The Week That Was: 2016-12-17 (December 17, 2016)
Brought to You by SEPP (www.SEPP.org)
The Science and Environmental Policy Project
Quote of the Week. “The data are reality. The model is fantasy. Why substitute fantasy for
reality?” Statistician William Briggs
Number of the Week: 666
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THIS WEEK:
By Ken Haapala, President, Science and Environmental Policy Project (SEPP)
Data Manipulation: As twice-elected president of a science society formed in 1871, with early
members important to the beginning of climate measurements covering the US, this author has
been very concerned with the manipulation of historic data that seems to have taken place over
the past few decades. In effect, a warming trend seems to have been established in the data where
one did not exist before. As we saw during Climategate, the Climatic Research Unit at the
University of East Anglia “lost” historic data when data was mathematically adjusted.
Similarly, as researchers Joe D’Aleo and Tony Heller have demonstrated, the data entrusted to
NOAA; and its subordinate organizations the US Historical Climatology Network (USHCN), the
Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN), and the National Climatic Data Center
(NCDC); seem to have been manipulated to give the illusion of a warming trend by lowering the
earlier data. Now, Paul Homewood, of the UK, points out that NASA’s Goddard Institute of
Space Studies (NASA-GISS) has changed its own data since 2011 without notification as to why.
The adjustments to its December 2016 version give the illusion of a stronger warming trend than
existed in their 2011 data.
Each of these changes can be small, but the cumulative effect of persistent changes can be
significant. Sometimes revisions are necessary, but they should be publicly announced. These
exercises, without full public disclosure, undermine the credibility of the agencies involved.
Further, it is not clear if the historic data, prior to quiet revisions, continue to exist. Until these
have been independently examined, any studies based on these surface temperatures are
questionable.
Since the general Climate Establishment has not expressed alarm over these small, but persistent,
adjustments, it is ironical that many in the Climate Establishment are expressing alarm over the
preservation of existing climate data. Apparently, they fear that the Trump administration may
secretly manipulate the manipulated. Any changes to the data should be made with full public
disclosure, to include the effects of the changes on historic trends, with the historic data
preserved.
As a side note: the historic data for states indicates that the 1930s was the hottest decade in the
US. However, carbon dioxide (CO2) warming, as well as other greenhouse gas warming, should
occur at night, with a lessening of energy flow from the earth to space. Thus, the lack of a
warming trend in daytime highs does not mean there is no effect from CO2.
Given its address, perhaps NASA-GISS should be called NASA-Broadway to avoid assuming it
is engaged in the same science that placed man on the moon. See links under Lowering Standards
and last week’s TWTW on NASA-GISS.
********************
AGU Mysteries – Solar: Even though the 2016 meeting of the American Geophysical Union
(AGU) in San Francisco featured anti-Trump protests, it produced some interesting findings. In
one presentation with press release, and paper to soon follow, solar coronal mass ejections
(CMEs) create shock waves that cause a warming and expansion of the upper atmosphere and
trace amounts of nitric oxide, which cools it. (In the US, nitric oxide is classified as an extremely
hazardous substance under the U.S. Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of
1986).
The warming and cooling of the upper atmosphere is an issue that has not been fully explained
and no doubt researchers on the issue look forward to the publication of the paper.
As a side note, in his testimony of February 2, 2016, John Christy avoided the issue of uncertainty
as to the warming and cooling of the upper atmosphere by limiting his comparison of the
performance of global climate models against data to 50,000 feet and below. A similar limitation
in altitude appears in the August 2016 paper by Wallace, Christy, and D’Aleo.
See links under Science: Is the Sun Rising?, Commentary: Is the Sun Rising?, Challenging the
Orthodoxy, and After US Election – Opposed.
********************
AGU Mysteries – Energy Flow: Willis Eschenbach and Anthony Watts had an intriguing poster
at AGU. Formally displayed posters have now become commonplace at such conventions due to
the lack of time and space for formal presentations. Using satellite measured water vapor data
from Remote Sensing Systems (RSS) for a 1°x1° gridded total precipitable water (TPW) dataset,
the study estimated increase in dowelling longwave radiation from 1988 to 2015.
