| Teaching | |
| Research Interests | |
| PowerPoint Presentations | |
| Transit Ideas for the Toronto Area | |
| Layman's Overview of the Global Warming Issue and Solutions | |
| Global Warming Links and Images | |
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Research Interests |
My work has involved the development of a series of box, 1-dimensional, and 2-dimensional models of the atmosphere-ocean-terrestrial biosphere system, with consideration of factors influencing both the long-term change in temperature; the long-term cycling of carbon between the atmosphere, oceans, and terrestrial biosphere; and the feedbacks between temperature and the carbon cycle. These models have been applied to such issues as (1) observational and theoretical constraints on the climate sensitivity to greenhouse gas increases, (2) observational constraints on the net effect of aerosols on climate, and (3) development of energy-system and carbon sequestration scenarios for stabilization or peaking of atmospheric CO2 at a concentration of 450 ppmv or less. Another line of work has involved the statistical analysis of the time-space patterns of climatic variability in coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation models, of climatic change due to increases in greenhouse gases and aerosols, and the implications for regional patterns of climatic change when both greenhouse gas and aerosol emissions are reduced. More recently, I have directed my attention to the feasibility of limiting atmospheric CO2 concentration to 450 ppmv (the equivalent of a doubling in concentration when the effects of other greenhouse gases are taken into account) through improved energy efficiency and massive deployment of carbon-free energy sources. A particular focus of this work has been on energy use in buildings, which account for about 1/3 of fossil fuel CO2 emissions in industrialized countries. |