the Sun and how much it is able to radiate into space,” explains Trenberth, whose paper was published today, “it is not yet possible to measure the imbalance directly. ., the only practical way to estimate it is through an inventory of energy changes. ”
Understanding the net energy gain of the climate system from all sources, how much additional energy there is and where it is redistributed to the terrestrial system is vital to informing and addressing the climate crisis in this way. Previously, climate research had focused on increasing the global average surface temperature on Earth. However, this is only a result of the total energy imbalance facing the Earth.
Excess energy affects weather systems, directly increasing the number or intensity of extreme weather events, such as heavy rains and floods, hurricanes, droughts, heat waves, and forest fires. Meteorological events move energy and help the climate system get rid of energy by radiating it into space, which also affects the rise in temperature globally. The study also revealed that 93% of the additional heat from the imbalance ends up on Earth’s oceans, raising its global temperature and sea level, making 2021 the largest global ocean. hot recorded so far.
“Modeling the Earth’s energy imbalance is a challenge, and relevant observations and their synthesis need improvement. Understanding how all forms of energy are distributed around the world and are hijacked or radiated into space. it will give a better understanding of our future, ”he adds. Lijing Cheng, co-author of the study.
“Less than 1% chance” that the Earth’s energy imbalance will occur naturally, scientists say. More information: Kevin E Trenberth et al, A perspective on climate change from the Earth’s energy imbalance, Environmental research: Climate (2022). DOI: 10.1088 / 2752-5295 / ac6f74 Provided by the Institute of Physics
Citation: Knowing the Earth’s energy imbalance is key to preventing global warming, finds the study (2022, July 4) retrieved July 4, 2022 from
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