As expressed in TWTW for the past several weeks, the carbon dioxide warming theory expressed
by the 1979 Charney report and accepted by the National Academy of Sciences has two
components: a slight warming from CO2 and a more powerful warming from increased water
vapor. Yet, the proposed warming of the atmosphere is not occurring after over 35 years, as shown
in the work by Christy. The work by Eschenbach and Watts suggests that the expected increase in
temperatures is not occurring because global climate is not nearly as sensitive to greenhouse gases
as stated in the Charney report. Again, this lack of climate sensitivity to greenhouse gases brings
into question EPA’s finding that greenhouse gases, especially CO2, endanger public health and
welfare – the EPA’s endangerment finding.
This type of research is greatly need. It would be desirable to see continuation of the work by
Eschenbach & Watts. See links under Challenging the Orthodoxy, Defending the Orthodoxy, and
the past several TWTWs.
********************
Improving the SEPP Web Site – Table of Contents: To make the web site a more effective
resource, we have drafted a Table of Contents (TOC) for the 6,000 plus links we have added over
the past 6 years. Scientific, energy, and policy issues are emphasized. Strictly political issues are
largely ignored.
TWTW readers have requested an index for the web site, but a TOC should address their
concerns. It will be easier to establish and maintain, with changes made as needed.
To make adding links into the TOC as easy as possible, we designed a program with a scheme
based on alphabetical ranking followed by numerical ranking.
For example, the 4 major categories are alphabetical 1) Climate Science; 2) Energy; 3) Policy;
and 4) Politics. Then, under Climate Science we have: 1.1 Acid-Alkaline Waters; 1.2 Agriculture
Issues and so on. This scheme may not appear to be as logical as order of importance, but it
should save considerable man-hours in classifying links as well as adding future classifications.
The proposed Table of Contents for the Web Site can be found at: http://sepp.org/display_toc.cfm.
Only the proposed TOC appears, with no instructions, etc.
Comments are most welcome.
********************
Models or Data? On his web site statistician William Briggs asks an important question: Why
use models or statistics when simple data will do? This question can apply to global climate
models. The models are not performing well where they should be performing the best – in the
atmosphere, where greenhouse gas warming should be occurring. The impact on the surface of
this warming is secondary. Further, surface data are highly influenced by other human activities,
poor siting, poor coverage, and questionable maintenance.
Though not discussed, simple equations may better fit local conditions that modifying un-
validated global climate models for regions. Regional data may be better for suggesting future
climate change. Simultaneous equation models may be better for 30 to 50 year projections than
the current climate models, which are producing highly questionable results in the near-term, not
to speak of the long-term. See link under Questioning the Orthodoxy.
********************
Political Games: President-elect Trump’s appointments continue to shake the establishment. As
mentioned above, parts of the Climate Establishment, that have not been disturbed by the
disappearance of historic data and questionable modifications, fear that under Trump, the data will
disappear. The appointment of Oklahoma Attorney General Pruitt for EPA Administrator is
condemned by many, but Pruitt has adhered to the law when he has challenged EPA for
overstepping its authority. Also, he has punished companies that broke the law.
Former Texas Governor Perry for head of the Department of Energy brings up other questions,
such as his embrace of wind power. It is becoming increasingly evident in the UK, South
Australia, and elsewhere, that the unreliability of wind brings a real hidden cost in the reliability
of the energized grid, thus to consumers. As touched upon in the recent report on the South
Australia blackout by the Australian Energy Market Operator, solar and wind have low inertia
while heavy spinning systems such as turbines in coal-fired power plants have high inertia. The
advantage with high inertia systems is that they maintain a given frequency in the grid, which is
an energized system. Texas seems to have experienced problems on extremely cold nights when
the wind does not blow.
The selection of Exxon President Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State brings up a host of
objections, including his dealings with Russia. Also, he favored a carbon tax and questioned the
work of those who questioned CO2-caused global warming. Yet, he has maintained a robust
intelligence unit at Exxon gathering hard data on economic conditions and trends in countries in
which Exxon does business. OPEC Secretary-General Mohammad Barkindo said: “He’s highly
respected around the world, he’s deeply knowledgeable.” “There’s a very thin line between oil,
diplomacy and geopolitics.” Also, Tillerson is respected by former Shell Oil President Hofmeister,
an Exxon competitor. One should note that Exxon was not a major player in the shale revolution.
See links in three categories under After US Election, and under Energy Issues – Australia
********************
92 Feet (28 meters) Under: As the Obama administration is preparing to depart, it seems to be
venting a contempt for extraction industries. The out-going governor of North Dakota wrote about
the Dakota Access pipeline:
“This particular pipe is state-of-the-art when it comes to safety. It will be buried 92 feet below
the bottom of the Missouri River, it will be double the strength of pipe buried on land, and it will
have sophisticated flow monitoring devices on both sides of the river with automatic shut-off
valves.”
