---
_id: '9146'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: "The factors governing the rate of change in the amount of atmospheric water
vapor are analyzed in simulations of climate change. The global-mean amount of
water vapor is estimated to increase at a differential rate of 7.3% K − 1 with
respect to global-mean surface air temperature in the multi-model mean. Larger
rates of change result if the fractional change is evaluated over a finite change
in temperature (e.g., 8.2% K − 1 for a 3 K warming), and rates of change of zonal-mean
column water vapor range from 6 to 12% K − 1 depending on latitude.\r\nClausius–Clapeyron
scaling is directly evaluated using an invariant distribution of monthly-mean
relative humidity, giving a rate of 7.4% K − 1 for global-mean water vapor. There
are deviations from Clausius–Clapeyron scaling of zonal-mean column water vapor
in the tropics and mid-latitudes, but they largely cancel in the global mean.
A purely thermodynamic scaling based on a saturated troposphere gives a higher
global rate of 7.9% K − 1.\r\nSurface specific humidity increases at a rate of
5.7% K − 1, considerably lower than the rate for global-mean water vapor. Surface
specific humidity closely follows Clausius–Clapeyron scaling over ocean. But there
are widespread decreases in surface relative humidity over land (by more than
1% K − 1 in many regions), and it is argued that decreases of this magnitude could
result from the land/ocean contrast in surface warming."
article_number: '025207'
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: P A
full_name: O’Gorman, P A
last_name: O’Gorman
- first_name: Caroline J
full_name: Muller, Caroline J
id: f978ccb0-3f7f-11eb-b193-b0e2bd13182b
last_name: Muller
orcid: 0000-0001-5836-5350
citation:
ama: O’Gorman PA, Muller CJ. How closely do changes in surface and column water
vapor follow Clausius–Clapeyron scaling in climate change simulations? Environmental
Research Letters. 2010;5(2). doi:10.1088/1748-9326/5/2/025207
apa: O’Gorman, P. A., & Muller, C. J. (2010). How closely do changes in surface
and column water vapor follow Clausius–Clapeyron scaling in climate change simulations?
Environmental Research Letters. IOP Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/5/2/025207
chicago: O’Gorman, P A, and Caroline J Muller. “How Closely Do Changes in Surface
and Column Water Vapor Follow Clausius–Clapeyron Scaling in Climate Change Simulations?”
Environmental Research Letters. IOP Publishing, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/5/2/025207.
ieee: P. A. O’Gorman and C. J. Muller, “How closely do changes in surface and column
water vapor follow Clausius–Clapeyron scaling in climate change simulations?,”
Environmental Research Letters, vol. 5, no. 2. IOP Publishing, 2010.
ista: O’Gorman PA, Muller CJ. 2010. How closely do changes in surface and column
water vapor follow Clausius–Clapeyron scaling in climate change simulations? Environmental
Research Letters. 5(2), 025207.
mla: O’Gorman, P. A., and Caroline J. Muller. “How Closely Do Changes in Surface
and Column Water Vapor Follow Clausius–Clapeyron Scaling in Climate Change Simulations?”
Environmental Research Letters, vol. 5, no. 2, 025207, IOP Publishing,
2010, doi:10.1088/1748-9326/5/2/025207.
short: P.A. O’Gorman, C.J. Muller, Environmental Research Letters 5 (2010).
date_created: 2021-02-15T14:40:46Z
date_published: 2010-04-09T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2022-01-24T13:51:02Z
day: '09'
doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/5/2/025207
extern: '1'
intvolume: ' 5'
issue: '2'
keyword:
- Renewable Energy
- Sustainability and the Environment
- Public Health
- Environmental and Occupational Health
- General Environmental Science
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
url: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/5/2/025207
month: '04'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
publication: Environmental Research Letters
publication_identifier:
issn:
- 1748-9326
publication_status: published
publisher: IOP Publishing
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: How closely do changes in surface and column water vapor follow Clausius–Clapeyron
scaling in climate change simulations?
type: journal_article
user_id: 8b945eb4-e2f2-11eb-945a-df72226e66a9
volume: 5
year: '2010'
...