Thermodynamics of climate change

Asfaw Beyene, Ron Zevenhoven

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

    7 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Climate modelling is discussed from a thermodynamic point of view, using a control volume approach in which the environment and a superficial layer of the earth form the volume, concentric spherical shell of predominantly gaseous content with a thin layer of the earth. An energy equation that includes anthropogenic heat is suggested based on the mass balance of fossil fuel introduced into the control volume. It is argued that the use of temperature as a climate change indicator should be deemphasized since other thermodynamic coordinates including pressure, wind speed, humidity, etc. are just as important. The concept of Equivalent Rate of Evaporation (ERE) is introduced to better estimate the impact of enthalpy of vaporization on climate change. This approach offers a more lucid understanding of the climate model, with indubitably more accurate results.
    Original languageUndefined/Unknown
    Pages (from-to)18–29
    Number of pages12
    JournalInternational Journal of Global Warming
    Volume5
    Issue number1
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2013
    MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

    Keywords

    • control volume
    • energy equation
    • thermodynamics

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