Klímatudomány

Klímatudomány (climate science) is the interdisciplinary study of the Earth's climate system and its changes. It investigates how the atmosphere, oceans, ice, land surface, and biosphere exchange energy and matter, and how human activities influence these processes. The field seeks to understand past climates, monitor current trends, and project future conditions under different scenarios.

Researchers rely on diverse data sources, including instrumental records of temperature and precipitation, measurements of ocean heat, ice cores, tree rings, sediments, and satellite observations. They study the Earth's energy balance, radiative forcing from greenhouse gases, and natural variability such as volcanic eruptions and El Niño, to explain observed trends and assess drivers of change.

Climate models range from simple energy-balance tools to complex General Circulation Models and Earth System Models. These simulations, often run in ensembles under various emissions scenarios, project future changes in temperature, precipitation, sea level, and extreme events. Model development focuses on improving physical representations and quantifying uncertainties, especially at regional scales.

The scientific consensus indicates a substantial human influence on recent climate change, with warming, retreat of ice, rising sea levels, and shifts in precipitation patterns. Projections suggest continued warming under ongoing emissions, though regional effects will vary. Subfields include observational climatology, paleoclimatology, climate dynamics, attribution science, and climate impact assessment, all of which inform policy decisions on mitigation and adaptation.