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Appendix C
Pages 51-68

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From page 51... ... Biology and Biogeochemistry of Ecosystems Land-Surface and Climate Imperative Understand the relationships between land-surface processes, including landcover change, climate, and weather prediction. Land-Surface and Climate Questions � How do land-surface biophysical processes interact with regional climate and modify patterns of interannual climate variability? Read the entire page →
From page 52... ... � What is the role of changing biogenic trace gas emissions in the changing photochemistry of the troposphere and stratosphere? � Aerosols have become a major issue in climate: what role do sulfur and organic compounds from biogenic sources, dust from agriculture and other soil disturbances, and biomass burning play in global aerosol forcing? Read the entire page →
From page 53... ... � How do changes to terrestrial and hydrological systems alter coastal marine systems? How are coastal marine ecosystems changed by the interaction of climate, large-scale ocean circulation and biogeochemistry, and inputs from the land? Read the entire page →
From page 54... ... Specifically, how might tropical SSTs perturb the extratropical atmosphere, thereby generating extratropical SST anomalies? For what regions of the globe can accurate predictions of tropical SSTs be translated into skillful regional climate forecasts for one to two seasons in advance? Read the entire page →
From page 55... ... � How can we use observations of the seasonal to interannual variations in biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem properties to infer the underlying dynamics determining these variations? � What is the role of high-latitude feedbacks between snow cover extent, stream flow, and seasonal to interannual variability, and to what extent are these processes adequately modeled? Read the entire page →
From page 56... ... Paleorecord: Extend the climate record back through data archeology and paleoclimate records for time series long enough to provide researchers a better database to analyze decadal to century-scale patterns. Specifically, achieve a better understanding of the nature and range of natural variability over these timescales. Read the entire page →
From page 57... ... � How do dec-cen changes in atmospheric trace gases and aerosols affect radiative balance and atmospheric circulation and vice versa? Oceans � What are the dec-cen patterns of ocean variability, and what dynamical mechanisms govern them at dec-cen timescales? Read the entire page →
From page 58... ... � How do the distributions of water vapor, precipitation, and clouds interact with surface boundary conditions and changes on dec-cen timescales? � By what combination of remote and in-situ observations can we measure the large-scale distribution of precipitation on dec-cen timescales? Read the entire page →
From page 59... ... Chemistry of the Atmosphere Stratospheric Ozone and Ultraviolet Radiation Imperative Define and predict secular trends in the intensity of ultraviolet exposure the Earth receives by documenting the concentrations and distributions of stratospheric ozone and the key chemical species that control its catalytic destruction and by elucidating the coupling between chemistry, dynamics, and radiation in the stratosphere and upper troposphere. Stratospheric Ozone and Ultraviolet Radiation Questions � Will the evolution of the Antarctic stratospheric ozone "hole" proceed as expected, with a period of continued increasing intensity, followed by recovery to normal conditions? Read the entire page →
From page 60... ... � What are the trends in water vapor in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere, and what are the causes of these trends? Photochemical Oxidants Imperative Develop the observational and computational tools and strategies that policy makers need to effectively manage ozone pollution, and elucidate the processes that control and the relationships that exist among ozone precursor species, tropospheric ozone, and the oxidizing capacity of the atmosphere. Read the entire page →
From page 61... ... To what extent do changes in stratospheric ozone, climate, and/or cloud cover affect the oxidizing capacity of the lower atmosphere? What determines the distribution of ozone in the troposphere and how is the distribution likely to change in the coming decades? Read the entire page →
From page 62... ... Atmospheric Aerosols and Ultraviolet Radiation Questions � What is the role of natural and anthropogenic aerosols in climate, and how might future changes in levels of aerosol precursors affect this role? � How are natural and anthropogenic aerosols likely to affect stratospheric and tropospheric ozone and the cleansing capacity of the atmosphere in the future? Read the entire page →
From page 63... ... Explore the question of what are the natural limits of the global environment and determine how changes in the boundary conditions for this natural environment are manifested. Document the important forcing factors that are controlling and will control climate change on societal timescales (season to century) Read the entire page →
From page 64... ... and have these changes caused responses in major atmospheric circulation systems such as ENSO, AsianAustralian monsoon, intertropical convergence zone, and jet streams? Read the entire page →
From page 65... ... Human Dimensions of Global Change Human Dimensions Imperatives Understand the major human causes of changes in the global environment and how they vary over time, across space, and between economic sectors and social groups. Determine the human consequences of global environmental change on key life support systems, such as water, health, energy, natural ecosystems, and agriculture, and determine the impacts on economic and social systems. Read the entire page →
From page 66... ... . What are the sectoral impacts of regionally relevant climate change assessments and seasonal to interannual climate predictions? Read the entire page →
From page 67... ... What are the characteristics of effective institutions for managing global environmental change? What are the correlates of effectiveness for international regimes and institutions and for management of international environmental and natural resource issues, particularly regarding the effective implementation of commitments to protect biodiversity, forests, oceans, and stratospheric ozone and to prevent climate change? Read the entire page →
From page 68... ... How can the knowledge and concerns of those participating in or affected by environmental decisions be used to inform scientists about how to make environmental information more decision relevant? How do expert advice and assessment influence policy, decision making, and collective knowledge of global change issues, and how do policy makers interpret information about scientific uncertainty as they frame global change issues? Read the entire page →

From page 51...

... Biology and Biogeochemistry of Ecosystems Land-Surface and Climate Imperative Understand the relationships between land-surface processes, including landcover change, climate, and weather prediction. Land-Surface and Climate Questions � How do land-surface biophysical processes interact with regional climate and modify patterns of interannual climate variability?

Appendix C Pages 51-68

Appendix C
Pages 51-68