climate sensitivity

Definitions

1. 1

   The sensitivity of the Earth's climate to additions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere

   The sensitivity of the Earth's climate to additions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere: the degree of effect that such additions have; a numerical value as a metric thereof; any of various educated estimates for the real (unknown) value.

   • equilibrium climate sensitivity (ECS)
   • Scientists have been modeling and estimating the climate sensitivity for decades, and they try to group their estimates into best-case, worst-case, and likeliest-case categories.
   • To speak of the [one true real] climate sensitivity, we must speak of several plausible climate sensitivities and of which ones we consider likeliest.

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