Climate and Dynamics

An alternative explanation for differential temperature trends at the surface and in the lower troposphere

  1. Philip J. Klotzbach1,
  2. Roger A. Pielke Sr.2,
  3. Roger A. Pielke Jr.3,
  4. John R. Christy4,
  5. Richard T. McNider4

Article first published online: 4 NOV 2009

DOI: 10.1029/2009JD011841

Issue

Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres (1984–2012)

Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres (1984–2012)

Volume 114, Issue D21, 16 November 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

Klotzbach, P. J., R. A. Pielke Sr., R. A. Pielke Jr., J. R. Christy, and R. T. McNider (2009), An alternative explanation for differential temperature trends at the surface and in the lower troposphere, J. Geophys. Res., 114, D21102, doi:10.1029/2009JD011841.

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

  2. 2

    CIRES, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA

  3. 3

    Center for Science and Technology Policy Research, CIRES, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA

  4. 4

    Earth Science System Center, NSSTC, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama, USA

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 4 NOV 2009
  2. Article first published online: 4 NOV 2009
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 10 AUG 2009
  4. Manuscript Revised: 30 JUL 2009
  5. Manuscript Received: 2 FEB 2009
Corrected by:

Climate and Dynamics: Correction to “An alternative explanation for differential temperature trends at the surface and in the lower troposphere”

Vol. 115, Issue D1, Article first published online: 12 JAN 2010

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Keywords:

  • satellite;
  • surface temperature;
  • trends

[1] This paper investigates surface and satellite temperature trends over the period from 1979 to 2008. Surface temperature data sets from the National Climate Data Center and the Hadley Center show larger trends over the 30-year period than the lower-tropospheric data from the University of Alabama in Huntsville and Remote Sensing Systems data sets. The differences between trends observed in the surface and lower-tropospheric satellite data sets are statistically significant in most comparisons, with much greater differences over land areas than over ocean areas. These findings strongly suggest that there remain important inconsistencies between surface and satellite records.

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