Human Influence on the Atmospheric Vertical Temperature Structure: Detection and Observations

Recent work suggests a discernible human influence on climate. This finding is supported, with less restrictive assumptions than those used in earlier studies, by a 1961 Through 1995 data set of radiosonde observations and by ensembles of coupled atmosphere-ocean simulations forced with changes in g...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1996-11, Vol.274 (5290), p.1170-1173
Main Authors: Simon F. B. Tett, John F. B. Mitchell, Parker, David E., Allen, Myles R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerosols
Atmosphere
Atmospheric temperature
Climate
Climate change
Climate models
Climatology. Bioclimatology. Climate change
Datasets
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
External geophysics
Feedback (Response)
Global warming
Greenhouse effect
Greenhouse gases
Human beings
Human-environment interactions
Influence on nature
Meteorology
Radiosondes
Sulfates
Temperature
Term weighting
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Summary:Recent work suggests a discernible human influence on climate. This finding is supported, with less restrictive assumptions than those used in earlier studies, by a 1961 Through 1995 data set of radiosonde observations and by ensembles of coupled atmosphere-ocean simulations forced with changes in greenhouse gases, tropospheric sulfate aerosols, and stratospheric ozone. On balance, agreement between the simulations and observations is best for a combination of greenhouse gas, aerosol, and ozone forcing. The uncertainties remaining are due to imperfect knowledge of radiative forcing, natural climate variability, and errors in observations and model response.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.274.5290.1170