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Published Online October 6, 2005
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1115602

Reports

Submitted on June 1, 2005
Accepted on September 29, 2005

The Radiative Signature of Upper Tropospheric Moistening

Brian J. Soden 1*, Darren L. Jackson 2, V. Ramaswamy 3, M. D. Schwarzkopf 3, Xianglei Huang 4

1 Rosenstiel School for Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33149, USA.
2 Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80305, USA.
3 Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Princeton, NJ 08542, USA.
4 Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Program, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08542, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Brian J. Soden , E-mail: bsoden{at}rsmas.miami.edu

Climate models predict that the concentration of water vapor in the upper troposphere could double by the end of the century as a result of increases in greenhouse gases. Such moistening plays a key role in amplifying the rate at which the climate warms in response to anthropogenic activities but has been difficult to detect because of deficiencies in conventional observing systems. We use satellite measurements to highlight a distinct radiative signature of upper tropospheric moistening over the period 1982 to 2004. The observed moistening is accurately captured by climate model simulations and lends further credence to model projections of future global warming.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Identification of human-induced changes in atmospheric moisture content.
B. D. Santer, C. Mears, F. J. Wentz, K. E. Taylor, P. J. Gleckler, T. M. L. Wigley, T. P. Barnett, J. S. Boyle, W. Bruggemann, N. P. Gillett, et al. (2007)
PNAS 104, 15248-15253
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)