The role of storms in our

changing climate

By Mei Wu

OVERVIEW

• Workings of the Atmosphere• Causes of Global Warming• Hurricane Formation• Research• Real Life Consequences

WHY CARE?

• Lives at stake• Trouble for our future

generation• Destruction of Mother Nature• Even more extinction

http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/earth/atmosphere.gif

Troposphere & Convection

http://www.aviationweather.ws/page024-1.jpg

Stratosphere & Ozone Layer

http://mls.jpl.nasa.gov/joe/ozone.layer.gif

Tropopause

http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/earth/atmosphere.gif

Cause for Tropopause Change

Greenhouse Gases

Formation of Hurricanes

http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/goes/hurricanes/hurricane_slice.jpg

Research…

Increasing destructiveness of tropical cyclones overthe past 30 years (Kerry Emanuel 2005)

http://weathersavvy.com/hurricane_bonnie_OPT.jpg

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2006/01/10/science/10conv.184.jpg

Data

ftp://texmex.mit.edu/pub/emanuel/PAPERS/NATURE03906.pdf

Is climate change increasing the frequency of hazardous events? (Pascal Peduzzi 2004)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ab/Trends_in_natural_disasters.jpg

Consequences

El Nino 1997-1998

http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/coasts-colombia/pacific/images/Figure-19.jpg

Hurricane Catarina 2004

http://www.stormeyes.org/tornado/blog/images/cata_iss.jpg

Hurricane Mitch 1998

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Hurricane_Mitch_1998_oct_26_2028Z.jpg

Summary

• Atmosphere is sensitive• AtmosphereClimate ChangeStorms• CFCs and Human pollution are two of

the main causes for climate change• Higher temperatures cause more

severe storms

References• Emanuel, K. 2005. Increasing destructiveness of

tropical cyclones over the past 30 years. Nature, 436, 686-688.

• Flannery, T. (2005). The Weather Makers: How We Are Changing the Climate and What it Means for Life on Eartht. Canada: HarperCollins.

• Peduzzi, P. 2004. Is climate change increasing frequency of hazardous events? Environment Times, www.environmentimes.net

• http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagid=654, Oct. 2008.

• http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/goes/hurricanes/, Oct. 2008.