How Scientists Are Studying Climate Change and Its Effects

 

Climate change is currently one of the most pressing concerns facing humankind. 

It affects ecosystems, sea levels, weather, biodiversity, and even global economies. 

But how do scientists know what's changing, why it's changing, and what might happen in the future? It's all thanks to decades of meticulous observation, data collection, modeling, and technological development.

In this article, we discuss how climate change is researched by scientists, what technology and methodology they employ, and how they measure its extensive impacts on our planet. 

#1 Climate vs. Weather:

Before diving into the methods of climate science, it's important to understand the difference between climate and weather. 

Weather refers to short-term atmospheric conditions like a rainy afternoon or a hot day. 

Climate, on the other hand, refers to the long-term average of weather patterns over decades and centuries.

Researchers study climate patterns over time in order to establish long-term trends such as rising global temperatures, shifts in precipitation, and the frequency of extreme weather conditions.

#2 Historical Climate Data Collection:

The collection and analysis of historical climate data form part of the early steps towards studying climate change. 

The data are obtained from the following sources:

A. Instrumental Records:

These include temperature, precipitation, wind speed, and sea temperature readings taken from weather stations, satellites, and sea buoys. 

There are some that go back to the 1800s and provide the foundation for studying change over time.

B. Paleoclimate Proxies:

When measurements aren't feasible, scientists use proxy data to reconstruct past climates. 

These are:

• Ice cores: Taken from ice sheets and glaciers (e.g., in Antarctica), they contain air bubbles that retain atmospheric gas concentrations thousands of years old.
• Tree rings: Trees grow differently depending on climate. Scientists deduce temperature and precipitation trends across centuries by analyzing patterns of tree rings.
• Sediment cores: Sediment layers in oceans or lakes can reveal past conditions through pollen, microorganisms, and chemical composition.
• Coral reefs: Corals build their skeletons using calcium carbonate, which stores ocean temperature and chemistry history.

#3 Viewing from Space:

Satellites are among the most powerful instruments to observe climate change. 

Agencies like NASA, NOAA, and the European Space Agency (ESA) operate a diverse array of satellites gathering important data on:

• Surface temperature over oceans and land
• Atmospheric greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane
• Ice sheet and glacier mass
• Ocean currents and sea level
• Cloud cover and precipitation
• Health of the vegetation and land use patterns

Among the trailblazing satellite missions is NASA's GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment), which tracks changes in Earth's gravitational field to quantify ice melting and groundwater depletion.

#4 Tracking Greenhouse Gases:

Researchers closely monitor the concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) like CO₂, CH₄ (methane), and N₂O (nitrous oxide), which absorb heat in the atmosphere. 

These gases are measured by:

• Ground-based observatories like the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii
• Plane- and drone-borne airborne sensors
• Spectrometer-carrying satellites

The rapid rise of atmospheric CO₂ from pre-industrial levels of 280 parts per million to over 420 ppm today is the defining metric of anthropogenic climate change.

#5 Climate Models and Simulations:

To interpret and predict climate behavior, scientists utilize computer models of the climate. 

Physical principles and mathematical formulations of interactions between the atmosphere, oceans, land, and ice of Earth underlie these models.

The following are types of models:

• General Circulation Models (GCMs): Simulate large-scale climate systems
• Earth System Models (ESMs): Integrate biological, chemical, and physical processes
• Regional Climate Models (RCMs): Provide high-resolution projections for regional areas

Models are tested against historical climate records. 

Once validated, they are used to project future conditions based on various greenhouse gas emission scenarios, e.g., those described by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

#6 Investigating Climate Change Impacts:

Climate change affects nearly every system on Earth, and its effects are investigated by researchers in numerous fields:

A. Oceanic Changes:

• Sea-level rise due to melting glaciers and thermal expansion
• Ocean acidification by CO₂ absorption, threatening marine organisms
• Coral bleaching due to ocean warming
• Disturbances of currents like the Gulf Stream, which regulate global climate

B. Weather Patterns:

• Increased frequency of severe weather events: heatwaves, hurricanes, droughts, floods
• Alteration of monsoon systems and rainfall distribution
• Lengthened and intensified wildfire seasons

C. Ecosystems and Biodiversity:

• Habitat destruction and species migration
• Plant flowering and animal migration patterns altered
• Enhanced risk of extinction for threatened species

D. Human Health and Society:

• Dissemination of vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue
• Heat-related deaths and illness
• Food and water insecurity from drought and crop damage
• Climate refugees due to sea-level rise or intense events

#7 Crowdsourced and Citizen Science:

Increasing numbers of ordinary citizens are helping scientists track climate change through citizen science activities. 

Smartphone apps and websites allow individuals to:

• Report weather events locally
• Track wildlife sightings
• Track air and water quality
• Provide photos and accounts of environmental change

Projects like Globe Observer, Zooniverse, and iNaturalist involve citizens while expanding the pool of data for scientists to tap.

#8 Field Research and Expedition Work:

Field work, despite satellite spying, cannot be left behind. 

Scientists head out into remote areas ice caps of the poles, rainforests, deserts to:

• Drill ice cores
• Take soil and plant samples
• Document glacier melting
• Label and track animals
• Study carbon sinks in oceans and forests

Field measurements validate models and provide ground truth to satellite observations.

#9 International Sharing of Data and Co-operation:

Climate science is international in scope, and collaboration is required. 

Scientists from multiple nations work together on data sharing, harmonization of methods, and conducting large-scale research.

Main collaborations are:

• The IPCC: A UN-funded organization that brings together global climate research
• The World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
• The Global Climate Observing System (GCOS)
• Research facilities like NOAA, NASA, Hadley Centre, and CERN

Open-access platforms and databases allow scientists to draw on decades of information and connect results across fields.

#10 Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change:

In addition to studying the problem, climate scientists also study how to adapt to and mitigate climate change.

A. Mitigation Strategies:

• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions through renewable energy, carbon pricing, afforestation, and clean technologies
• Research on carbon capture and storage (CCS) development
• Simulation of global climate policy impacts (e.g., Paris Agreement)

B. Adaptation Strategies:

• Crafting resilient infrastructure to withstand sea level rise and storms
• Conforming agriculture to manage droughts
• Urban planning with green spaces and cooling mechanisms
• Establishing early warning systems for severe weather events

Ultimately Climate change is an international, complicated issue that requires deep scientific understanding, persistent observation, and collective action. 

Through the combination of historical record, today's technology, satellite observations, ground measurements, and prediction models, scientists are piecing together the intricate mosaic of our changing world.