Enhanced Greenhouse Effect Research Articles

The impact of technological advancements on global warming

Global warming, or climate change, refers to long term shifts in temperature and weather patterns. These shifts may be natural, however, from 1870, which is the start of the technical or second industrial revolution, there has been abnormally large amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide getting trapped in the atmosphere, resulting in an enhanced greenhouse effect causing global temperatures to increase. This study seeks to assess and analyse the impact technology, its advancements and how it has impacted the global temperatures. By examining the correlation between technological development and CO2 emissions from machinery, this study will provide a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between the two.

Impact of an unprecedented marine heatwave on extremely hot summer over Northern Japan in 2023

Possible local influence of an extreme marine heatwave is investigated on unprecedentedly hot summer around northern Japan in 2023. Sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) and subsurface ocean temperatures around northern Japan were also unprecedentedly high in the summer. This was especially the case off the east coast of Japan, where cool Oyashio water was replaced with much warmer water due to a striking poleward meander of the Kuroshio Extension persistent from the spring. Particularly amplified near-surface air temperature anomalies and even stronger warm anomalies in the subsurface ocean suggest that the marine heatwave acted to sustain the atmospheric heatwave. Anomalous upward of latent and sensible heat fluxes from the warmed sea surface are indicative of local oceanic impact. The warm SST anomalies reduced the lower-tropospheric stratification to maintain unfavourable condition for low-level cloud formation, which in turn led to increased surface insolation for further SST warming as positive feedback. The increased moisture in the warmed lower troposphere contributed to the enhanced surface downward longwave radiation. This enhanced greenhouse effect acted not only as positive feedback on the warm SST anomalies that increased evaporation but also as a contributor for the extreme warmth over northern Japan landmass.

Unraveling weak and short South Asian wet season in the Early Eocene warmth

AbstractThe timing and causative factors underlying the Asian summer monsoon initiation remain contentious as recent proxy data and modeling studies suggested the existence of a wet-dry monsoon-like climate from the Cretaceous period. Leveraging an ensemble of deep-time climate simulations focused on the early Eocene (DeepMIP-Eocene), we show that the early Eocene Asian wet season was notably weaker and shorter than present-day in the absence of an elevated heat source like the Tibetan Plateau. The deficient upper-tropospheric meridional temperature gradient was insufficient to propel the seasonal northward migration of the rainband over South Asia. The weaker cross-equatorial moisture flow encountered obstruction of Gangdese mountain along the southern edge of Asia, leading to significant South Asian aridity. The enhanced greenhouse effect was inadequate to augment the seasonal circulation and rainfall variability to current levels. The altered wet and dry seasonality across South Asia during the early Eocene does not meet the criteria to be classified as a monsoon, suggesting that South Asian monsoon initiation is likely contingent upon a specific level of Tibetan Plateau upliftment.

Multiweek Prediction and Attribution of the Black Saturday Heatwave Event in Southeast Australia

Abstract Southeastern Australia experienced an extreme heatwave event from 27 January to 8 February 2009, which culminated in the devastating “Black Saturday” bushfires that led to hundreds of human casualties and major economic losses in the state of Victoria. This study investigates the causes of the heatwave event, its prediction, and the role of anthropogenic climate change using a dynamical subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) forecast system. We show that the intense positive temperature anomalies over southeastern Australia were associated with the persistent high pressure system over the Tasman Sea and a low pressure anomaly over southern Australia, which favored horizontal warm-air advection from the lower latitudes to the region. Enhanced convection over the tropical western Pacific and northern Australia due to weak La Niña conditions appear to have played a role in strengthening the high pressure anomalies over the Tasman Sea. The observed climate conditions are largely reproduced in the hindcast of the Australian Community Climate and Earth System Simulator–Seasonal prediction system version 1 (ACCESS-S1). The model skillfully predicts the spatial characteristics and relative intensity of the heatwave event at a 10-day lead time. A climate attribution forecast experiment with low atmospheric CO2 and counterfactual cold ocean–atmospheric initial conditions suggests that the enhanced greenhouse effect contributed about 3°C warming of the predicted event. This study provides an example of how a S2S prediction system can be used not only for multiweek prediction of an extreme event and its climate drivers, but also for the attribution to anthropogenic climate change.

