1. Citizen science shows systematic changes in the temperature difference between air and inland waters with global warming
- Author
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Weyhenmeyer, Gesa A, Mackay, Murray, Stockwell, Jason D, Thiery, Wim, Grossart, Hans-Peter, Augusto-Silva, Pétala B, Baulch, Helen M, de Eyto, Elvira, Hejzlar, Josef, Kangur, Külli, Kirillin, Georgiy, Pierson, Don C, Rusak, James A, Sadro, Steven, and Woolway, R Iestyn
- Subjects
Earth Sciences ,Atmospheric Sciences ,Climate Action - Abstract
Citizen science projects have a long history in ecological studies. The research usefulness of such projects is dependent on applying simple and standardized methods. Here, we conducted a citizen science project that involved more than 3500 Swedish high school students to examine the temperature difference between surface water and the overlying air (Tw-Ta) as a proxy for sensible heat flux (QH). If QH is directed upward, corresponding to positive Tw-Ta, it can enhance CO2 and CH4 emissions from inland waters, thereby contributing to increased greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. The students found mostly negative Tw-Ta across small ponds, lakes, streams/rivers and the sea shore (i.e. downward QH), with Tw-Ta becoming increasingly negative with increasing Ta. Further examination of Tw-Ta using high-frequency temperature data from inland waters across the globe confirmed that Tw-Ta is linearly related to Ta. Using the longest available high-frequency temperature time series from Lake Erken, Sweden, we found a rapid increase in the occasions of negative Tw-Ta with increasing annual mean Ta since 1989. From these results, we can expect that ongoing and projected global warming will result in increasingly negative Tw-Ta, thereby reducing CO2 and CH4 transfer velocities from inland waters into the atmosphere.
- Published
- 2017