Watchers of the Skies and Seas – Climatologists

Posted by ERUDIO in Climatologists on May 25th, 2010

The world’s oceans are warming. The sun boils more water from the oceans, up into the sky.

We are playing Russian roulette with features of the planet's atmosphere that will profoundly impact generations to come. How long are we willing to gamble? --- David Suzuki

Up high, the water vapor chills, is blown over the land, then it melts, and falls as rain. The land floods. The rain keeps coming. And yet in other regions there is terrible drought.

The carbon footprint of the 200-year Industrial Revolution is why, say scientists called Climatologists.

Climate change is real, they say. The rise in ocean temperature is accelerating, proven absolutely by marine data over the past two decades.

And yet new polls show that about half as many of the public believe climate change is real, than believed it five years ago.

The energy lobbies are spending tons of money to defend themselves. And there is a full-on talk-war. Talk-show pundits say— “No, climate change is a liberal scam! Trust the big energy congloms. We can burn all the stuff we want, they say— coal is clean, burn oil, burn trees— the earth is huge, the oceans are huge, the oceans can swallow it all!”

So, who to believe?

Let’s see, hmmm… do I trust the earth’s top climatologists, or the big-time talk-show screamers? Hmmm, hmmm…

Many of the Pundit-Screamers have stand-up comedy backgrounds. Very impressive! So. Which should I believe? Let’s dig deeper…

Just who are these climatologists? How do they claim to know so much?

For one reason, a bachelor’s degree in meteorology, (or in a closely related field with courses in meteorology), is the minimum educational requirement.

Climate Change

A master’s degree is necessary for some positions. And a Ph.D. degree is required for most basic research positions.

Atmospheric science is the study of the atmosphere—the blanket of air covering the Earth. Atmospheric scientists study the atmosphere’s physical characteristics, motions, and processes, and the way in which these factors affect the rest of our environment. They often become meteorologists, and forecast weather.

In addition to predicting the weather, atmospheric scientists attempt to identify and interpret climate trends, understand past weather, and analyze current weather.

Weather information and atmospheric research are also applied in air-pollution control, agriculture, forestry, air and sea transportation, defense, and the study of possible trends in the Earth’s climate, such as global warming, droughts, and ozone depletion.

Meteorologists use sophisticated computer models of the world’s atmosphere to make long-term, short-term, and local-area forecasts.

While meteorologists study and forecast weather patterns in the short term, Climatologists study seasonal variations in weather over months, years, or even centuries.

Climatologists collect, analyze, and interpret past records of wind, rainfall, sunshine, and temperature in specific areas or regions. Patterns in weather determine whether a coming season will be colder or warmer than usual.

Some atmospheric scientists work exclusively in research. Physical meteorologists, for example, study the atmosphere’s chemical and physical properties; the transmission of light, sound, and radio waves; and the transfer of energy in the atmosphere. They also study other atmospheric phenomena, such as the factors affecting the formation of clouds, rain, and snow; the dispersal of air pollutants over urban areas; and the mechanics of severe storms.

Environmental problems, such as pollution and shortages of fresh water, have widened the scope of the meteorological profession. Environmental meteorologists study these problems and may evaluate and report on air quality for environmental impact statements. Other research meteorologists examine the most effective ways to control or diminish air pollution.

Atmospheric scientists held about 9,400 jobs in 2008. This doesn’t include individuals employed in college and university departments of meteorology or atmospheric science, physics, earth science, or geophysics; these individuals are classified as college or university faculty, rather than atmospheric scientists.

Median annual wages of atmospheric scientists in May 2008 were $81,290. The middle 50 percent earned between $55,140 and $101,340. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $38,990, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $127,100. The average salary for meteorologists employed by the US Federal Government was $93,661, in March 2009.

Entry-level meteorologists in the US Federal Government is a bachelor’s degree—not necessarily in meteorology.

Just for the entry level, you’d need all this— 24 semester hours of meteorology/atmospheric science courses, including 6 hours in the analysis and prediction of weather systems, 6 hours of atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics, 3 hours of physical meteorology, and 2 hours of remote sensing of the atmosphere or instrumentation.

Other required courses include 3 semester hours of ordinary differential equations, 6 hours of college physics, and at least 9 hours of courses appropriate for a physical science major—such as statistics, chemistry, physical oceanography, physical climatology, physical hydrology, radiative transfer, aeronomy (the study of the upper atmosphere), advanced thermodynamics, advanced electricity and magnetism, light and optics, and computer science.

And that’s just for your Bachelor’s degree.

Impressed? I definitely am. Why would you believe talk-show screamers, over scientists with this depth of knowledge?

Why would you not believe what Climatologists are saying?

And more— if you do believe, and you want to join the fight against Climate Change— why not arm yourself with knowledge, with a degree in Atmospheric Science?

Educate, educate, educate!

General information about careers in atmospheric sciences is provided by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research at: http://www.ucar.edu/student_recruiting

Information about careers in meteorology and a listing of colleges and universities offering meteorology programs is provided by the American Meteorological Society at: http://www.ametsoc.org

Information about meteorology careers in the Federal Government can be obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at: http://www.careers.noaa.gov

Information on obtaining a position as a meteorologist with the Federal Government is available from the Office of Personnel Management through USAJOBS, the Federal Government’s official employment information system. This resource for locating and applying for job opportunities can be accessed at http://www.usajobs.opm.gov or through an interactive voice response telephone system at (703) 724-1850 or TDD (978) 461-8404.