Composed of two extensive sections this book surveys important work in climate change science
mainly in the United States and introduces contributions to the body of science that have
arrived on the scene between January 2013 and February 2014. The opening section offers a broad
examination of contemporary climate change science with subsections on the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Earth's energy imbalance and energy flow carbon dioxide's role
in the greenhouse effect climate forcing and climate feedbacks Charles David Keeling and the
Keeling Curve the interfaces of atmosphere with oceans and land paleoclimates and
paleoclimatology rising sea level melting glaciers deforestation desertification more
violent storms animal and human migration extinction of species and more. The second section
reviews and assesses the newest contributions to the body of research. Among the topics
discussed are current and recent research on rising temperatures the BEST study the Global
Historical Climatology Network (GHCN) and the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) current and
recent research on climate models new research on global warming 56 million years ago
ecosystem impacts projections of future climate and more. This book can be considered a bridge
between the volumes of Farmer and Cook's Climate Change Science: A Modern Synthesis as it
arrives between the release of the first volume on the Physical Climate (2013) the second on
Earth's climate history which is now in preparation. The book benefits a wide audience as its
survey of the science of climate change provides an introduction to the subject and a
discussion of current research in the field. The book may be used as a refresher for those who
have had prior courses in climate science and related fields. Each chapter includes a
comprehensive list of references for subjects discussed in the text.
