Judith Curry is the president of Climate Forecast Applications Network (CFAN) and previously the professor and chair of the School Of Earth And Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute Of Technology.
Judith also has an informative website, Climate Etc.
Earth’s climate is a complex system influenced by several factors, including the sun, clouds, water vapour, and volcanoes. Understanding and predicting climate changes is challenging due to the interplay of numerous variables and their intricate relationships.
The primary source of Earth’s energy is the sun. It emits solar radiation, including visible light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation.
Clouds play a crucial role too. They reflect incoming solar radiation back into space (cooling effect) and also trap outgoing infrared radiation (warming effect). The net effect of clouds depends on their altitude, thickness, and composition.
Water vapor is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere. Its presence is influenced by various factors, including temperature, humidity, and air circulation patterns. Water vapor can amplify or dampen the effects of other gases.
Volcanic eruptions release large quantities of gases (like CO2) and aerosols into the atmosphere.
To make matters words, climate science is unreliable for the following reasons.
- Climate change is influenced by interconnected factors.
- Climate change varies across regions and time scales.
- Climate change operates on long timescales.
- Feedback mechanisms in the climate system are not understood.
- Cloud formation and aerosol behaviour are not understood.
