Towards a Mediterranean GEWEX
357
Tab. 1. Mediterranean state variables and processes potentially affected by changes of global
climate and man's activities on land. A: Impact of global warming on the
Mediterranean. B: Man's impact on regional climate. C: Large scale interactions
State variablelProcess
Related to
Comments for clarification of their role
of concern
A
B C
Surface temperature
X
X
Effective surface radiation temperature, surface
and emissivity
emissivity as well as air temperature at 2m height are
important for magnitude of heat fluxes
Surface net radiation
X
X
Provides the energy for fluxes between surface and
atmosphere and depends on solar output, atmospheric
aerosols, water vapour and other trace gases, clouds,
surface albedo, surface temperature
Surface energy budget
X X
Includes the problem of partitioning of the net
radiation flux into heat fluxes and the role which soil
type, soil moisture and vegetation plays in the water
cycle
Artificial changes of the
X
Dam construction, channels, irrigation, water ponds
hydrological regime
Soil moisture
X
X
Depends on soil structure, precIpItation, water
consumption, net radiation, depth of aquifer
Desertification
X
X
Land-surface degradation in its widest sense which
feeds back to the atmosphere by changes of albedo,
temperature and heat fluxes
Extreme events
X
Floods, dry periods, cold spells, storms
Sea level rise
X
Causes problems in coastal areas
Sea Surface
X
Factor that determines evaporation from and
temperature (SST)
convection atop the sea surface
Sea currents
X
Depend on atmospheric forcing, temperature, and
salinity and influences SST
Land -use & land cover
X
Change of biosystems with different properties like
change
evaporation and albedo are effective in the climate
system
TOA net radiation
X
X The TOA net radiation is a measure of the strength of
the Mediterranean sea as a energy sink because of
high absorption of solar radiation in the sea
357
Tab. 1. Mediterranean state variables and processes potentially affected by changes of global
climate and man's activities on land. A: Impact of global warming on the
Mediterranean. B: Man's impact on regional climate. C: Large scale interactions
State variablelProcess
Related to
Comments for clarification of their role
of concern
A
B C
Surface temperature
X
X
Effective surface radiation temperature, surface
and emissivity
emissivity as well as air temperature at 2m height are
important for magnitude of heat fluxes
Surface net radiation
X
X
Provides the energy for fluxes between surface and
atmosphere and depends on solar output, atmospheric
aerosols, water vapour and other trace gases, clouds,
surface albedo, surface temperature
Surface energy budget
X X
Includes the problem of partitioning of the net
radiation flux into heat fluxes and the role which soil
type, soil moisture and vegetation plays in the water
cycle
Artificial changes of the
X
Dam construction, channels, irrigation, water ponds
hydrological regime
Soil moisture
X
X
Depends on soil structure, precIpItation, water
consumption, net radiation, depth of aquifer
Desertification
X
X
Land-surface degradation in its widest sense which
feeds back to the atmosphere by changes of albedo,
temperature and heat fluxes
Extreme events
X
Floods, dry periods, cold spells, storms
Sea level rise
X
Causes problems in coastal areas
Sea Surface
X
Factor that determines evaporation from and
temperature (SST)
convection atop the sea surface
Sea currents
X
Depend on atmospheric forcing, temperature, and
salinity and influences SST
Land -use & land cover
X
Change of biosystems with different properties like
change
evaporation and albedo are effective in the climate
system
TOA net radiation
X
X The TOA net radiation is a measure of the strength of
the Mediterranean sea as a energy sink because of
high absorption of solar radiation in the sea