Climate from the Underground: Long-Term Continental Heat Storage
Webinar Presented By: Dr. Hugo Beltrami, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Climate Dynamics, St. Francis Xavier University
Speaker Bio: Dr. Hugo Beltrami is a Professor and Canada Research Chair in Climate Dynamics at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia. He holds a BSc in Physics from the University of Winnipeg, a MSc in Theoretical Astrophysics from Queen's University in Kingston, and a PhD in Environmental Sciences from the Université du Québec à Montréal. Dr. Hugo Beltrami research is focused on fundamental scientific challenges related to the overall characterization of the energy exchange between the atmosphere and the shallow part of the Earth’s continental crust, an interface extremely important for life on our planet.
Abstract: The Earth’s Energy Imbalance is the most fundamental measure of climate change. Measurements of the energy exchanges among climate subsystems are of critical importance to determine the climate sensitivity of the Earth's system to greenhouse gases, to quantify the magnitude and evolution of the Earth's energy imbalance, and to project the evolution of future climate. Thus, ascertaining the magnitude and change of the Earth's energy partition within climate subsystems has become urgent in recent years. Here, we present some of our work leading to global estimates of ground surface temperature change and the land component of the Earth’s energy budget, derived from geothermal data. Results reveal markedly higher changes in ground heat flux and heat storage within the continental subsurface than previously reported, with land temperature changes of 10C and continental heat gains of around 12 ZJ (1ZJ=1021J) during the last part of the 20th century relative to preindustrial times. Continental heat storage represents about 5% of the total heat gain of the Earth system. Half of the heat-gain by the continental subsurface since 1960 has occurred in the last twenty years.
Date and Time: March 12, 2021 | 3:30 p.m.
Location: Online
Registration:
Access through MyLS: Chemistry and Biochemistry Seminar Series , passcode: 7u882y
If you are outside of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, please contact the seminar host, Hind Al-Abadleh.