The Top 30: An Annotated Index
Links to some of the most frequently read essays
Through 80 essays over the last nearly four years, I have tried to present the scientific basis of weather and climate in ways hopefully both clear and interesting, reflecting the fascination that I feel for the topic. The focus has been on long-term, high-quality measurements that tell the story clearly, without reference to complex climate models.
No new essays are planned, but in case this series might continue to be used in classrooms or general presentations, this index is intended to help readers find posts on particular topics.
After repeating the initial motivation for starting this Substack site (“Why Less Heat More Light”), this “top 30” list of most-frequently-read essays is organized under these five headings:
Simpler Stories With Real Numbers - Trends, Graphs and Models
Insights Into the Climate System - From Atmospheric Rivers to The Polar Vortex, Key Actors and Processes
The Future of Oceans, Ice and Hurricanes
Changing Direction - Alternative Energy Strategies
Reflections
The highlighted titles below are active links to the essays as posted on this Substack site. As they are no longer in time sequence, some references to "earlier" or "following" titles are now inaccurate. I apologize for this and also for any broken links in the “Sources” sections that may have developed since the first posting.
An additional index to all of the posted essays is here.
Thanks again for reading these offerings.
Why Less Heat More Light
Less Heat – More Light - Focusing on the science, not the politics
Simpler Stories with Real Numbers
Climate Change in Four Easy Steps - We have known the basics for a long time and two iconic data sets capture much of the story
Why Carbon Dioxide Predicts Temperature Increases - And when it might not - how greenhouse gases affect temperature
Quantitative Reasoning with Climate Data - With Scott Ollinger - Linking carbon dioxide and temperature using an older, one-parameter model, and with a role for El Niño!
We Should Have Expected That Very Hot 2023 - With Scott Ollinger and Steve Frolking - The fundamentals of the climate system have not changed and warming might pause again by the end of 2024
Two Hopeful Trends for Our Climate Future - Declining birth rates and increasing carbon efficiency could lead to net zero
An Intuitive View of the Climate System And a Surprising Result - Viewing data graphs as pictures in an exhibition
Insights Into the Climate System
Why We Can't Predict Next Week's Weather - Even AI Can't Overcome Chaos in the Climate System
Why We Can’t Predict Next Year’s Weather – Oscillations are playing the parachute game with the climate system
Why We CAN Predict Our Climate Future - Weather is just noise along the path we have charted for global climate change
The Global Conveyor Belt - A massive, global circulation of seawater buffers the effects of greenhouse gas emissions - and gives us time to deal with climate change
Block That Jet Stream - This dynamic and wildly variable part of the weather/climate system helps us visualize and understand extreme and persistent weather events
Methane Bombs and Massive Sinkholes in Arctic Tundra - The future of permafrost and a tipping point long past
The Future of Oceans, Ice and Hurricanes
Oceans and Ice – Inertia and Momentum in the Climate System - Oceans have absorbed carbon dioxide and heat – Massive ice caps delay melting
Zombie Ice - A new name for a known problem grabs the headlines. Will it catalyze action?
Back to the future - Ancient climates give an integrated view of our possible climate futures.
Hurricanes and the Global Energy Balance – How much energy do they move towards the poles?
Hurricane Ian - a "500-year" Storm? - Historically, a major hurricane has hit Florida once every 4 years. Since 2004, there has been one every other year.
After Ian - Using the past to plan for the future
Changing Direction
We are Flooded with Renewable Energy Every Day - Wind and solar can be enough - Which has the greater potential?
Keeping It Local: "Behind the Meter" Alternatives for Growing Low-Carbon Electricity - Working on your side of the meter allows creative solutions
You May Not Need A Roof in the Sun to Access Solar Energy - Communities create a market for renewable energy from the bottom up
Storing the Sun - We are awash in solar energy - how can we store it for use in the dark?
Energy From Underground - Geothermal systems draw nuclear and solar energy from the solid Earth
Gridlock - Why are there 8,100 renewable energy projects waiting for permission to join the U.S. grid?
Reflections
Cognitive Dissonance – Are We of Two Minds on Climate Change? - The gap between what we know and what we do – and a proposal to empower the younger generations
The Population Bomb Revisited - Are there too many of us now? Will there be too few in the future?
Experiencing the Eclipse - Combining scientific precision with a sense of wonder
Once Upon a Time - A Folktale for the Solstice
Life is Simple - Can a 14th century philosopher help with the presentation of climate science?
A Rare Earth - So many things could have gone wrong - Approaching our home planet with humility and a sense of wonder.