TY - JOUR
T1 - A new challenge for climate studies in geography
AU - Yarnal, Brent
AU - Crane, Robert G.
AU - Carleton, Andrew M.
AU - Kalkstein, Laurence S.
N1 - Funding Information:
It is obvious that the dynamic interaction of the components of the climate system produce our evolving planetary environment. There are several institutional efforts underway to study the earth as just such an interactive, composite system [55]. For instance, the first two authors of this paper are affiliated with the Earth System Science Center, an interdisciplinary program shared by the departments of Geography, Geosciences and Meteorology at the Pennsylvania State University. With the recognition of recurrent global-scale climatic disasters, such as ENSO events, and the possible social disruptions anticipated to occur with the proposed CO, and trace gas-induced warming, the urgent need for these interdisciplinary efforts now is being considered seriously by governments throughout the world. At the international level, the WCRP, a joint effort run by the World Meteorological Organization and the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU), has been implemented to determine both to what extent climate can be predicted and the extent of human influence of climate [87]. The program consists of individual projects, such as TOGA, which is focused on unlocking the mysteries of ENSO [95]. Another important ICSU effort is the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP) 1.55, 801, where the term geosphere represents the totality of geophysical regimes comprising the lithosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere and atmosphere, and the word biosphere denotes the integrated living and life-support system of the planet [55]. At the national level, the ICBP is supported by the U.S. National Research Council [80] and by parallel programs of the National Science Foundation (Global Geosciences) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA; Earth System Science) [55]. Perhaps the grandest scheme to be initiated yet is the Earth Observing System (EOS) proposed by NASA for the 1990s [61]. EOS will be a readily accessible information system, consisting of an observation network based primarily in space and an advanced data system, established to pursue a comprehensive approach to understanding the earth as a system. Climate plays a central role in the proposed program.
PY - 1987/11
Y1 - 1987/11
N2 - Greater emphasis is being placed on large-scale (synoptic and dynamic) climatology in geography. Concurrently, climatological research as a whole has evolved to view climate as a complex, integrated and interactive global system. In this context, we review new directions in large-scale climate studies in geography. We conclude that no matter at which climatic scale geographers are working, the new challenge is to integrate their research and teaching activities into a more holistic, global-systems approach while maintaining and improving their traditional strengths.
AB - Greater emphasis is being placed on large-scale (synoptic and dynamic) climatology in geography. Concurrently, climatological research as a whole has evolved to view climate as a complex, integrated and interactive global system. In this context, we review new directions in large-scale climate studies in geography. We conclude that no matter at which climatic scale geographers are working, the new challenge is to integrate their research and teaching activities into a more holistic, global-systems approach while maintaining and improving their traditional strengths.
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U2 - 10.1111/j.0033-0124.1987.00465.x
DO - 10.1111/j.0033-0124.1987.00465.x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84950799521
SN - 0033-0124
VL - 39
SP - 465
EP - 473
JO - Professional Geographer
JF - Professional Geographer
IS - 4
ER -