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Period: to
Co2
Level of carbon dioxide gas (CO2) in the atmosphere (later measured in antient ice) is about 290 ppm. -
Calculation
Fourier calculated that the Earth would be much colder if it did not have an atmosphere. -
Period: to
Mean Global temperature
Mean global temperature is approx.13.6°C. -
Gases could bring climate change
Tyndall discovers that some gases block infrared radiation. He suggests that changes in the concentration of gases could bring a change in climate. -
Period: to
Second Industrial Revolution
Fertilizers( and other chemicals), electricity, and public health advance growth. -
First calculation
Arrhenius publishes first calculation of global warming from human productions of CO2. -
Period: to
WWI
governments acquire how to organize and control industrial societies. -
Period: to
Oil
The opening of (Texas and Persian Gulf) oil fields initiates era of inexpensive energy. -
Period: to
WWII
Military grand approach is largely compelled by a struggle to regulate oil fields. -
Radiation Balance
Plass determines that adding CO2 to the atmosphere will have a substantial effect on the radiation balance. -
Greenhouse effect
Telescope studies show a greenhouse effect increases temperature of Venus’ atmosphere far beyond the boiling point of water -
Decline
Mitchell reports decline of global temperatures since the early 1940s. -
Climate Cycles
Emiliani's examination of deep-sea cores and Broecker's analysis of ancient corals suggest that the climate system is sensitive to small changes. -
Increase
Manabe and Wetherald make a definite calculation that expanding CO2 would increase world temperatures a couple of degrees -
Rising Oceans
Studies propose a possibility of collapse of Antarctic ice sheets; this would raise sea levels cataclysmically. -
Other Gases
Warnings about environmental effects of airplanes leads to research of trace gases in the stratosphere and detection of threat to ozone layer. -
Period: to
Century
Over the last century, the surface temperature of the Earth has increased by approx. 1.0o F. The eleven warmest years this century have all occurred since 1980. -
Warming
Some scientists foresee greenhouse warming "signal" should be evident by about the year 2000. -
Only 1 decade
Greenland ice cores propose that abundant climate changes (at least on a regional scale) can arise in the space of a sole decade. -
South Asia
Ramanathan identifies colossal "brown cloud" of aerosols from South Asia. -
Severe
IPCC report states that global warming, unprecedented since the end of last ice age, is "very likely," with potential severe surprises. -
Sea levels rise
Plentiful observations increase concern that collapse of ice sheets can raise sea levels sooner than most had assumed. -
Not solar energy
Scientists conclude post-1980 global warming was unmatched for centuries or more. The rise could not be credited to changes in solar energy. -
Global
Debated "attribution" studies find recent catastrophic heat waves, droughts, excesses of precipitation, and floods were made worse by global warming.