Editorial: Global warming is due to an enhanced greenhouse effect, and anthropogenic heat emissions currently play a negligible role at the global scale

Editorial: Global warming is due to an enhanced greenhouse effect, and anthropogenic heat emissions currently play a negligible role at the global scale

ROLE OF METHANE IN CLIMATE CHANGE AND OPTIONS FOR MITIGATION-A BRIEF REVIEW

CH4 is a powerful greenhouse gas. It is present in the atmosphere in very low concentrations. Nevertheless, it is the third most important greenhouse gas after water vapour and carbon dioxide (CO2). Water vapour is present in variable amounts. CO2 contributes about 50% to the enhanced greenhouse effect, CH4 about 15-20% and nitrous oxide (N2O) about 6%. Methane (CH4) is a hydrocarbon and the primary component of natural gas. Methane is also a potent and abundant greenhouse gas (GHG), which makes it a significant contributor to climate change, especially in the near term (i.e., 10–15 years). Methane is emitted during the production and transport of coal, natural gas, and oil. Emissions also result from livestock and other agricultural practices and from the decay of organic waste in municipal solid waste landfills and certain wastewater treatment systems. Methane is the second most abundant GHG after carbon dioxide (CO2), accounting for 14 percent of global emissions. Though methane is emitted into the atmosphere in smaller quantities than CO2, its global warming potential (i.e., the ability of the gas to trap heat in the atmosphere) is 25 times greater. As a result, methane emissions currently contribute more than one-third of today’s anthropogenic warming
 In this study an integrated assessment is performed of the contribution of methane to climate change especially from agricultural fields and the options for methane control. The main aim of the study was to analyze future trends in global methane emissions, the associated climate change, and the costs of emission control in terms of agricultural surface methane emissions.

DEFORESTATION AND BIODIVERSITY DEGRADATION IN MADHUPUR SAL FOREST AT TANGAIL REGION

The study was conducted to investigate the deforestation and biodiversity degradation in Madhupur sal forest of Tangail region during April to September 2010. Households from different garo villages of two selected unions under the forest were contacted for interview to identify the resource consumption pattern and to know their views about deforestation and biodiversity degradation in the forest. Various commercial activities such as large scale plantation of pineapple, banana and papaya trigger the environmental degradation inside the forest through many ways therefore degrading the remaining forest patches, soil quality of the forest and reducing the forest biodiversity. Most of the respondents mentioned that major causes for biodiversity loss including deforestation followed by commercial logging, loss of habitat and lack of conservation initiatives. Results of the study suggested that restriction on human interference inside the forest is the effective solution for reducing deforestation and biodiversity degradation. The study identified that the loss of biodiversity in the forest depended on the effect of deforestation, threats to indigenous livelihood, enhanced greenhouse effect, lowering ground water levels and soil erosion, respectively.

The impact of atmospheric Rossby waves and cyclones on the Arctic sea ice variability

The Arctic sea-ice extent has strongly declined over recent decades. A large inter-annual variability is superimposed on this negative trend. Previous studies have emphasised a significant warming effect associated with latent energy transport into the Arctic region, in particular due to an enhanced greenhouse effect associated with the convergence of the humidity transport over the Arctic. The atmospheric energy transport into the Arctic is mostly accomplished by waves such as Rossby waves and cyclones. Here we present a systematic study of the effect on Arctic sea ice of these atmospheric wave types. Through a regression analysis we investigate the coupling between transport anomalies of both latent and dry-static energy and sea-ice anomalies. From the state-of-the-art ERA5 reanalysis product the latent and dry-static transport over the Arctic boundary (70^{circ } N) is calculated. The transport is then split into transport by planetary and synoptic-scale waves using a Fourier decomposition. The results show that latent energy transport as compared to that of dry-static shows a much stronger potential to decrease sea ice concentration. However, taking into account that the variability of dry-static transport is of an order of magnitude larger than latent, the actual impact on the sea ice appears similar for the two components. In addition, the energy transport by planetary waves causes a strong decline of the sea ice concentration whereas the transport by synoptic-scale waves shows only little effect on the sea ice. The study emphasises the importance of the large-scale waves on the sea ice variability.

Global warming solutions: Carbon capture and storage

Global warming (GW) is a severe problem that needs to be resolved, but how can scientists contribute to this issue? Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology is a way of reducing the enhanced greenhouse effect. Here, we introduce two methods of CCS technology, including corresponding scientific proofs for each one being viable, the merits and demerits of each measure. Moreover, there are oppositions against the implementation of CCS projects. We also summarize some perspectives and possible solutions for societal opposition against CCS projects. This review will enhance the understanding of the strategies of CCS and the solutions of GW.

CO2 Reduction to Methanol in the Liquid Phase: A Review.