Very simply, the political appointees in the Corps of Engineers have no basis in safety concerns
for cancelling permits for a pipeline, the laying of which is 99.98% complete. Developed in the
1930s, horizontal directional drilling (HDD) in oil fields is a technique not generally used for
other purposes until recent years with the development of mud motors, in the 70s and subsequent
development of precision guidance systems (measurement while drilling (MWD)) in three-
dimensional space. It is now widely used in urban areas for power, water, and sewer lines, etc.
Additionally, Department of Interior Secretary Sally Jewell claims the importance of science in
this administration, while the Department cancelled a permitted mining operation in Minnesota,
without evidence of harm, because it was in the region of (near?) a wilderness area. It is difficult
to predict what other economic harm the administration will do in the next 5 weeks, whether the
actions are within permitted powers or not. See links under EPA and other Regulators on the
March and Energy Issues -- US
********************
No TWTW Next Week: With the Holidays, there will be no TWTW next week and there will be
a brief one on the following week.
********************
Number of the Week: 666. The new EPA report on the dangers of hydraulic fracturing to
drinking water is 666 pages long, with a 50-page summary. The devil is in the details – there are
none. The study presents no new data of hydraulic fracturing contaminating drinking water,
beyond the issues discussed in the past. The issues are well controlled by state agencies. The
report discusses “data gaps” preventing quantitative analysis. Yet, data is collected by state
agencies and generally available on web sites. In the central issue of actual contamination, the
report is almost as “data free” as the EPA endangerment finding.
Issues remain, such as treating and re-using fracking water with chemicals and sand, and treating
and disposing of excess water, brine, from wells in certain areas such as Oklahoma. But this
report is not particularly useful for these issues. See links under EPA and other Regulators on the
March.
We ask you to make a generous, tax-deductible donation to SEPP, an IRS recognized 501(c)3
organization. There is much to be done, to undo the damage to the economy by the current
administration.
Please address your check to:
SEPP
P.O. Box 1126
Springfield, VA 22151
Alternatively, you may donate through PayPal. See Donate at www.sepp.org.
TWTW has been accused of bias, and it is. It is more focused on what scientists can
demonstrate by using evidence – hard data, and not so much on what they can think or
speculate.
Thank you -- whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, or other holy days during this time, we
wish you and your family happiness in this blessed season and a joyful new year.
Kenneth Haapala, President
Science and Environmental Policy Project (SEPP)
SEPP is a 501(c)3 organization incorporated in Virginia with the Federal Tax ID of #54-1645372.
The donated funds will be used exclusively in furtherance of SEPP’s charitable purpose and will
not be used to fulfill any pledge, personal obligation, or lobbying activities. SEPP provides no
direct benefit to donors as a result of their donations.
NEWS YOU CAN USE:
Science: Is the Sun Rising?
Researchers dial in to 'thermostat' in Earth’s upper atmosphere
Press release, University of Colorado Boulder, Dec 14, 2016
http://www.colorado.edu/today/2016/12/14/researchers-dial-thermostat-earths-upper-atmosphere
Commentary: Is the Sun Rising?
Revealed: 'Natural thermostat' that cools the air in Earth's atmosphere during violent solar
storms
By Libby Plummer, Mail Online, Dec 14, 2016
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4034016/Natural-thermostat-cools-air-Earth-s-
atmosphere-violent-solar-storms-revealed.html
[SEPP Comment: Solar pollution?]
