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VERSION:2.0
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
PRODID:UW-Madison-Physics-Events
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SEQUENCE:2
UID:UW-Physics-Event-4852
DTSTART:20181005T203000Z
DURATION:PT1H0M0S
DTSTAMP:20260419T040151Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20181002T141135Z
LOCATION:2241 Chamberlin Hall
SUMMARY:The changing flow of energy through the Earth's Climate System
 \, Physics Department Colloquium\, Kevin Trenberth\, NCAR
DESCRIPTION:Radiant energy from the sun is unevenly absorbed in the Ea
 rth system because of the sun-Earth geometry\, and the annual and diur
 nal cycles. The energy is transformed into internal energy (temperatur
 e-related sensible heat)\, latent energy (associated with phase change
 s of water)\, potential energy (associated with height and gravity)\, 
 and kinetic energy (associated with motion). The energy may be stored 
 in atmospheric\, ocean\, cryosphere and land heat reservoirs and moved
  around mainly by the atmosphere and ocean\, which give rise to our we
 ather and climate. Ultimately it is radiated back to space as infrared
  radiation\, and for a stable climate the global mean outgoing and inc
 oming radiation must balance. However\, there is an energy imbalance c
 aused by increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere\, and most of t
 he
\nimbalance\, over 90%\, goes into the ocean. Accordingly\, ocean h
 eat content (OHC) provides a primary indicator of climate change\, alo
 ng with sea level rise.
\n
\nRegional energy and water imbalances driv
 e heat transports in the atmosphere and ocean currents\, and through e
 vaporation\, precipitation\, and runoff. Natural variability\, especia
 lly El Niño\, plays a small role globally\, but can be significant lo
 cally. By adopting a holistic approach that includes top-of-atmosphere
  (TOA) radiation\, vertically-integrated atmospheric transports\, surf
 ace energy fluxes\, and ocean heat transports\, closure of the energy 
 and water cycles on
\nregional scales can be achieved. A new formulati
 on of the energetics of the atmosphere and the climate system is used 
 to refine estimates of the surface energy fluxes as a residual of TOA 
 and atmospheric energetics. When the surface flux is combined with OHC
  estimates\, ocean heat transports can be computed and validated with 
 in situ observations. Understanding the
\ndisposition of the energy im
 balance is essential for determining how climate change is manifested.
URL:https://www.physics.wisc.edu/events/?id=4852
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