What are the climate feedbacks you fully understand? There are some types of feedback which are fairly well understood by climate scientists and their effects are routinely included in climate models (which allow us to make projections for our future climate). This means we have taken into account the impact they may have as our climate warms in the future. Water vapour (positive feedback) As air gets warmer, its capacity to hold moisture increases. Our atmosphere is getting warmer because of climate change and, as a result, is holding more water vapour. This is a potent greenhouse gas — when in the atmosphere, water vapour helps the Earth hold on to more energy from the sun. So a warming climate means more water vapour, which in turn warms the climate further — a classic positive feedback. Albedo (positive feedback) Albedo is the amount of light reflected by a surface, which is very important in climate science. A surface with a high albedo, such as snow or sand, will reflect more sunlight back out to space. The lower the albedo, the more energy and heat is absorbed. Global warming is causing ice and snow to melt, revealing the land or ocean underneath. Ice and snow reflect a lot of sunlight — certainly more than land and the oceans. So as the ice melts, more of the sun's energy is absorbed and so the planet gets warmer still — which in turn melts even more snow and ice.
What are the climate feedbacks you fully understand? There are some feedback are fairly well understood and their effects are routinely included we have taken into account the impact they may have as our climate warms in the future. Water vapour As air gets warmer, its capacity to hold moisture increases water vapour is a potent greenhouse gas water vapour helps the Earth hold on to more energy from the sun warming climate means vapour, which in turn warms the climate a classic positive feedback. Albedo is the amount of light reflected which is very important in climate science warming is causing ice and snow to melt, revealing land Ice and snow reflect a lot of sunlight certainly more than land So as the ice melts, more of the sun's energy is absorbed and so the planet gets warmer still — which in turn melts even more snow and ice.