How is climate measured

Over this period atmospheric concentrations have increased from around parts per million ppm to over ppm today. The present atmospheric CO2 concentration is expected to be the highest in at least thousand years and is increasing at what is likely an unprecedented rate.

The atmospheric concentrations of other heat-trapping heats have also increased alongside CO2. Climate change is most commonly measured using the average surface temperature of the planet.

Looking across datasets, the IPCC concluded that the average of the decade was around 0. Year-on-year, natural fluctuations can be seen on top of this long-term warming.

For this reason, scientists traditionally use a period of at least 30 years to identify a genuine climate trend. Recent observations indicate an increase in the rate of global sea-level rise since Sometimes scientists bring together data from all over the world to study the climate of the whole Earth , for example when investigating global climate change. Air Pollution. Over time, scientific organizations began establishing networks of weather-observing stations across the country and around the world.

The United States has thousands of official weather stations, and many more volunteer observers who record weather data every day. At many stations, observers have collected a continuous record spanning several decades. Some other stations only operated for a few years before stopping.

Weather stations where data were collected for some period include:. For a complete list and full descriptions of each type of station and the data they collect, see Land-Based DataSets and Products ».

Just as ground-based weather instruments improved over the years, so too did our ability to measure weather at various heights above the surface. Early methods of monitoring weather from above included the use of kites, balloons, and airplanes. Today, we have a large number of satellites with specialized sensors orbiting the planet, monitoring our weather from miles above. How do we know climate is changing?

Which variables help us understand climate and detect climate change? An international group of meteorologists and climate scientists have agreed upon a list of essential climate variables ECVs , that we monitor to help us understand changing conditions. Climate science in recent decades has seen an increasing rate of advancement, particularly in field research and notably through the evolution of measuring climate change methodology and tools, including the models and observations that support and enable the research.

During the last four decades, the rate at which scientists have added to the body of knowledge of atmospheric and oceanic processes has accelerated dramatically. As scientists incrementally increase the totality of knowledge, they publish their results in peer-reviewed journals.

There are a number of key factors in measuring climate change, and they are broadly categorized below. The range of instrumentation used to observe and measure climate is truly amazing. By following the links below you can see the types of instruments, and where they are used. Precipitation rainfall, snowfall etc offers another indicator of relative climate variation and may include humidity or water balance, and water quality.

Biomass and vegetation patterns may be discerned in a variety of ways and provide evidence of how ecosystems change to adapt to climate change. Sea Level measurements reflect changes in shoreline and usually relate to the degree of ice coverage in high latitudes and elevations. Solar Activity can influence climate, primarily through changes in the intensity of solar radiation.

Volcanic Eruptions , like solar radiation, can alter climate due to the aerosols that are emitted into the atmosphere and alter climate patterns. Chemical composition of air or water can be measured by tracking levels of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, and measuring ratios of oxygen isotopes.

Combining Observation and Measurements.