Decadal Climate Variability

On decadal time scales, climate change may result not only from man-made causes, but also from natural processes. This book brings together theoretical conceptions of the physical mechanisms of climate change with observational evidence of these changes. The following key topics are included: Observed Climatic Variability, Predictability of the Atmosphere and Oceans from Days to Decades, and Mechanisms for Decadal to Centennial Climate Variability. Further, there are specialised contributions on the role of the oceanic circulation in climate change. The authors are renowned for their pedagogical skills, and the book is primarily designed for beginners in the field, who have a background in physical science. In addition, it is an invaluable source of information for scientists seeking an overview on climate dynamics.

Contenu

Observed Climatic Variability: Time Dependence.- Observed Climatic Variability: Spatial Structure.- Predictability of the Atmosphere and Oceans: From Days to Decades.- Mechanisms for Decadal-to-Centennial Climate Variability.- Long-Term Coordinated Changes in the Convective Activity of the North Atlantic.- A Mechanism for Decadal Climate Variability.- The Climate Response to the Changing Greenhouse Gas Concentration in the Atmosphere.- Analysis of Thermohaline Feedbacks.- An Overview of Century Time-Scale Variability in the Climate System: Observations and Models.- Steady States and Variability in Oceanic Zonal Flows.- Spectral Methods: What They Can and Cannot Do for Climatic Time Series.- List of Participants.