Excessive carbon dioxide (CO2 ) emissions have been subject to extensive attention globally, since an enhanced greenhouse effect (global warming) owing to a high CO2 concentration in the atmosphere could lead to severe climate change. The use of solar energy and other renewable energy to produce low-cost hydrogen, which is used to reduce CO2 to produce bulk chemicals such as methanol, is a sustainable strategy for reducing carbon dioxide emissions and carbon resources. CO2 conversion into methanol is exothermic, so that low temperature and high pressure are favorable for methanol formation. CO2 is usually captured and recovered in the liquid phase. Herein, the emerging technologies for the hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol in the condensed phase are reviewed. The development of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts for this important hydrogenation reaction is summarized. Finally, mechanistic insight on CO2 's conversion into methanol over different catalysts is discussed by taking the available reaction pathways into account.

Global warming – where we are

Over last 8000 years, Earth’s surface temperature raised by 1◦ C only. But at the present rate of global warming, the temperature would rise by 2.5◦C by 2050. By the end of this century temperature would rise by another 2.5 ◦C. The Earth which was like an icebox has started burning. The sun sends energy as heat & light. Some part of the rays get through the atmosphere, some of them get reflected back into space. The ones which get through the atmosphere warm the earth up. All the time the earth radiates heat into space. Some of the heat going out is trapped by the atmosphere. This keeps our planet warm enough to live on. But if too much heat is trapped, the planet will warm up and the climate will change. The atmospheric air around the surface of the earth is made from a mixture of gases. Some of the gases trap heat, called greenhouse gases. This phenomenon is called natural greenhouse effect. Amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is increasing day by day through human activities. More heat is trapped, enhanced greenhouse effect results. This is causing the earth to heat up universally called as – ‘Global warming’. It doesn’t just mean that the earth gets hotter; the whole climate is changing. Nitrogen & Oxygen make up 99% of the atmosphere, don’t trap heat, called non-greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide, Methane, Nitrous oxide, Ozone, Water vapour – these gases make up 1% of the atmosphere, trap heat, called greenhouse gases. Human activities increases the amount of these gases in the atmosphere

Influence of spectral characteristics of the Earth's surface radiation on the greenhouse effect: Principles and mechanisms

Enhanced greenhouse effects by anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) resulted in global warming since the Industrial Revolution. However, the influence of the spectral characteristics of the Earth's surface radiation on the greenhouse effect has not been completely explored. This work uses the surface temperature as the variable of model and investigates the response mechanism of the greenhouse effect. According to the GHGs' different selective spectral absorption of earth's infrared radiation (IR) band and the distribution characteristic of spectral radiant intensity with the temperature increases, some quantified analysis shows that the greenhouse effect is highly dependent on two factors: the radiation intensity enhancement (RIE) and the spectral absorption enhancement (SAE). RIE is determined by the spectral radiant intensity of earth's IR while SAE represents the GHGs' spectral absorption change under different wavelength. As the results show, RIE always enhances the greenhouse effect, while SAE, as a result of the spectral shift in the Earth's radiant energy, can enhance or weaken the greenhouse effect depending on the positive or negative total SAE integrated over the entire spectral region. The quantified data of this work also explain the reason why greenhouse effect has greater impact on extreme cold areas from the aspect of spectral characteristics: when the surface temperature drops below −20 °C, SAE of CO2 has an enhancing effect, so that both RIE and SAE exert positive influences with the temperature increase in the polar region for its extremely low surface temperature, which doubly enhances the global warming.

Projected changes in the terrestrial and oceanic regulators of climate variability across sub-Saharan Africa

Future changes in the sign and intensity of ocean–land–atmosphere interactions have been insufficiently studied, despite implications for regional climate change projections, extreme event statistics, and seasonal climate predictability. In response to this deficiency, the present study focuses on projected responses to the enhanced greenhouse effect in: (1) the mean state of the atmosphere and land surface; (2) oceanic and terrestrial drivers of sub-Saharan climate variability; and (3) total seasonal climate predictability of sub-Saharan Africa, a region known for its pronounced land–atmosphere coupling. Analysis focuses on output from 23 Earth System Models in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase Five for the late twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It is projected that the greatest warming across sub-Saharan Africa will occur over the Sahel, the monsoon season will become more persistent into late summer and autumn, short rains in the Horn of Africa (HOA) will intensify, and leaf area index will increase across the HOA. Stepwise Generalized Equilibrium Feedback Assessment, i.e. a multivariate statistical approach, is applied to the model output over sub-Saharan Africa in order to explore the oceanic and terrestrial drivers of regional climate. The models indicate that the study region’s climate variability is dominated by oceanic drivers, with secondary contributions from soil moisture and very modest impacts from vegetation. Overall, the general model consensus of future projections indicates a concerning diminished seasonal predictability of sub-Saharan African regional climate based on key oceanic and terrestrial predictors and an elevated role of the land surface (associated with soil moisture anomalies) compared to oceanic drivers in regulating regional climate variability.

