Information-Modeling Technology for the Environmental Monitoring - New Ecoinformatics Tools in Environmental Science: Applications and Decision-making - page 114

Here T ice and T free are average planetary temperatures at which the whole surface
of the Earth is ice-covered or ice-free, respectively; b is the coef cient of transition

between critical conditions of the Earth ' is albedo. Usually it is assumed that

T ice ∈ K.

Simple and rough climate models can be speci

[263, 283] °

ed through account of the
characteristic times of feedbacks functioning. Some estimates of the time of
establishing the equilibrium states in the interaction of climate sub-systems are
given in Table 1.19 . The lag time of reactions within BCSS varies widely, and its
consideration is necessary when assessing the consequences of changes within one
or several climate sub-systems. In particular, the supplies of cold in the Antarctic
ice sheet are so huge that to raise its temperature to 0 ° C, the average temperature of

the World Ocean should be lowered by 2 ° C, that is, to obtain T o =3.7 ° C instead of

T o = 5.7 C. With account of the data in Table 1.19 , it will take hundreds of years to

reach it. The observed rate of the anthropogenic climate warming does not dispose
of such energy supplies.
The mechanism of the anthropogenic impact on the climate system is manifested
through GHG emissions, albedo change due to reconstruction of the Earth

°

'

s covers,
interference into water cycle, and atmospheric pollution. Aerosol particles with the
radius 10 − 7

10 − 2 cm are observed almost at all altitudes of the atmosphere.
Particles of non-anthropogenic origin get to the atmosphere from land or ocean
surface and result from in-situ chemical reactions. Particles of anthropogenic origin
result mainly from fuel burning. Table 1.20 gives an idea about relationships
between these

±

fl fluxes of particles into the atmosphere.

Table 1.19 Time periods of establishing an equilibrium state for some subsystems of the earth
climate system
Domain of influence of the climate system Period of restoration of the equilibrium state

Atmosphere
Free 11 days

Boundary layer 24 h

World Ocean
Mixed layer 7 - 8 years

Deep ocean 300 years

Sea ice From 24 h to 100 years

Continents
Lakes and rivers

11 days

Soil-plant formations 11 days

Snow cover and surface ice 24 h

Mountain glaciers 300 years

Ice sheets 3,000 years

Earth ' s mantle 30 million years