Significance of a 1 °C increase in global temperature

Author:

Gagnon J SORCID

Abstract

Abstract The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports indicate that the global mean temperature is about 1 °C higher than pre-industrial levels, that this increase is anthropogenic, and that there is a causal relationship between this higher temperature and an increase in frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events. This causal relationship seems at odds with common sense, and may be difficult to explain to non-experts. Thus to appreciate the significance of a one degree increase in global mean temperature, we perform back-of-the-envelope calculations relying on simple physics. We estimate the excess thermal energy trapped in the climate system (oceans, land, atmosphere) from a 1 °C increase in global mean temperature, and show that it is thousands of times larger than the estimated energy required to form and maintain a hurricane. Our estimates show that global warming is forming a very large pool of excess energy that could in principle power heatwaves, heavy precipitation, droughts, and hurricanes. The arguments presented here are sufficiently simple to be presented in introductory physics classes, and can serve as plausibility arguments showing that even a seemingly small increase in global mean temperature can potentially lead to extreme weather events.

Publisher

IOP Publishing

Subject

General Physics and Astronomy

Reference30 articles.

Cited by 2 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3