The tipping times in an Arctic sea ice system under influence of extreme events.

In light of the rapid recent retreat of Arctic sea ice, the extreme weather events triggering the variability in Arctic ice cover has drawn increasing attention. A non-Gaussian α-stable Lévy process is thought to be an appropriate model to describe such extreme events. The maximal likely trajectory, based on the nonlocal Fokker-Planck equation, is applied to a nonautonomous Arctic sea ice system under α-stable Lévy noise. Two types of tipping times, the early-warning tipping time and the disaster-happening tipping time, are used to predict the critical time for the maximal likely transition from a perennially ice-covered state to a seasonally ice-free one and from a seasonally ice-free state to a perennially ice-free one, respectively. We find that the increased intensity of extreme events results in shorter warning time for sea ice melting and that an enhanced greenhouse effect will intensify this influence, making the arrival of warning time significantly earlier. Meanwhile, for the enhanced greenhouse effect, we discover that increased intensity and frequency of extreme events will advance the disaster-happening tipping time, in which an ice-free state is maintained throughout the year in the Arctic Ocean. Finally, we identify values of the Lévy index α and the noise intensity ϵ in the αϵ-space that can trigger a transition between the Arctic sea ice state. These results provide an effective theoretical framework for studying Arctic sea ice variations under the influence of extreme events.

The maximum likelihood climate change for global warming under the influence of greenhouse effect and Lévy noise.

An abrupt climatic transition could be triggered by a single extreme event, and an α-stable non-Gaussian Lévy noise is regarded as a type of noise to generate such extreme events. In contrast with the classic Gaussian noise, a comprehensive approach of the most probable transition path for systems under α-stable Lévy noise is still lacking. We develop here a probabilistic framework, based on the nonlocal Fokker-Planck equation, to investigate the maximum likelihood climate change for an energy balance system under the influence of greenhouse effect and Lévy fluctuations. We find that a period of the cold climate state can be interrupted by a sharp shift to the warmer one due to larger noise jumps with low frequency. Additionally, the climate change for warming 1.5°C under an enhanced greenhouse effect generates a steplike growth process. These results provide important insights into the underlying mechanisms of abrupt climate transitions triggered by a Lévy process.

Earth’s Climate Does Not Depend on Variations in Cosmic Rays and Cloud Coverage

The hypothesis put forward by Svensmark and Friis-Christensen (1997), Svensmark (2007), Svensmark et al. (2017), and Stozhkov et al. (2017) assumes while completely ignoring the influence of quasi-200-year variation in TSI by ~0.4% (Shapiro et al., 2011; Egorova et al., 2018) that the increased penetrating by the galactic cosmic ray flux of the lower layers of the Earth’s atmosphere during the Grand Solar Minimum causes only an increase in cloud formation and the TSI reflected back into space. However, without calculating the changes in the global average annual energy balance between the Earth and space (Е0), the authors of the hypothesis argue that this effect will lead to a long-term negative average of the Earth’s annual energy budget and to climate cooling up to a Little Ice Age. The hypothesis also completely ignores all subsequent changes in atmospheric physical processes associated with increasing cloud coverage: the increased reflection and absorption of thermal radiation from the Earth’s surface and of solar radiation reflected from the Earth’s surface, the narrowing of atmospheric transparency windows, and the enhanced greenhouse effect. These processes compensate for the cooling. Our assessment shows that the changes in the global average annual energy balance between the Earth and space before and after a 2% increase in cloud coverage in the lower atmosphere have a difference of almost zero: E1 – E0 ≈ 0. The potential increase in cloud coverage causes virtually no variations in the global average annual energy balance between the Earth and space and has no effect on climate change (cooling).

Multifunctional fluorocarbon photobioreactor system: a novel integrated device for CO2 segregation, O2 collection, and enhancement of microalgae growth and bioproductions.

