Re:A researcher's response to people pointing out 150 errors...
by throwaway729 on Thursday March 30, 2017 @10:39AM
(#13995710)
That's exactly what I mean by "first order effect".
We aren't actively and directly melting large quantities of ice. It's a second-order effect of increased atmospheric C02.
One option is to allow it to vary but not as a first-order effect. Another option is to simply not let it vary to keep the model simple.
Re:A researcher's response to people pointing out 150 errors...
by makomk on Thursday March 30, 2017 @10:29AM
(#13995625)
Yeah, warming increases atmospheric water vapour slightly so a simplified model that assumes it remains constant is going to slightly underestimate the total warming caused by a given amount of non-water-vapour emissions. Models don't have to take into account every detail to be useful, though.
This is another contradiction to what I've been told: "Satellites have observed an increase in atmospheric water vapour by about 0.41 kg/m² per decade since 1988." https://www.skepticalscience.com/water-vapor-greenhouse-gas-...