Helioclimatology of the Alps and the Tibetan Plateau
Issue:
Volume 5, Issue 2, April 2016
Pages:
19-25
Received:
1 February 2016
Accepted:
21 March 2016
Published:
20 April 2016
Abstract: There is broad agreement that the energy from the Sun is very important to the Earth. Global atmospheric circulation is also strongly affected by the amount of solar radiation received at Earth. That amount changes based on the Earth’s albedo, that is how much radiation is reflected back from the Earth’s surface and clouds. The amount of radiation given off by the Sun is changing with solar activity like sunspots and total solar irradiance. A reconstruction of total solar irradiance since 1610 to the present estimated by various authors an increase in the total solar irradiance since the Maunder Minimum of about 1.3 W/m2. This is a huge amount of energy, taking into account the Earth’s total land mass - 510.072 million sq kms. During this period, an increase in temperature in the Northern Hemisphere was observed. This paper examines air temperature variation and an associated phenomenon of its relationships to solar activity indices. The purpose of this study is to identify contribution of the Sun on climate variability in two mountainous regions of the Earth: the Alps and the Tibetan Plateau. Methodology applied in this study is based on calibration of the smoothed International Sunspot Number (SSN) and air temperature for the same solar cycles over a period of many years.
Abstract: There is broad agreement that the energy from the Sun is very important to the Earth. Global atmospheric circulation is also strongly affected by the amount of solar radiation received at Earth. That amount changes based on the Earth’s albedo, that is how much radiation is reflected back from the Earth’s surface and clouds. The amount of radiation ...
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Characterizing and Explaining Smallholder Households’ Views and Understanding of Climate Change in the Bongo District of Ghana
Philip Aniah,
Millar Katherine Kaunza-Nu-Dem,
Bernard Awinbugri Abindaw,
David Millar
Issue:
Volume 5, Issue 2, April 2016
Pages:
26-38
Received:
17 March 2016
Accepted:
25 March 2016
Published:
4 May 2016
Abstract: Africa is amongst the most susceptible regions to climate change and this situation is intensified by the interaction of ‘multiple stresses’ and the low adaptive capacity of smallholder households. Agricultural production and livelihood security in many African countries are severely weakened by climate change. The paper seeks to contribute to the growing empirical and policy discourse on climate change by examining smallholder households’ views and understanding of climate change. The research combined qualitative methods (FGD’s, historical timelines and interviews) with a quantitative method (survey) and analyzed the data using descriptive and inferential statistics such as percentages, trend analysis and bivariate correlations to investigate the relationships and differences of the variables. The results indicate that smallholder households believe that the rainfall pattern of the Bongo district is characterized by erratic rainfall, reduced rainfall, late onset, short duration and high temperature which have resulted in significant crop failure. The results further show that smallholder households associate climate change to bush burning, deforestation {hegemonic representation} whiles others associate climate change to breaking of taboos and the disrespect for the beliefs, spirits, gods (life forces) {polemic representation}. Over 95% of household believe climate change poses severe negative consequences for their farming activities and livelihoods {emancipated representation}. These perceptions by smallholder households were corroborated by rainfall and temperature records from the Ghana Meteorological Agency in the Bongo district. Livelihood diversification strategies, including off-farm income sources should be robustly pursued and more specific and targeted climate adaptation policies needs to be formulated by policy makers to reduce the vulnerabilities of smallholder households whose livelihoods depend largely on rain-fed agriculture.
Abstract: Africa is amongst the most susceptible regions to climate change and this situation is intensified by the interaction of ‘multiple stresses’ and the low adaptive capacity of smallholder households. Agricultural production and livelihood security in many African countries are severely weakened by climate change. The paper seeks to contribute to the ...
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