Current Solar Cycle Weakest In 2 Centuries! And Grant Foster’s “Far-Fetched” Model
Claims
The Sun in November 2016. And models coming back to reality
By Frank Bosse and Fritz Vahrenholt (Translated/edited by P Gosselin), No Tricks Zone, Dec 16,
2016
http://notrickszone.com/2016/12/16/current-solar-cycle-weakest-in-2-centuries-and-grant-fosters-
far-fetched-model-claims/#sthash.WVYDMF5I.dpbs
Challenging the Orthodoxy -- NIPCC
Nature, Not Human Activity, Rules the Climate
S. Fred Singer, Editor, NIPCC, 2008
http://www.sepp.org/publications/nipcc_final.pdf
Overcoming Chaotic Behavior of Climate Models
By S. Fred Singer, SEPP, July 2010
http://www.sepp.org/science_papers/Chaotic_Behavior_July_2011_Final.doc
Why Scientists Disagree About Global Warming
The NIPCC Report on the Scientific Consensus
By Craig D. Idso, Robert M. Carter, and S. Fred Singer, NIPCC, Nov 23, 2015
http://climatechangereconsidered.org/
Download with no charge
https://www.heartland.org/policy-documents/why-scientists-disagree-about-global-warming
Climate Change Reconsidered II: Physical Science
Idso, Carter, and Singer, Lead Authors/Editors, 2013
https://www.heartland.org/media-library/pdfs/CCR-II/CCR-II-Full.pdf
Summary: http://www.nipccreport.org/reports/ccr2a/pdf/Summary-for-Policymakers.pdf
Climate Change Reconsidered II: Biological Impacts
Idso, Idso, Carter, and Singer, Lead Authors/Editors, 2014
http://www.nipccreport.org/reports/ccr2b/pdf/Full-Report.pdf
Summary: https://www.heartland.org/media-library/pdfs/CCR-IIb/Summary-for-Policymakers.pdf
Challenging the Orthodoxy
Prepared Testimony to House Committee on Science, Space & Technology
By John Christy, UAH, Feb 2, 2016
https://science.house.gov/sites/republicans.science.house.gov/files/documents/HHRG-114-SY-
WState-JChristy-20160202.pdf
On the Existence of a “Tropical Hotspot” & The Validity of EPA’s CO2 Endangerment
Finding
By Wallace, Christy, and D’Aleo, Independent Researchers, August 2016
https://thsresearch.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/ef-cpp-sc-2016-data-ths-paper-ex-sum-
101416.pdf
Challenging climate sensitivity: ‘Observational Quantification of Water Vapor Radiative
Forcing’ #AGU16 presentation
By Willis Eschenbach and Anthony Watts. WUWT, Dec 14, 2016
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2016/12/14/challenging-climate-sensitivity-observational-
quantification-of-water-vapor-radiative-forcing-our-agu16-presentation/
Remember when peat bogs were going to release deadly carbon? Never mind.
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Dec 13, 2016
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2016/12/13/remember-when-peat-bogs-were-going-to-release-
deadly-carbon-never-mind/
Defending the Orthodoxy
Trump’s Choice on Climate Change
By Stephen Cheney, Retired brigadier general in the US Marine Corps, is CEO of the American
Security Project, Project Syndicate, Dec 12, 2016
https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/trump-climate-change-security-risk-by-stephen-
cheney-2016-12
[SEPP Comment: Where is the physical evidence that CO2 is the primary cause of global
warming/climate change? The pentagon reports give none.]
Questioning the Orthodoxy
Don’t Use Statistical Models (When You Don’t Have To. Which Is Nearly Always)
By William Briggs, His Blog, Dec 13, 2016
http://wmbriggs.com/post/20256/
“The data are reality. The model is fantasy. Why substitute fantasy for reality?”
The Impending Collapse Of The Global Warming Scare
By Francis Menton, Manhattan Contrarian, Dec 14, 2016 [H/t GWPF]
http://manhattancontrarian.com/blog/2016/12/13/some-predictions-for-the-future-in-the-climate-
game
The Social Cost of Carbon
By John Constable: GWPF Energy Editor, GWPF, Dec 17, 2016
http://www.thegwpf.com/the-social-cost-of-carbon/
The Non-Expert Problem and Climate Change Science
By Scott Adams, (Creator of Dilbert), His Blog, Dec 5, 2016 [H/t WUWT]
http://blog.dilbert.com/post/154082416051/the-non-expert-problem-and-climate-change-science
[SEPP Comment: The comments by Steve McIntyre are valuable. “In my experience, more
‘skeptics’ are born from poor conduct by climate scientists than from the eloquence of earlier
skeptics.” See https://wattsupwiththat.com/2016/12/06/quote-of-the-week-mcintyres-comment-to-
dilbert-creator-scott-adams-on-climate-experts/
The latest climate ‘conspiracy theory’
By Judith Curry, Climate Etc. Dec 15, 2016
https://judithcurry.com/2016/12/15/the-latest-climate-conspiracy-theory/#more-22599
You Ought to Have a Look: How-to Guides to Undoing the Climate Action Plan, Fixing the
National Flood Insurance Program, and Killing Mosquitoes
By Patrick J. Michaels and Paul C. "Chip" Knappenberger, CATO, Dec 14, 2016
https://www.cato.org/blog/you-ought-have-look-how-guides-undoing-climate-action-plan-fixing-
national-flood-insurance
After US Election -- Opposed
It's up to scientists to call Trump out if he tramples on evidence, Obama official says
As Nasa's Earth science programmes are in the firing line, scientists protest against burying
evidence.
