It’s different than natural climate variability

Question 1

What do “detection” and “attribution” mean in a scientific context?

Answer 1

Detection: Demonstrating that the climate has changed without providing a reason for that change
Attribution: Determining the most likely causes for the observed change

Question 2

Why is it useful to study climates of the past?

Answer 2

to help scientists understand our current and future climate.

Question 3

How do we know about the history of solar irradiance prior to satellite measurements? And how has sunspot activity changed in the last few decades?

Answer 3

Humans used telescopes as far back as the 17th century to measure sunspots and solar irradiance, sunspot activity has decreased over the past few decades

Question 4

How do we know solar irradiance is not causing the last decade’s global temperature increase?

Answer 4

Solar irradiance has decreased while temperatures have increased

Question 5

How do volcanoes affect climate and what factors control the climate-altering effect of eruptions?

Answer 5

Volcanic explosions generate sulfur and ash that form sulfate aerosols which creates a veil scattering and obstructing sunlight

Question 6

What might have caused medieval warming and Little Ice Age cooling?

Answer 6

• Solar activity was high during the medieval warm period which could have cause the warming
  -reduced solar output, changes in atmospheric circulation, and explosive volcanism