dirty
EOG Master
We hear it in the news almost daily. Global warming.
What's causing it? What are the effects? Is it really happening? What can we do about it?
Recently, state climatologist and University of Georgia atmospheric sciences professor David Stooksbury answered some questions on climate change in Georgia.
His answers and comments are featured in today's column and will conclude next week.
Question: How will global warming affect Georgia?
A: We don't know.
The models don't do a good job of predicting climates on the local scale or predicting extreme climate events.
What we do know is that Georgia has cooled down slightly (0.1 degrees) in the past 100 years.
I think this is the result of Georgia's going from primarily row-crop agriculture in 1900 to forest.
Today, 60 percent to 70 percent of Georgia is forested, and we think transpiration of water vapor from the trees has caused a drop in temperature.
Q: Can we link high carbon dioxide levels to Earth's warming?
A: We have the highest carbon dioxide levels in geological history.
Atmospheric scientists have been sending up two weather balloons daily nationwide since 1948, and we see no trends for warming or cooling in the bottom half of the atmosphere.
The measurements showing Earth is warming are taken on the surface. We're just not sure of the feedback loops and what part is human induced.
Q: If sea levels rise globally, will the Georgia coast be flooded?
A: Along the Georgia coast, any change in sea level will have catastrophic impacts because of the shallow nature of our coastal waters.
Around the world, we don't see uniform changes in sea levels.
The local sea level is modulated by local geological processes. Two important such processes are local uplift of the earth's surface and the deposition of soil from the continent.
On the global scale, ice melting in the sea doesn't cause a sea level rise, only ice on land, such as Greenland. We know the North Pole is melting, but the South Pole ice sheet is increasing. These problems are complex.
Source: University of Georgia College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences News Service
For questions or more information, contact the Hall County Cooperative Extension Office, (770) 535-8293.
Originally published Thursday, December 21, 2006
What's causing it? What are the effects? Is it really happening? What can we do about it?
Recently, state climatologist and University of Georgia atmospheric sciences professor David Stooksbury answered some questions on climate change in Georgia.
His answers and comments are featured in today's column and will conclude next week.
Question: How will global warming affect Georgia?
A: We don't know.
The models don't do a good job of predicting climates on the local scale or predicting extreme climate events.
What we do know is that Georgia has cooled down slightly (0.1 degrees) in the past 100 years.
I think this is the result of Georgia's going from primarily row-crop agriculture in 1900 to forest.
Today, 60 percent to 70 percent of Georgia is forested, and we think transpiration of water vapor from the trees has caused a drop in temperature.
Q: Can we link high carbon dioxide levels to Earth's warming?
A: We have the highest carbon dioxide levels in geological history.
Atmospheric scientists have been sending up two weather balloons daily nationwide since 1948, and we see no trends for warming or cooling in the bottom half of the atmosphere.
The measurements showing Earth is warming are taken on the surface. We're just not sure of the feedback loops and what part is human induced.
Q: If sea levels rise globally, will the Georgia coast be flooded?
A: Along the Georgia coast, any change in sea level will have catastrophic impacts because of the shallow nature of our coastal waters.
Around the world, we don't see uniform changes in sea levels.
The local sea level is modulated by local geological processes. Two important such processes are local uplift of the earth's surface and the deposition of soil from the continent.
On the global scale, ice melting in the sea doesn't cause a sea level rise, only ice on land, such as Greenland. We know the North Pole is melting, but the South Pole ice sheet is increasing. These problems are complex.
Source: University of Georgia College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences News Service
For questions or more information, contact the Hall County Cooperative Extension Office, (770) 535-8293.
Originally published Thursday, December 21, 2006
