The Ocean's Role in Global Change
The Ocean's Role in Global Change

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1994-02-01

Total Pages: 96

ISBN-13: 030905043X

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What role does the ocean play in global climate change? Although not fully understood, there is general agreement that it is significant. Therefore, the scientific community has initiated large-scale research programs based on studies of the ocean and its relation to global climate and climate-related processes. This volume provides brief summaries and reports on the progress of the major oceanographic research programs. It looks at both programs that study processes that occur over periods ranging from days to hundreds of yearsâ€"the contemporary systemâ€"and those that seek to understand long-term variations ranging from thousands to millions of yearsâ€"the geological perspective.

Isotope Techniques in the Study of Past and Current Environmental Changes in the Hydrosphere and the Atmosphere
Isotope Techniques in the Study of Past and Current Environmental Changes in the Hydrosphere and the Atmosphere

Author: International Atomic Energy Agency

Publisher:

Published: 1993

Total Pages: 646

ISBN-13:

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Proceedings of a symposium, Vienna, 19-23 April 1993. Natural isotopes are among the most powerful tools for investigating past and current environmental changes. In particular, stable isotopes have proved to be very useful proxy indicators of climate related parameters such as surface air temperature, relative humidity of the atmosphere and amount of precipitation, whereas radioactive isotopes are widely used as a dating tool. The release of radionuclides during nuclear bomb tests permitted studies of the dynamics of transport and mixing processes in the atmosphere. It also allowed a global tracer experiment on the hydrological and carbon cycles, which substantially contributed to better understanding of these two vital compartments of the global ecosystem. A wide spectrum of themes was discussed at the symposium, covering both the 'present' and the 'past' of the global atmosphere/hydrosphere system. Case studies as well as methodological aspects of various isotope techniques applied in both areas of research were presented.