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Are wave heights a good measure for climate change?

Question of the Week, 2.5.2011

Discussing climate change, the earth’s alteration in temperature is usually taken as the most important measure. But climate can be characterized by a lot more criteria. Scientists from Melbourne, Australia recently published a study that trailed the last 23 year’s climate change by wave heights and wind speeds. Evaluating data that had been collected by satellite altimeter measurements, I. R. Young and his colleagues found a slight increase in wave height and wind speed over this period.

Read more:

I. R. Young, S. Zieger, A. V. Babnin, “Global Trends in Wind Speed and Wave Height”, Science Vol. 332, p. 451

Leonie Mueck