An enhanced greenhouse effect due to high CO2 emissions has become one of the most concerning issues worldwide. Although plant/algae-mediated approaches have been extensively used for CO2 segregation in the last decades, these methods are generally aimed at environment protection. In contrast, less attention has been given to CO2 manipulation that has regrettably caused a decrease in the commercial availability of the associated technologies. To generate a system for practical use, a synthetic fluorocarbon photobioreactor system (FCPBRS) consisting of a CO2 isolation unit, a gas modulation unit, an O2 collection unit, and a microalgal culture chamber was developed in this study. After injecting a 60%-N2/40%-CO2 gas mixture into the CO2 isolation unit for 10days, the results showed that the FCPBRS enabled a > 93% CO2 separation efficiency using a fluorocarbon liquid FC-40 as the CO2 adsorbent. In addition, the growth rate of Nannochloropsis oculata was significantly enhanced when cultured with 20mLmin-1 of the FC-40 flow containing 2% CO2 throughout the time course, resulting in 4.7-, 4.6-, and 4.5-fold (P < 0.05 for each) increases in biomass, total lipid, and eicosapentaenoic acid yields, respectively, compared to the aerated group without FC-40. Moreover, approximately 1600mL of photosynthetic O2 with a ~ 80% collection efficiency was obtained in the O2 collection unit within 10days of FCPBRS operation. These outcomes indicate that the FCPBRS may provide a feasible means to simultaneously achieve CO2 isolation, O2 collection, and enhanced microalgae bioproductions.

Projected near-term changes in three types of heat waves over China under RCP4.5

The changes in three aspects of frequency, intensity and duration of the compound, daytime and nighttime heat waves (HWs) over China during extended summer (May–September) in a future period of the mid-21st century (FP; 2045–2055) under RCP4.5 scenario relative to present day (PD; 1994–2011) are investigated by two models, MetUM-GOML1 and MetUM-GOML2, which comprise the atmospheric components of two state-of-the-art climate models coupled to a multi-level mixed-layer ocean model. The results show that in the mid-21st century all three types of HWs in China will occur more frequently with strengthened intensity and elongated duration relative to the PD. The compound HWs will change most dramatically, with the frequency in the FP being 4–5 times that in the PD, and the intensity and duration doubling those in the PD. The changes in daytime and nighttime HWs are also remarkable, with the changes of nighttime HWs larger than those of daytime HWs. The future changes of the three types of HWs in China in two models are similar in terms of spatial patterns and area-averaged quantities, indicating these projected changes of HWs over the China under RCP4.5 scenario are robust. Further analyses suggest that projected future changes in HWs over China are determined mainly by the increase in seasonal mean surface air temperatures with change in temperature variability playing a minor role. The seasonal mean temperature increase is due to the increase in surface downward longwave radiation and surface shortwave radiation. The increase in downward longwave radiation results from the enhanced greenhouse effect and increased water vapour in the atmosphere. The increase in surface shortwave radiation is the result of the decreased aerosol emissions, via direct aerosol–radiation interaction and indirect aerosol–cloud interaction over southeastern and northeastern China, and the reduced cloud cover related to a decrease in relative humidity.

Spatial Variability and Long-Term Trend in the Occurrence Frequency of Heatwave and Tropical Night in Korea

Extreme hot weather in summer is represented by heatwave and tropical night. Based on long-term (1973-2017) surface observations from 73 selected stations, including 60 automated surface observing systems (ASOSs) operated by Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) and 13 by North Korea, this study examines the spatial variation of the occurrence frequency of heatwave and tropical night in Korea and their long-term trend. The spatial pattern of the heatwave occurrence frequency has different unique features from that of the tropical night. Heatwave develops more frequently in the southern inland regions, while tropical night occurs more in the southern coastal regions and in the urban areas. These hot spots for heatwave and tropical night exhibit a significant positive trend as well. It is also noticeable that the heatwave becomes more frequent in May and September in recent decades. Development mechanisms for heatwave and tropical night are further examined, particularly based on the relationship with cloud fraction. The occurrence frequency of heatwave is correlated negatively with the cloud fraction throughout the warm season, which indicates the daytime temperature is increasing by low cloud fraction. On the other hand, the occurrence frequency of tropical night shows a positive correlation with cloud fraction in May and September, suggesting that the nighttime temperature is effectively increased by enhanced greenhouse effect by cloud for early and late summer. However, the correlation becomes negative in mid-summer (June to August), in which the increased daytime temperature with low cloud fraction tends to affect the nighttime temperature as well. Because of this, the tropical night is more likely accompanied by the heatwave in recent decades.

Giant chimney for air ventilation of metropolises

In this paper, a novel application of a giant chimney is presented with the practical purpose of helping to ventilate and decrease the local air pollution in metropolises. The solar collector around the chimney absorbs solar radiations, so the air is heated as a result of enhanced greenhouse effect in the collector. The structure stays on a foundation and works on the buoyancy principle. The air density difference between the outside and inside of the chimney causes the stack pressure to be produced in the chimney. The equations describing the movement of the air flow have been introduced and simplified considering assumptions. Effects of the geometrical parameters of the chimney, ambient temperature, geographical location, and weather condition on the performance of the chimney have been studied. Results show that a chimney with high altitude, working in low ambient temperature and unstable weather conditions, and in expanded cities near sea level will typically produce better performance.