How do we know climate science is credible?, Pg11

Key Highlights:

• A paper published in Science of Climate Change on March 10 questioned the foundations of climate change, claiming oceans aren't warming and Earth isn't accumulating heat.
• The paper disputes the method of averaging temperature to estimate ocean heat and raises concerns about data gaps in Argo floats.
• It alleges that the CERES-Argo cross-calibration is circular, misrepresenting the purpose of adjustments made to CERES data.
• Scientists validate climate models using independent methods like altimetry satellites and GRACE satellites, confirming the warming trend.

Detailed Insights:

• The paper argues that temperature, being an intensive property, cannot be meaningfully averaged to estimate ocean heat, but scientists calculate thermal energy, an extensive property, which is increasing.
• Argo floats collect ocean temperature and salinity data, but the paper claims data gaps create uncertainties; however, scientists address these uncertainties through multiple calculations and data comparisons.
• The CERES instruments measure incoming solar radiation and outgoing shortwave and longwave radiation to determine Earth's energy imbalance.
• The EBAF process adjusts CERES data to align with Argo measurements, but the paper incorrectly treats the entire process as solely for calibration, ignoring the raw data's role in showing warming trends.
• Independent estimates of Earth's energy imbalance, using atmospheric reanalyses and deep ocean temperature records, corroborate CERES-Argo figures, strengthening the credibility of climate science.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Thermal Energy: The total kinetic energy of molecules in a substance, dependent on the number of molecules.
• Argo Floats: Drifting devices that measure temperature and salinity in the upper 2,000 meters of the ocean.
• CERES: Scientific instruments measuring incoming and outgoing radiation to determine Earth's energy imbalance.
• EBAF: A process that makes adjustments to shortwave and longwave fluxes to ensure consistency with Argo measurements.