Publication Abstracts

Leung et al. 2023

Leung, L.R., A. Terando, R. Joseph, G. Tselioudis, L.M. Bruhwiler, B. Cook, C. Deser, A. Hall, B.D. Hamlington, A. Hoell, F.M. Hoffman, S. Klein, V. Naik, A.G. Pendergrass, C. Tebaldi, P.A. Ullrich, and M.F. Wehner, 2023: Chapter 3. Earth systems processes. In Fifth National Climate Assessment. A.R. Crimmins, C.W. Avery, D.R. Easterling, K.E. Kunkel, B.C. Stewart, and T.K. Maycock, Eds., U.S. Global Change Research Program, doi:10.7930/NCA5.2023.CH3.

The Earth system consists of the atmosphere, land, oceans, and cryosphere, which interact and cycle energy, water, and essential elements of life such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Powered by the sun, these interactions and cycles determine Earth's climate, which naturally varies at a broad range of timescales from days to millennia through diverse Earth system processes.

Since industrialization, human activities have dramatically altered atmospheric composition and land cover, with consequential impacts on climate. Human-caused emissions of greenhouse gases have warmed the planet by trapping more outgoing energy, leading to a change in the net energy balance at the top of the atmosphere. The net increase in energy input warms the surface and the air and increases moisture in the lower atmosphere, resulting in significant changes in Earth system processes, including changes in atmospheric and oceanic circulations, clouds, and precipitation and melting of sea ice, glaciers, and ice sheets. The increase in energy input also provides fuel for increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as heatwaves and convective storms.

In recent years, advances have been made in understanding the changes that have already occurred, attributing changes to human influence, and projecting future changes. These advances are facilitated by new and diverse observations, improved models and experiments, and the combination of observations and models to support multiple lines of evidence and inquiry. Building on previous scientific assessments, these advances have enabled scientists to unequivocally attribute the observed global warming to human activities and to narrow by 50% the range of estimated global warming that would be caused by a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. Complementary to Chapter 2, which focuses on past and future climate trends, particularly in the US, this chapter discusses more generally how Earth system processes respond to the drivers of climate change. It begins by introducing the natural and human (anthropogenic) drivers of climate change (KM 3.1). Next, it addresses our understanding of the climate response to those drivers, including the sensitivity of the climate to changing greenhouse gas concentrations and the feedback processes that can amplify or partially counteract the influences of human activities (KM 3.2). Recent advances in observations, modeling, and attribution of climate change are then discussed (KM 3.3). Lastly, changes in Earth system processes that underpin the many facets of global and regional climate change (KM 3.4) and changes in extreme events (KM 3.5) are discussed.

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BibTeX Citation

@inbook{le09900v,
  author={Leung, L. R. and Terando, A. and Joseph, R. and Tselioudis, G. and Bruhwiler, L. M. and Cook, B. and Deser, C. and Hall, A. and Hamlington, B. D. and Hoell, A. and Hoffman, F. M. and Klein, S. and Naik, V. and Pendergrass, A. G. and Tebaldi, C. and Ullrich, P. A. and Wehner, M. F.},
  editor={Crimmins, A. R. and Avery, C. W. and Easterling, D. R. and Kunkel, K. E. and Stewart, B. C. and Maycock, T. K.},
  title={Chapter 3. Earth systems processes},
  booktitle={Fifth National Climate Assessment},
  year={2023},
  publisher={U.S. Global Change Research Program},
  address={Washington, DC},
  doi={10.7930/NCA5.2023.CH3},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - CHAP
ID  - le09900v
AU  - Leung, L. R.
AU  - Terando, A.
AU  - Joseph, R.
AU  - Tselioudis, G.
AU  - Bruhwiler, L. M.
AU  - Cook, B.
AU  - Deser, C.
AU  - Hall, A.
AU  - Hamlington, B. D.
AU  - Hoell, A.
AU  - Hoffman, F. M.
AU  - Klein, S.
AU  - Naik, V.
AU  - Pendergrass, A. G.
AU  - Tebaldi, C.
AU  - Ullrich, P. A.
AU  - Wehner, M. F.
ED  - Crimmins, A. R.
ED  - Avery, C. W.
ED  - Easterling, D. R.
ED  - Kunkel, K. E.
ED  - Stewart, B. C.
ED  - Maycock, T. K.
PY  - 2023
TI  - Chapter 3. Earth systems processes
BT  - Fifth National Climate Assessment
DO  - 10.7930/NCA5.2023.CH3
PB  - U.S. Global Change Research Program
CY  - Washington, DC
ER  -

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