Science: Constrained work output of the moist atmospheric heat engine in a warming climate
Incoming and outgoing solar radiation couple with heat exchange at Earth's surface to drive weather patterns that redistribute heat and moisture around the globe, creating an atmospheric heat engine. Here, we investigate the engine's work output using thermodynamic diagrams computed from reanalyzed observations and from a climate model simulation with anthropogenic forcing. We show that the work output is always less than that of an equivalent Carnot cycle and that it is constrained by the power necessary to maintain the hydrological cycle. In the climate simulation, the hydrological cycle increases more rapidly than the equivalent Carnot cycle. We conclude that the intensification of the hydrological cycle in warmer climates might limit the heat engine's ability to generate work.
I'll let the engineers race to explain in the comments.
Update. Or try this.
If Groundhog day dawns clear and sunny,
The Gopher's gone, and that ain't funny.
"I'm really smart. Give me money. #ClimateChange. #GlobalWarming. #Catastrophe".
Instead of water vapor changes contributing to CO2-induced heating, they limit it.
It's got nothing to do with CO2, natural and less likely man made.
"We show that the work output is always less than that of an equivalent Carnot cycle and that it is constrained by the power necessary to maintain the hydrological cycle
That's because a vest has no sleeves.
Seems clear enough to me. Don't you understand plain English?
Here is a simple translation:
Computer models, comparing theoretical heat cycles (models) for ideal (non existent) conditions, applied to a chaotic system = garbage (+ grant money).
Ok, as an engineering geek, the Carnot cycle refers to the temperature and energy changes in a closed system. The system starts in one state (say low temperature, low energy), energy is added to the system so that the temperature rises, and energy increases, then the system cools, releasing the energy and lowering its temperature and returning to its original state. The process of doing this repeatedly is called a Carnot cycle. The authors of the paper are looking at the climate as a model of the Carnot cycle. The big difference here is that for a normal model of this sort, the observer is looking at a simple system (which climate is not), and the observer is outside the system (for the most part - think air conditioner or furnace rather than global climate), and finally the system is relatively small and enclosed - the factors affecting the system are again simple. The paper breaks the analogy in the same way that a biologist might compare a single celled amoeba to the human body.
Yes, the paper is geek speak of the highest order, and as usual, when you understand what is really being said, the average individual would dismiss it out of hand as ridiculous.
Sems to me that the climate, like many complex systems, has an inherent means to balance itself out. Increased CO2 causes some change but resistence to this forcing results in limiting its effect. Which makes sense, as volcanoes have been spewing out CO2 at more or less a regular rate for millions and billions of years, and yet the historical climate evidence doesn't show a steady increase in temperature. Why suddenly the principles of this mechanism would change in the past 150 years isn't clear.
"Why suddenly the principles of this mechanism would change in the past 150 years isn't clear."
The invention of mass media has done much to change the laws of physics, chemistry and biology. These laws change to reflect whatever is convenient for the largest number of mass media outlet owners.
On paper, anyway.
Glo-Bull Warming
I was thinkin' about something like this the other day when my genuine purebred Greater Glengarry Moosehound, Jerome, was rogerin' away on an empty pail behind the garage.
"Hmmmmm", I says to myself. "Since friction causes heat,if that pail was full of water, I wonder how long would it take ol' Jerome to bring it to a boil".
A special HOT AIR TAX to be paid by certian perons who produce HOT AIR when ever their pieholes are open like AL GORE and those idiots from GREENPEACE who by the way support those stupid windturbines chopping up birds and bats
"We show that the work output is always less than that of an equivalent Carnot cycle"
The Carnot cycle is an idealized, perfect system that defines the maximum amount of work that can be obtained from a given amount of heat. This efficiency can never be matched in the real world. So they are just restating the definition of Carnot cycle. This is Introduction to Thermodynamics 101 stuff.
Re: Jerome and his favourite pail.
Well James, your postulation has some merit and would require consideration of at least some basic variables and factors. How much would the water reduce the friction? How much water are we talking about? Remember, one btu will raise one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit - and don't forget the latent heat of evaporation if Jerome starts to produce steam. Is Jerome wearing a condom? How will that affect the flavour of the tea later? How will the tea's turn out if Jerome is not wearing a condom? (excuse me a sec) Honey! Where the hell is my calculator!?