By Martha Henriques, IBD Times, UK, Dec 15, 2016
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/its-scientists-call-trump-out-if-he-tramples-evidence-obama-official-
says-1596650
“Sally Jewell, the outgoing secretary of the interior, said at a meeting of the American
Geophysical Union in San Francisco that science had been "foundational" to all parts of public
policy under the Obama Administration.”
[SEPP Comment: Where is the evidence for the endangerment finding? See links under EPA and
other Regulators on the March for the Interior Department’s latest efforts to stop mining without
evidence of harm.]
These are the climate myths guiding Trump’s EPA team
By Chelsea Harvey, Washington Post, Dec 13, 2016
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/12/13/these-are-the-
climate-myths-guiding-trumps-epa-team/?utm_source=rss_energy-
environment&utm_term=.3c39a6ab6bfe
A ‘Sense Of Panic’ Over Trump Consumes Climate Science Summit
By Michael Bastasch, Daily Caller, Dec 13, 2016
http://dailycaller.com/2016/12/13/a-sense-of-panic-over-trump-consumes-climate-science-
summit/
[SEPP Comment: Special session added to AGU agenda!]
Trump falsely claims that nobody knows if global warming is real
By Maria Gallucci, Mashable, Dec 11, 2016
https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-falsely-claims-nobody-knows-011747403.html
#standupforscience rally at #AGU16 – another Manntastic production
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Dec 13, 2016
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2016/12/13/standupforscience-rally-at-agu16-another-manntastic-
production/
After US Election -- Neutral
U.S. Energy Dept balks at Trump request for names on climate change
By David Shepardson, CNBC, Dec 13, 2016
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/12/13/reuters-america-us-energy-dept-balks-at-trump-request-for-
names-on-climate-change.html
On Climate Change, Who Will Censure the Censors?
By Megan McArdle, Bloomberg, Dec 15, 2016 [H/t Timothy Wise]
https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-12-15/on-climate-change-who-will-censure-the-
censors
[SEPP Comment: To the writer, both government workers and “deniers” deserve the same
protection.]
DOE-designate Perry’s Windy Past
By Robert Bradley Jr., Master Resource, Dec 14, 2016
https://www.masterresource.org/perry-rick-texas-gov/doe-secretary-elects-windy-past-texas-post-
enron-wind-welfare-queen/
Trump's Secretary of State Pick Gets Climate Change
Editorial, Bloomberg, Dec 14, 2016
https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-12-14/trump-s-tillerson-pick-has-right-view-on-
climate
Exxon shifted on climate change under Trump pick
By Timothy Cama, The Hill, Dec 16, 2016
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/310647-exxon-shifted-on-climate-change-under-
trump-pick
Five ways Trump could unwind Obama's environmental policies
By Timothy Cama, The Hill, Dec 17, 2016
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/310822-five-ways-trump-could-unwind-obamas-
environmental-policies
How Climate Rules Might Fade Away
Obama used an arcane number to craft his regulations. Trump could use it to undo them
By Matthew Philips, Mark Drajem, and Jennifer A Dlouhy, Bloomberg, Dec 15, 2016
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-15/how-climate-rules-might-fade-away
[SEPP Comment: Ignoring the elephant in the room: the lack of data supporting the models used
to make the projections.]
Trump Picks Exxon Mobil’s Tillerson as Secretary of State
By Jennifer Jacobs, Nick Wadhams, and Ben Brody, Bloomberg, Dec 12, 2016
https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-12-13/trump-said-to-pick-exxon-mobil-s-
tillerson-as-secretary-of-state
After US Election -- Favorable
Fossil Fuel Energy Development: The Trump Administration’s Priority
By Alan Carlin, Carlin Economics and Science, Dec 15, 2016
http://www.carlineconomics.com/archives/3246
Scott Pruitt Is The Ideal Nominee to Lead the EPA
By Donald R. van der Vaart, Real Clear Energy, Dec 15, 2016
http://www.realclearenergy.org/articles/2016/12/15/scott_pruitt_is_the_ideal_nominee_to_lead_th
e_epa_110146.html
[SEPP Comment: By Secretary of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality who was
considered on the short list for the position.]
