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Global Climate Change Digest
A Guide to Information on Greenhouse Gases and Ozone Depletion
Published July 1988 through June 1999

FROM VOLUME 2, NUMBER 10, OCTOBER 1989

NEWS...
RESEARCH NEWS

Item #d89oct7

"Biology Not Pollution Controls Clouds above the Pacific," New Scientist, p. 32, July 22, 1989. The first long-term, systematic measurements of sulfate particles in Pacific air indicate that biological sources account for most of these aerosols, reinforcing the hypothesis that increased cloud generation could effectively offset global warming. However, the large human contribution to nitrate, which was also found, may stimulate biological oceanic production of sulfate. (See two papers by Prospero and Savoie in PROF. PUBS./OF GEN. INTEREST, this Global Climate Change Digest issue--Oct. 1989; also Science News, p. 7, July 1.)

Item #d89oct8

"Dynamical Effects Spread the Ozone Hole," P. Lloyd, Nature, p. 269, July 27, 1989. Discusses implications of the recent finding by Atkinson et al. (ozone-depleted air over Australia) for detailed understanding of the dynamic component of Antarctic ozone depletion. (See article in PROF. PUBS./OF GEN. INTEREST, this Global Climate Change Digest issue--Oct. 1989.)

Item #d89oct9

"New German Program," S. Dickman, Nature, p. 495, Aug. 17, 1989. West Germany will consolidate research on climate change and atmospheric science into a new priority program, which will receive DM10-15 million of new funds beginning in 1990. It is also considering a proposal to build a satellite to observe ozone and other greenhouse gases (ibid., p. 255, July 27).

Item #d89oct10

"International Agency to Manage Research in the Arctic," New Scientist, p. 27, Sep. 16, 1989. A new International Arctic Sciences Committee is expected to be in place soon, providing needed coordination on research which largely pertains to climate change.

Item #d89oct11

"Felled Trees Deal Double Blow to Global Warming," F. Pearce, ibid., p. 25. Charles Keeling, who pioneered measurements of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, is preparing a new study showing that dying forests could contribute twice as much as previously thought to the greenhouse effect.

Item #d89oct12

"American Navy Withholds 'Greenhouse' Data," A. Coghlan, New Scientist, p. 30, Sep. 9, 1989. Peter Wadhams of the Scott Polar Research Institute (University of Cambridge) announced data showing that Arctic sea ice has thinned substantially over the last decade. He claims the U.S. Navy has consistently refused to declassify submarine sonar data that would help determine how quickly the ice is melting.

Item #d89oct13

"Looking at Cirrus Clouds," S. Dickman, Nature, p. 671, Aug. 31, 1989. A unique high-altitude research airplane begins studies on cirrus ice clouds and their role in global warming, in the International Cirrus Experiment (ICE), funded by West Germany, Britain, France and Sweden.

Item #d89oct14

The following articles in Science News cover some presentations at the recent American Institute of Biological Sciences annual meeting in Toronto:

"Surveys Slash Away at Forest Estimates," J. Raloff, p. 124, Aug. 19, 1989. Two studies show Earth's forests may hold much less vegetation (and stored carbon dioxide) than previously estimated.

"Climate Change: Boon to Western Trees?" ibid., p. 127. An ecosystem model predicts impacts for Rocky Mountain forests and snowpacks.

"Carbon Dioxide: Where Does It All Go?" R. Monastersky, p. 132, Aug. 26, 1989. General circulation model calculations simulating global release and absorption of carbon dioxide indicate that Northern Hemispheric land areas, not the southern oceans as has been assumed, absorb much of the excess. This result perplexes researchers, who differ on implications for global warming.

Item #d89oct15

"Peatlands: A Global Warming Threat?" and "Carbon Dioxide May Spur Plant Predation," J. Raloff, ibid., p. 143.