Did you remember to look up the coefficient of friction for latex? And did you remember to add the 6 and carry the 1? And finally, is this a good model of the earth where Jerome represents the sun, the pail the earth, and the water the oceans?
So many questions, so few answers.
I thank you for that, Sir! I just hadn't thought about the variables.
You must have considerable experience studying hound-humping in all its various manifestations.
Indeed I do have experience sir, and credentials! It's all there on my freshly-printed government grant application. My past research shows that your Great Glengarry Moosehound was originally domesticated by Scottish settlers at Laggan (near the Upper/Lower Canada boundary) in the 18th century from a blend of Canis lupus hudsonicus, Canis latrans x lycaon and Canis lupus familiaris. Therefore my research proposal would investigate whether expansion or contraction of the polar ice sheet, conjunctive with softening or firming of the Canadian arctic permafrost could affect the sexual proclivities of various wild Canadian wolf and coyote subspecies of Canis lupus. Your friend Jerome could hold the key to understanding the impact of anthropogenic climate change upon arctic wildlife, not to mention, whether or not Farley Mowat could have made his tea simply by placing a pail of water outside a wolf den while the female was off hunting mice in the tundra.
Is the pail plastic, stainless, or galvanized?
Thermodynamics is one of the most important phenomena in our lives. From this discussion so far it is plain to see that few are familiar with it but what is worse do not care.
It is understandable how the MSM is able to promote scams and keep the population in the dark all in the name of salvation.
Climate alarmism is the biggest scam the world has ever seen. Much much bigger and more dangerous than all the world's religions put together. Including Islam.
Thermodynamics is one of the most important phenomena in our lives. From this discussion so far it is plain to see that few are familiar with it but what is worse do not care.
It is understandable how the MSM is able to promote scams and keep the population in the dark all in the name of salvation.
Climate alarmism is the biggest scam the world has ever seen. Much much bigger and more dangerous than all the world's religions put together. Including Islam.
Another variable to consider in the pail humping equation - is Jerome neutered or not? I assume a dog with all his dangly bits is capable of producing greater friction on the pail.
tap tap tap. Hello everyone! (pause) Is the mike on? OK. Hello everyone! Up next, roninkelowna will be preaching to the choir, but somehow, he doesn't realize it! Hilarity ensues!. Enjoy!
Jerome neutered? I should say not!
Oh, I keep threatnin' him alright.
"Jerome" I says, "any more of that acting like a Liberal nonsense and it's off to the clinic with ya and off and you'll have nothin' left to lick. You leave those sheep alone or I'm tellin' ya, I'll turn you into a genuine turdo la doo supporter!"
Man oh man, does he ever listen up after that!
"Is the pail plastic, stainless, or galvanized?"
Oh, it was plastic alight. Ol' Jerome learnt his lesson a few years back when he hopped on a metal pail when it was -30.
I let him howl a few bars of Please Release Me, then I started up the skidder...just pretendin' I was gonna hook him up and peel him off, and then when I figured he'd never do it again I fired up the old tiger torch and heated up the inside of the drum. I tell ya, every time he passes that old metal drum now he growls...but he won't go near it.
"...but he won't go near it"
And they say a Liberal never learns...
A series of comments at S.D.A. ? -Precious_
I dunno what I'm talking about, really, but this is something I've always wondered about. The majority of the solar energy that heats the planet enters the system in the tropics. The sun heats the surface of the ocean, water evaporates, and the moisture-laden air rises and cools until the water condenses out and falls back to earth as rain. This obviously dissipates a lot of energy, and equally obviously, the more solar energy comes into the system, the faster the cycle will run. This would seem to provide a regulating mechanism, dissipating at least part of the increase in incoming energy. Do the climate models include this giant heat engine in their calculations?
as soon as I report al "this" to my local SPCA, you can expect a heated up knock on your door, just keep that barrel handi I say:-))
No worries...
Ol' Jerome knows how to handle vegetarians. :)))
Me neither.
The odd idea that water dominates this planets climate.
Absolute heresy in the Cult of Calamitous Climate.
Really amazing how well, evaporated water blocks incoming sunlight.
So impossible that huge bodies of water could modulate the effects of variation in incoming energy.
Truly funny how the Oracles Of Gore and their GIGO machines, cannot replicate clouds, in their sim worlds.
Garbage In, Gospel Out.
Article makes perfect sense. What's the problem..?