Shifting sands of the climate debate
By Judith Curry, Climate Etc. Dec 12, 2016
https://judithcurry.com/2016/12/12/shifting-sands-of-the-climate-debate/
“Insiders are out; and outsiders are becoming the insiders.”
“I expect that climate and energy policy will be a winner in the Trump administration relative to
the Obama administration. Any solutions will come from innovations in the private sector and
state and local governments — not from federal decrees or U.N. proclamations.”
The Media Still Don’t Get Trump
The public doesn’t care about what obsesses pundits—and the president-elect knows it.
By Jason Riley, WSJ, Via The Hockey Schtick, Dec 13, 2016
http://hockeyschtick.blogspot.com/2016/12/wsj-media-still-dont-get-trump.html
Tillerson’s Foreign Prowess Said Aided by Exxon Intelligence Arm
By Joe Carroll, Blomberg, Dec 15, 2016
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-15/tillerson-s-foreign-prowess-said-aided-by-
exxon-intelligence-arm
[SEPP Comment: Video of former Shell Oil president Hofmeister on Tillerson The US has energy
plan.]
Review of Recent Scientific Articles by CO2 Science
Five Decades of Wind-Induced Erosion within Chinese Drylands
Yang, F. and Lu, C. 2016. Assessing changes in wind erosion climatic erosivity in China's dryland
region during 1961-2012. Dec 1, 2016
http://www.co2science.org/articles/V19/dec/a9.php
“Continuing, Yang and Lu write that ‘wind speed was the most sensitive and determinant factor of
climatic erosivity,’ and that ‘the regional mean wind speed was decreased by 24.4% during 1961-
2012,’ which decline ‘reduced the erosivity by 58.2%.’ And that's a climate change that most
people would likely consider to be extremely positive.”
Late-Holocene Solar Variability and Its Impact on Climate in Korea
Chae, I. and Park, J. 2016. Climate change and human activities over the past millennium at Mt.
Jeombong, central-eastern Korea. Geosciences Journal 20: 477-484. Dec 14, 2016
http://www.co2science.org/articles/V19/dec/a8.php
“The two Korean researchers report that the Jeombong pollen records demonstrate the existence
of both the warm Medieval Climate Anomaly and the much colder Little Ice Age, which they
make a point of noting ‘are two well-known centennial climate shifts that were primarily caused
by solar variability.’"
Potential Effects of Diel-Cycling Hypoxia and pH on Oyster Growth [Daily changes]
Keppel, A.G., Breitburg, D.L. and Burrell, R.B. 2016. Effects of Co-Varying Diel-Cycling
Hypoxia and pH on Growth in the Juvenile Eastern Oyster, Crassostrea virginica. PLOS ONE |
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0161088. Dec 12, 2016
http://www.co2science.org/articles/V19/dec/a6.php
"’juvenile oysters have [1] an ability to acclimate to, and [2] ultimately compensate for, the
negative effects of hypoxia on growth, as well as [3] an ability under some circumstances to
withstand exposure to co-varying cycling hypoxia as low as 0.5 mg/liter and [4] pH as low as 7.0
without reductions in growth.’"
Models v. Observations
Why do climate models disagree on the size of global temperature variability?
Dr. Patrick T. Brown's Personal Website, Dec 5, 2016 [H/t Climate Etc.]
https://patricktbrown.org/2016/12/05/why-do-climate-models-disagree-on-the-size-of-global-
temperature-variability/
[SEPP Comment: The major issue not discussed is that global mean surface-air temperature
(GMST) is taken slightly above ground level, not in the atmosphere where CO2-caused warming
is theorized to occur, and where it is not occurring as theorized by climate modelers.]
