Climate Research

1910 Submissions

[3] viXra:1910.0502 [pdf] submitted on 2019-10-24 21:21:36

Causal Inference for Climate Change Events from Satellite Image Time Series Using Computer Vision and Deep Learning

Authors: Vikas Ramachandra
Comments: 16 Pages.

We propose a method for causal inference using satellite image time series, in order to determine the treatment effects of interventions which impact climate change, such as deforestation. Simply put, the aim is to quantify the 'before versus after' effect of climate related human driven interventions, such as urbanization; as well as natural disasters, such as hurricanes and forest fires. As a concrete example, we focus on quantifying forest tree cover change/ deforestation due to human led causes. The proposed method involves the following steps. First, we use computer vision and machine learning/deep learning techniques to detect and quantify forest tree coverage levels over time, at every time epoch. We then look at this time series to identify changepoints. Next, we estimate the expected (forest tree cover) values using a Bayesian structural causal model and projecting/forecasting the counterfactual. This is compared to the values actually observed post intervention, and the difference in the two values gives us the effect of the intervention (as compared to the non intervention scenario, i.e. what would have possibly happened without the intervention). As a specific use case, we analyze deforestation levels before and after the hyperinflation event (intervention) in Brazil (which ended in 1993-94), for the Amazon rainforest region, around Rondonia, Brazil. For this deforestation use case, using our causal inference framework can help causally attribute change/reduction in forest tree cover and increasing deforestation rates due to human activities at various points in time.
Category: Climate Research

[2] viXra:1910.0091 [pdf] submitted on 2019-10-07 03:47:09

Short Review of Climate Change in Support of Greta Thunberg and Fridays for Future

Authors: Rainer W. kühne
Comments: 5 Pages.

I review the evidence of natural climate change as given by the Greenland ice core data of the past 120,000 years and the Antarctica ice core data of the past 900,000 years. These data show that the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration never exceeded 300 ppm (parts per million by volume) during the 650,000 years which preceded AD 1900. Only around 1900 did the concentration reach 300 ppm. Afterwards it increased continuously until the present value of over 400 ppm, where since AD 2000 it increases by 2 ppm per year. I predict that within the next one hundred years the global temperature will increase by further 3.6°C only because of the carbon dioxide concentration that is already at present in the atmosphere.
Category: Climate Research

[1] viXra:1910.0002 [pdf] replaced on 2020-02-28 08:10:34

Global Warming Due to Albedo & Hydro-Hotspots Humidity Forcing Conflicts with CO2 Theory and A Lack of IPCC Albedo Goals

Authors: Alec Feinberg
Comments: 16 Pages.

Understanding root causes is always needed to find proper solutions. In climate change, we must ask, what has historically changed? Besides CO2, we have a change in the specific and relative humidity, slight decrease in land albedo, and yearly growth of Hydro-HotSpots (HHS). We denote hydro-hotspot as water evaporation and bulk heating from low albedo manmade type roads and cities surfaces (often called urban heat islands), including cars and engine hoods. This includes both Highly Evaporating Surfaces (HES) and bulk warm waste Rain Water Management (RWM) where billions of gallons of water is into rivers and the ocean each year causing numerous concerns. This is Humidity Forcing (HF) related to albedo forcing and the creation of HHS. Most significant is land albedo forcing. Modeling provided are in agreement with other authors that albedo forcing due to cities and roads are a major effect on global warming. This also feeds most of the HHS. We show in this article that such surfaces, while seemingly covering only about 1% of the Earth, can have very large effective solar and evaporation areas many times the size of the HES and RWM area itself compared with higher albedo absorbing vegetative areas that also include transpiration. This is significant since water vapor is a potent GreenHouse (GH) gas. City surfaces can prove to be enormous when tall buildings are considered. In addition, active hydro-hotspots will decrease relative humidity while increasing specific humidity. We are able to estimate the large percentage of global warming contribution due to albedo and humidity HHS forcing compared to CO2 increase. This leads to the conclusion that changing the albedo of cities and roads is a main solution to global warming. This paper, then points to numerous concerns including the lack of IPCC albedo goals for cities and roads. Specifically, it is concluded that there is not enough proof that CO2 goals will be enough to stop global warming trends in light of the complex influences on global warming from Cities and Roads.
Category: Climate Research