Anthropogenic Warming of Earth’s Climate System

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

2001

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We compared the temporal variability of the heat content of the world ocean, of the global

atmosphere, and of components of Earth’s cryosphere during the latter half of the 20th century.

Each component has increased its heat content (the atmosphere and the ocean) or exhibited melting

(the cryosphere). The estimated increase of observed global ocean heat content (over the depth

range from 0 to 3000 meters) between the 1950s and 1990s is at least one order of magnitude

larger than the increase in heat content of any other component.

Simulation results using an atmosphere-ocean general circulation model that includes estimates of

the radiative effects of observed temporal variations in greenhouse gases, sulfate aerosols, solar

irradiance, and volcanic aerosols over the past century agree with our observation-based estimate

of the increase in ocean heat content. The results we present suggest that the observed increase in

ocean heat content may largely be due to the increase of anthropogenic gases in Earth’s

atmosphere.