Measurement Issues -- Surface
Another New Paper Reveals No Discernible Human Influence On Global Ocean
Temperatures, Climate
By Kenneth Richard, No Tricks Zone, Dec 12, 2016
http://notrickszone.com/2016/12/12/another-new-paper-reveals-no-discernible-human-or-co2-
influence-on-global-ocean-temperatures-climate/#sthash.P4IL3K69.dpbs
Measurement Issues -- Atmosphere
New Location for UAH Version 6 Text Files
By Roy Spencer, UAH, Dec 13, 2016
http://www.drroyspencer.com/2016/12/new-location-for-uah-version-6-text-files/
Changing Weather
Even with warm 2016/17 winter, US 20+ year trends are still down
By Joseph D’Aleo, CCM, AMS Fellow, ICECAP, Dec 14, 2016
http://icecap.us/index.php/go/joes-
blog/even_with_warm_2016_17_winter_us_20_year_trends_are_still_down/
On the Decrease of Hot Days in the US
By Turbulent Eddie, Climate Etc. Dec 16, 2016
https://judithcurry.com/2016/12/16/on-the-decrease-of-hot-days-in-the-us/
Changing Climate
Ancient climate change at #AGU16 – Atacama Desert may have harbored lakes, wetlands
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Dec 15, 2016
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2016/12/15/ancient-climate-change-at-agu16-atacama-desert-may-
have-harbored-lakes-wetlands/
Changing Seas
A Summary of Meehl, et al., 2016 and the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation
By Andy May, WUWT, Dec 12, 2016
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2016/12/12/a-summary-of-meehl-et-al-2016-and-the-interdecadal-
pacific-oscillation/
Prof Peter Ridd, bleaching is not new, like coral spawning, we just discovered it the 1980s
By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Dec 10, 2016
http://joannenova.com.au/2016/12/prof-peter-ridd-bleaching-is-not-new-like-coral-spawning-we-
just-discovered-it-the-1980s/
New studies take a second look at coral bleaching culprit
By Staff Writers, Cape Cod MA (SPX), Dec 13, 2016
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/New_studies_take_a_second_look_at_coral_bleaching_culprit_
999.html
Link to paper: Species-specific control of external superoxide levels by the coral holobiont during
a natural bleaching event
By Julia M. Diazk, et al. Nature Communications, Dec 7, 2016
http://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms13801
“...excessive production of superoxide within the coral tissue can cause the loss of symbiotic
algae living inside the coral.”
What caused the 2011 mass oyster die-off in California?
The consequences of atmospheric rivers may be dramatic for wild oyster populations.
By Léa Surugue, IBT, Dec 14, 2016 [H/t Clyde Spencer]
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/what-caused-2011-mass-oyster-die-off-california-
1596324?utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=rss&utm_content=/rss/yah
oous/news&yptr=yahoo
Link to paper: Atmospheric rivers and the mass mortality of wild oysters: insight into an extreme
future?
By Cheng, Chang, Deck, and Ferner, Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Dec 14, 2016
http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/283/1844/20161462
“Climate change is predicted to increase the frequency and severity of extreme events.”
[SEPP Comment: Roger Pielke Jr. showed that the predictions are not bearing out. The die-off
was from change in salinity not temperature.]
Changing Cryosphere – Land / Sea Ice
Arctic temperatures have hit levels that haven't been seen for thousands of years
By Ian Johnston, The Independent, Dec 14, 2016
http://www.businessinsider.com/arctic-temperatures-have-hit-levels-that-havent-been-seen-for-
thousands-of-years-2016-12
The report found the average annual air temperature over land areas was the “highest in the
observational record” at 3.5C above 1900. Sea ice levels also fell to the lowest since satellite
records began in 1979.
[SEPP Comment: Perhaps NOAA will reveal the locations of the thermometers throughout the
Arctic in 1900.]
Hottest Arctic Hype
By Paul Homewood, Not a Lot of People Know That, Dec 16, 2016
https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2016/12/16/hottest-arctic-hype/
[SEPP Comment: Warmer than usual temperatures, well below freezing, is no reason to go
sunbathing there.]
Inside the Arctic’s ‘unprecedented’ report card
By Joshua Rhett Miller, New York Post, Dec 13, 2016 [H/t Clyde Spencer]
http://nypost.com/2016/12/13/the-arctic-got-its-annual-report-card-and-its-really-bad/
Scientists: Greenland Is Now Much Colder With More Advanced Ice Sheet Margins Than
90% Of The Last 7,500 Years
By Kenneth Richard, No Tricks Zone, Dec 15, 2016
http://notrickszone.com/2016/12/15/scientists-greenland-is-now-much-colder-with-more-
advanced-ice-sheet-margins-than-90-of-the-last-7500-years/#sthash.PGxUm5x7.dpbs
Climate Change causes more snow and ice on Greenland
By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Dec 16, 2016
http://joannenova.com.au/2016/12/climate-change-causes