400 - Average annual temperature 14.8_ Running mean 380 8 14.6CO2 360 E 14.4 g 1

Question

400 - Average annual temperature 14.8_ Running mean 380 8 14.6CO2 360 E 14.4 g 14.2 14.0 O 13.8 340 9 320 -300 3.4 -280 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020 Year Compiled by the authors using data from NASA Goddard Institute of Space Studies, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Earth System Research Laboratory, Earth Policy Institute, and World- watch Institute.) What does it mean when we say the data in these charts are correlated? Can this chart prove causation? What types of data do scientists compare to make predictions about future climate? Why do scientists exploring the correlation of data, such as

Explanation / Answer

The given chart represents datasets that have a significant link relative to each other. CO2 and temperature have a relationship that yields a positive correlation between them. In this case, CO2 concentration increases with an increase in average annual temperature which means that the datasets are correlated. However, this chart alone can't prove causation or be used as an attribution for justifying climate change. Datasets such as that of sea ice extent, sea surface height, surface ocean biogeochemistry and physics (SST, chlorophyll, dissolved C, N, and oxygen etc.), atmospheric properties (precipitation rate, radiation, cloud forming aerosols, concentration of other greenhouse gases such as methane, nitrous oxide etc.), and land surface parameters like soil moisture are collected to make predictions about future climate. Comparisons between the key variables such as sea ice and radiation or temperature, precipitation and soil moisture, aerosols and chlorophyll, sea levels and greenhouse gases are made to prove the required causation.

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