Modern physics is critical to global warming research

Even a highly simplified model of the Earth's atmosphere shows great complexity in jet streams and macroturbulence. Mathematical approaches that focus on average statistics rather than detailed patterns can deepen... Click here for more information.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Science has come a long way with predicting climate. Increasingly sophisticated models and instruments can zero in on a specific storm formation or make detailed weather forecasts – all useful to our daily lives. But to understand global climate change, scientists need more than just a one-day forecast. They need a deeper understanding of the complex and interrelated forces that shape climate.

This is where modern physics can help, argues Brad Marston, professor of physics at Brown University. Marston is working on sets of equations that can be used to more accurately explain climate patterns. Marston will explain his research as part of a panel discussion titled “The Physics of Climate and Climate Change,” scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on March 11, 2008, at the American Physical Society’s meeting in New Orleans. Marston will also take part in a 1 p.m. press conference prior to the presentation.

“Climate is a statement about the statistics of weather, not the day-to-day or minute-by-minute fluctuations,” Marston said. “That’s really the driving concept. We know we can’t predict the weather more than a couple of weeks out. But we can turn that to our advantage, by using statistical physics to look directly at the climate itself.”